The best kid in class

 Adell's Kindergarten teacher is a pro.  She's been teaching for decades and knows how to keep a class running smoothly.  One of her tricks to encourage good behavior is to hand out a stuffed animal prize for three specific behaviors.  

Listening Lady Bug goes to the child who listened the best and followed directions.

Dependable Dog goes to the child who does what is right with out being asked.

Busy Bee goes to the child who works the hardest at cleaning up after choosing time (free play).

Adell told me all about these prizes on the first or second day of school and has been working hard to earn each one.  When you win the prize you get to take the stuffed animal home for the day and bring it back in the morning--so we've been sure to take a picture every time.  

Busy Bee was the hardest one to get...or rather...it took the teacher the longest to award it to Adell.  Adell cleans up like a champ every day.  I know.  

                                               

                                               

                                               

Lunar eclipse in two takes

There was a lunar eclipse tonight!  Did you see it!?  We saw it two nights in a row...sort of.

I messed up and thought the eclipse was going to be Saturday night.  We packed a picnic and went up to a hill in our neighborhood to watch the moon.  We watched, and waited, and watched.  Nothing.  That moon stayed bright and full.  Finally, Will pulled out his phone and looked up the eclipse...discovering that it was going to happen Sunday night.  

It was just a trial run.

Sunday night we repeated everything AND the sky was covered in clouds.  Seriously, we couldn't even see the moon.  So...that was disappointing.  We sat around watching the clouded sky, eating snacks for about an hour.  Finally, the clouds broke and we got a peek at the moon.  It was mid eclipse and just looked shadowed over.  We went back home and put the littlest kids to bed.  We let the big kids stay up and wander out side a few times to check in on the moon.  The clouds fully cleared as the eclipse was ending and we got a great look at it then.  It was pretty cool.  

                                                         

                                                         

Soccer girls (and a boy...not pictured)

               

We signed three kids up for soccer this fall.  Wyatt, Clare and Adell all started at the end of August and will play until November.  It has been busy.  Will coaches Wyatt's team and so has Wyatt's practices and game covered every week.  I get to manage the girls.  I've only seen one of Wyatt's games but made it to most of the girls.  It is hot and dry and all of the grass is dead here...making soccer challenging.  Clare is playing on an advanced team, not because she is a super star--in fact this is her first year playing, ever.  No, her mother signed her up and didn't know there was a difference between REC and Rec Plus.  

Anyway, all three kids are loving soccer right now.  I am sure it will last all season long and I can just plan on being a slave to soccer every fall.  It will be so awesome.

                                          

                                          

Oh summer, you were over too quickly.

Our summer has been over for four weeks now...school started at the end of August and I still haven't updated the blog.  No time like the present--especially when you are catching up on missed posts.

Summer was glorious.  It always is.  I love having the kids home (most of the time).  I love being Captain of our time and plans.  I love quiet days reading, watching movies and sticking close to home.  I love crazy days with outings and adventures.  I love heat and sun.  I just love summer.

We made a few trips to the park.  Not as many as the little kids would have liked...Adell and Colter could go to the park everyday...all day. 

Wyatt organized all the kids into a group so I could take a picture "for our Christmas card"--his idea.  Too bad Lorien was at girl's camp.  Colter also threw a wild fit while we were at the park.  Adell just reminded me as I was typing this up.  Good to remember.

We only did ONE summer science experiment.  We made goo (cornstarch and water).  It was a gigantic mess.  The kids loved it.  

We dog sat for a family friend for a day and got to swim in their pool and jump on their trampoline.  The kids all want a dog now.  I just want a yard with a trampoline--and maybe a pool.  None of us are going to get what we want...