September 2016
September is over. Today begins October - first weekend, which means general conference...a time for us to sit back and relax and watch the apostles, prophet, and other leaders teach us and testify of Christ. October also means the weather is starting to cool off just a little.
Here's the rest of September...
At the end of that week, the kids elementary school had a tree planting ceremony to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Each child got to put a handful of dirt onto the tree representing their grade.
Natalie also got a speaking part in a poem read during the 3rd and 4th grade tree planting ceremonies.
(I only was there b/c Natalie asked me to come listen to her read her part. So, I wasn't there for Alee's grade because I didn't know what was going on until I got there and saw it. The official celebration was last Sunday, but we decided not to attend since we weren't sure how reverent or exciting the celebration would be.)
The same afternoon, I went up to Carolyn's school to attend her ELA class. The have been studying a poem called "I Am" and were required to write their own version of that and to turn it into a project using WeVideo.
I found out about it when she was searching my google photos account and asked me to help her find some pictures. I did, but she did the project all on her own. I was really impressed. She got an A.
(You can click on that link to watch it. The video might have some glitches in the sound. I tried to help her fix it, but she knew more what she was doing than I did, so I wasn't any help.)
We went to visit and tour the temple grounds, so I made little rice krispie treats (that are supposed to look like temples - white with gold statue of Angel Moroni on top, but they really just look like snow capped houses with some gold decoration on the roof. Fortunately, kids just like sugar.)
(Seth would have gone with us even though he's not in primary, but the YM/Scouts had a campout the night before and were canoeing on the lake all day.)
A photo of part of a family bible my aunt let me borrow to sort out some family history. (I just think it's really cool. It's from the mid-1800s.)
Alee gets a little more creativity than the others did/do for piano lessons. Learning has to entertain if I want her cooperation.
And reading is pretty much the same. We read (for her 15-20 minutes) while Natalie finishes up safety patrol for the car rider line. (She's above level in fluency and comprehension, but her attention span for it is not above level.) We manage.
For having 4 older siblings who think reading is a reward, it kind of surprises me how little she cares for it. (Even her attention span for being read to took years for me to build up to a full-length book!)
Here's the rest of September...
September 15th was International dot day. Alee's teacher asked everyone to wear dots and they read a book (The Dot, I think it was called) and probably did other dotty things.
At the end of that week, the kids elementary school had a tree planting ceremony to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Each child got to put a handful of dirt onto the tree representing their grade.
The same afternoon, I went up to Carolyn's school to attend her ELA class. The have been studying a poem called "I Am" and were required to write their own version of that and to turn it into a project using WeVideo.
We went to visit and tour the temple grounds, so I made little rice krispie treats (that are supposed to look like temples - white with gold statue of Angel Moroni on top, but they really just look like snow capped houses with some gold decoration on the roof. Fortunately, kids just like sugar.)
temple pictures:
(Seth would have gone with us even though he's not in primary, but the YM/Scouts had a campout the night before and were canoeing on the lake all day.)
A photo of part of a family bible my aunt let me borrow to sort out some family history. (I just think it's really cool. It's from the mid-1800s.)
Alee gets a little more creativity than the others did/do for piano lessons. Learning has to entertain if I want her cooperation.
For having 4 older siblings who think reading is a reward, it kind of surprises me how little she cares for it. (Even her attention span for being read to took years for me to build up to a full-length book!)
Speaking of reading, a funny quote...
"I forgot a book today at recess so I had to play."
Natalie
(I had to remind all my little bookworms that when the weather cools off below 80 degrees, they need to leave the books inside and run around and play EVERY day at recess.)
{This week the twins and a friend got in trouble because they went to the library during recess, with permission, but stayed 30 minutes too long! Their excuse was they didn't know what time they were supposed to be back and couldn't see a clock.}
And another funny quote...
"I'm really good at scaring away boys."
{This week the twins and a friend got in trouble because they went to the library during recess, with permission, but stayed 30 minutes too long! Their excuse was they didn't know what time they were supposed to be back and couldn't see a clock.}
And another funny quote...
"I'm really good at scaring away boys."
Alee
(That last one might need a story! Here goes.)
Carolyn has reached "that" age. We all knew this day would come...Boys have started noticing her. She's actually not thrilled about it. She's got books to focus on! (good) So we were having a discussion and I shared my opinion (which does not necessarily represent truth or the views of the entire family) that very shy girls sometimes don't get noticed and sometimes very loud girls scare the boys away, and that she was in the middle - vocal enough to be noticed, but not so loud to scare them away. That's when Alee piped up from the back seat (of the van - always a perfect place to have discussions like this, right?). In her most confident voice, Alee claims, "I'm really good at scaring away boys."
In more good news,
The twins auditioned and made it in to district honor choir. They were super excited. Their new best friend (who is in their school class and also lives literally around the corner from us) also made it in to honor choir. (Rob and I also have friends we've known since college who live in our district whose kids made it in. I'm glad we all have friends. It makes throwing in one more activity to the week nicer.)
They started this past Wednesday. Also every Wednesday, Seth and Carolyn will stay after school for chess club. (And Alee and I will spend half the afternoon doing drop off and pick ups. Maybe we'll sneak in a park visit or just play on the nearby McDonald's playground sometimes.)
I've been waiting for the weather to cool off and a free day when Rob is home to deal with the turtle tank. The filter plus the plecostamos are not sufficient to keep up with the mess and there was yuk and algae all throughout.
I wondered why the algae had been growing? The pleco (named Tesseract) had been doing so well keeping up with it before now, that it was really just the other waste that was building up that we had to deal with somehow. But now, we've got algae again?
Tuesday night, Rob noticed Tesseract swimming in frantic circles and upside down and breathing super fast. When I looked up those as symptoms, I also found not hiding anymore as another. (Yep, been doing that too. Plus not eating the algae.)
Problem: tank too high in chemicals caused by waste (nitrates, ammonia, etc.)
It was time to deal with the tank. Now. Wednesday morning, Leafer went in the tub (with enough water to stay wet, but not too much because he has to be able to breathe).
And the fish went in a small habitat with part tank water, part fresh water.
The fist improved at first (I had to chase him into the tin can I caught him in), and it started resting right side up instead of upside down.) After a few hours, I changed out some of the water for more fresh water and gave him some food. But despite my efforts to save him, he did not survive the day. By the time the kids got home from school, he was gone. :( He was just resting in this picture, but he never moved again.
The 3 youngest saw him first (after school before choir while the oldest were in after school stuff), and after Kaitlyn picked him up by the tail to be sure he was really dead, she declared that she wanted to be the one to tell Seth.
Future note to self: Kaitlyn does not possess the skills to give someone bad news!
Seth took it a little harder than the rest. He has such a tender heart for almost all of God's creatures. {I think he drew this because art is his outlet. His drawing is pretty accurate.}
I let him bury him in the backyard and had him put a rock on top for now. (Don't want any of those neighborhood animals to go digging him up.)
By Friday, he was ok and they helped me sort rocks. Leafer is going to get a "tank makeover" while we're cleaning things up. No more neon gravel, just bigger rocks.
We've got to get him a thing or two to provide a better habitat that will help us keep it clean and help him stay healthy. I'm not a pet fan, but I'm going to try to keep another one from dying! Pictures coming once the last few things come in and are set up. (Local pet stores didn't have what we need and I about threw up walking into the store anyways because of the noxious fumes of animal stuff. It was like sticking my head in a bag of dog food soaked in aquarium water. I'll be doing my pet needs shopping on amazon instead.)
On a happier note, Seth brought home this A on his math test - we have really been struggling with geometry (by "we" I mean Seth has been struggling while Rob and I spend all our homework help time keeping him afloat) - I feel like we all got the A!
He was really proud (I could tell because he asked me to put it on the Amazing board in the dining room). :) We were really proud of him too; it's probably the hardest part of (high school) geometry.
Last thing (not pet related) - Natalie had a hard dance class Thursday night and I think I figured out why - she went to dance class with 2 left feet! (Well, 2 left flip flops. I guess she didn't realize what she grabbed on her way out the door.) :)
In more good news,
The twins auditioned and made it in to district honor choir. They were super excited. Their new best friend (who is in their school class and also lives literally around the corner from us) also made it in to honor choir. (Rob and I also have friends we've known since college who live in our district whose kids made it in. I'm glad we all have friends. It makes throwing in one more activity to the week nicer.)
They started this past Wednesday. Also every Wednesday, Seth and Carolyn will stay after school for chess club. (And Alee and I will spend half the afternoon doing drop off and pick ups. Maybe we'll sneak in a park visit or just play on the nearby McDonald's playground sometimes.)
I've been waiting for the weather to cool off and a free day when Rob is home to deal with the turtle tank. The filter plus the plecostamos are not sufficient to keep up with the mess and there was yuk and algae all throughout.
Tuesday night, Rob noticed Tesseract swimming in frantic circles and upside down and breathing super fast. When I looked up those as symptoms, I also found not hiding anymore as another. (Yep, been doing that too. Plus not eating the algae.)
Problem: tank too high in chemicals caused by waste (nitrates, ammonia, etc.)
So disgusting! (The water was black by the time I got to the bottom of the tank where the rocks were!)
The 3 youngest saw him first (after school before choir while the oldest were in after school stuff), and after Kaitlyn picked him up by the tail to be sure he was really dead, she declared that she wanted to be the one to tell Seth.
Future note to self: Kaitlyn does not possess the skills to give someone bad news!
Seth took it a little harder than the rest. He has such a tender heart for almost all of God's creatures. {I think he drew this because art is his outlet. His drawing is pretty accurate.}
I let him bury him in the backyard and had him put a rock on top for now. (Don't want any of those neighborhood animals to go digging him up.)
By Friday, he was ok and they helped me sort rocks. Leafer is going to get a "tank makeover" while we're cleaning things up. No more neon gravel, just bigger rocks.
We've got to get him a thing or two to provide a better habitat that will help us keep it clean and help him stay healthy. I'm not a pet fan, but I'm going to try to keep another one from dying! Pictures coming once the last few things come in and are set up. (Local pet stores didn't have what we need and I about threw up walking into the store anyways because of the noxious fumes of animal stuff. It was like sticking my head in a bag of dog food soaked in aquarium water. I'll be doing my pet needs shopping on amazon instead.)
On a happier note, Seth brought home this A on his math test - we have really been struggling with geometry (by "we" I mean Seth has been struggling while Rob and I spend all our homework help time keeping him afloat) - I feel like we all got the A!
Last thing (not pet related) - Natalie had a hard dance class Thursday night and I think I figured out why - she went to dance class with 2 left feet! (Well, 2 left flip flops. I guess she didn't realize what she grabbed on her way out the door.) :)
Comments
Post a Comment