Sunday, August 26, 2007

Happy Birthday Alayna

Spongebob cake

First day of school

Tissue Paper Flowers

August 26, 2007

August 26, 2007
Good Grief! I am so behind on our newsletter and this is the first chance I have had to sit down and write the latest happenings in our lives.

Last week before school started:
●Kayla attended the 6th grade orientation which was a huge hit. It helped her feel so much more confident. She also got to practice her locker for a long time so she wasn’t worried about the combination the first day.
●On Thursday, we had the new school (Linn Grove) Meet and Greet. We got to go as a family and get a tour of the new school. Alayna and Tyler were able to meet their teachers, see their classrooms, and get their school supplies. It is still in construction mode, but far enough along for school to start. Very exciting!!
●Bob went to Arizona for his brother, Jeff’s wedding. We were so sorry we couldn’t go. It was just too close to school starting. It ended up good that we didn’t go since Bobs flight from Chicago to CR was cancelled and they wouldn’t reimburse him or pay for a hotel. SO, he had to find a hotel that night and was put on the 8am flight. So, I took the kids to school and then picked him up from the airport, he came home, showered, and had to go straight to work. Ah- stress!!!!
●While Bob was gone, we had a party (not cause he was gone, but an end of the summer celebration J) The kids worked hard through this past month to earn certain prizes and they won them all. So, on Friday, we went to the movie theater and watched Fantastic Four. I let them eat as much popcorn as they wanted and they all came home moaning of upset tummies. Um, hello, that’s what happens when you eat a bucket of buttered popcorn.
That night we got McDonalds for dinner and there were even more upset tummies. Um, hello, that’s what happens when you eat fries for dinner! On Saturday, we went to Red Robin for lunch and then to Culver’s for frozen custard for dessert. We also played games, watched movies, slept in, and relaxed. It was a fun weekend and all the kids are eating good foods because the crap food made them feel so awful.
Marisa spent about 6 hours making these beautiful tissue paper flowers for a retirement home for a Personal Progress Project. She even got the other 3 kids involved and they were having a blast. I will include a picture.

School Starts:
●We had a GREAT first day of school!! I walked the younger ones and it turns out it’s a 15 minute walk there, so I am getting in some great extra exercise. Everyone loves their teachers and are excited for the new school year!
●On Tuesday, I started my two history courses through Kirkwood. It will be so much work, but at least the subject matter is awesome so I am really enjoying it!
●I am supposed to start 2 more courses but may wait. I am so EXCITED!!! I was offered a long-term sub job for a teacher who is having a baby! So, I start October 25 until winter break. It will be at Marisa and Kaylas school teaching 6th grade math and language arts. I am thrilled!
I have also had several requests for me to sub. I already subbed twice last week (the first week of school) and I am subbing two days this week. Things are going great and I am thrilled.
●On Tuesday, Kayla and I went to her open house. What you do is go through your whole childs schedule with them. You meet the teachers and then they explain to their parents what their expectations are, etc. It was about 2 ½ hours and about 100 degrees (I am NOT exaggerating. The heat index was over 100 and the school has no air conditioning!) I did the same open house with Marisa on Thursday night and got to meet all her teachers.
●Tyler had his scout Raingutter Regata. Everyone else had a cool boat kit. Somehow we missed that memo. Yet, his boat won two of the races!!! He was so excited!

Birthday week:
●HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY TO ALAYNA!!!! Her actual birthday is tomorrow but we celebrated this week. On Tuesday, Kindergarten didn’t have school. So, her best friend Jacob came over and I took them out to lunch and out for ice cream and then they played all afternoon. She loved it. Then this weekend Gma and Gpa Hart came to celebrate. We had a fun SpongeBob party and my friend made a really cool cake. (I will include pictures)

This week:
●Marisa starts on the volleyball team this week. It will be interesting to see
how she can handle that with the several hours of homework she has each night! I guess that catches us up. I am sorry I am so bad at email now as well as the phone. Every spare minute is spent cleaning or studying. Hope all are doing well.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Zucchini as big as your thigh

Kindergarten Camp, ER visit, and Zucchini as big as a thigh

August 12, 2007

Kindergarten Camp, ER visit, and Zucchini as big as a thigh

1. Alayna and I attended Kindergarten camp on Monday. She had so much fun! She got to meet all the teachers, color, play, meet new friends, etc. I attended a meeting with the principal. The school is getting close to being finished. The carpet hasn’t been laid yet because of some moisture problem, but most of it should be done by the time school starts in a week.
2. On Monday night, Alayna fell backwards off the couch slamming her head on the back platform and crumpled to the floor. She went limp and completely unresponsive for about a minute. It totally scared the daylights out of me. She finally came to, we gave her Tylenol, and she fell asleep within minutes. I called the on-call nurse, who told me I should have called 9-1-1. She told me to get her into the hospital immediately. So, I took her in at 11 to the emergency room. Thank heavens she is fine and there is no damage. The doctor assured me that bringing her in was the right thing to do because any number of things could be wrong with her being unresponsive. We got home a little after 1:00.
3. A friend gave us some of her giant zucchini, so we made 12 loaves of zucchini bread. We took a picture of one of them with the girls.
4. On Tuesday, we registered Kayla and Marisa for middle school. We got their class schedules so I was able to walk Kayla around, show her the classrooms, and teach her how to follow the schedule. It is going to be a HUGE change for her. Marisa is taking French, Honors Social Studies, Algebra, etc. It will be a busy year for her. She starts volleyball next week as well, not to mention the Chamber orchestra and private lessons. Kayla wants to join the dance team, she is in the 6th grade band, and is trying to decide what else she would like to try.
5. On Thursday, we registered the other two at the new school. We found out who their teachers are and they are so excited to start.
6. This past week, Marisa read Harry Potter 5,6, and 7!
7. I completed my middle school course!!! Only 4 more classes to go and I will have both endorsements.

That about sums up the week. Tomorrow Kayla has her 6th grade orientation. We are cleaning and trying to organize things for school to start. Bob leaves Friday for Jeff’s wedding. We don’t get to go (since school is starting), but have planned some very fun things here for us that the kids have earned the past couple of weeks. Best of luck to all at the wedding!!

Love,
Harts

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Tyler on carousel

Alayna playing doctor at Museum

Kayla on the Carousel

Indonesia Room at Museum

Mr Pizza Man


Tyler working the pretend pizza parlor at the Museum.

Alayna with cousin, Abigail

August 5, 2007

August 5, 2007

I would like to start out this newsletter by shouting, GO SEE BOURNE ULTIMATUM!!!! What an absolutely FANTASTIC movie. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Go see it!

It’s been a couple of weeks since I have written. So now, of course, my poor little brain doesn’t remember everything we did. Debbie and family came for a great visit. We went to the Children’s Museum in Iowa City so I will include some pictures from that. This week Jeff came to visit with Gma and Gpa Hart. Only two weeks until he gets married!

I was released from the Stake RS last week and put in as a permanent Primary sub and Activity days assistant. (I will sub every other week for a sister who works every other Sunday and cover other classes the rest of the time.) I sub all week for school, now I do it Sundays too. Don’t ask me how I feel about this because right now, I honestly don’t know.

I spent the week working literally (well almost literally) all day every day completing my professional portfolio(for a grade, not by choice) and a MASSIVE unit for my class. The eye headaches have been bad. I am almost done, should be done by Tuesday and can send it off an be done with the class. I start more classes on the 20th. For me, this summer really was not too fun.

Tomorrow is kindergarten Camp and Alayna can hardly stand it. We also register all the kids for their classes this week and find out who their teachers are. We have all the school supplies organized and ready to go. Now we just need to get everyone new tennis shoes and we will be set.

I guess that quickly sums up our week . Basically Bob working, Mom working every waking hour on assignments, and kids playing trying to squeeze out every free minute of playing time possible before school starts. Until next week…

Utah- Part 4