the kid-lets

i figured you would probably want to know how the kids are doing.... it's been a while since i wrote about them, and not just as the subject of my pictures.

erica is loving 4th grade. her teacher is fantastic and is so willing to help her. she stayed after school one day to help erica with math, and it was just erica. i had a nice little chat with her teacher at the parent-teacher night and was assured that erica is doing fine in everything.... just maybe a little shy at saying 'i don't understand'. we're working on that. she has the cutie-pie teacher for her language arts/reading time. he just loves having erica in his class, she is one of only a few girls. he has told me that every once in a while he has to get her to stay on task... she likes to day dream, nothing wrong with that. but, he too said that she is doing great. friday she had a plant project due. the class has been studying the different parts of the plants and were to make a picture of a plant and label all it's parts. i told her that i had just studied this in my biology class last semester and that this would be fun. we love art projects for school. we enlisted the help of grandma for the supplies (have you seen her insane craft room?!)... fabric from my bridesmade dresses, feathers, raffia, beads.... lots of stuff. it took two days to complete, we did the pollen  thingy (shush, i just can't recall the exact term) in glue and glitter and needed to give it time to dry. it turned out great! unfortunately, i did not get a picture of it before she turned it in.

aidan is just a super star in his class.... but i'm so biased. his PALS test scores do prove that he is doing fan-friggin-tastic. the benchmark score for the fall is 39... he got a 68! he's a fantastic reader, great speller, and can even tell you what an exoskeleton is. aidan hasn't had any special projects yet, but they will come soon. just like his sister, he comes home having stayed on 'green' all week for behavior, which is a very good thing. his teacher wrote on his progress report that he follows directions well and is always willing to help anyone who needs it. got to admit... he's had a great example in his sister!

sofia wishes she could go to school with her brother and sister, but i think she likes having the tv to herself (unless grandpa is home) and being able to have all the attention. she spends monday, wednesday, and part of friday at my mom's while i'm in school. there, she gets a big yard to play in and a variety of tv shows to watch when the weather isn't as agreeable. she hasn't been big on the nap thing all summer, but so far this year she gets one almost every day. most are not that long, but just enough to take the edge off.

yesterday was a BIG day for them. i took them up to their other grandparents for the weekend, which you're probably thinking 'so what'. well this trip was special because uncle sam was home from deployment and visiting with his wife laura, great grandma waliser was out for a visit (whom they have never met before), aunt amy came up with her kids (uncle nick is still out on his deployment), and aunt robyn (grandpa's sister, another relative they hadn't met) was out visiting with her husband steve. whew! that's a lot of people! so many that the family dinner was held at the chapel. i hadn't met robyn before either, so i was not going to let my kids miss this opportunity. my kids weren't too receptive to great grandma, but they at least acknowledged her.... except sofia, she really didn't want anything to do with her. i think it's all those old ladies at walmart that mean well, but scare the crap out of my child. well, the kids spent most of the time with their cousins playing in the gym while i visited with all of jeff's family, jeff had to work. i also got the rest of my pictures taken while i was there (i was going for the theme 'reflection in/of time'). i left the kids around 9 last night and had a very quiet saturday.

as a bonus to my day.... my pretty pretty sparkly necklace came today. i had sent a friend, who is in the custom jewelry business, my old wedding bands and my grandma's engagement ring. i asked if he could make something happy out of them. after a few chats with him and his designer, i was sent the computer mock-up. BEAUTIFUL!!!!! i was really excited to get my necklace. due to circumstances beyond my control, and my friend's as well, it took longer than anticipated to make. no matter in the end, because i got it and i love it! it's so light that i have to remind myself that i am wearing it. it sparkles and is just so beautiful. i even got a little teary eyed as i put it on. i showed it to my family, they think it's beautiful as well. so, now i have my diamond and my grandma's always with me.... creating happy thoughts! (pictures to come soon)