whatever

Last night was Student-lead parent conferences. The kids take you around their room showing you their work. They love to do it. It is such a cute way to hear how they doing. The teacher is there but just sits at her desk listening to be sure they have the correct information.
Sean’s handwriting has improved incredibly since September. Scott’s showed us his owl “pellet”. yuck. It’s gross to see little mouse bones all glued to paper. Look at that drawing of the white house (blue). Wow!
Then they got to pick some books at the book fair. My rule was “No TV books”. No one likes to read a Sponge Bob Squarepants book! I think I like the book fair as much as the kids do.
The weather here is amazing! I think we’ll have to hit the park again today.

She loves art . . . when she’s in the mood.
Just thought these were sweet.
I love the inner desire you see in children when they MUST draw right then even it means laying on the floor to do it. Some kids never have that need. It’s in you or it’s not.
I love that it’s in her.

Friday night we got a fire going in the pit outside. It wasn’t even cold in the dark. It was loud (like always) because the kids are so excited and hyper but it was nice to be out. We roasted some marshmallows and then threw them at the kids on the trampoline. It’s a game they call “Mallow Toss.” I don’t know if they made it up but they always play it when we have the fire going.
Saturday Sean had his first soccer game of the year. He is head and shoulders taller than anyone on his team. It looks hilarious. He was totally into it though. . . very sweaty and exhausted at the end.
When we got home he saw a new Lego catalog came in the mail. He swiped it and headed off to read it in privacy (no siblings) and enjoy his soccer team snack. He’s just like his mom – sneaking away with a magazine and a snack.
Later in the day Craig took three of them for a bike ride. Talby got to ride the chaser bike! She thought she was SO BIG.
Our Sunday was very relaxed. Craig is in a basketball trance now that will continue through the rest of the NCAA tournament. He was happy with his Jayhawks today!

Sean has found a new love. A new ball doesn’t hurt either. He won’t let anyone else touch it. He wanted me to take these pictures – not the norm for Sean.
He can dribble through his legs (slowly but he can do it). But his most impressive new skill is dribbling while squatting down into a sitting position then laying down flat and then coming all the way back up again without losing his ball or stopping the dribble. He was so proud of it. He learned at JAM basketball so lots of other kids can do it too but I am not their mom. He probably did it 20 times yesterday. Determination . . . love that.
After watching him I had to try it myself. I’ve never laid on the cement and dribbled a basketball before. (notice how there is no picture of that?) What great skill for a 6 year old to work on! It is balance and timing and strength and coordination all in one. And it ‘s FUN too.
Last week Sean said “WOW MOM! You are so good at basketball!!” (ha ha ha – go ahead I know you are laughing already)
Conversation after soccer last night –
Sean: “Mom, I could beat you at soccer easy!”
Me: “What makes you think that?”
Sean: “Because you are so old and I am fast and young.”
So much changes in a week.

Awana Grand Prix Race was tonight at church. Scott’s car was painted with black chalk board paint and then he wrote Rock CHALK Jayhawk on it. He did it himself. I was most most proud of that part. It crossed the finish line twice. He wasn’t the slowest one – I don’t think. And even if he was that’s okay too. Great job Scotty!

I love this picture.

Annie on the run after her bath trying to catch Talby who is too fast and already out of the room.

This is a scene I see out my kitchen window almost everyday.
I love it.
I wish this had audio with it . . . all the giggling.
It may be different kids in different numbers but they are always out there.
Craig bought that trampoline the day we moved to Kansas – before our boxes were even here on the truck. It has been used more than we ever thought.
Annie loves it as much as any of them. And don’t worry I didn’t let her jump with the sucker in her mouth . . . she held it and kept saying “no mouth.”
The bottom picture is Annie’s impression of the hippo at the zoo!