Krampa and Gram came to see the play Saturday night, and they treated us to a fall birthdays (Caeden, Gram, Annah, Krampa, and me) lunch at Avanti's before they went home on Sunday!  It meant so much to have them there even for the little bit we were able to visit!

Caeden (aka Dooden) and Annah chilling at home before she went back to Greenville on Sunday evening...

On Tuesday, Caeden got rid of his bite plate and got top braces put on instead!

I've heard that "tin grins are in!"

Caeden's health project of the respiratory system...

I got to be an elementary music teacher for a day today!  It was fun and exhausting. This room is awesome!  

Just 4 random highlights: 

1) At least 4 kids gave me hugs.

2) One class asked if they could stay 5 more hours.

3) Kids who said they LOVE the song they’re singing for the Veterans on Monday

4) A 4th grade boy who told me multiple times that he loves Mark Wahlburg, aka Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch 

Hope I get to go back and sub there again!

Donuts and algebra

Today, Ryan asked Annah to be his date to the Homecoming dance.  He even made the sign himself.  And even though there was no way she was saying no, doughnuts are always a good plan!  

Caeden is taking Math I this year, which is essentially a high school Algebra class.  So, he has had math homework most every day already.  

Last week of school

This week we have pink lilacs blooming behind our house!  They smell so good!

My friend Megan and I have been walking at the community center as many weekday mornings per week as our schedules allow.  We meet as soon as the kids leave for school, and get our walk in before breakfast.  We took a celebratory selfie today on our last walk of the school year.

The girls are in the midst of exams and studying hard! 

Vocal jazz ensemble auditions for next school year's group were this week.  Both girls made it in again.  Sylvia will be alternating between soprano and alto, and Annah will be serving as student director!

Addie is home from college and working for the summer.  She had a pancake party this week, and the girls enjoyed a little bit of time with friends in the midst of wrapping up the school year.

Summer is almost here, and we are thankful!

Chilean Stew

Three of Sylvia's classmates, Lexi, Elijah, and Sean, came over this afternoon to do a group project for their Spanish 1 class.  They had to choose a dish from a Spanish-speaking country to make and try together.  They had Chile, and chose to make a stew.  They divided up ingredients and everyone brought their items.  

Their stew included butternut squash, corn on the cob, potatoes, carrots, and chicken broth.  

All these items were brought to a boil and then simmered for half an hour.  They made white rice too.  The broth was to be eaten over the rice, then the vegetables separately with hot sauce and cilantro on top.

While the stew was simmering, they decided to turn their gathering into a "birthday party" for Sylvia...sort of.

Not really.

They weren't too excited about trying the stew.

It looked good!

They did each try a tiny bite.  They said they didn't like it, but we had made the mistake of getting tons of Avanti's, which they stuffed themselves on while waiting for the stew to finish. I think they really just didn't care for the butternut squash. 

They had a good time, and we really enjoyed having them all over for the evening.  Now each of them has to write a paper about their stew-making experience.  It was a fun assignment!

Caeden had a little moment of panic this evening looking at his homework assignment.  He felt like he hadn't learned in class how to do it.  Annah helped him see that he could figure it out using knowledge he already had.

I loved seeing Annah help Caeden.  They spend a lot of their time teasing, arguing, and insulting each other, so this was a refreshing moment.  And proof that they do love and respect each other. Deep down.  Deep, deep down.  ;) 

Candy cell

Sylvia and Alexis stayed after school today to build their biology project--2 cells, made out of a variety of candies.

I think they did a fantastic job!

While life is flying by these days, I am once in a while nudged to take a picture while appreciating a moment that is worthy of remembering.

Friday, 10/18/17 @ 8:49pm -- Hanging in my room with my kid, watching FRIENDS

Saturday 10/21/17 @ 8:58pm - Daddy hugs his girl goodnight

Sunday afternoon 10/22/17 - I get to spend the day running around with my husband to 5 different stores to find costumes for a church event and the school play, as well as various candies for Sylvia to build a cell for her Biology project. We hit Farm and Fleet, Goodwill, Meijer, Dollar Tree, and HyVee. We also had a really nice lunch at Logan's.  Great day with my hubs!

Meanwhile, the kids were at Beacon Youth band rehearsal...

Monday 10/23/17 @8:09pm -- These 2 decided to be civilized to each other, relaxing on the couch, ready to watch FRIENDS together.

Tuesday 10/24/17 @7:27am -- The kids have gone to school and left a mess of the bathroom, including used cotton balls on the sink!  Ew!  Like mother, like daughter, I suppose.

I love it all.

Monday rehearsal

Late night studying for Sylvia, since she had play rehearsal after school and
orchestra rehearsal after that.

This afternoon Shelby, Zach, and Annah finished painting the flats for the play.

Midnight Blues sang the national anthem before the varsity volleyball game tonight. It was their first performance of the school year, and Sylvia's first time ever performing with the group.  Jeremy and I both rushed to get there from Bloomington to see them sing.  They did a great job!

Jeremy helped Sylvia study for a social studies test when we got home.

Nerdy kids

All the kids were doing homework in the living room and just hanging out being their goofy selves this evening. They get so annoyed with my picture taking, but I don't really care.  I just want to document and remember how they actually are.

Sylvia did this big group project a couple months ago, and it's been sitting in our living room since.  After so much time and effort is spent on a project like this, it's a little tough to get rid of it.