First Day of School 2013

Wow! It's really here.  The girls go back to school and my youngest one starts Elementary.  Caitlin is going into kindergarten and she isn't happy about it either!  She would rather stay home and be taught by her mommy.  I think that idea would be old within a week.  

It is also the first year that the older girls will be separated in school.  It wasn't a hard decision.  In the past, it would've been but it was the right time.  Delilah wanted to be separated, Mikayla actually didn't cry, and I think the break from each other will help with the constant bickering/fighting throughout the day - but then again, that was also summer being stuck together for so long.

So here is to a new school year! 4th graders and a kindergarten!  Here's to 2013-14 being a wonderful year of new experiences, new friends, and new knowledge.

Annual shot in front of the school - first year that Caitlin is actually in the picture because she goes to the school - not just because she is the lil' sis.

Delilah with her teacher, Ms. Susie

Mikayla with her teacher, Mr. Roderick

Caitlin shaking hands with her teacher, Ms. Teresa

The Unsuccessful Leprechaun Trap

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!  The girls attempted to try that tricky little leprechaun that comes around on St. Patrick's Day recking the house, looking for his gold.  They made, on their own, a lego contraption where he would have to climb up the ladder and then walk across the towel to get the pot of gold... but the towel has a deep hole under it and he would fall in and be trapped till they could let him out in the morning.

Well - that didn't work!  Those stinkin' little green men can jump!!

Although he did fall for the gold and took the wrappers of gold coins.  HA!

He then left a mess for the girls and me to pick up!  Starting in their room - he ripped open a bag of stuffed animals and tossed them around the room.  But one of their snoring must have startled him cause it looks like he didn't finish.

He then led a trail out to the front room with their shoes (sorry for the blurriness - it was still dark in the morning as they woke me up to show me all his shenanigans!)

He continued his mess in the dining room - stacking our easter egg tins and then placed the easter eggs throughout the house - including the dogs' feeding bowls.

Oh and their playroom - he looked like he had a time playing in there - between setting up a tea party on top of their toy box and all the stuffed animals each reading their own books...

To him creating a block city... wonder if that reminds him of his home?

He finished by changing the stools around in our front room and using Delilah's physical therapy ball as a topper.

After cleaning up, the girls enjoyed a green eggs and ham breakfast before church.

During breakfast, they learned the true meaning of St. Patrick's Day - who he was and what the shamrock symbolized.  Still not sure where the leprechauns fit in - but they have fun with the little green man.  And even if Mikayla truly knows that Mommy is the leprechaun, she enjoyed it just as much as her other sisters.  Now that Daddy is done with the cabbage for dinner tonight... off we go to enjoy this wonderful March weather. 

Living History Field Trip

Mikayla and Delilah went with the rest of the third graders from their school to McFarland Living History Ranch in Galt, CA.  It was an all-day event and so much fun but was exhausted by the end.  The kids (and chaperones) dressed in clothing from the pioneer days and did seven different stations.

Stopping to take a pic before all the fun begins.

One of the stations - woodworking.  This is where I resided the majority of the day till the kids were done and I could run and take pics of the girls.  Here they made step stools which kids in the pioneer days used as chairs as they sat around the fire.

 Another station was tin punching... the kids punched their initials and the girls are going to use it as a "shade" to put in front of a votive candle and let the light shine through.

The kids also got to make leather bookmarks - they used a metal punching system to spell out their names.

One of the favorite stations was ice cream making combined with gardening.  Half of the "family" was cranking the ice cream maker while the other half was gardening and then they would switch. Ice cream was enjoyed at the end of the day and was delicious!!  

Girls look like they are ready to plow their own fields to plant some purple hull peas.

Candle-making was another station.

The sixth station was making butter, grinding corn to feed the chickens, and laundry

And the last one was making rope - obviously Delilah and her partner were having too much fun.

 Here are all the third graders broken into their two cultural groups

And finally -mommy with her two pioneer girls.

Needless to say, it was tiresome but so much fun.  Mikayla and Delilah couldn't stop talking about it and wanted to go back again.  I have a feeling it won't be my last time there - Caitlin only has four more years and it will be her turn.  

Caitlin's TK Field Trips

Caitlin's TK classroom has had a couple of field trips over the past month.  On one day, they went to the local market's flower department for a tour and a tutor of how to arrange flowers in a vase.  After that, we walked a few doors over to the pet store.  The kids had a blast.

Caitlin's class as well as a couple of siblings.

Caitlin and one of her buddies.

 The floral arranger giving a tour

Teaching the kids how she puts them in the vases with the baby's breath and greens.

 Each kid got to take a vase and a flower home - they were so excited.

 Walking over to the pet store for the next tour.

A few weeks later, the kids went on a tour to our local post office.  They observed the process from writing a letter in class to buying the stamp and putting it into the mailbox - then to see where it goes from there.

 They loved hanging out in the back of the mail truck

 And they even got to honk the horn!

 Caitlin and her wonderful teacher, Ms. Debbie