All three on the first day of school
Grady and his teacher, Mrs. Fisher
Alice and Mrs. Armao
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Pictures Pictures Pictures!
The Arnold's brought up our camera cord so we can finally post pictures! Whoo hooo!
These are some dinner time pictures from this past weekend.
Grady's Tiger Cub uniform. Can't figure out how to rotate the picture - sorry! I also posted some pictures from the Renaissance festival on that blog. More to come...
The Weekend that Was
We just had a fabulous weekend with Stephen's parents! On Friday they helped in Alice's class for Johnny Appleseed Day. Afterwards, they were able to have lunch with both children at school. They loved getting to see the school and all their friends.
On Saturday, Stephen, Big Grady and Little Grady spent the morning at Tiger Cub Fun Day. They made rockets out of plastic bottles and played with marshmallow blow guns. Grady came home just beaming! They sang songs and learned chants. He loved it.
Saturday evening, the adults went downtown and took the incline up the mountain to Grandview Avenue where we ate a 7 course prix fixe meal at Isabella's. The view and food were incredible.
On Sunday, the Arnold's took Grady and Alice downtown for a riverboat ride and tour. The children informed them that they just *had* to go to Hard Rock Cafe! HA! Stephen and I played with Pryor and watched him ride his big wheel down the driveway. He loved having all the attention! We went to a really good Indian place to which we couldn't have taken G & A. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Ultimate Playdate
Well, today was finally the date for our ultimate play date. Each child had a same sex playmate - each one born within a month or two my children. Incredible!
Grady and the big brother, Justin, played Star Wars. They ran around with light sabers and had an excellent time. After Alice put on Skye's Sleeping Beauty dress, the girls had a tea party. The little fellas ran around and tried to be like the big kids. Pryor and Nickolas fought over the same ball, same car, etc.
The biggest hit of the day was the train table. We got a track going and all the children played with it. By then the pizza arrived. Since it was such a beautiful evening, they all ate outside. Pryor and Nick sat at their own tiny table. It was just adorable.
I think this family is going to be a big hit with my children! The unusual thing is that they are foster children. The "Mom" got them in June and is trying to make it a permanent adoption. Evidently the biological parents have not given up final rights. So this couple won't know for at least six months whether or not they will be able to adopt. I can't imagine!
Grady and the big brother, Justin, played Star Wars. They ran around with light sabers and had an excellent time. After Alice put on Skye's Sleeping Beauty dress, the girls had a tea party. The little fellas ran around and tried to be like the big kids. Pryor and Nickolas fought over the same ball, same car, etc.
The biggest hit of the day was the train table. We got a track going and all the children played with it. By then the pizza arrived. Since it was such a beautiful evening, they all ate outside. Pryor and Nick sat at their own tiny table. It was just adorable.
I think this family is going to be a big hit with my children! The unusual thing is that they are foster children. The "Mom" got them in June and is trying to make it a permanent adoption. Evidently the biological parents have not given up final rights. So this couple won't know for at least six months whether or not they will be able to adopt. I can't imagine!
Monday, September 22, 2008
United Nations in Western PA
So far the ethnic diversity here has been a little more than what we experienced in Knoxville. One of Alice's friend's Mom is from Germany. We had some twins from her class come over last week and both of their parents are from France.
On Friday afternoon we had some neighbors come over who are from Japan, living in a rental house for the husband's job for a couple of years. The daughter, Haruka, is in the fifth grade and taught Alice and Grady to do an origami swan. The children had a GREAT time and kept talking and talking to this poor little girl who knows NO English. She has a sweet disposition and her Mom, Yoshiko, would try to translate. We showed them Candyland, Ants in your Pants and Cariboo. She seemed to have fun.
An interesting note: in Japan, unicycles are really popular for young girls. They call them monocycles. Haruka could ride it up the hill of the driveway and turn around. We were all really impressed.
On Friday afternoon we had some neighbors come over who are from Japan, living in a rental house for the husband's job for a couple of years. The daughter, Haruka, is in the fifth grade and taught Alice and Grady to do an origami swan. The children had a GREAT time and kept talking and talking to this poor little girl who knows NO English. She has a sweet disposition and her Mom, Yoshiko, would try to translate. We showed them Candyland, Ants in your Pants and Cariboo. She seemed to have fun.
An interesting note: in Japan, unicycles are really popular for young girls. They call them monocycles. Haruka could ride it up the hill of the driveway and turn around. We were all really impressed.
Friday, September 19, 2008
I didn't want you to let me sleep!
Alice is the child who is having the hardest time with our move. Yesterday and again today she said she wants to go "home" and be with her friends.
Both Grady and Alice went to a church function last night called Powered Up. It's for K-5th graders and they do singing, games, snack, etc. The first one was last night and they had a moonwalk inflated in the sanctuary! (They took out several rows of seats.)
Well, since they had gotten to bed late two nights in a row, I decided I would just drive them to school and let them sleep as late as they could. Grady slept till 7:45 AM which is pretty late for him. He's normally up at 7. Alice, on the other hand, didn't get up till 8:30! They would normally be getting on the bus at 8:30. I tried to help her get ready with as much sunshine and pleasantness as I could muster. She just continued her rant - I hate school. I don't want to go to school. I didn't want you to let me sleep!
Both Grady and Alice went to a church function last night called Powered Up. It's for K-5th graders and they do singing, games, snack, etc. The first one was last night and they had a moonwalk inflated in the sanctuary! (They took out several rows of seats.)
Well, since they had gotten to bed late two nights in a row, I decided I would just drive them to school and let them sleep as late as they could. Grady slept till 7:45 AM which is pretty late for him. He's normally up at 7. Alice, on the other hand, didn't get up till 8:30! They would normally be getting on the bus at 8:30. I tried to help her get ready with as much sunshine and pleasantness as I could muster. She just continued her rant - I hate school. I don't want to go to school. I didn't want you to let me sleep!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Open House
Our school had an open house tonight for grades 1-5. We all went to Grady's classroom and met his teacher Mrs. Fisher. His desk is in a group of five desks. We met his next desk mate, Piper. She told her parents that Grady kept showing her the back of his folder to point out where the state of Tennessee is. She told her mom, "Mom, I know where it is."
He had done a picture that showed Daddy, Mama, Grady and Alice - I guess Pryor wasn't there that day! HA! He had a nice journal with some pictures in it. One of the books was: What I learn from my friends. His picture was: I learned how to spy from my friend Evan. His drawing had lots of boys in it - they had either a G or an E on their shirts. It was pretty cute.
He and Alice loved showing us all around the school. We met the Visual Arts teacher (not to be confused with the Creative Arts teacher who wasn't there,) and the Music teacher. We also met the guidance counselor who is in charge of the New Student Club which meets for the first 4 Fridays of the school year. It's amazing what state income taxes can do!
One interesting thing about their classes. In Alice's class - I think there are 18 children - only 5 girls. In Grady's class, I'm not sure how many total children but I counted only 7 boys. Definitely more girls than boys. I wish they were in the opposite classes!
As we were leaving, we saw another little boy in Grady's class. It's one of the boys that Grady talks about so I introduced myself to the Mom to trade numbers. Well, we discovered that her daughter is in Kindergarten (a different teacher) and her other son is two years old. The ULTIMATE play date - one for each child! The right boy/girl/boy ratio! Incredible! I'll definitely be calling her!
He had done a picture that showed Daddy, Mama, Grady and Alice - I guess Pryor wasn't there that day! HA! He had a nice journal with some pictures in it. One of the books was: What I learn from my friends. His picture was: I learned how to spy from my friend Evan. His drawing had lots of boys in it - they had either a G or an E on their shirts. It was pretty cute.
He and Alice loved showing us all around the school. We met the Visual Arts teacher (not to be confused with the Creative Arts teacher who wasn't there,) and the Music teacher. We also met the guidance counselor who is in charge of the New Student Club which meets for the first 4 Fridays of the school year. It's amazing what state income taxes can do!
One interesting thing about their classes. In Alice's class - I think there are 18 children - only 5 girls. In Grady's class, I'm not sure how many total children but I counted only 7 boys. Definitely more girls than boys. I wish they were in the opposite classes!
As we were leaving, we saw another little boy in Grady's class. It's one of the boys that Grady talks about so I introduced myself to the Mom to trade numbers. Well, we discovered that her daughter is in Kindergarten (a different teacher) and her other son is two years old. The ULTIMATE play date - one for each child! The right boy/girl/boy ratio! Incredible! I'll definitely be calling her!
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