October 29, 2006

October 29, 2006

Monday:
The kids didn’t have school on Monday so we enjoyed sleeping in for one more day. That evening we were invited over to our friends house for a very special FHE, along with some other families. It was a very enjoyable evening!

Tuesday:
The three youngest kids had gymnastics. Bob had his last football game and Kayla made cookies at Activity Days.

Wednesday:
I got a last minute call to sub at Wilkins (where Kayla and Tyler attend) I taught a 4th grade class, filling in for a sick teacher. It was such a fun day and a very different experience from subbing middle school. It was extra fun to see Kayla and Tyler at school! That night was our Trunk R Treat at the church. I will post some pics along with this. Tyler went as Luke Skywalker and Kayla went as Princess Leah. Alayna was Analeise from Princess and the Pauper. Marisa went as a medieval princess. They had a carnival at the church where the kids played games, did a cake walk, ate donuts off a string, etc. Then we went outside to trunk r treat. It was fun, but VERY chilly. It was hard to tell what people were dressed up like when everyone had coats on. After that, we went home and Bob played his last softball game and they actually won!!!

Thursday:
Grandma and Grandpa Hart came up from Illinois for the weekend. That evening Corey and I took the 3 older kids and tried “Supper Thyme”. Its just like Cooking cottage, so I wanted to try it out. One of those where you go for two hours, and make 12 home made meals. Corey split most of hers in two so she almost made 24 meals. It was so fun to do with the kids!! It saves me so much cooking time, so I think it is so worth it!!

Friday:
It was my first time to sub at Oak Ridge. It was 6th grade reading, language arts, and math. It was the most complex lesson plan I have had yet to date. I actually instructed every class, gave quizzes, graded papers, did a tornado drill, etc. I was exhausted by the time I got home!
That evening we had the absolute FUNNEST EVENING EVER!!!! Two couples in a different ward put together a treasure hunt. (This tradition has been going on here for 25 years!!) We were invited, so our team of 6 was me, Bob , Marisa, Kayla, Corey, and Hal. (Tyler and Alayna stayed at the church). We met at the Linn County court house along with 19 other teams. It was a night of “Amazing Race” on hyperdrive. When they said go, we read the clue and all took off in our respective cars. (If we couldn’t figure out the clues, there were panic cards you could open) We did great til we had to find Jefferson HS. You would think since we had a navigation system, we would have found it fast. No such luck. We had to do so many things, mostly based on the movie National Treasure: find a boat house names Charlotte, decipher a code on the side of a masonic temple, fine clues in buckets, etc. It was a fascinating evening! We came in about 18 out of the 20 teams, but were also one of the few (possibly the only ones) who used no panic envelopes. They had a huge party afterwards with pizza, pop, and cake. The people who won have to plan it for next year and Bob won an award for being the only person to dress up- he was Ben gates. Anyway, it was so fun we can hardly wait for next year!!

Saturday:
We spent the morning shopping for a dress for Marisa and I for Missy’s exciting upcoming wedding. Then we went to the church for Tyler’s very special day. His baptism was so wonderful and we are so proud of him for the wonderful choice he has made. (He even surprised us today by getting up and bearing his testimony) He was so excited yesterday that he could hardly contain his joy. I will attach pics- you have to check out that contagious smile!!! We came home after and headed to Walmart to get flu shots only to see they were out-ugh! Then they went to see “Open Season” at the movie Theater for Tyler’s birthday. (I stayed home with Alayna. She has been sick for about 10 days with a nasty cold and actually fell asleep a few minutes before we were to leave for the movie) They brought Chinese food home for dinner. Then Tyler opened some very cool presents, we ate his cool dinosaur cake (my friend made) and then watch X-Men III which he has been dying to see. He said it was a perfect day- the best he has ever had!
That evening I got a call from my friend who went into labor. They kept her for several hours and then sent her home, so I came back home with Alayna and Marisa at 5:45 AM. Made me tired today- hope her baby comes tonight for her.

Sunday:
We have had an enjoyable relaxing day with games and homemade apple pie!

Well, I guess that’s it for our fun and exciting week! Happy Birthday to Jonathan- whose was the same day as Tyler’s!! Also Happy Birthday to Grandma Cunningham and Grandma Hart whose birthdays were last week.

Have a Happy Halloween!!!!

October 22

October 22, 2006

We have a fun and exciting week ahead! Tyler’s birthday and baptism, a treasure hunt, trip to Bloomsbury farm, etc. So, I am sure we will have tons of stuff to share next week.

This week I had parent conferences with Kayla and Marias’s teachers. Both are doing so well. Marisa’s lowest grade is a 98. She is now scheduled to take the ACT in February. Kayla is also doing so well, her teacher went on and on about how much she loves having her in class,

Marisa brought home her “baby” this week. It woke her up 4 times that night. It was so funny because she look deathly tired and said even though it was only 4 times that it actually felt like 20. Best contraception I can think of. I will include the picture of Tyler holding the baby. Then Alayna held it and dropped it on its head! Marisa wanted to cry. I wrote her a note so her teacher wouldn’t dock her.

We had Friday and tomorrow off from school. We should have headed to Chicago for a party weekend, but Bob couldn’t take off. Oh well. We did watch “Over the Hedge” last night, which was a completely adorable movie!! I need to see it again. The kids did a GREAT job on the primary program. It was Marisa’s first time in many years to not be in it. Alayna was so cute. We brought her for the program even though she has been pretty sick this week with a cold.

I guess that’s about it on our end. There seems to be a drought of info coming in from family members. Well, everyone enjoy your week. Looks like we are headed for a cold one. Wish us luck....
(Falcon on top of play house)

October 15, 2006

October 15, 2006

Winter actually hit this week with freezing temps and our first snowfall of the year. We had to dismantle our garden and mow down the watermelon patch to prepare for winter since its obviously on its way. So funny since the week before, we had temps up to 80 degrees. Go figure!

Marisa had her last volleyball game this week. She had a sheet with her stats, so I should have her post it for you. I think she made about 21 points this season? Anyway, she loved it. We want to get her in a city league so she can keep at it, but the only one we have found so far meets on Sundays and that won’t work. She is loving school and her extras like choir, orchestra, and book club. She has to bring a “baby” home for FCS class. It’s computerized and keeps track of how well she takes care of it. It should be very fun. She also cooked french toast for us for dinner last night. I love her cooking and being so responsible. She even made mini pizzas for us last week. She has also been given the opportunity to take the ACT college exam for the Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search. I will let you know how that goes.

Kayla is sounding so great on the clarinet. I am excited to see her first concert which I think is in November. She is also doing amazing things in gymnastics- flips around the bar on the uneven bars, round offs, etc. I really need to take a video camera so you guys can see her.

Tyler had his last football game. It was at 8am in 36 degrees. Not my idea of fun. But he did a great job and would love to continue next year. I had a great conference with his teacher this week where she told me what a fantastic job he is doing, but wished he would stop humming in class. He is so funny.

Alayna had her last swimming lesson this week. Unfortunately some kid barfed in the pool before her class and they had to close the pool. She was sad. She is loving preschool and even learned about email this week. She spends a lot of time singing lately to anyone that will take the time to listen to her songs. It is quite precious.

Bob has still been playing softball and flag football. We even got to go see both games last week. He has also spent a lot of time playing with the kids in the backyard. Yesterday they decided to try out tackle football. Apparently, Tyler can fall over if you just blow in his general direction and Kayla cannot be tackled unless you pick her up off the ground and throw her. They had a hilarious afternoon.

I worked 3 days this week, all teacher requested. I am getting to know all the teachers on all the teams. I REALLY enjoy teaching there and hope a job will come through for me. The kids are also starting to get to know me and actually say hi to me in the hall now. I taught Marisa’s class twice this week and she seems to like me there. She walks down the hall with me and lets me eat lunch with her in the cafeteria. I plan to take advantage of that acceptance for as long as possible. My 3 classes I was supposed to start taking through independent study this month are not completed yet, so my time table is being messed up. They should be done by December which means I will have two months of solid school, but I can do it.

We finally got a break from our busy schedule last night and watched “Akeelah and the Bee”. What a fantastic movie!!! I love inspirational movies we can watch as a family. My favorite quote from it was:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
Gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
Give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
(A return to love - Marianne Williamson)

On that note: Enjoy your week and remember we love you!









(Alayna in her swim class with teacher Miss Audrey)

Oct 2, 2006

October 2, 2006

A quick update on our week:

Marisa had a home game this week so we were able to go see her play. She did a GREAT job and has really improved. Every serve went right over the net and she was moving all over the place!

I subbed 7th grade science which was fun and turned out to be adventurous as some kid let out a giant praying mantis who flapped all over the classroom. I can honestly say my job isn’t boring.

Bob took the kids to the Harts for the weekend so I could get a million things done. They had a great time! We are back today to a normal schedule- lots to do including the kids dentist appt, Marisa’s volleyball game, and the missionaries for dinner.

PS- Marisa has posted a large map of the world in her room and is trying to gather postcards and real pictures taken around the world, so if you have any extras, please send them our way. She would love it!