Joust Read

Joust Read is the elementary school library reading incentive program.  Because they're the Knights.  And Joust sounds like Just.  Get it?

The program works like this: Read 3 books on a specified topic/category, complete an accompanying project that student selects from a list, receive a tag and sometimes an additional prize.  Continue collecting tags throughout the school year.  The more tags you collect, the better the prize.  

Its a bit hush hush, this reading program.  I don't know why, for sure, that its not better advertised to new families, but my guess is that the librarian is not dying to take 100 kindergartners with her for the last prize.  I didn't know anything about the program until mid way through October, other kinder moms weren't clued in until second semester.

I liked it from the moment I heard about it.  I knew it could provide structure to my effort to help Sam learn to read, and motivation for him to pick out and finish books, and the projects kept him busy before he started receiving official homework.

In the beginning he was pumped to bring home a pencil.  Excited when he was allowed to check out two library books instead of one.  Thrilled to be a library helper for the day.

And of course there was the COLLECTING of the tags.  If you know Sam, you know that this was incentive enough.  But add PRIZES to that?!  I didn't even tell him about the field trip until second semester, at which point he was already so committed to his collection that the trip was just icing on the cake.

Friends, not all tag projects are created equal.  A newbie my select her tag sheets (which you really need to request from the librarian via email or just go take yourself, they are not readily handed out.  Again, this confuses me) based on book theme, genre, etc.  But once you've attempted one of two projects with your kindergartner, you quickly learn to skim the project options for each tag sheet and encourage your student to select books that can work for the ones with the easiest projects.

Was that really me who just said that?  I fear I wouldn't be a goody-two-shoes student if I was forced to go back and do it all over again.

But we did the work.  Over the course of 15 tags collected, we/he read over 70 books, learned some basic computer skills, how to focus on a project rather than a quick assignment, and that with extra work comes extra reward.  Oh, and he might have accidentally learned to read in that process, too.

That's right, he/we got his 15 tags.  That means he earned the following prizes:
-NCE carabineer
-extra library book
-library helper
-Picture on the "Star Reader Wall" in the library
-Prize from front office
-Show one of your projects on the morning announcements
-ate lunch with the staff member of his choice, Coach Lee (who has been very busy with lunch dates in the past few weeks, as all tag sheets are due on Monday.  And he learned what "staff" means.)
-had his name appear in lights on the school marquee.
-Destination Unknown Field Trip, scheduled for 2 weeks from now.

See all those references to "he/we" doing the work?  Yeah, I don't love that either.  Of course I was heavily involved in the early tags, as he was only reading sight words at the beginning of the year.  The reading and project execution was transitioned a bit over the course of the year, but I was still the reminder and instigator of many of the tag sheets.  Now that he is hooked and "a reader," I will be able to transition that responsibility to him over the next year.  After all, its not my field trip in question here!

Except that, it will be my field trip in question next year.  Because I was asked to be the PTA rep responsible for the Joust Read Program.  And like the goody-two-shoes student that I am, I said yes.

Basketball

Did you know that Sam played on a basketball team this winter?  That's right, winter.  As in his season ended 9 weeks ago and I am just now writing about it.  Sorry, life happens.

Yes, in a continuing effort to expose Sam to many sporting options before he commits to just a few in which to specialize (of course that sounds rediculous!  He 5! But that's the way the world is turning these days), we signed him up for basketball.  I went with the YMCA league because the season dates lined up with what I was looking for, and I figured they'd be well-organized.  Our experience with the league was mixed: we landed a good coach and the games were well-run, but the practice schedule was awful and they regularly sent us all over the city of Katy for different events.  Although I did like that they made a pledge to God and to each other before the game, I'm not sure if we'll use them again.

How awful was the practice schedule, you ask?  How does Monday evening from 7:00-8:00pm sound?  If your guessing that it kept Sam out of the house after his bed time, you've guessed correctly.  Unfortunately our team drew the short straw and were almost last to select our practice time.  It could have been worse: one team was assigned Friday at 7:00pm.  So I will say that at least Sam was fresh on Monday, but the time slot did not help his ability to focus on the task at hand.  On the upside, this allowed for a lot of discussion around focus, respecting your coach and other character-building elements that are solid reason in and of themselves to sign young children up for organized sports.

The games were pretty cute.  A standard 5-on-5 set up, and each kid wore a wristband in a certain color that corresponded to one worn by an opposing player, the idea being that the pair of matching wristbands would teach man-on-man defense.  The theory worked pretty well, but it was not uncommon to find a confused player still attempting to guard "his guy" while his team was on offense.  There were a few rule modifications as well, most notably the removal of "fast breaks."  When possession changed without a score, the offense paused, held the ball and allowed to other team to run back to defend their basket before the ball was moved down the court.

And did I mention that the baskets were low?  SUPER low.  Sam could just about touch the net when he jumped up.  The YMCA staff hooked special baskets on top of the elementary school baskets that were deemed too high for the kindergarten sect.  I get that, but I think Sam was actually better at shooting at the higher basket, as that is what he was more accustomed to playing on at home.

Sam really did enjoy himself.  His tendency to lose focus both in practice and occasionally during a game didn't bother him nearly as much as it did his father.  As long as he made at least one basket in each game he was happy.  And I'm pretty sure that he did make at least one in every game!  He enjoyed the games most when he had a plethora of opportunities to touch the ball, and extended periods without ball contact were generally what lead to a lack of attention.  This does not surprise me out of a 5 year old boy in general, but especially out of Sam.  Constant engagement is the key with that kid!  I'd say he did pretty well overall, landing himself pretty close to the middle of the pack skill-wise.  

Add another participation award to the collection.  We will revisit basketball sometime next year to see if he is interested again.  I wouldn't be surprised if basketball is relegated to a free time activity in the cul-de-sac, but that'll be for him to decide.  So many sports to try, so little time. 

Goose.

Silly Goose.  Silly Goose Muffin.  Goose Muffin.  Goose.  Goosey Girl.  

A progression of nicknames so long and winding that the last barely resembles the first at all is long-standing tradition in my family.  It gives me an odd sense of joy when someone asks, “where did that name come from?” and I have to stop and think about it for a minute.  I had my share of this type of name growing up, some so unusual that I couldn’t even attempt to type them out, and one that still hangs on and makes appearances from time to time.  Nicknames are important to my family, very important.  Everyone who is loved must have one.  Which is why it ate at me just a little bit that I mostly called my daughter Annabelle for the first three years of her life.  I’m not kidding, there were moments every week that I felt sad to call her by her given name, as if it implied that we were not close enough to have an “inside name” that only we understood.

Of course part of the problem in landing on a nickname for her is that she is a bit insistent on being called Annabelle.  Can I call you Annie?  “NO.  I’M ANNABELLE.”  The same response could be received with any and all possible shortenings of her given name.  There are so many that I was certain we’d land on one.

Thinking back now, I suppose the Goose thing started about a year ago.  Sam would do something goofy and we’d refer to him as “Cray-Cray.”  (Is that how you spell the formerly on-trend version of crazy?)  When Annabelle would do something goofy, we’d refer to her as a silly goose.  And because my brain works this way, that would sometimes morph into silly goose muffin.  

And before I knew it, we had a bit of personal slang in our home.  Being called  a Goose or a Muffin or Goose Muffin were independently and interchangeably understood to mean that someone was being goofy.

Occasionally we were using the terms for other people, but they were primarily applied to my girl.  And I’m not quite sure how, but within the last few months it all began to click.  While we all still understand the history of the name, I know call her Goose without implying that anything particularly silly is going on.  

I use Goose instead of her name and she responds.

Mission accomplished, nickname achieved.

Of course there are derivations that pop up from time to time, My Goose and Goosey Girl being the most common.  And I’m sure that, given enough time and enough freedom by the name-bearer, it will morph again.  But for now I am happy.  She is happy.  And there is better balance in the world.

Hoppin' Down The Bunny Trail

Well, Sam had his turn when he was around her age, but this time it was Annabelle’s turn to have a “Year Of The Egg Hunts.”  How many, you ask?  5 Easter Egg Hunts in a 10 Day Span.  Not too shabby my friends, not too shabby.

11.       Katelyn’s House.  Annabelle’s sweet friend from school and her brother invited their classes over for and Easter Party.  Unfortunately only two from Annabelle’s class were able to come, but that didn’t stop those for from having a blast!  They played and crafted and hunted and ate.  Honestly, I know that my girl enjoyed herself much more with just a few friends than she would have in a crowd.

 

22.       Church.  Our church hosted a hunt about an hour after the last service ended on Palm Sunday.  We went to Whataburger in between, and then the different age groups each had a turn to hunt.  Fortunately for us as parents, both our kids fell into the 3-5 age group this year so we were all participating in the same hunt.  Which my kids rocked by the way.  They scored a ton of eggs.

 33.       School Party.  The beauty of church preschool: the Easter Party.  And detailed lessons on everything Holy Week entails, from the palm branches, through the last supper, the cross and the empty tomb.  And of course, the egg hunt.  I so enjoy the chance to go to these parties and visit with her little friends, their moms and her teachers.  It sheds so much light on the stories that she tells us at home!  Again, my girl needed no assistance from me to fill her basket.

44.       Neighborhood Party.  This is the one that led to tears.  And the only one where she seemed confused.  After an attempt to jump the gun and start early, when she was give the “GO!” she totally froze.  I had to restrain from tossing eggs into her basket for her!  And then she didn’t get the blue one.  Sigh.  She still got some eggs.

 

55.       Home.  These are the ones that the real bunny hid, obviously.  Yes, Sam got more than her, but that girl found plenty that Sam just blazed right past because she does not always value speed over thought like he does.  

So many eggs.  So. Much. Candy.  So much fun.

Easter 2015

Easter weekend brought us a second crop of spring visitors, this time from the other side of the family.  Although it wasn’t pre-arranged this way, we ended up with all of Chris’s immediate family meeting here.  After a logistical flurry of airport runs on opposite sides of town and a baseball game in the burbs, we all finally made it home on Thursday evening.

Becky and Benton really enjoy playing with our kids.  Well, if they don’t then they put on a really good show.  My children are so entertained by them and it is a joy to watch them all interact.  I love that Benton gets just as sweaty as Sam when they play hard together.  

No one was in a huge hurry to get moving on Friday so we scrapped our plans to go strawberry picking.  A few went on a bike ride for treats while some stayed closer to home.  We made some Easter cookies and those involved in the frosting were pleased that there were no “decorating rules” to be followed.  This is not Christmas, after all.  But the lack of rules wasn’t entirely freeing.  Becky and I found ourselves constantly striving for creativity and new ideas, convinced that each one must be both on-theme and unique.  See this has been my point all along: there is beauty and freedom to be found in a good set of rules.

We did all make it out the door on time (after a hurried dinner, hush now!) for Good Friday Service. 

Saturday we were at it much earlier in the day.  I was very excited to present a new approach to egg dying for my tactile children: roll the eggs in whipped cream dotted with food coloring and let them sit for 12 hours.  Sam LOVED it and was all about getting his hands dirty.  Annabelle had her heart set on dropping as much dye in as possible and swirling it with the tooth pick, but flat out refused to put her hands in the whipped cream.  So the grown ups got to roll a few for her.  The technique did work, but we have a few tweaks for next year to help the dye adhere better (rinse the eggs in vinegar and less swirling of the food coloring).  And now I have 2 dozen hard boiled eggs to eat, all by myself.  Dig in!

In fact we were quite proud of ourselves for arriving at the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt on time.  All of us.  In one car!  But you know, we just couldn’t handle two kids being crushed by a missed opportunity of free candy.  And moments after we arrive and scope out the situation, find their assigned hunting locations and prep ourselves, we hear the announcement that the hunt will begin in about 50 minutes.  Enjoy the party until then!  And all the parents groaned.  Once the hunt began, it was over almost immediately.  And Becky and Benton laughed because almost every child in the 0-3 year old hunt ended up crying, including Annabelle, who was crushed that someone grabbed the bright blue egg before she could.  And the Bunny that was in attendance had to be the creepiest one I’ve ever seen.  I didn’t even suggest that my children go visit him!  And for some reason the kids waited until after the egg hunt to get in the long line for face paint, I think just to torture us.  But the kids did love the bounce house and the swings, and Sam ran around with lots of friends from school.  I was reminded of how far we have come in making this neighborhood “Home” in the last two years; our first neighborhood party found us mostly talking to and playing with ourselves.  This time we mingled and chatted with friends, and that felt good.

The afternoon brought a fun first for the kids: first trip to a major league baseball park!  True, it was only an exhibition game, but that gave us great freedom going into it knowing that we could bale whenever we wanted without feeling like we wasted a ton of money.  Plus there were no crowds to contend with, which made it a more pleasant experience for certain members of our party.  Sam ate it all up – the guys bringing snack around, the Papa John’s Pizza, and he learned to love Cracker Jacks.  He paid attention to the game and learned a few keys to the game and some new rules that he might be able to apply himself.  Annabelle did really well, not even asking for something else to do until the 4^th or 5^th inning, at which point she was pleased to find Mommy’s bag packed with toy cars and crayons.  Chris and I really enjoyed ourselves, too, and I think we are both excited that these are the types of outings that are family will be able to do more of in the years to come.

 Sam came out of his room on Sunday morning and started wandering around a bit.  It took me about 30 seconds to read him after he said, “aren’t we supposed to go look for eggs or something?”  He’d been in the kitchen and didn’t comment on our empty tomb donuts (something I thought he’d be super excited about) and wasn’t really interested in talking to anyone.  And I knew: he was crushed to see his Easter basket sitting empty in the place he left it last night.  Truth be told, I left it empty on purpose so that it could be used for egg hunting, as I had already assembled a second “gift” basket earlier in the week and stashed them in my closet.  He didn’t know that and thought the bunny had brought him nothing.  Until he went to the bathroom and spotted the basket that the bunny hid for his sister.  Game changer, mood changer.  He quickly hunted for his own and then helped Annabelle find hers.  “Let’s do it to-ge-der.  Will you hewp me Sam?”

Not only were we at church early, we were almost the first in line for the second service.  Good thing, too, since the line ended up out into the parking lot and the overflow room was full.  What a privilege we have to worship our risen Lord!

After a nice brunch out (I admit, I got a bit lazy on that one and couldn’t muster the fancy Easter dinner at home), we went back home for our egg hunt.  I was “texting the bunny” all morning to confirm details on our hunt, and he did return to re-hide our eggs inside due to an intermittent light drizzle.  We hid LOTS of eggs and the kids had a blast – Annabelle didn’t need a whole lot of help to fill her basket this time.  Yes, Sam got more, but neither of them will ever eat all that candy anyhow.

The afternoon held naps and a game of baseball in the cul-de-sac.  I felt kinda crummy due to allergies, but such is life.  It saddened me that it was a school night because I think we could have played outside for a long time that night.  Fortunately our company was staying!

Monday our visitors got to take Sam to the bus stop and then watch Annabelle’s swim lesson (always such an amazing time).  Grammy took Annabelle to art class while I accompanied Papa, Becky and Benton to lunch at Sam’s school.  Then those of us who didn’t have work or school took a walk through the wildflowers near our house.  We shipped the Portlanders back to the airport on Monday afternoon and Grammy and Papa were on their way on Tuesday morning.  And by Tuesday night we went from an excess of adults to not enough, as Chris flew to California for work at the same time I had a meeting at church and we had to call in the rare weeknight sitter.  Feast or famine, I guess.

So there you go, more detail on our Easter weekend than most probably care for.  But someday my children will like to read these recaps, and I just can’t stop the practice now.  Happy Easter!

Spring Break 2015

For most of the school year I’d imagined that we’d go someplace for our first “real” spring break as a family.  I guess that’s because we always did when I was growing up.  But as I looked at our family travel calendar for the next 6 months I came to terms with the fact that adding one more trip – even a small one – just wasn’t a prudent idea.  So we invited Gommy and Papa to join us on our little stay-cation instead!

Sam was looking forward to his break for several weeks and kept telling me that he was going to do nothing but relax.  We didn’t believe that for one second – that kid is no good at sitting still!  But something magical happened this year: we sprang forward (time change) on the first weekend of Spring Break.  And both of my children slept until at least 7:30 every day of break.  The adults were up before them.  One day they were up after 8.  It was glorious.  I pray those things will line up every year.

Our visitors were scheduled to arrive on Tuesday evening, so after a relaxing weekend the kids and I had an opportunity to hit up one of our favorite outings, WonderWild, for a day of play.  Sam is really missing the little family field trips we used to do during his preschool career, and this one is only available for open play during the week.  AND HISD’s spring break was the week after ours, so it was really a perfect fit.

On Tuesday morning while I was trying to fit in my 4 hours of weekly work before company arrived, I got a call from the sitter that Annabelle, who was FINE when I left the house that morning, had thrown up twice.  “No no, you stay.  I’ve got this.  I just wanted you to know.”  Best sitter ever.  And my poor little bug certainly did have a bug.  She would have highs and lows over the next several days, but that girl ended up being mostly sick for the rest of spring break.

Given the morning’s events and the great distance we now live from the airport, I decided it was important to bring a bucket with us in the car.  Thinking even one step further, I brought a plastic pitcher, with a lid.  I’m all about containment.  So I have the jug next to me, asking Annabelle how she’s doing every few minutes.  At one point I turn around and see Sam, who we’d moved to the third row to allow grown-ups easier access to the back seats.  I can read that kid like a book and his face was screaming “I’M CARSICK!”  After I told him he was wrong when he bravely mumbled “I think I can handle it…” I explained to him that we had one chance to get him this bucket.  With his arms wide open and his mind focused, while I was driving in stop and go traffic on the freeway, I tossed that pitcher back to him.  With about 20 seconds to spare.  “Oh I feel so much better!”  Relieved and proud that I was oh-so-prepared (lets ignore the fact that I brought the bucket for the other kid, mmm-k?), I confindently drove on through the thinning traffic.  Next time I looked back they were both asleep and yes, Sam was still holding his pitcher.  And I had the lid.  The more we drove, the more it slipped.  This could not happen.  I could not let a sleep-induced spill trample our pitcher-toss victory.  I would not clean vomit out of my car!  As traffic slowed again I weighed my options.  There are very few circumstances where I feel its acceptable to put your car in park on the freeway, but this was one of them.  I waited, unbuckled, watched the break patterns as far as I could see.  And when traffic stopped I threw the car into park, half-crawled back, grabbed the pitcher, wiggled back into my seat, put it in drive, lidded the pitcher and re-buckled.  And then traffic inched forward.  Because the Lord loves me.

Needless to say, the welcome that Gommy and Papa received that evening was a little less enthusiastic than usual.  But everyone pushed through for a nice dinner out, and then we had a wonderfully lazy morning the next day.  Coffee and breakfast and reading in Sam’s bed and legos, etc.  Too bad that Daddy had to go to work.  We pulled ourselves together for an afternoon outing and headed to the bowling alley, along with the rest of Katy, Tx.  Because, did I mention that it rained for most of our spring break?  A two hour wait for a lane wasn’t in the cards for our crew, so we went around the corner to Chuck-E-Cheese.  That place is, well, special.  But the kids had a great time and Sam even saw one of his classmates there.  

On Thursday we planned our day a little better and made it to the bowling alley before the crowds.  We actually had a really good time!  Bowling alley’s have come a long way in the last 15 years and now have the ability to pop up bumpers for specific players on your line up.  While I won’t deny that Sam did make use of the bumpers, it certainly was not on every throw.  He’s got hope!  Me, not so much.  We have no idea if Annabelle has any skill or not because my girl hit her low point that day and literally fell asleep sitting up on the bench without leaning her back against anything.  Gommy took pitty on her and allowed Sam to bowl the rest of her frames.

Friday we convinced Daddy to take the day off of work and we hit up the Rodeo!  Ok technically it was the Livestock Show and Carnival, but none of us are concert people.  We’ve managed to get my parents there a couple of times now, so maybe we’ll make them Texans yet!  Petting zoo, pony rides, collecting the Ag-Venture cards, a tour through the farming process and then finally the carnival rides.  Sam was able to ride a lot more this year but we still had to hunt pretty hard for Annabelle.  They enjoyed the games, too, and Sam was a surprisingly good sport about not being able to win the stuffed donut.  I was very, very proud of him.  When the tickets were gone we stuffed ourselves with various fried treats, frozen lemonade for the kids, who seemed to think our fried s’mores and Oreos weren’t a good choice – fools.  But really, there’s no better way to follow up the bacon-wrapped sausage on a stick that you had for lunch, right?  But then it was time to head home, because in all honesty it was no warmed than 60 degrees and misting at us for a good bit of our time there.  The Ohioans were not pleased with the weather that we provided for them.

On Saturday the kids were treated to a bike ride to Starbucks and I got to take my mom shopping and to the ballet!  Sunday was church, lunch and then off to the airport again.  Sam chose to stay home with the excuse of carsickness, but he and I both know the truth – goodbyes are very hard for him and he’d rather get it over with quickly.  That boy has some strong emotions running through his vains!

Sprinkled in with our other activities was a lot of quality play.  We all spent hours building legos, the result of which was a lego city that remained constructed in its assigned spots around Sam’s room for several weeks.  Sam and Papa masted the all-sports challenge.  I take that back.  Papa didn’t seem to understand Sam’s house rules and actually did quite poorly in the Sam-led challenge.  Sam was awarded a large number of trophies.  We read a lot and snuggled the sick-o a lot.  And Papa and Daddy paid the price for that a few days later.

While I do wish the weather would have been better, I’m glad that we didn’t end up going anywhere this year.  I enjoyed my time at home with my kiddos and our visitors.  While I know that full time school is what’s right for Sam now, and most of the time our rhythm works really well, we were all glad for a break and glad to just “be” a bit more the way we were last year.  And for that, I am thankful.