Whirling Wednesday

Sorry for the blog silence.

Soon after returning from our vacation I found out I'd run out of image space here on the ol' blog. I did a quick sweep and deleted duplicates, old headers, etc. but am still dangerously close to the free storage max. I'm left with a challenge.

• Do I delete the images from the older posts, say from 2007 through 2009?
• Do I pull the images, re-size them smaller, and re-post?
• Do I bite the bullet and PAY for extra storage?
• Do I call it a good run and wrap the blog up?

I suspect, whichever way I go, things will be very quiet around here until after school starts again when I'll actually have time to tweak things.

Speaking of school...

The school supplies have been bought with the exception of new backpacks. Hair cuts are on tap for this weekend. I need to do a final inventory to make sure everyone has appropriate clothing (3 of the 4 have to wear 'standard attire') and fill any gaps.

Then we have Back to School Day for Cam at middle school so he can get his locker assignment and class schedule. Seventh grade...it's hard to believe.

The following day is a parent only Kinder orientation for Robbie. My baby :whine: Can I just say this is completely bittersweet? I'm excited for him and this next stage but he's the last one to head off to school. A part of me is looking forward to the 3 hours of quiet I'll have each afternoon yet I think that's going to wear off sooner than I expect, LOL

Finally, we'll have the general orientation at the elementary school for all 3 boys to meet their teachers, drop off supplies, and all that fun stuff.

And Monday, August 29th, school is back in session :throws confetti:

Honor Roll

Last day of school today, sigh, where has the time gone? Better yet, what am I going to do with everyone home?

Yesterday was Alex's award assembly at school. He was on A-B Honor Roll all year and received his award for that. Alex also received an award for perfect attendance (which came with a Borders gift certificate from the school's namesake).

Additionally, once back in class he received awards for his sight words and math facts accomplishments.

Way to go Alex! We're so proud of you!

Hello fourth grade!

Excellence

The last week of school is more celebration than work, LOL

Yesterday was Ian's award assembly at school. He received an award for Excellent Attendance (missing less than 3 days) and an award for reaching his sight word and reading goals.

Way to go Ian! Reading has been such an uphill battle for you this year and we are so proud of all you've accomplished!

Hello second grade!

Report Cards and Grades, oh my

I don't have a WiP post for this week.  Haven't been cross-stitching and decided not to continue with the revision updates, ain't y'all lucky?  The revisions are going better since I took the pressure off myself of the weekly update, go figure.

So I'll plug in a little family update instead.

Report cards came in for Alex and Ian.  Both are doing well.

Alex is a strong A-B student, once again on A-B honor roll for the year.  He received A's in Math (very much his strongest subject), Writing, and Social Studies.  The B's were in Science and Reading.

Alex is an amazing student; he excels in science knowledge and multiplication facts. He has incredible illustrations to go along with his stories and books.

Ian received A's in Math, Science, and Social Studies; a B in Writing; and a C in Reading. His writing has improved so much over the course of the year! He still holds his pencil weird but his control, therefore his legibility, is 100% better than the start of the year. Reading continues to be a struggle. He's receiving an extra half hour of intervention a day. For me the joy is in watching him actually pull a book out and curl up in bed to read it. So while he still struggles he seems to be developing a joy in reading and that is more important to me than a score on a test!

Ian is a delightful little boy. I am very proud of Ian. He continues to blossom.

Grades for the third quarter are in for Cam.

It's no surprise that he received A's in Science and English. He has found a new love in science this year after a skill test said he'd be good at astronomy. I guess the Rocket Burger dream finally bit the dust. He received B's in everything else: Band, Reading, Math, and Computer.

He is now in a situation of having to select his electives for next year and is torn. He's been surprised at enjoying band yet it is far from his first love. His band teacher has recommended him to move up to the intermediate band, which is great because it means he's mastered the beginning band skills. We agreed he would apply for publications (working on the yearbook/newspaper) as a first choice, band second, and in a surprise move he selected working in the cafeteria third. 

And not to be left out -- I've filled out the registration for Robbie to start kindergarten in the fall.  Oh where, oh where has the time gone?

Build It and They Will Come

Alex has been working on this city project with another student.  They make a good team, Alex being the city planner and the other student being the architect.

Their teacher was especially impressed that Alex thought to add parking!

And Alex's attention to detail thoroughly impressed his father!

Faux Gingerbread House

On the last day of school before Winter Break,
Ian made a gingerbread house out of graham crackers.

It's pretty cool looking.

Concert

That boy had his first band concert last night.

The three classes of beginning band was the first third of the program followed by the intermediate band and advanced band.  Over 280 students all total.  (And that doesn't include the orchestra or choir!)

The beginning band members have only been playing their instruments for about three months, only know about six notes, and did a wonderful job on five pieces.  Normally, the three classes don't preform together so the fact that they did last night and so well is a testament to the instructor. 

Bravo!

My Ghouls

Today, Nevada is observing Nevada Day, aka no school. What kid wouldn't love to have a guaranteed three-day weekend for Halloween? LOL, too bad for my kids this is a bah-humbug holiday for me. The school has a Halloween parade every year.

Robbie as the Cowardly Lion

Ian as a Fireman

Alex as I have no idea, LOL

Ian showing off one of the cool treats he got at his Halloween party.

Cam -- the big, bad middle-schooler -- didn't dress up though he came home wishing he had as the entire sixth grade hall was done up as Hogwarts, even the teachers dressed within the theme. Now, that sounds like fun!

First Day of School

LOL, I guess Mom not being there equals casual first day of school photos.

Cam -- 6th Grade

Alex -- 3rd Grade

Ian -- 1st Grade

The boys started school last Monday. From all reports they've had a good first week.

Cam ended up with three accelerated classes -- Reading, English, and Math -- but didn't get his first choice of elective and is instead in band.  It still blows my mind he's in middle school!

Thus begins the challenge of having kids in more than one school for the first time, LOL

School Excellence Part Trois

This afternoon the kindergarten class had a little program/graduation celebration. Ian received an award for Great Work Ethics. Awesome job Ian!

School Excellence Part Deux

In addition to the awards I listed here, Alex also received Excellent Attendance. He had perfect attendance for the school year with just one tardy. Way to be healthy kiddo! The school's namesake gave everyone with perfect attendance a $25 gift certificate to Borders Books. Feel kinda sorry for his bank account, LOL, there were 50 students with perfect attendance. You do the math.

Cam and Alex with their A-B Honor Roll Awards.
Good job boys!!

School Excellence

The boys are wrapping up the last weeks of the school year and awards abound.

Ian received an award and pin for Excellent Attendance, which means he had no tardies and missed less than 3 days during the year.  Good job staying healthy and on task at school.  You've come a long way this year, Ian, and we're proud of you!!

Alex is on A-B Honor Roll (assembly tomorrow) again this trimester.  Honor Roll all year long...way to go, Alex, we're proud of you!

Cam is also on A-B Honor Roll (assembly tomorrow) this trimester, which means he also made Honor Roll all year.  Cam was very active with his art this year drawing cartoons for the school paper, making cards for teachers at the request of the student body, and making a poster as part of a challenge that resulted in the principal shaving his head.  Cam received a 300 Club Award for scoring above standard (in two subjects) on the state tests (that 'no child left behind' stuff).  Cam also received an award for Outstanding Citizenship for the month of July.  You've got a good foundation for middle school, Cam, and we're so proud of all you've accomplished this year!

Kidlet Update

The boys had a field day at school last week. Cam and Alex's were spread throughout the day so I didn't try to go. Ian's was almost as soon as I dropped him off, so Robbie and I stuck around to watch.

After Ian had gone in to class, before the field day started, Robbie and I went into the office to sign-in. Due to liabilities, the school has had to change policy and we weren't able to go onto the field, so Robbie and I watched from the fence.

Ian in race on a hippity hop ball. Man, I remember having these as kids. We used to have so much fun on them. Not sure why we never bought one for the boys -- bad Mom, LOL.

Cam and Alex's progress reports came home earlier this week...both are strong A-B students.

Way to go boys!

Our new business venture. *snort*

One of the advantages of Mark's job is the surplus that he often comes home with. This time...deli meats!




Cam, our carnivore, bowing to the meat, LOL

I tried to get all the boys to do it for the photo but only Ian joined Cam in the meat worship.

A Little Misc. Stuff

Ian came home with his report card on Friday -- all good -- just needs to work on his penmanship, which we knew. Three for three! Way to go boys.

We've been doing all the prep work for Cam to move to middle school in the fall. Where the heck does the time go?

We had a parent night at the school last week. This school is huge! I guess six elementary schools all come together in this one middle school so they are expecting over 600 six-graders. The school has the process down to an art form, I will say that. The six-graders have one huge 'U' shaped hall where the main classes, student lockers, etc. are. To keep the kids from getting trampled, it's a one way -- complete with signs, LOL. The students are only allowed to access their lockers before school, lunch break, and after school. The only time they leave that area is for lunch and their elective. Not a big selection of electives, basically a choice between band, choir, and something they call 'explorations' which can be anything from art to Spanish. Cam's hoping for explorations.

They also have a huge selection of after school clubs and Cam has already indicated interest in about four of them. He can't sign up for any of them until after school starts, usually around the second week of school.

Saturday, I took the kids to Krispy Kremes for donuts and hot chocolate that we took to the park. We ate, they played, I worked on a story I'm trying to write, and we stayed out of Mark's hair for four hours (the working from home thing isn't all he thought it'd be). Then I took the boys for the long overdue hair cuts...and Cam got pissy on me. Yep, you're welcome, son, I treat you to donuts, hot chocolate, and the park but that's the thanks I get. *eyeroll*

Once again, I am trying the writing thing (see links in the sidebar) in May. I'll be sitting in on the virtual conference of Coyote Con. I'm attempting to get into the habit of writing a bit every day with the MayNoWriMo Yahoo Group by setting a measurable goal of one page per day (approximately 250 words per day).

A true parent moment...

So yesterday, Cam and Alex brought home their second trimester report cards -- all good -- and letters for A-B Honor Roll -- excellent!

We're so proud of you both! Keep up the good work.

In the same breath, Alex shows us a citation from the assistant principal at school because he'd been reported (along with two other boys) for bullying another boy at the bus stop. On the heels of that news, we learn he'd received a citation on Monday for not following directions during recess (which he failed to show us). The school has a three strikes you're out policy...lovely, two in one week and a full trimester of school left to go!

Yep, that's thinking Alex.

I'm not real worried about the one from recess -- neither is his teacher -- it's classic Alex. The bullying one bothers me a lot...I knew I'd be spending time in the principal's office with that kid!! (The victim stopped by the house this morning to walk to the bus stop so obviously no hard feelings on his part.) Phone call to assistant principal went better than I expected and we don't need to have a formal meeting. Alex needs to write up a heart-felt apology and turn it in tomorrow.

Today was the assembly for the Honor Roll.






(Yep, hair cuts are on the list of things to do. Only my kids would go to school looking like they'd stuck a finger in a light socket on a day they're receiving an award.)

Despite the close quarters I actually enjoyed this assembly because I was able to get closer to the kids. The school is in the middle of some big star lab so the multi-purpose room they usually use for assemblies wasn't available. Back-up plan -- use the courtyard. Great plan, except today has been a rather rainy day, LOL. So, the back-up, back-up plan involved using the fifth grade pod.

Honor Roll

This afternoon was the assembly for the boys' Honor Roll. I took a bunch of pictures -- some good and some not so much -- but in the end, these two pictures are all you get. I try really hard to protect the privacy of the kids so usually spend quiet a bit of time blotting out faces, names, etc. and am just too tired to deal with it this time round.

I like the smaller assemblies like the ones today where just the kids on the one track were present. The school broke it down so each grade had about an hour for their assembly. Lucky for me, Cam and Alex's were back-to-back so I didn't have to came and go all day.

Cam with his A-B Honor Roll Award.

Alex with his A-B Honor Roll Award.

We're so proud of you both! Keep up the good work and I challenge you to be on the A Honor Roll next trimester.

Paying it forward...

Just had the ability to pay back all the help I got the first day of school when Ian was misplaced (did you hear the sarcasm there?).

Today, a little boy got off at the wrong stop. My boys took him under their collective wing (I'm proud of you three!) and brought him to our house. With much less hassle than we experienced with Ian, I contacted his mom, and informed the school. Mom just picked him up, complete with all the conflicting emotions. Plus side, I think the boys have a new friend.

Today

A much better bus day today! All three boys on the SAME bus.

I failed to note (in the earlier post) that despite the bus disaster of yesterday, all three boys had a great first day of school. They all like their teachers. Cam's homeroom teacher is Mr. D (math). Cam will also be in Ms. D's for science, social studies, and computer science; Mr. Y for creative writing and spelling; and Ms. H for reading. Alex's teacher is Ms. H. Ian's teacher is Ms. B (the same wonderful lady Alex had for K). Cam and Alex each have a few friends from last year in class this year. Ian is fast on his way to making friends -- already wants to schedule a sleepover with the friend from the bus yesterday.

***I had a chance to talk to the principal today when I dropped Ian off for school and I've got to say, he was a calm voice of reason yesterday. Mr. W and the rest of the office staff went above and beyond yesterday afternoon. Ian's teacher stayed until Ian was safely home and gave him a huge hug today when she saw him in line. Huge THANK YOU's to you all.

First Day of School

Well, yesterday was the first day of school for Cam, Alex, and Ian. It started off fairly well, with everyone excited and on time.

Our handsome second grader, Alex.

Our good-looking fifth grader, Cam.

And they're off. I even earned a few over-the-shoulder looks -- not sure if the looks were to make sure I wasn't following them to the bus stop or if they were actually giving me good-bye looks.

Our cute kindergartner, Ian.

Feeling bashful and shy lining up for school.

At his desk.

All is well...right?



Not so.



I walk down to the bus stop...gotta catch those just off the bus, first day of school, pictures. Bus shows up. NONE of my kids get off. What the hell?! I stop the driver from driving off.

"You should have three Meyer boys."

"What are the names?" I list them. He says he doesn't have them on his list.

"The two oldest rode the bus this morning."

"There weren't any kids at the stop this morning." WHAT?!!! So now I'm wondering if Cam and Alex even made it to school. Just as I'm starting to freak out, he says, "There's another bus behind me maybe they're on it."

Sure enough. Another bus pulls up.


And this picture says it all (even if it is blurry because I was moving the camera as I realized Ian wasn't with them). Cam and Alex couldn't find Ian at school where the buses line up. They got on the bus that had picked them up in the morning -- which, by the way, wasn't the bus the bus company said they should ride! Meanwhile, the first bus -- the one all the boys were suppose to be on -- drives off before I can double check for Ian.

So we're thinking Ian got on the wrong bus. Policy is that kids are returned to the school if they don't get off (miss their stop, etc.) or, for the kindergartners, a parent doesn't meet the bus at the stop. So Mark calls the school. Three kids had been returned to the school from the bus Cam and Alex had been on but Ian isn't one of them. Someone at the school checks the after school program but Mark can hear them calling the wrong name over the phone. Finally, Mark tells whoever he's talking to that he's coming down to the school. We send Cam back down to the bus stop in case the bus comes back with Ian. I stay at the house with the other two and near the phone.

I get a call from a mom, her son sat next to Ian in class. She lets me know that Ian had been on the bus -- the correct one -- but had been sitting at the back (why the hell were kindergartners sitting at the back of the f---ing bus in the first place I don't know but will be taking that up with the school!) with her son. Likely, Ian didn't recognize the bus stop or had been having so much fun with his new friend he wasn't paying attention. Well, Ian got off the bus with his friend, the mom recognized him from class but Ian was confused as to where he was. Luckily, the school sends out stickers that have all the pertinent info (name, home phone, bus route number, bus stop location) which I'd filled out and put on Ian's backpack. So the mom (THANK YOU JUDY) checked for this, flagged the bus down, put Ian BACK on the bus, and called me.

Because of the policy, I figured Ian would be taken back to school. Mark was at the school. So I sent Alex down to get Cam from the bus stop. About two minutes after that, Mark called and said the bus was dropping Ian off at the bus stop and I needed to get down there because they needed to release him to a parent. So I rush down to the bus stop...who do I meet part way there...the boys. The bus driver obviously wanted to get home. He hadn't waited. I'm so glad Cam had still been there. Because if Ian had been dropped off like that, without someone there, I would have been on the phone with a lawyer yesterday.

As it was, there was a ton of crap going on at the school with other kids and other buses, and the principal came close to calling the police at one point during this whole fiasco. Mark came close to calling the police at least once during this mess. (After meeting the assigned bus driver, I'm not sure I won't be calling the police at some point during the year either.)

This morning I went down to the bus stop with the boys -- Mark just had to be late for work and that was all there was to it, I was a mom on a mission -- and every parent down there had the same issues with the buses as I did but, oh lucky me, I was the only one that had the one kid who only rides home in the afternoons. Anyway, there are two buses that pick up at two stops diagonally across the street from each other. The buses come within five minutes of each other. Kids being kids, get on the first bus that shows up at their stop...I would have too. Why didn't the bus company set it up so one bus picked up at one stop and the other bus pick up at the other stop? Hello?! That makes the most sense to me (and every other parent that was at the stop this morning).

So yesterday, Cam and Alex got on the first bus that showed up that morning. When they got to school, a teacher met the bus, put a color coded tag on their backpacks. After school, the kids were lined up based on those color coded tags. Not a bad system, if the kids ride to and from school. But when you've got one kid only riding the one direction and the route he's told to take doesn't match with the route the others are on...

It was well after five before everything was straightened out. Luckily, Ian hadn't been freaked out because he'd been with his friend. I was freaked out enough for both of us.


Just a side note: today should have been Robbie's first day of school. Unfortunately, he didn't potty train to a point where he could go. He did really well for a while at the start of summer but this last month every thing just regressed.

Bring on the Summer

Well, today was the last day of school for Cam and Alex. This morning they had an assembly for all the end of the year awards. All the paperwork that came home said the assembly started at 9:45, I got there about 10 minutes early so I could get a good place to take pictures...I wasn't early, the paperwork was wrong.

So I missed Alex getting his honor roll award but managed to stand near his class and get this picture. Way to go Alex! A-B Honor Roll all year long. We're so proud of you!










Alex also received an award for attendance (he only missed 3 days all year).













Alex showing off both his awards. Once back in his class he participated in a spelling bee and received a little certificate saying he took part. Then his class got to autograph each other's memory books, have a little pizza party, and watch a movie.

Cam receiving his A Honor Roll award. We're so proud of you for bringing your grades back up and finishing the year with solid A's. That's awesome, Cam!

Cam receiving an Academic Achievement award for a 10% Math Gain. This was a new award this year based on the CRT's. Considering Cam went from a C in the 2nd trimester to an A in the 3rd...a well deserved recognition. High-five Cam-Man.

Cam showing off his awards. Once back in class he received his final reading award, had an autograph period, and his teacher finished reading The City of Ember.

A local business man, the school's namesake, was at the assembly. He singled out each group of kids, parents, and teachers during his speech. He commented on how surreal it was to see 800 students walking around with his name, LOL.