Thursday, September 15, 2011

First Week of School Catch-up

Day 1: Grade 5, Grade 4
When you get an email from Grammy requesting an update because blog posts have been few and far between, you know you'd better write back. You also know that the other two people who read this blog might want to know what's the what, too. So here's what I wrote Grammy:

Dane's in Fall Ball, which means practice from 3:30-6 on Thursday nights and two weekend tournaments this fall. He's also doing a pitching clinic that's from 4:30-5:15 2x a week for 4 weeks, and has started a basic skills clinic that's 1x a week for the next 5 weeks. This might sound like a lot, but it's really kind of like having 2-3 practices a week with an occasional game.

Aubrey started gymnastics again and has it 2x a week for an hour and 45 minutes each time. She loves it. She comes back all sweaty and happy. She also has 2 birthday slumber parties coming up and keeps getting invited to her girlfriends' houses after school, so she's nice and busy.

Each kid has homework and they usually do that after dinner and dishes, and then they basically get ready for bed and read there for half an hour.

I've been busy with PTO meetings, a meeting with the principal (for site council), a meeting with the librarian to get started with Battle of the Books, and an order at our local book store, Bookwagon, for 4 copies of each BOB book (at a 30% discount and PTO is paying -- isn't that exciting?) to go straight to Walker's library in about a week. Somewhere in there I've been cleaning/sorting all the stuff I took out of the kids' bedroom, which is piled in the spare room. It looked like a hoarder's room for a while. Well, actually it still does. RCC starts in a week and a half, so I'm also putting together my syllabus. Oh, and I started working out at the Y 3x a week in addition to running Sharkles every other day.

Mick's working away full-time and still gets home around 6:45 every night. Last night he went to the MARA ski club fundraising meeting, and found out he'll be expected to do that every Wednesday night until November! It's the Auction committee, and it meets right by his office, so it works out ok. It's our biggest fundraiser. We also recently got news from MARA that the club's been running at a deficit and they have to raise prices to actual cost. Kids will now have to pay $600 each. Yikes! Hopefully we'll find a creative way (raffles, more auction $, etc.) to actually offset it a little. Mick's currently reading a book called The Long Emergency. I haven't read it, but it looks like it analyzes economical and environmental situations and impacts in America and the world.

Oh, and last night Dane and Aubrey and I went to a rain barrel workshop. We can't wait to analyze our property and set up a couple rain barrels to harvest water! I'm going to see if the kids will document how they help me -- as a Science Fair project -- building it with me, taking notes on how they did it, notes on how it fills throughout the year, etc. It would take extra work, but I could see it being really great.

The dream barrel set-up.
Ok, hopefully that gets you up to speed for now. What have you been up to?

4 comments:

HopefulMama said...
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Anonymous said...

Thanks Anjie,
PTO funding 4 copies of some 17 or so titles. That should encourage some reading. Yeah!
Rainfall project looks what could be a great science project for the kids. I plan to google 'rain barrels'.
Thanks for so quickly answering my email. You're a busy group.
I, too, am reading ? Emergency, like Mick and Mike and several of his friends. Beings I can't remember the title could possibly indicate the book is a challenge to me. Maybe not.
Lovingly,
JJJ/Mom/Grammy Jan Jan

Anonymous said...

Love the detailed update! I assume I'm one of your two other readers, so thank you:)

I can't believe how big and grown up the kids are getting - no likey! Not that I don't want them to grow, but it's too fast! They better still be huggable next time I see them!
xo,
K

Anonymous said...

Whew! (Here's #3 reporting in.)I'm still catching my breath from reading about all the activity going on.

Dane and Aubrey. Have a wonderful school year with your new teachers and new classmates. You are both such good students and I'll be watching for updates about the great things you are learning.
Keeping the minds and the bodies healthy. Would that more parents would encourage both.

I really like the rain barrel idea. Sounds perfect for a science fair project. I have wanted to do it here, but whatever we treat the shakes with would not be good for the plants. I will be really interested in how the project goes for you all.

Anj and Mick, you are both amazing. I am so proud of you and your contributions to your community! Mick's book sounds challenging and important. I have needed another non-fiction and maybe this will be it.

You all take care and keep healthy. Love you all,
Mom, Big Share, Mema.