Tuesday, September 8, 2015

It starts with an H...

Walking to the car after school...
Magnolia: Mama, today was super exciting.
Me: Why? SASH? *see footnote  
Magnolia: No a bonus
Me: I don't know.  
Magnolia: Kaleia doesn't have it. It is new for 2nd grade.  
Me: You'll have to tell me.  
Magnolia: It starts with H... 
Me: Health? I think I remember they start health in 2nd grade along with PE. 
Magnolia: No...it ends with a k... 
Me: Homework. 
Magnolia: YES! My first homework!  


*SASH stands for Science, Art, Shop and Homeroom -- this happens once a week and is always anticipated with excitement.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

First Day of School 2015

I still can't believe these two are both in elementary school.



Kaleia
Favorites
Food: Pizza with pineapple and ham
Treat: Chocolate Pudding
Color: Blue
Book: Bob books and The Book with No Pictures
Movie: Rio 2
Song: ABCs
Activity: Draw

My best friends are Natalia and Eleanor (but these rotate regularly).

This year I want to:
  • learn how to read. 
  • try to do a whole sentence by myself. 
  • start playing the guitar. 
  • make a big stuffed animal. 
When I grow up, I want to be vet or a doctor and I will still be a Mama.

Stats
43.2 pounds ~ 3 feet, 10 inches ~ shoe size: 12 ~ age: 6 years, 2 months




Magnolia
Favorites
Food: Fondue, then crepes
Treat: Mud Pie
Color: Coral
Books: The Secret of the Ginger Mice
and The Spies of Gerander
Movies: Big Hero 6 and Rio 2
Songs: "Happy" by Pharrell Williams,
"Volcano" by U2,
"Ship to Wreck" by Florence and the Machine
Activities: Learning and Sports

My best friends are Clementine and Nivriti.

This year I want to:
  • learn about the forest and the brain.
  • try to find a fidget that will help me but not distract me.
  • start going to chess club.
  • make a forest model.
When I grow up, I want to be a doctor and have a farm.

Stats
54 pounds ~ 4 feet, 2 inches ~ shoe size: 1 ~ age: 7 1/2 years old





I guess I had a first day of school too -- my 33rd one.


Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Kaleia Sights a Germ


I never know if it is Kaleia's eye condition, her active imagination, or that she seems to have little regard for accuracy or fact.  Whatever the reason, she often leaves me speechless. 
"I saw a germ today. It was pink and it had a tail." -- Kaleia, age 5

Squawking Squatters


Each spring a Robin comes back to this nest on our patio. I'm glad and amazed that our dog and two kids don't scare them away so we can watch them grow. 

Friday, June 12, 2015

Last Day of School 2015


I can't believe these goofy girls have finished another year of school! 
And that we are now done with the Beehive (kindgergarten)!
Attempt at a "normal" smile for Mama
I'll definitely take this one home!
Chillin' with a popsicle
"I don't want it to end!"...Or maybe it was "I don't want anymore pictures!"

My big girl finished with first grade!
Always ready to learn even on the last day!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

2015 Kindergarten Olympics

Kindergarten Olympics--a much anticipated Catlin Gabel spring event--was a success! Kaleia Rush enjoyed each of her events, ending the day with a celebratory popsicle. During the opening ceremonies and after, Kaleia proudly waved her flag of hearts and stars, and symbols of her entire family, including dogs Trudy and Otis.
Kaleia excelled at balancing. 

She was a confident jumper.



Kaleia loved the hurdles--just like her grandpa! Also like her grandpa, her tongue was visible during every event.

Catching and Throwing on the other hand were quite a challenge. A generous 4-grade judge made some accommodations for her and her partner allowing the games to continue.



No one quite understood the dress-up relay. 

Finally, Kaleia made one lap around the track right as the whistle blew.


It was a perfect day with kindergarten friends,

with undivided attention from her parents, and a gold medal!

Lower School Spirit Week 2015

Spirit Week by Magnolia

Spirit Week is a week where you dress up in clothes you wouldn’t usually go to school wearing. Spirit week is the last week of school. It’s run by the 5th graders. 

Monday was Pajama Day. I wore my favorite nightie. Kaleia kept thinking I wasn’t dressed for the day because I was in pajamas and I usually am in clothes. Mama didn't get a picture of this day.

Tuesday was hero day. I dressed up as Jesus. It was very hard to get on because Mama kept changing her ways of making it stay on and switched the blue robe thing, etc, and I kept having to put it on and it fell off, and once I had to go the bathroom.

Wednesday was Wacky Wednesday. I wore a purple shirt and yellow/orange/red zig-zagged shorts and a white tank top over the purple shirt. Kaleia kept thinking that you took off your clothes and whacked people with your clothes. 


Thursday was Spirit Day. Spirit Day is when you wear lots of Catlin Gabel colors and stuff. I wore blue shorts and blue underwear, mostly white socks, and a tie-dyed white and blue Catlin Gabel shirt.

Friday there isn't any dress up because it is graduation day for the 5th graders and they are the ones planning Spirit Week. The 5th graders need to wear nice clothes. So we just will wear normal clothes for the last day of school.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Food Museum: Goats


The Catlin Gabel first grade class spends the spring studying food for their science and social studies units--farm to table style. In groups, they choose a type of food of interest (fruits, vegetables, bread, meat, dairy) to research. They conduct interviews while on fields trips to a local grocery store and a farmer's market. Parents come to class and teach each group how to make a food from their category: dried fruit, jam, pickled veggies, loaves of bread, jerky, yogurt, and ice cream. Then groups create a "Food Museum" with activities and informational posters. 

This was one of my favorites from this year: "chickens and things you make them in to." 


Originally, Magnolia choose dairy, but then she wanted to specialize in goat products. Her teacher allowed Maggie to branch off from her group to create her own food museum--I love that about our school! Now, this girl is now passionate about goats. 

She worked hard during work time and some of her free time on her exhibit, agonizing each evening, worried she'd wouldn't finish before the parent viewing event. Magnolia, and her teacher, were incredibly proud that she pulled it off. When I got to the event, as she showed me her museum, I realized why she had been worried, and was overwhelmed with pride myself.


She didn't just create the one required information poster or activity. Magnolia had made three informational posters,



an Interactive "Fun Fact" board, 

AND a goat game to test your new knowledge!

She really knew her stuff!


Some things I learned about goats from her exhibit:

  • Goats have rectangular pupils to help them see in the dark
  • Goats discovered coffee beans
  • Goats are picky eaters
  • Each breed of dairy goat gives a different flavored milk

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Blake + Rachel

Blake and Rachel, we wish you many, many years!
This weekend we returned to Bellingham and Camp Firwood to celebrate with some of our closest friends. Blake was instrumental in getting Brian and me together and stood by our side in *both* of our weddings. Since then, he has been a constant friend -- the only non-family member to stay in all of our houses, including Beijing. We are just getting to know Rachel, but our family has already grown fond of her.

Brian was excited to give a toast to his friend. 
The quote of the night: "talked him off the monastic ledge"

I enjoyed catching up with dear friends throughout the entire weekend. 

The girls played and danced and got a first glimpse at the special place where their parents' relationship began.