Joya Awards

I was proud to learn earlier this year that my daughter, Shelby received the Optimist Student of the Month Award at Riverview School. She and 8 other students from Riverview received their awards, recognition and congratulations from many community leaders at the Joya Awards on May 18th. Optimist students have a history of becoming successful leaders in their community and in their lives.

Tristan would like to become an Optimist winner too. He commented at one point during the awards night 'I'll never get to be an optimist!'.....trust me it's difficult to explain to a 7 year old how saying that statement makes it so true! We'll keep working on our boy. :)

The link is posted so you can see the list of all the students, from all the Lebanon area schools who received Optimist Awards this year.

http://http//www.lebanon-express.com/articles/2009/06/04/news/local/local66.txt

Family Project

Scott and I have been wanting to build a play structure in our yard for the past couple of years. Unfortunately house renovations have always gotten in the way. So, we have made a commitment to get this done this summer before the kids get too old to even enjoy a play structure! So we started it last weekend, and of course the kids get to help. They've helped with almost everything as we've renovated the house, running for tools (well, not actually running - but hurrying) holding flashlights, handing us screws or nails, and even using the hammer and drills a few times. So Shelby and Tristan were pretty excited to put their renovation experience to good use helping with the fort. And of course we had a couple of spectators very interested in what we were up to outside.

Amusing Math Homework

It never fails to amaze me how literal and matter-of-fact a child can be when answering a question. Today, helping Tristan with his math homework was one of those days. His teacher requests that parents review and initial the homework each day before returning it to school. (don't we all do that? Apparently not, because she needs us to initial it to prove that we've looked at it.)

Any way, I've attached a photo of a question on today's homework, which Tristan answered with his usual literal preciseness. It is so plainly obvious that I'm surprised I did not get this...he he....and I tried SO HARD not to laugh, but once the chuckle started it wouldn't stop, and luckily he was in a good mood instead of being devestated that I would laugh at his homework.

I hope you enjoy his answer as much as I did! I love my kids.

Political Discussion at the Kruger House:

Just after an anti-Bill Sizemore ad aired, Tristan asked 'Is Bill Sizemore a bad man?' No, he's probably not a bad man but he writes bad measures. 'What's a measure?' 'It's a bill (this is Scott answering by the way, in non 6-year-old verbage) that someone writes and sends to the political people in Salem and then if there's enough people that signed it, it goes on the ballot for us to vote on.' Slight pause, then: 'Does he write it all scribbly or something?'. ROFL!

Halloween Costumes

Shelby wanted to be a southern belle this year, and so (in my insanity) I thought, 'that's something I could actually make for her! I spent about $9 at the Walmart clearance table, and with a little sewing, hot glue, safety pins, and my mothers (vintage 1959) lace wedding slip and borrowed straw hat, we had a beautiful trick or treater.

Tristan on the other hand was easier, yet more traveling. By the time I got around to shopping for his Clone Trooper costume, there was nothing left in Lebanon except the blasters. On our anniversary dinner to Red Robin, we stopped in at the costume store at Heritage Mall and found the last one in his size. A little more pricy than Shelby's, but everyone was happy!

We had a great time trick or treating at the Lebanon Merchants, stopped at our 3 favorite neighbors houses, out to Grandma and Grandpas for bloody stubs of gummy body parts, and then a fun time at the Santucci's visiting all their neighbors for some of the biggest candy scores of the day (and sore feet).

House Update

Whoo Hoo! I've been saying this repeatedly for almost 24 hours now! Yesterday, as I was leaving (40 minutes late) for the Harvest Parties at School, there was a knock at the front door. I opened it, purse in hand, to find an inspector taking his shoes off getting ready to come in. I had called the day before, requesting a morning inspection.

At the time I was finishing ruffles on Shelby's Halloween Costume, I was feeling stressed and rushed and beating myself up for running late. But now, standing facing the inspector, I realized that God has everything in hand, and I was running late for a reason; so was the inspector. And so, instead of a weekend wondering and waiting, we're able to get going on the sheetrock and might actually be looking at having the kitchen ready for cabinets when they arrive on the 18th.

Fall Soccer

Well, I finally bit the bullet and sign the kids up for fall soccer. A few years ago (when Tristan wasn't in school and Shelby only had half day kindergarten) I had them both in dance, which was a combination of ballet, tap and gymnastics, but I let that go after my health got in the way and the renovation/move to grandma and grandpa's outside of town forced me to make some tough choices about scheduling.

So, I know a little about soccer, but enough to enjoy watching the clusters of small bodies that move about almost in unison on the field. The exciting part is when someone breaks free and makes a play (or an attempt at a play) that has pure brilliance in it. It is so exciting to watch! Then there are the cartwheels, somersaults, grass throwing, shoes caught in the net, tripping, pileups and other interim activities which just make the whole thing a blast. Throat, prepare to be hoarse til Halloween!