Science Fair

Ryan participated in his school's first ever Science Fair last night. His project was on tornadoes and he made a "tornado in a bottle." Afterwards we stayed for a presentation by a physics teacher from the high school who did a lot of cool experiments. The science fair was so cool that Maddie said she wants to do it next year and is already trying to think of an experiment.

Spring Break

For Spring Break we went to San Antonio. The first few nights we stayed with Jim and Arlene. They had an open house for us and friends and family came to visit. The next few nights we went to the coast with Mom and Dad and stayed at Grand Caribbean. We ended the week by staying with the Schimceks. We enjoyed beautiful Texas weather.

My Birthday

Here is a picture of us before going out to dinner at Melting Pot. The roses are from one of my neighbors.

Halloween 2011

Tori at the Pumpkin Patch

Tori and her best friend Max went to a Pumpkin Patch for a school field trip. They rode a train, went on a hay ride, petted farm animals, bounced in bounce houses and held a baby chick.

8th Birthdays

We celebrated Maddie and Ryan's 8th birthday last weekend. They both opted to have at home parties this year. Ryan's was first, on a Friday night. He had 13 friends plus Maddie and Tori come to a "Halloween Party." Everyone wore a costume. Ryan was Darth Vader, Maddie was a black cat and Tori was a witch. The kids went to the basement first and painted mini pumpkins black which we made into bats at the end of the party after the paint dried. Then we had a treasure hunt outside. The kids worked as a team and followed clues to the "treasure chest" where they got to pick out a prized. Next they ate pizza and a cookie cake. There was a costume contest and then they played 4 corners. Once Ryan opened his presents he decided he was done with the party and sat in the living room with several friends building legos. We had 30 minutes left in the party during which the kids basically ran wild through our house.

Maddie had a "Tea Party" the following morning. We set up tables on the back deck with my Great Grandmother Bess's and my grandmother Curtis's china. The girls decorated goody bags and made dainty paper fans. They broke a pinata and then we served them "tea." They had hot tea or lemonade, finger sandwiches, mixed fruit and mini muffins. Dessert was a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. Maddie opened her presents and then it was over.

First Day of 2nd Grade!

Today Maddie and Ryan started 2nd grade. Maddie's teacher is Mr. Griffin, the favorite of all the boys. She and her best friend Rachel are in class together again this year. She came home from school with a reading assignment and poster to make for star of the week. The poster isn't due until Friday but she just about completed it tonight. For reading she had to set a timer for 20 minutes and read to herself. If she quits reading before the timer goes off she is supposed to start over. She got her reading done before dinner.

Ryan's teacher is Mrs. Avery-Scott. He really wanted Mr. Griffin but his good friend Daniel is with him again this year and their desks are next to each other so he's okay with Mrs. Avery-Scott. I doubt they'll be sitting by each other for long as last year their teacher separated them the first week!

Tori's school has a delayed start date of Sept. 12. The school was supposed to be rebuilt from the fire by now but the construction is behind schedule. She will be going to Pre-K, 4 afternoons a week.

Extra-curricular activities this year will be Cub Scouts, piano lessons and gymnastics for Ryan. Maddie will be in Brownies, dance, and piano lessons. Tori will be in tap dance and gymnastics. Maddie is already asking to add swim lessons but we are going to wait and see how the schedule holds up first.