Henry finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this morning. He was so excited to see how it ended that he came up to read at 7:30 last night so that he could read for an hour instead of the required 30 minutes. When he went to bed he still had 50 or so pages to go so he got up this morning and, instead of watching Sportscenter, hunkered down to read. Jay said he kept hearing him laugh and react to the climatic battle in the book and when I got up this morning he was excited to have finished and talk about what he had read. I love when books get my kids excited!
Now that he's finished the Harry Potter series, he's earned a ticket to see the new Harry Potter movie when it comes out in November. I'm excited to go as well; I've seen all the Harry Potter movies on DVD but never in the theater. I'm looking forward to taking him to see a movie based on a book that he enjoyed reading so much. And he's hopefully learning how enjoyable reading can be. One of my goals is to help instill a love of reading in my kids and so far, so good. When Henry tells me that he likes the Harry Potter movies but likes the books better, it makes me happy.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Culture Shock
Jay is in Panama. Random, I know. He is there for a South/Central American retailers meeting. I think he's supposed to be getting them pumped up to sell treadmills and other fitness equipment. Either that or he's on a really extended golf outing. Nah.
If you know Jay, you know a few things about him. He loves to try new foods and restaurants and enjoys learning about new cultures. He was excited for this trip; well, as excited as you can get over a work trip, I guess. He bought a book about the Panama Canal. He downloaded a show from iTunes about the Panama Canal. You could probably quiz him about it and he'd get all the answers right. Anyway, he tried (and failed) not to show that he was excited to go on this trip because it's hard on me and the kids when he's gone for a longish (6 days) trip. I know that he was interested to try some authentic Panamanian cuisine.
He's on day four of his trip and so far has eaten Generic Airport and Airplane Food, Generic Radisson Hotel Food, Popeye's Chicken, Pizza Hut, Quiznos, and Bennigans. I don't know why I find this so funny but I do. When Jay goes on business trips he takes his food very, very seriously. He keeps a running list (I think it's a mental list but he may very well have an actual list somewhere) of places to eat in big cities. He makes reservations. He plans how to get from his work location to his restaurant of choice. He'll have appetizers at one place and dessert at another. He makes the most of work travel by eating as well as he can. Except, apparently, in Panama.
So send happy food vibes a few thousand miles south if you can. I think Jay could use them.
If you know Jay, you know a few things about him. He loves to try new foods and restaurants and enjoys learning about new cultures. He was excited for this trip; well, as excited as you can get over a work trip, I guess. He bought a book about the Panama Canal. He downloaded a show from iTunes about the Panama Canal. You could probably quiz him about it and he'd get all the answers right. Anyway, he tried (and failed) not to show that he was excited to go on this trip because it's hard on me and the kids when he's gone for a longish (6 days) trip. I know that he was interested to try some authentic Panamanian cuisine.
He's on day four of his trip and so far has eaten Generic Airport and Airplane Food, Generic Radisson Hotel Food, Popeye's Chicken, Pizza Hut, Quiznos, and Bennigans. I don't know why I find this so funny but I do. When Jay goes on business trips he takes his food very, very seriously. He keeps a running list (I think it's a mental list but he may very well have an actual list somewhere) of places to eat in big cities. He makes reservations. He plans how to get from his work location to his restaurant of choice. He'll have appetizers at one place and dessert at another. He makes the most of work travel by eating as well as he can. Except, apparently, in Panama.
So send happy food vibes a few thousand miles south if you can. I think Jay could use them.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Tri School Trot
We are settling into our new elementary school quite nicely. The boys seem to enjoy their teachers and classes and the school in general. I'm involved in the PTA and we just had our one and only fundraiser for the year - the Tri School Trot. It is a fundraiser that Summit Elementary has done in the past but with the boundary changes that were made, we combined with two other elementary schools in the area (hence the Tri School part of the Trot).
Basically the kids collected pledges for running laps around the Sky View High School track. There was no selling involved and 100% of all pledge money goes directly to the schools. They announced that over $26,000 was raised between all three schools, so it seems like a pretty successful event. And I don't have to buy any unwanted wrapping paper, candles, pizza kits or cookie dough. Score!
Here are few pictures:
Basically the kids collected pledges for running laps around the Sky View High School track. There was no selling involved and 100% of all pledge money goes directly to the schools. They announced that over $26,000 was raised between all three schools, so it seems like a pretty successful event. And I don't have to buy any unwanted wrapping paper, candles, pizza kits or cookie dough. Score!
Here are few pictures:
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Mountain Retreat
We spent this weekend in Park City with the Wrights of Utah, celebrating Aunt Laura's birthday. We had so much fun. I would post pictures but we have very, very few. Why, you may ask? Because a-I forgot the camera and b-we bought a new one but didn't really use it very much. We needed a new camera anyway - our old one was slowly dying and costing us a fortune in AA batteries (between that and the Wii remotes we go through a lot of batteries) but we were busy and didn't get to play around with the camera too much. Jay got a good picture of William sitting on my lap crying after he bonked his head on a metal bar at the park and I tried to get a few action shots of the family soccer game but that was about it.
The lack of pictures is not representative of the amount of fun that we had. Among the fun things that we did:
*We played lots of card and board games, including a familiy SkipBo tournament. Congratulations to Melisa, who takes home the trophy!
*We watched movies and had treats and stayed up late every night. Which is why our kids will all be in bed by 8 pm tonight.
*The weather was beautiful and we took advantage of it, playing at a really fun park for several hours and having a picnic and going up to the Park City Mountain Resort for a ride down the Alpine Slide.
*We had a fun party for Laura, including a yummy ice cream cake. Jay even picked out and bought her present himself (and considering that I'm the designated present-buyer in our house, that's saying something).
Tessa got a little car sick on the way to Park City. OK, she got alot car sick, necessitating an emergency stop at a Wendy's to clean her up and change her clothes. Thankfully it was an isolated incident.
The kids were pretty good and had fun spending the weekend with their cousins and aunts and uncles and Nana. Thanks for a great weekend, everyone!
And Happy Birthday, Laura! We love you!
The lack of pictures is not representative of the amount of fun that we had. Among the fun things that we did:
*We played lots of card and board games, including a familiy SkipBo tournament. Congratulations to Melisa, who takes home the trophy!
*We watched movies and had treats and stayed up late every night. Which is why our kids will all be in bed by 8 pm tonight.
*The weather was beautiful and we took advantage of it, playing at a really fun park for several hours and having a picnic and going up to the Park City Mountain Resort for a ride down the Alpine Slide.
*We had a fun party for Laura, including a yummy ice cream cake. Jay even picked out and bought her present himself (and considering that I'm the designated present-buyer in our house, that's saying something).
Tessa got a little car sick on the way to Park City. OK, she got alot car sick, necessitating an emergency stop at a Wendy's to clean her up and change her clothes. Thankfully it was an isolated incident.
The kids were pretty good and had fun spending the weekend with their cousins and aunts and uncles and Nana. Thanks for a great weekend, everyone!
And Happy Birthday, Laura! We love you!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Preschool
Tessa started preschool today. She was very excited to wear her new shoes (they are Twinkle Toes and have sequins and sparkles and I don't care for them but she loves them) and carry her backpack.
She was pretty matter-of-fact about going to school this year. It's her second year in preschool and she knows the ropes - the routine, the teacher, the classroom and the kids. She told me that she made some new friends today, which is always good.
One of my favorite things about preschool are the Scholastic book orders. I love to buy books and they have some really good deals. Tessa's preschool teacher sends lots of flyers home so there is usually something that Tessa is interested in reading.
Last week we had Back to School night for preschool and her teacher sent home a book called The Kissing Hand. We were supposed to read it before school started so that she could reinforce the ideas in it on the first day. It's about a racoon who doesn't want to go to school and how his mom kisses his palm so that he can carry her kiss with him during school if he gets lonely. It's a sweet idea and lots of teachers use it at the beginning of the school year; William mentioned that his teacher read it to them as well. What I didn't count on was how emotional it made me. I actually got choked up reading this book to Tessa. She didn't notice, of course. She hopped off my lap and went about her business. Apparently she doesn't need me as much anymore.
I think I need a kissing hand.
She was pretty matter-of-fact about going to school this year. It's her second year in preschool and she knows the ropes - the routine, the teacher, the classroom and the kids. She told me that she made some new friends today, which is always good.
One of my favorite things about preschool are the Scholastic book orders. I love to buy books and they have some really good deals. Tessa's preschool teacher sends lots of flyers home so there is usually something that Tessa is interested in reading.
Last week we had Back to School night for preschool and her teacher sent home a book called The Kissing Hand. We were supposed to read it before school started so that she could reinforce the ideas in it on the first day. It's about a racoon who doesn't want to go to school and how his mom kisses his palm so that he can carry her kiss with him during school if he gets lonely. It's a sweet idea and lots of teachers use it at the beginning of the school year; William mentioned that his teacher read it to them as well. What I didn't count on was how emotional it made me. I actually got choked up reading this book to Tessa. She didn't notice, of course. She hopped off my lap and went about her business. Apparently she doesn't need me as much anymore.
I think I need a kissing hand.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Unofficially Fall
Labor Day always seems like the start of fall to me, even though it is still officially summer for a few more weeks. There is a distinct chill in the evenings and it's quite lovely out during the day. School has started and we back into the swing of routine. Things are good.
Tessa starts preschool this week. She will go Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Add dance class on Tuesday mornings and she's a busy little girl. It's good practice for kindergarten next year and she's happier when she's busy so I think things will work out well.
The boys are settling into school nicely. Henry is finishing up Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and looks to easily make his goal of completing the Harry Potter series by mid-November. William lost another tooth and seems to be doing well in school. I have to say I'm surprised, but I often don't give my kids enough credit and they constantly surprise me. He likes buying school lunch and having multiple recesses during the day. Homework is going well for him; this weekend his homework was to catch a bug, so he and a friend spent some time trolling the cul-de-sac for bugs. We let the bug go later - the purpose of the assignment was to have the experience for a writing workshop his teacher is having this week.
So things are going well. Happy Fall, everyone!
Tessa starts preschool this week. She will go Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Add dance class on Tuesday mornings and she's a busy little girl. It's good practice for kindergarten next year and she's happier when she's busy so I think things will work out well.
The boys are settling into school nicely. Henry is finishing up Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and looks to easily make his goal of completing the Harry Potter series by mid-November. William lost another tooth and seems to be doing well in school. I have to say I'm surprised, but I often don't give my kids enough credit and they constantly surprise me. He likes buying school lunch and having multiple recesses during the day. Homework is going well for him; this weekend his homework was to catch a bug, so he and a friend spent some time trolling the cul-de-sac for bugs. We let the bug go later - the purpose of the assignment was to have the experience for a writing workshop his teacher is having this week.
So things are going well. Happy Fall, everyone!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Check Your Neck
Did you know that September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month? I didn't either, until Henry was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers that has increased in incidence over the past few years. Statistics show that just over 37,000 people will be diagnosed in the United States each year. Even though thyroid cancer is incredibly treatable, roughly 1600 people a year die from thyroid cancer.
One of the difficulties in diagnosing thyroid cancer is that it is typically asymptomatic. Most people who are diagnosed with thyroid cancer feel fine, with the only sign that anything is wrong is a lump in their neck.
As far as children go, thyroid cancer accounts for less than 1% of all pediatric cancers in the 5-9 year old age group. For a child under 10, the chance of contracting thyroid cancer is about 1 in 1,000,000. Children with thyroid cancer typically respond very well to treatment, although the cancer tends to be more aggressive and faster-growing.
If you see or notice a lump in your neck, get it checked. Please.
For more information about thyroid cancer, check out www.thyca.org or www.checkyourneck.com.
Thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers that has increased in incidence over the past few years. Statistics show that just over 37,000 people will be diagnosed in the United States each year. Even though thyroid cancer is incredibly treatable, roughly 1600 people a year die from thyroid cancer.
One of the difficulties in diagnosing thyroid cancer is that it is typically asymptomatic. Most people who are diagnosed with thyroid cancer feel fine, with the only sign that anything is wrong is a lump in their neck.
As far as children go, thyroid cancer accounts for less than 1% of all pediatric cancers in the 5-9 year old age group. For a child under 10, the chance of contracting thyroid cancer is about 1 in 1,000,000. Children with thyroid cancer typically respond very well to treatment, although the cancer tends to be more aggressive and faster-growing.
If you see or notice a lump in your neck, get it checked. Please.
For more information about thyroid cancer, check out www.thyca.org or www.checkyourneck.com.
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