Ninja answers the door

Have you ever been home alone and some one knocks on the door and  you get on all fours and crawl to the pep hole to see who it is. Well i do that all the time. I look through the window too. You have to be in stealth mode though or else it doesn't work.

Lucky...Lucky is my new pet

Thursday night we were walking in the front door when Dad said, "Calvin come here...hurry fast come here!". I ran over and what did I see....a praying mantis just like Manti! I was so excited I started yelling, "It's a praying mantis!!!" Dad told me to go get the cup and card board we use to catch crickets with so we could catch the new pet praying mantis. We got her and put her in her new pickle jar home...we caught two baby crickets and then watched her eat them. It was awesome! I wanted to name her Manti but Mom and Dad said I had to choose a different name so I decided she should be called Lucky because I'm so lucky I found her! I love her! Calvin

Calvin's Pet is Gone....Manti

Calvin is away with his Dad this weekend hunting and low and behold his pet Praying Mantis "Manti" died today. He found her on our front porch the beginning of October 2008. He brought her inside in a cup, the next day we added a few shrubs to the because she was clinging to the top of the cup where the saran wrap was with holes poked in it for air. She loved the new little twigs and was able to climb down them. The next day his Daddy was helping him empty a huge Costco pickle jar to make her a new home in. Will spent a lot of time cleaning it so it wouldn't smell so bad and caught her some crickets. I thought it was neat but bugs freak me out so I was ready for her to go back outside. Calvin wanted to keep her and promised to take care of her. He was scared to death of bugs also but through Dad's persistence he eventually learned how to be a great cricket catcher using a piece of cardboard from a box of crackers or cereal box and a plastic cup. Manti provided hours and hours of total fascination for us all as we gazed through the glass watching her hang upside down motionless for hours until the exact moment a cricket hoped or crawled by her and then she'd snatch it up and start eating it. Gross but very interesting all the same. It was better than Discovery Channel because it was live! Calvin captured a couple of smaller praying mantis that were males and they didn't last long just a few days because she ate them too! She ended up laying 6 egg sacks on some twigs in there that have never hatched but according to the Internet research I did she should have died 2-3 weeks after the egg sacks but she lasted 3 more months!

She was neat every time we would stop and look at her if she wasn't sleeping she would turn her head and look right at you with those big eyes that would change from green to almost all black. It was like her pupils were dilating very big. Anyways she would eat crickets in the beginning 2 a day but then right before she laid an egg sack she'd stop eating for 2-3 days and we would think she was going to die. She eventually slowed down to one cricket a day and we always knew when she was ready to eat because she would get down low to the bottom of the jar where the rocks were and hang upside down in the position she used to catch crickets.

Last night the boys had been gone for one whole day and I knew that she needed to eat so I found a cricket and put it in her pickle jar. I know the things a Mother does for her children's pets! :o) Anyways this morning the cricket was gone but Manti was very low on the twig with her feet touching the ground but head up and so I turned the jar to see if she was awake...nothing. I think kind of shook the jar but nothing. I sprinkled some drips of water down but still nothing so I took the straw and nudged her and nothing. I thought OH NO poor Calvin is going to be so sad especially since he isn't even here. I had just blogged about how she was still alive and well on my blog. Anyways then I told Kenna that I thought Manti was dead and so she went down stairs and practically did the same things and nothing. Manti was on her back with her praying arms up in the air looking like a stick. McKenna made a rest in peace sign for her and taped it to her jar. I then text Will and told him the sad news. Later this evening Will called me and said he had told Calvin and he took it quite well. Calvin got on the phone with me and asked me if we had buried her yet and I said no she was still in her jar and he said GOOD. Please leave her there until I get home tomorrow night and I'll say goodbye and bury her in the back yard. He then told me about how much fun he is having hunting with Dad & Heath and about his new hiking boots that Dad got him before they left. We chatted for a little while and he said he loved me and gave the phone back to Will.

Will told me what a stud Calvin was because he walked several miles today practically all uphill and never once complained or cried or asked to stop. Calvin has literally walked 8 miles in one day during a hunting trip and I just thought I would record this now before I forget.

We will strangely miss Manti and watching her prey & catch crickets in that pickle jar. Who knows if the egg sacks are full of babies or if they are blanks but we will see when it warms up!

1st grade - school of hard knocks

Ok so I know I'm Calvin's Momma but gosh 1st Grade has been a little rough for him. Let me clarify rough....not rough in comprehension or being able to do his homework or anything like that rough in kids being rough. One day about 2 weeks ago Calvin forgot some of his supplies and somehow a couple of kids made fun of him for forgetting calling him names. It spread to the playground time and he was called names and flipped off even.

A little boy who was in his class last year and was extremely ill-behaved to say it nicely has been putting Calvin in headlocks, threatening him and our family saying he is going to "kill us & break in our house & steal my jewelry" etc. So of course I reported this to his teacher last week. So his teacher said that the boy apologized and that now they have teachers on the playground to monitor the recesses better because the aides weren't doing the best of jobs. Really the aides told Calvin and his friends that were also being put in headlocks or half nelson's in wrestling terms...to "shut your mouth and go play" when they told on him. So this week 9/2/08 he hasn't wanted to go school every morning for some silly reason or the other such as my tummy hurts or I think I have a fever etc. He has also complained about a little girl that is very mean to him but I didn't really think too much of it....until yesterday! Yesterday I get home from work and Will tells me that the school nurse had just called and said that Calvin got hurt at recess that a little girl (same little girl Calvin tells me is mean to him) pushed his head into the drinking fountain as he was getting a drink and busted his skin next to his eye. So I decided enough was enough...I went to the school to talk to the vice principal who handles behavior problems and waited for a long time which I expected not having an appointment. He was on the phone for a long time and then came out finally to speak to me by then it was 6 minutes until school was due to be out and he said that I needed to speak to the principal because she knew more about the situation. I know her fairly well on a first name basis due to all of my volunteering last year and now working for the school district doing payroll. She explained the situation and that the girl said it was an accident but Calvin said it wasn't the two witnesses said she got impatient for the water and shoved him...I wanted to know her punishment because she has been mean for weeks now and the principal told me she couldn't discuss that with me! I think that is absurd! So after about 4 minutes of talking saying that this little girl who has a parent who works there hasn't ever been in trouble before would have an individual punishment, but she couldn't share it with me but it sounded like nothing would happen at all. So not thrilled about that I proceeded to tell her that I was also sick and tired of telling my children that it is a "Hands off Campus" when Andre is constantly putting my son in head locks and none of the aides do a darn thing about it. I also told her of the threats and that I wanted it noted and supervised more closely on the playground. She told me that they have a ton of boys in 1st grade and that they are rowdy boys that are considering dividing the 1st graders onto two different playgrounds. So next thing I knew the bell rang and I needed to get my kids. I know the school does everything possible to protect our kids but I just feel bad that Calvin is having a bit of a rough year.

My first day of first grade a 5th grader pushed me down and I had to have stitches in my forehead and skinned up my entire face just in time for school pictures that were only once a year and the first week of school. Calvin is alot like me I was outgoing, happy go lucky, trying to be every one's friend and didn't stick up for myself very well so I got bullied a lot and beat up a lot even by cousins. My parents had to teach me how to be tough but I didn't get that concept until I was in junior high and had been in a few fights. I told Will that if anything else happens I'm going to go volunteer at the school and give out a few spankings at recess if either one of them gets within 10 feet of him but that probably wouldn't go over very well. ha ha ha

Calvin's daddy showed him how to get out of a half nelson and head lock and showed him some defense moves. Calvin isn't a wimp like I was but he is just a friendly little guy who wouldn't want to hurt anyone...we are going to have to rough him up a little so he can at least protect himself. :o) He wrestles with Will all of the time and can hit super hard I've felt because of playing or misses dad by mistake and hits me...I don't want him to hit anyone but I don't want him to stand there and be hurt either. Such a tough call. We've told him to walk away so hopefully that works.

He came home today and said that he had to go to the principals office for Andre to apologize to him but no one called me or sent home anything. Will didn't want me to take any pictures but I might take one tomorrow just because. :o) Kids can be so mean!

Funny

If I didn't write this we would forget....tonight as we were getting backpacks ready for school on Monday Calvin was walking around as usual barefoot. His feet are always black because he runs outside barefoot etc. So all of the sudden he starts bouncing on one foot and saying, "Gross, Gross, Gross" and Will and I said what's wrong and he says I think I stepped on a bug....he had stepped on a cricket and had the dead cricket stuck to his foot. Because of all of the bouncing he did part of the cricket had fallen off I guess because he had a leg on the top of his other foot. YUCK!!! Funny though...at least I thought so because when I was about 8 or so I stepped on a cricket barefoot also. Like Mother like son


Another funny tonight was at bedtime family prayer it was Calvin's turn and so Will tells him to go ahead and Calvin says, "I've only got two words......A...Men". He says funny stuff like this all of the time and I always think I'm going to remember it and will write it down but somehow I always forget and it doesn't get recorded. So even though it's 11:30pm and I was ready to fall asleep hours ago I just had to blog this. :o)

Love you little buddy!
Mom

School is starting Aug 11 Monday

So Calvin's not as interested in entering new posts as I thought he would be but he certainly enjoys listening to the music on his blog while he plays on his Webkinz. :o)

Thursday Aug 7th we went and met his new teacher Mrs. Darlene Jenkins at Maricopa Elementary School, she has many years of experience and is a highly recommended teacher. I of course looked her up in the system now that I work at the school district office in payroll and saw all of her creditials etc. She is very well paid and has her masters degree with at least 9 years of teaching so that is awesome! Calvin knew her already too and was excited.

When we arrived we saw Ethan Betts was in his class also (a friend from church) and Fiona a friend of Calvin's that was in his class last year is also in his class this year. So he was excited. Her room was set up, cute and very organized.

Unfortunately she wants to call Calvin William because that is his legal first name and what their attendance rolls show etc. I tried to explain to her that we didn't realize when naming him that he would have these problems and not be called by his middle name Calvin and that I feared he wouldn't respond to William etc. I want him called CALVIN and don't want him to be confused by being called William at school. Last year it wasn't an issue at all but I guess it is up to the teacher and so yesterday at work I emailed the school secretary who happens to be my friend and in our ward, Pam Brown and asked her if there was a form or something I could fill out to have him called Calvin....she replied not unless I legally change his name and bring in a new birth certificate showing Calvin as his first legal name. Not what I wanted to hear! Boy had we known when naming him what problems it would cause! We'll be at the doctors or something and they'll stand there and say William....William and unless Will is there to see the doctor even I don't register that it is CALVIN!!!!

Anyways we are off to get a few things for school today. Calvin needs a new back pack and pair of shoes and some socks...his feet grow so fast. He's very excited and even though I might have to battle with his teacher a little bit more to call him Calvin instead of William, we are thrilled to have her. We were a bit sad that Calvin's best friend William Barker is in Mrs. Kraus' class and not Jenkins but he still has a good attitude saying he can still see him at lunch, recess and can go over to each other's house...not to mention church. :o)

I can't believe Calvin is starting 1st grade! My baby is sure growing up fast! Calvin is such a cute little boy! I will update the blog to say what he did for the summer when he and I both have more time.

I love you little buddy!
Love,
Mom

My new Webkinz

I like my webkinz very much. It is a mini schnauzer puppy and her name is Marissa. I've had her since 5/31/08 and I love to go online and play with my virtual pet. She is a very nice puppy I really hope that every single one of my dogs can be like Marissa.

Calvin