Jump!

Cate was super excited to participate in Jump Rope for Heart this year.  This was the first year she could participate and she was very motivated to raise money for the cause.  She set a goal of $200 and was thrilled to turn her packet in today---having raised a total of $330!

Chris and I stopped by for a few minutes this afternoon to see the third graders in action. 

Diggers!

Kindergarten Round Up

It was touch and go for a while.

Despite being too excited to sleep the night before Kindergarten Round-Up, coming face-to-face with the actual event made Mags a little nervous.

As we toured the Kindergarten classrooms, the very classrooms she's been in numerous times visiting Cate and Ben, she clutched our hands tightly in hers and avoided eye contact with the teachers that she's known for years.

After the tour, everyone returned to the gym for "A Day in the Life of a Kindergartner" slideshow.  When it was time for Maggie to go back to the classroom, with the other kids but without the parents, she turned to us in a panic, "What if I can't find my way back to you?"

(Oh, sweet Maggie!  You have such a big personality that I sometimes forget just how little you really are!)

We gently reminded her that she has spent quite a lot of time in the school already and could probably find her way back to us blindfolded.  And, we pointed out, one of the Kindergarten teachers would surely lead the kids back to the gym.

She had tears in her eyes as she joined the line of kids leaving the gym, but when she came back she couldn't stop smiling.  She stopped just long enough for me to snap a quick picture before she ran off to chase her new friends around the room.

I have a feeling the first week of Kindergarten will be a little rough. 

For Maggie and for me.

I'm not ready for her to be in Kindergarten!

A Matter of Perspective

Ben:  Mom, how did your class go tonight?


Me:  Well, it wasn't great.


Ben:  It was bad?


Me:  You could say that.


Ben (nodding sympathetically):  Did someone throw up on the floor?

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Ben:  Hey Mom.  Is "Pierre" a name in France?

Me:  Yeah, it is.  Why?

Ben (laughing hysterically):  PEE-AIR?  That's a really gross name.

Happy Valentine's Day

Cece managed to swipe two suckers from today's loot while all the big kids' heads were buried in screens. 

Nicely played, Cece. Nicely played. 

Cece's Latest Selfie

Hedbanz

Hide

I walked into the laundry room this morning and found Cece, in the corner, lights off, sitting with the iPad on her lap. 

"Cece!" I said. "What are you doing?"

"Hide!" She said happily. 

I Do!

It begins...I swear I only stepped out of the room for a minute!!!

We are definitely entering a phase of increased independence--"mine", "Cece do" and even just "CECE!" to indicate that she can do it all herself!!

Selfies By Cece

A Little Before School Reading

BINGO

Family Game Night

Valentine's Day Prep

"And this one is for Jake because his favorite color is orange."

 

World's Best Snow Fort

Cece and her Bubby

Sisters in Jammies

Maggie turned 5 earlier this month and she received a Barnes and Noble gift card from her grandma and grandpa in Idaho.  She couldn't wait to spend it and so we headed out to the mall one night last week while Cate and Ben were at their activities.

"Mom," Maggie said to me on the way there. "I"m going to be a cowgirl when I grow up."

"That's great," I replied.

"Actually," she continued. "I'm going to have two jobs."

"What will your other job be?"  I asked.

"Oh, I'll be a baby doctor too."  she said.

Sisters in Jammies

"Cool" Steve

There are a lot of people named "Steve" in our extended family.  And because our extended family is so big the kids often have a hard time remembering who is who---confusing great aunts and second cousins.  Keeping track of all of these relationships is even confusing for the grown-ups!

We were talking about where to go on vacation last week when Ben said, "We should go visit Uncle Steve."

Ben has been dying to go fish with my Uncle Chris, who lives in Washington, so I assumed he was referring to him.

"Oh," I said.  "You mean Uncle Chris, in Washington?  That would be fun."

"NO,"  he said. "Uncle Steve!"

"You mean my Uncle Steve who lives in San Francisco?  That would be fun too."

"NO," he said.  "Not that Uncle Steve."

"You mean Grandpa Steve?  In Idaho?  It would be fun to visit his cabin again."

"NO," he said.  "UNCLE STEVE.  The cool Uncle Steve."

Suddenly it all made sense.  He was referring to my cousin Steve, who is really cool---young, tall, good looking, flies helicopters and has an awesome dog named Rosie---and who made a huge impression on Ben when we saw him at Christmas.

"Oh," I said.  "You mean my cousin Steve.  He lives in Florida."

"That's what I said!  Do you think he has a pool?"

"I don't think he has a pool but he probably lives close to the water," I said.

"Cool,"  Ben replied.  "I bet he has alligators too."

And when you're 7, nothing could be cooler than having alligators.

Baller

Ben is playing basketball through Iowa City Parks and Rec right now.  It can sometimes be a challenge to get him excited about new activities but Chris and are thrilled that Ben seems to enjoy basketball. 

He is a very active and very social kid so it helps that he has friends on his team and can socialize while running up and down the court!

His team, the Celtics, had their first game on Saturday.  Ben is a ferocious defensive player (as seen above!).  He was thrilled to make two shots during the game as well.

The rest of us passed the hour cheering for the Celtics and trying to keep Cece off the court.