Just a quick note to let you know we are heading out of town for the weekend. HGU takes the visiting faculty member and family on one trip -- we are going to Lake Toya and a waterslide hotel. I don't know if we'll have email access while away, so don't worry if you don't hear from us until Sunday evening.
And to show that we aren't that disconnected from things back home -- we just watched the VP debate online. We also received our absentee ballots in the mail this week (we get to vote in Penna) and are glad to be part of this year's election. Interesting to watch (and I won't say more because I know my family reads this blog, and we don't *always* agree on politics!)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
No free time yet...
We made it through another day of school, although this time I couldn't leave. Jack had a wonderful day... (oh, and before we left, we had a report from the school to the HGU person who went to the interview with us that Jack had a good appetite (three bowls of rice!) and could jump rope. Apparently, these were viewed as great successes on his part. We were also told the girls didn't eat ANYTHING (a strike against them) and that Katie cried, but that Olivia played with other kids and that was good. Ah, the pressure). Back to today -- Jack went off and had a great day... they had English lessons and he said he was the best in the class (I don't think he understood why this didn't impress us as much as other things he does have...) He and some other older siblings came to visit the Melon class at lunch and that was so great... K&O were so happy to see him. And when I picked him up, the teacher had done a search on her dictionary to say he had gotten very dirty at recess... I couldn't tell if that was bad or good (and at one point, she motioned in a way that made it look like Jack was throwing dirt on people, but he didn't... just that he had a lot of fun and got very dirty and she was sorry his clothes were so messy. I think... maybe he got in trouble. Who knows.) At any rate, he was very happy.
Kate and Liv were a bit tired starting off -- they didn't nap yesterday and both have been having a bit of a stomach bug, and so haven't been 100 percent. Katie was eager to go to get another sticker in her little book. That motivated her the WHOLE day. Liv started off well and happy, but got pretty tired by the end of the day (I had to carry her home). Today was a gym day for the girls and Liv jumped right in and tried the different activities... she earned applause by being able to do a forward roll (and then a running forward roll) without help (most of the kids needed a boost on the bum to get over). Kate just wanted to be held the first few times everyone tried the forward roll, but decided to do it the last time. She ran, jumped, and did the forward roll, again to great applause from classmates and teachers. The smile on her face was WONDERFUL.
I think we are lucky the kids are comfortable and confident (for the most part) doing different physical activities. In the big picture, it wouldn't matter if they didn't jump rope or do the forward roll -- no one would hold that against them (the rice, now that's probably another story). But I think it just made things a little easier for them (in a week when a lot was hard), that they could fully be doing what their classmates were doing.
Anyway -- back to school. Jack ate lunch. The girls didn't. The teacher worried. I used my dictionary to say they tried everything (which they did) and "big breakfast". I think she is taking it personally that they don't seem to like rice. Again, I wish I could explain that they don't like much of anything at this moment... it's nothing personal (or political). For now, I'm just happy they are trying. They came home and had a HUGE second lunch (fruit and macaroni, for those who are keeping track. We had box number three over the weekend at the lunch, at the request of the host, and box number four today to celebrate making it through their first week of school).
So I still haven't found any non-kid time (aside from some moments in the morning when John will often take the to a park so I can get Jack's classwork ready)... and have a lot of editing to do before tomorrow at noon. And the girls have been very mama-focused and needing me a lot at night... but I think school is heading in the right direction, and John's schedule is opening up... so there is hope.
And just because she finally let me get some pictures... here is Katie in her uniform today (no complaints).
Katie shows off her uniform.
Too kawai for words!
Livie the dancer. The silk scarves mom and dad gave the girls for Christmas have been a lifesaver... they have become tutus, crowns, capes and other costumes left behind.
Kate and Liv were a bit tired starting off -- they didn't nap yesterday and both have been having a bit of a stomach bug, and so haven't been 100 percent. Katie was eager to go to get another sticker in her little book. That motivated her the WHOLE day. Liv started off well and happy, but got pretty tired by the end of the day (I had to carry her home). Today was a gym day for the girls and Liv jumped right in and tried the different activities... she earned applause by being able to do a forward roll (and then a running forward roll) without help (most of the kids needed a boost on the bum to get over). Kate just wanted to be held the first few times everyone tried the forward roll, but decided to do it the last time. She ran, jumped, and did the forward roll, again to great applause from classmates and teachers. The smile on her face was WONDERFUL.
I think we are lucky the kids are comfortable and confident (for the most part) doing different physical activities. In the big picture, it wouldn't matter if they didn't jump rope or do the forward roll -- no one would hold that against them (the rice, now that's probably another story). But I think it just made things a little easier for them (in a week when a lot was hard), that they could fully be doing what their classmates were doing.
Anyway -- back to school. Jack ate lunch. The girls didn't. The teacher worried. I used my dictionary to say they tried everything (which they did) and "big breakfast". I think she is taking it personally that they don't seem to like rice. Again, I wish I could explain that they don't like much of anything at this moment... it's nothing personal (or political). For now, I'm just happy they are trying. They came home and had a HUGE second lunch (fruit and macaroni, for those who are keeping track. We had box number three over the weekend at the lunch, at the request of the host, and box number four today to celebrate making it through their first week of school).
So I still haven't found any non-kid time (aside from some moments in the morning when John will often take the to a park so I can get Jack's classwork ready)... and have a lot of editing to do before tomorrow at noon. And the girls have been very mama-focused and needing me a lot at night... but I think school is heading in the right direction, and John's schedule is opening up... so there is hope.
And just because she finally let me get some pictures... here is Katie in her uniform today (no complaints).
Katie shows off her uniform.
Too kawai for words!
Livie the dancer. The silk scarves mom and dad gave the girls for Christmas have been a lifesaver... they have become tutus, crowns, capes and other costumes left behind.
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