Grandparent's Day!!

Yesterday was a special treat for the boys.........Grandma and Grandpa Bolander came to school! 

 For the last hour of the day their school had special Grandparent Day activities.  The Grandparents were invited to come and join their grandkids for some learning.  Ryan's mom and dad were happy to take a couple of hours off of work to come and play.

Whenever we tell our kids that Grandma and Grandpa are coming over, or that we are going to their house or even that we are going to see them at all.  The announcement is always met with cheering and clapping and much excitement.  (You would almost think we told them it was Christmas)  They love their Grandparents very much.  So when the boys found out that Grandma and Grandpa were going to be able to come to school with them, they were REALLY excited.

Grandma, and Grandpa divided up and took turns going into class with both boys so that neither Josh nor Joe had to be without a grandparent during the time.

In Josh's first grade class they had some fun activities.  One was to try to make as many words as they could out of the word Grandparents.

In Joe's class they interviewed their Grandparents and then shared the information with the class, and then did a few activities together.  In the picture they are working on a word search.

 Valerie and I stopped by at the end to get a couple of pictures.  Then we ended the day by going for an after school snack before Grandma and Grandpa headed back to work.    The boys talked about how much fun they had with their Grandparents throughout the rest of the day.  It was so great that they would take the time to come.  It made the boys feel very special.

Our Actions Define Us

     Today Emily and I walked the few blocks home together from church.  We didn't talk about anything important.  Just little things.   In fact the biggest thing we talked about for almost two blocks was whether or not she was going to get to make brownies.   She felt she had been robbed of a treat in young woman's due to the fact that at the last minute her leader decided to add hazelnuts to the treat she brought for her class.  So Emily was not able to have one because of her nut allergy.   I was planning on trying a new brownie recipe that night,  because lets face it, after playing in the nursery for two hours chocolate is always a good idea, and Emily seemed upset that she had to miss out on a treat.....  "EVERYONE got treats today.  One class even had cake, and Josh came home with a candy bar."  (teenagers are fun)  So we agreed that we would have brownies tonight.  Emily seemed happy with that.  We arrived home and went about our Sunday afternoon. 

   A little while later I started making dinner and the phone rang.  It was the YW president.  She asked me if Emily had told me about what happened in YW today?  I kind of laughed a little and told her that Emily told me about there being nuts in the cookies and not to worry about it.  We were making brownies.  It was all good.  In the back of my mind I was thinking oh that's really sweet of her to call about this, but it really is not a  big deal.  

   The YW President kind of hesitated for a minute and said, "Oh I didn't, I wasn't talking about that.    Today when we stood to say the YW theme the girl sitting behind Emily pulled her chair out from under her and when she went to sit back down she fell.  I just wanted to call and talk to you about what happened and to make sure Emily was OK."    She then went on to tell me that the girl who did it has been having some problems and she is sure she did it for attention,  but how grateful she was to Emily for just standing back up getting her chair and sitting back down without making a big deal about it.  She said not many girls would have done that and how grateful they are to have Emily as part of their Young Woman's group.  She said Emily has seemed to make a lot of friends in the group.  However she was worried that maybe Emily was just too shy to do anything else in that situation and she wanted to make sure that she was OK.

     

     Had I have not walked home from church with Emily today I too might have questioned if Emily was OK,  but she did not say one word about this to me so I figured it must not have bothered her.  At least not as much as the cookie.   So that is what I told her YW leader,  but I told her I would talk to Emily about it and make sure.  She told me again how grateful she was for the way Emily handled the situation.  She said they have not had many problems with the girls, but that she would always let me know if anything like that ever happens.  I was very grateful to her for calling me and letting me know about what happened so I could make sure Emily was OK, and also make sure other things were not going on.   This is a very hard age and so many things do happen.  

     When I got off the phone I asked Emily about what happened.  She told me, and I asked her if she was alright.  She said, "Well, my side hurts a little."  I said no Emily, emotionally are you OK?  was it embarrassing?   How did you feel when it happened?  She said   She knew the girl had pulled the chair,  but she knew reacting to it might cause her to do it again so she just got her chair and sat back down.. the two friends she was sitting by both were asking her if she was OK.  She didn't feel embarrassed she felt the support of her friends.    

     As a thirteen year old girl I think I would have not handled that situation very well,  and I was in awe standing there listening to my daughter tell me how and why she did what she did.  and after talking to her I still believe what I told the YW President.  Emily did not seemed to be bothered by it.  She felt bad for the girl who did it, and wonders why she is so angry.    I told Emily that she did the right thing and how grateful her YW leaders were for how she handled herself.  

     As a mother this is one of those moments that we hope our child never has to experience,  but we know that they will, because this is the kind of world we live in.  So we try to prepare them for all of the ugliness that is out there without making them fear leaving the house, and we hope and pray that they will come home safe and unharmed.  We try to teach them that they are amazing and wonderful people,  but we wonder if they believe us.  I can not tell you how many thoughts and emotions went through my mind during that phone call,  but in the end I was so proud of my daughter for knowing who she is and what she is worth.   I love you Emily.  You are an amazing girl!

  

First Day Of 8th, 3rd, 1st Grade, and Preschool

Summer has come to an end and it is time to head back to school.  It feels a little early to me.  Our new district started school on August 21st.    (This post is a few weeks late,  because life keeps getting in the way of my blogging,  but this is a post I didn't want to miss.)  

The kids were all a little nervous and excited at the same time this year.  They all love going to school and being with their friends,  but they were a little nervous about starting at new school this year where they don't know very many kids or all of the rules and systems.  

Emily was the hardest for me to send off to school on the first day.  She is now in 8th grade,  so you think I would be used to letting her go out the door,  but this was the first year that I did not get to take her to school on the first day.  While last year I just dropped her off at the curb,  I still at least got to see that she made it safely there.  This year I took her picture and then she headed off to the bus.  I wondered all day how she was.  If her locker opened, if she found her classes OK, if she tripped on the stairs, and if she was going to be able to find the right bus to get home.  Jr High is very stressful for a parent.  Happily she made it through her first day,  and has loved school so far.  She has a few good friends and her very good friend Kelsey is her locker partner so that makes it even better.  

I was really excited for the boys to start school.  

Their school is 1.25 miles from our house so we have to walk, drive, or ride bikes to school.  We decided to give bikes a try. (At least until the weather gets cold.)  We are having so much fun riding to and from school together everyday,  and it has been good for me to get in a little exercise. 

   
When we arrived at school Josh found his new teacher Mrs Jones.  She is very excited to be teaching, and I think Josh is pretty excited to be in her class.  Josh has had a hard time finding friends in the neighborhood this summer.  For the most part it is because he was happy to just hang out with Joe and his friends and didn't see the need to make friends of his own.  So I am hoping that he will be able to make a few new buds in school.   He is loving school and seems happy to have homework to do.....I hope that lasts.

     Joe's new teacher Mrs Carter is really fun.  She has their classroom all decked out in Pirate stuff and was really happy to meet all the kids.  I think Joe will have a good time in her class.  While Joe has made quite a few friends over the summer,  none of them are in his class, so he was a little bummed about that.  I am not worried though.  Making friends does not seem to be a problem for Joe.  He likes school,  but he is not excited about homework the way Josh is.  Surprise! Surprise!

Then last but not least......Valerie has started preschool this year.  I had very mixed feelings about this.  I signed her up last January for preschool in our old neighborhood,  and she has been talking about going ever since.  When we moved, I debated just keeping her home with me for another year,  but in the end I decided it would be good for her to have a little outlet and meet some new friends.  I found a little preschool a few houses down from ours and off Valerie went to school.

She was so excited to put on her new outfit and walk to school  her first day.  When we got to school she told me she could go in by herself,  but her teacher had asked us to walk our kids down to the room for the first few weeks,  so I told her I needed to come with her.  She was shy for just one minute when we got to the room,  but then she started playing and had no problem with me leaving.   When I arrived 2 hours later to pick her up she was happily playing and did not even notice me come in.  On our walk home she told me all about her day and what a fun time she had.

While the 2 hours of getting things done without the extra help was nice,  I missed my little helper asking me fifty questions and her little chatter in the back ground.   The only thing I hate about sending my kids off to school is all of the things I miss seeing them do.  I try to ask them about their day when they get home and they usually will tell me the exciting things.  Except for Joe, who tells me his day was fine, and they just did stuff and "Mom I am not really into this talking thing!"  So I get to hear about most of it.    Even though I don't get to experience school with them,  I am so grateful my children have the opportunity to go to school and be educated, and have experiences that I can not give them.  I have been blessed with 4 very great kids and I love them more than anything.  I am excited to see all the new things they learn this year.