Goodbye Pike… Hello Ray

Today is hotter than yesterday, a good day for a dip in the pool after one final swim lesson for the spring session.

Kaitlyn took two sessions of Pike and loved it.  This past session a new student, Zack, a very cute and outgoing little boy also age 4, joined the class and he and Kaitlyn immediately became best buddies.  They loved loved loved being together and they were so cute.  For the last class they moved from the big pool into the waterpark to have a little fun.  Kaitlyn has made lots of progress in the past months, is a great listener and is moving on to the Ray class without her little buddy.  Sad!  They hugged each other goodbye and promised to try to find each other at the pool sometime this summer!  We’ll be on the lookout for Zack.

Lindsay spent about an hour swimming laps in the other pool with her friend Marissa that she met up with.  Nathan loved being in the water and having Tristan around too.

After almost every swim class we stayed after to play in the waterpark and Zack usually stayed too with his Mom.  Today was no exception and Zack got to meet two of Kaitlyn’s older siblings.  He called Tristan “big brother” and Zack and Kaitlyn had a great time terrorizing Tristan.  Tristan took it in stride having fun with the situation.  

Besides, I told Zack’s Mom, Tristan has done enough terrorizing that he probably deserves a little in return.

We climbed out of the pool with just enough time to get home and make some sandwiches before real hunger set in.  It was a fun morning at the pool.

Memorial Day Picnic

We attended our annual Ward picnic at Miami Whitewater yesterday to honor our country’s servicemen and to have a little fun with friends.  We slathered on sunscreen and went donning hats in the typical blistering heat and humidity that tends to descend on this region in late spring.  It will stick with us for much too long, in my opinion but that’s just how it is.  Thankfully the trees shading the playground saved the day, the food was good, especially the beans and yummy hamburgers, and we got to visit with many wonderful friends.

Nathan didn’t leave his cup behind for a minute.  We must have gone back to the cooler for ice water at least 6 times after lunch.

Rick attracted a good number of kids (including some of his own) throughout the afternoon for a game of Ladder-ball and eventually got to play a game of it with his good buddy Luis, who with beginners luck, won Rick by a long shot.  Nathan was just happy wandering around the playground area climbing, sliding and swinging.  I dropped my visit with my good friend Carolina whose kids are now older to chase after Nathan but eventually she caught up with me over at the playground and we continued our chat.

Lindsay helped Nathan on the “big” swing for a few minutes.  Kaitlyn was mad I had the camera out again.  And Haley kept herself busy visiting with friends at the shelter, a bit upset that I wouldn’t let her go down to the creek after last year’s incident but she made the best of it.  Not all her friends were at the creek anyway.

Lindsay, Nathan and Kaitlyn enjoy swinging before Tristan and Emily came along with some new ideas.

Nathan touches ground once again; such a climber!  We had to go visit Kaitlyn’s friend Caitlin who was holding Debbie’s snake named Sid.  The kids all know this snake well since every year he visits the kids in Nursery with Debbie.  The kids love this snake who also attracted a whole bunch of boys from a nearby shelter.  Finally it was just so hot, my two boys were wandering around the tree checking out bugs and pinecones, we were all talked out, played out and ready for the modern convenience of air conditioning again.  We had a really fun afternoon at the park, our unofficial start to summertime.

My Happy Birthday

Yesterday my day started off early getting up to take my youngest child to his swim class which he loves.  It was fun to be in the water with him and we stayed to play after class in the water park.  Although I would loved to have stayed in bed a little longer initially I was glad to be up getting the day going.  My afternoon was relaxing… my kids said I couldn’t do my chores!  So while they folded laundry and Rick worried about dinner I got to spend time reading my book out on my backyard swing and trying out a new pie recipe my good friend had given me for my birthday dessert.  Relaxing may have been my best gift.

I like picnics on my birthday.  I don’t remember a time when this wasn’t so… it’s such a great time of year for grilling and eating outdoors.  We had a beautiful day for that this year, a perfect temperature for a change with a cool breeze even and no rain.  Rick suggested we get out my last package of imported Zweigles White Hots and New England Style buns.  My birthday was as good a time as any for this and must signify that it’s about time to go on vacation to replenish my supply.  He also made baked beans, roasted corn on the cob and Lindsay made a fresh fruit salad.  It was all delicious and even better because I didn’t have to prepare much of it!

After dinner we played Ladder Ball in teams watching out for young yard wanderers.

My peonies are in bloom, a little late this year but beautiful as always.

Presents had a kitchen theme this year mostly.  I even got a toaster so the kids can quit microwaving their bread to make it warm or so I don’t have to toast it in a frying pan.  Kaitlyn had made me some pictures that she was very excited about showing me.  Haley made me a CD of “car songs” that I like and she approves of… a gift for both of us I suppose.

I finally get to replace my falling apart umbrella with this really great one that automatically closes as well as opens!  We had to try that out several times just for fun. 

I got a pretty fun looking slow cooker cookbook with all kinds of great ideas in it, a World-Wide Ward Secret Recipes cookbook that also looks fun, some new spatulas to replace the ones that bit the dust this year and a little something fun to hang up in my kitchen.

A very fun looking Cranium game for FHE came out of another package and a book that was on my wish list that I’m excited to get to read this summer.

The natives were getting restless… for cake!

This was my Raspberry Chocolate Cream Pie I made from a recipe my friend, Deanna, sent to me last week thinking I might want to try it for my birthday.  My other friend was with us, also named Heather, who has a birthday exactly one week before mine and decided she wanted to try it too.  So we both got a copy and made it for our birthdays.  Deanna is a real trend setter, I told her.

This pie has a pastry crust though I’m thinking crumb crust for next time and is the only part of the pie that is baked.  Then comes a layer of fresh raspberries that cook down to a puree and a cheesecake layer after that topped with a chocolate cream layer garnished with fresh raspberries and mini-chocolate chips.  Serve with a small portion of raspberry chip ice cream and it is one delicious birthday treat. 

I had a very nice day filled with a little bit of each of the things I like best and that’s just how a birthday should be.

Smart Shopper

I was so happy that my careful planning paid off yesterday.  I went shopping then in order to avoid the holiday weekend crowds (and my birthday).  I shopped at two stores from my planned list (plus a few add on items due to shopping with husband and 2 kids).

Two weeks worth of shopping for seven people which includes cat food, cleaning/household products and food storage put 139 items in my cart.  I spent a grand total of $221.17 and saved $121.22.  That is an expenditure of $15.80 per person per week which is pretty good in my book leaving me with a modest amount of milk money left to spend on dairy and a little produce as needed toward the end of the two weeks.

I do have a different way of shopping from many or maybe even most.  Even though I bought a bunch of ground beef and hot dogs this trip we still enjoy all the variety that anyone else would.  I have lots of chicken, ham, fish, turkey and sausage from previous times when it went on sale for $1.99 lb. or less.  I buy dried beans when they go on sale or in bulk at Sam’s (depending on the type).  I buy pasta when it goes on sale for .49 per lb. instead of $1.29 and that’s when I stock up on it which is separate from the time the sauce goes on sale for .98 or the tomatoes I use to make my own sauce.  Even my Iams cat food (premium stuff) was 50% off yesterday so I got extra to equal the amount I usually spend during a given two week period.  On my monthly trip to Sam’s club (diaper savings is more than the cost of annual membership) I pay only a dollar more for the exact same soap I’d pick out at the regular grocery and get twice as many bars! 

Amazing!  I know there are people who do even better than this but it is a fun challenge to stick to my own made up rules and see how much I can get for how little.  And that is how I keep my grocery budget of $23 and change per person per week, including household products, pet food and stock-up pantry items.

Haley’s 8th Grade Awards

I did not attend the Awards Assembly for Haley which they had during the school day but she did bring home her certificates.  I just couldn’t sit through another performance/recital/assembly with Nathan and Kaitlyn. 

Haley received the “Enthusiasm for Learning Award” and “Outstanding Academic Achievement Award” for her 10th grade geometry class.  She got the “Outstanding Academic Achievement Award” for Social Studies and also for English.

Haley was awarded the “Certificate of Excellence” in Vocal Music, her second major which she is very talented in but is dropping next year in favor of the major she is sticking with which demands more time in her High School schedule.  She came home with a “Certificate for Outstanding Achievement” in Orchestra", the major she is sticking with as she moves up to Chamber Orchestra this coming year, the school’s most advanced strings group.

Finally she was given an award for “Outstanding Academic Achievement” and was the ONLY 8th grader to get the “A Honors Honor Roll Award” – Straight A’s the entire year.  (The same thing happened last year).  Haley is an excellent student and this puts her at the head of her class as she moves into High School for the final four!  We wish her every continued success as she pursues her education both in her academics as well as in the arts. 

To see pictures of Haley’s new school building in the heart of downtown go to www.thenewscpa.org Click on “plans & progress”.

You have a bright future if you keep up the good work.  Congratulations on your hard work and accomplishments, Haley, class of 2015. 

Last Day of School

On the left is the first day of school back in mid August last year.  On the right is a picture of the kids today on their last day of school (yes, Kaitlyn is still in her P.J.s).  I can see that they’ve each grown up a bit in these past 9 months.  Haley is headed to an 8th grade awards assembly, Lindsay to Field Day and 6th grade picnic walking up to Mt. Storm, and finally Tristan has already spent the week having a pizza party, a walking trip to the local ice cream parlor with a lesson in economics of work = money to spend how he wishes and is now just waiting to find out his 3rd grade assignment after watching movies, he tells me.  Summertime!  We are all looking forward to a change in pace though I’m not sure if having them all home lightens my load or not.  My schedule does ease up, however, and that is a relief.

Lindsay made a tie dye shirt last week at school which all her friends will sign today.  The words on the front of her shirt translate to this idea – “It is too bad- the time is over”.  It makes me reflect on the fact that the time is indeed passing… these children are growing up.  And I guess I’m getting older too.  At the beginning these years seem to stretch out as if they will go on forever.  Then suddenly the day is here and it is time to move on.  There is an end.  I see that they are actually growing up and won’t be here with me forever!  Successful parenting and time passing… bittersweet! 

Lindsay’s Graduation

Tonight we attended Lindsay’s 6th grade graduation from Fairview-Clifton German Language School.  This is a bittersweet event for Lindsay who began her schooling here during mid-year 2006 in second grade.  During her time here she has blossomed academically, socially and against all odds became a straight A German student.  Lindsay has LOVED her years at Fairview.  It’s bittersweet for me too, although I still have a decade left as a Fairview parent. 

On the right is Lindsay’s kindergarten picture attached to a bag that past teachers and friends left notes for her in along with her beautiful corsage which the entire 6th grade student body received tonight.  The middle is the cover of her program.  The left is the cover for the photo CD case and Lindsay’s “funny face” is featured top right.

First came the processional (Lindsay in center) followed by remarks by their principal, Frau Mulligan.

Teacher’s academic awards were given out.  Lindsay received Excellence in German, Excellence in Science, Excellence in Math, Outstanding Progress in Social Studies, and Excellence in Reading; straight A’s in each class all year.  Lindsay is a conscientious student and has worked very hard.  There were a great many academic awards given out.  These are smart kids that Lindsay blends in with and the competition is fierce.

The 6th graders then sang “I’m Letting Go”, (Lindsay far right) a final performance with their veteran music teacher of over 30 years at that school.  This teacher was instrumental serving as our internal connection getting Lindsay into this school “late” when things weren’t going well at her first school.  A fellow music teacher of the district, she knew Rick 25 years ago as well.

Then came other awards to be handed out.  Lindsay walked away with Recognition for Fairview Runs, the S.T.A.R.S. award (consistently demonstrating Self-control, Trustworthiness, Accountability, Respect and Safety), the Presidential Scholars Award and Pin (pin below left) signed by President Obama, and of course finally received her Certificate of Promotion.

She also got one last running team t-shirt, a huge candy bar with a note from her second grade teacher and cute little bubbles with a graduation cap along with other notes from past teachers and friends.

Lindsay is seen here reading her graduation card from her parents.  We expect to see more great things from her as she moves on and finishes up her years in public school.

The cafeteria was decked out in balloons and table cloths the colors of the German flag.  Apparently I do not feed Tristan who took full advantage of the fact that both parents were busy helping children younger than him.  Luckily there were PLENTY of cookies anyway, but just look at his cookie pile!  Haley enjoyed treats with her self imposed rule of “2” while Nathan guzzled lemonade from a big cup… he loves drinking from big cups.

Lindsay and Kaitlyn enjoyed their refreshments, including Graduation cake.  Lindsay ponders her time in this school hoping she’ll be able to re-unite with some teachers and friends on a trip to Germany in a few years  (if she works very hard) while Kaitlyn dreams of joining the student body here.  It’s hard for me to believe that Kaitlyn already applies for admission this fall for kindergarten the following year.

Lindsay is here with a couple of her friends… she has many… she is very likeable and I’m amazed at how much they respect her.  All of these kids have worked hard to find a place for seventh grade in a system full of “schools of choice”.  Most of her friends will not be moving on to SCPA with her so this is hard.  The choice was not easy  as she was accepted into two very good schools.  But the decision was her own.

Before leaving I snapped a couple of pictures of Lindsay just outside this new school building  where she’s attended for 3 years.  I digress here but the school moved to Clifton, a beautiful neighborhood in the gaslight district of the city, from Fairview in 2008.  The old building (pictured in middle) was full of character from the mid 1800’s.  I loved it but it had it’s issues.  It had been there so long that the only bathrooms in the building were in the basement… put there after outhouses became obsolete!  The caretakers of the building, once upon a time, actually lived in apartments up in the attic of this school… I cannot imagine the heat!  Eventually policy/code decided that it was a fire hazard to have living quarters up there.  Such history!  Lindsay came home from school full of stories of the haunted staircase that was now closed off in this old, so neat, building.  This school has an international name for itself and so it could not relinquish the name of Fairview but rather took on the hyphenated name of Fairview-Clifton.  It is much loved and has given Lindsay a great start to her education preparing her for all that comes in the next chapter of her life.

Happy Graduation, Lindsay!  Class of 2017.