Reading on the River

This past week was Read Across America. John's school celebrates every year with a program called Reading on the River. The kids from each grade are assigned a theme and they get to dress up like fictional characters to go with the theme. This year the 3rd grade got the theme Dr. Seuss. John was super excited about this theme. At first he wanted to dress like Wacky Wednesday. But at the last minute he decided "I want to dress like There's a Wocket in my Pocket!" This was simple enough to do. Daddy took on the task of making the Wocket. I think it looked awesome. 

When I picked John up from school, he said that most of the kids in his class were either Cat in the Hat or Thing 1 or 2. He was so happy he picked something different!

Rule breaker

I have a No TV during the week rule. We don't get a lot of time with the kids after school and we have found that we barely have enough time for homework, dinner and baths without the distraction of TV. 

Tonight we had about twenty minutes before bedtime. We were going to send the kids to their rooms to read but instead Daddy turned the TV on. John said "I smell a rule breaker!" Daddy picked one of the kids favorite shows "Forged in Fire." The show is about blacksmiths that have to make weapons like knives and axes. The kids snuggled up with Daddy and watched TV. Sometimes you just gotta break the rules. 

Wool socks

Daddy loves wool socks and on occasion I borrow them. On Saturday night, I went to check on the kids after they were in bed awhile. Gillian was sound asleep. John was not. Before I could lecture him, he said "I know. I should be asleep. But my feet are so cold." So I bent over and pulled off my socks, well Daddy's wool socks that I was wearing. I put them on John's cold feet. He was so happy. And he actually wore them all night long. 

Sunday night I helped him get dressed in his pajamas. When he was dressed he asked "Where does Daddy keep his socks?" I told him and he helped himself to another pair of Daddy's socks. He loves those socks. 

The Bus

Today I read to Gillian's class. Since I was leaving work early, I wrote notes for both kids to take the bus home instead of going to Time Plus. I can see Newman Springs Road from my front window. So I sat in the window while waiting for John's bus. I saw the traffic start to slow down and I headed to the bus stop. As I got there I saw John's bus. The driver slowed down but never turned on the lights. And he didn't get off the bus. I thought I heard one of the kids shout to me "He didn't get on the bus!" Now I'm beginning to worry. Maybe he got on the wrong bus. Maybe he went to Time Plus. Gillian's bus arrived and we went home. I told her to keep her shoes on because we were going to have to get John. She was confused "Why didn't he take the bus?" My thoughts exactly Gilly. 

I sat in the window hoping John would just miraculously arrive. I called Time Plus, but no one answered. So I got Gillian in the car and we drove to John's school. And there he was. Sitting at the tables with the other kids. I tell the teacher that he was supposed to take the bus home. She was surprised and said "What does the sign out sheet say?" Right next to his name it said Bus. John kept apologizing. He said "I forgot." I'm not mad at him. Something went wrong, he forgot to go to the bus, the Time Plus teacher didn't realize it when she took attendance, and it resulted in 20 long minutes I thought my little boy was lost. So scary. 

The computer

In the the car tonight, Gillian asked "Can I have my own computer?" I laughed and said "What are you going to do on the computer?" She said "Reading Eggs. I do Reading Eggs in technology. I want a computer to do it at home." I said "You can use my laptop. Just like Johnny does for his homework." "Can I do it tonight?"  I can't say no to that. So I agreed if she had time after homework and bath she could use my laptop. Well it turns out that she had a hard time using the mouse on the laptop so we went downstairs to use Daddy's computer. 

She sat and played Reading Eggs (it's an online program for kids learning to read)  for twenty minutes before bed. We will make sure she has some time tomorrow to play too. 

Calvin & Hobbes

When Daddy picked up John from Time Plus today, he found him reading Calvin & Hobbes in the school library. In the car, Daddy told him "You know Granddad gave me those books when I was younger. I have them at home." John was super excited to hear this and as soon as they got home he asked "Where were those books?" He ran to the basement and just read no stop. He was still reading when I got home. He even tried to read them during dinner. 

After bath, they all climbed into my bed and read Calvin & Hobbes. 

This made Daddy & I so happy. We love Calvin & Hobbes. So glad the kids do too!

3rd Grade Concert

Today was John's 3rd Grade Concert.  The theme was "Sing and Play Across the USA."  The kids were not only singing but playing the recorder as well.  John was a little nervous when I got him on the bus this morning.  He said "I'm worried about my recorder solos.  One song is really fast and I'm not that good."  I reassured him that he would do fine and to pretend that they were just practicing and not performing in front of a big audience.  He's so logical and he said "Well in practice Mr. Trast talks to us.  And he won't be talking during the concert." 

This was my first concert at Swimming River School so I was a little worried about parking.  I arrived super early and was a little surprised to see that they were letting parents in ahead of schedule.  I quickly ran inside so that I could grab a good seat.  I ended up in the fourth row.  Not too bad.  John saw me in the audience and waved.

The show started with the kids singing the Star Spangled Banner.

Next they sang "Home on the Range."  John's class also played a recorder solo. 

 

They then sang "Old Brass Wagon."  My video wouldn't upload for that song.  But trust me, they did an amazing job.  The next number was "Deep in the Heart of Texas."

 

 

The next song was "Beautiful Dreamer."  Watch this video closely, towards the end of the song John has the biggest yawn.  Seems fitting for the song.

 

The next song was "Simple Gifts."

"Yankee Doodle" was next and the kids in John's class had another recorder solo.  This was the song John was worried about.  But I think he did an awesome job.

The final song was "This Land is Your Land."  Once again, it was an amazing concert.  I'm so proud of John and his classmates.