Looong Overdue #2 - First Day 2009

Yes, the first day has come and gone. However, I now can post photos of the wondrous first day of Third grade and PreK. I also have some shots of my kiddoes going to their Open Houses the day before the first day.


We went to Anna's Open House first. The PreK program is at the elementary school. She is very excited to be in Isaiah's old school

















Then it was on to Isaiah's school to meet all of his new teachers. Third graders don't always appreciate "beginning of the year" photos. Not that I have experience with this phenomenon, it's sort of a guess.
















The real first day! Isaiah had his hood up because the skeeters were bothersome that morning. Anna's wearing the sweater my Grandma knit for me when I was a little girl. Pretty neat.

















My two little friends. One last hug before the bus arrived. Anna still cries and gets sad when Isaiah's bus pulls up. I don't mean only on the first day. I mean ev.er.y.day! She hates that he's leaving her for an entire day. You'd think she'd sort of get used to this but, alas, she does not.

Loooooong Overdue - Polk County Fair

We had a card reader issue which has since been remedied. (thank you Matthew) Due to the long standing problem our picture sharing has been back-logged. I'll start this catch-up session with the Polk County Fair held WAY back in July. It sure is a great fair, we had lots of fun this year. Here are some highlights.



This is Isaiah's recipe poster he entered. This is an original recipe created by Isaiah. His recipe is entitled "Po-tacos". If you bake a potato and heap on taco meat and other toppings you'll have a Po-taco. It's very tasty.












Close up of poster detail. Isaiah wrote everything out and even took the photos of the individual toppings.













Another close-up. We even integrated the food pyramid and Isaiah color coded ingredients to match their category in the pyramid.










Explaining all about his poster to the judge. She asked a lot of neat questions.














Poster, certificate and ribbon on display.













Anna volunteered to assist Auggie the Clown. I really don't know what he would have done without her.













Our 4H club worked a shift at the 4H Food Booth. Isaiah's job was a general cleaner. He cleaned tables, cleared trash and kept the floor clean.















Anna participated in the pedal pull while Isaiah and Papa worked at the food booth. She came in 4th place for her age category. This is one place away from attending the state pedal pull competition. I had no idea there was such a thing. Anna is bound and determined to attend the state pull next year. Her new hobby is eating spinach, think Popeye power. She's in training.














Papa, Isaiah and Anna even snuck in some fun while at the fair. I wanted no part of this type of "fun". I just took the photo.

Fall Sports Fun

School has started in full swing as have fall sports. We have two new items on the playlist this year folks. Flag Football and Soccer.

Isaiah is playing flag football, his first time. He has a really, really, really great coach so I'm positive they'll have a winning season. I mean REALLY great coach. He's cute too. Okay, okay enough of that. Isaiah is really enjoying flag football and of all the sports he's tried football may just be the ticket. As a mom I've had a blast watching him play. It's fun.

Anna is playing soccer for the first time too. She has wanted to play soccer since she could walk. Seriously. I'm not sure how this love for soccer came to be either. She was an infant the last time Isaiah played soccer so she certainly doesn't remember watching her big brother. Anna is prepared though, she's had her soccer ball, it's pink, since she was 18 months old. Anna received the ball for Christmas from either Isaiah or Matthew, can't remember now. The ball isn't quite as pink as it used to be but yesterday it got it's first trial as a real, honest to goodness soccer ball. It's sort of like the teddy-bear story about Corduroy.




Anna is the peanut in green socks. She's practicing the skill of stopping the ball. (notice her "pink" ball, yep, it looks white now)

One of the best things about soccer is the fact that your two best friends are on your team. Just ask Anna, she'll tell you the very same. From left to right is Emma, Anna and Ally. Emma and Ally are twins. Very convenient for Anna. We sort of consider the girls triplets. It's easier this way.

Here we have the triplets, I mean Ally, Anna and Emma, speaking with their coach.

Anna will conquer the sport of soccer, I have no doubt.

On to flag football. Isaiah is celebrating their 2nd victory. His team is 2-0. Guess who took this photo. Anna! I thought my mom took this shot. This is pure happiness caught on film. Actually it's a digital photo so I'm not really sure what it's caught on?

Isaiah's in there. Gray shirt, dark gray shorts and white socks. Not sure if this was while they were on offense or defense but they sure look intense don't they?

Getting ready for the play to start. His coach is the tall guy in the tan shirt and gray shorts. Looks surprisingly like my husband. These two sure are having fun.

Step Aside

Anna will be getting registered for Soccer this morning. Initially I was planning to take both children along to registration. Matthew's plans have changed and he will now be at home this morning. Due to past experiences I decided I might get through the registration process a bit faster sans children. I mentioned this to Anna stating it won't take long and she can hang out with Papa until I return.

To which Anna replied, "Mama, you better take me to registration. They might hafta ask me questions about me. Well, they might need to ask you questions too, but you better just take me along."

Fiscal Geography

Overheard conversation between Isaiah and Anna:

I: Anna, that coin is mine.

A: Ee-ah (what she still calls Isaiah, although she can pronounce his name just fine), I want dat one.

I: Anna, that one is mine. You can have this one.

A: What is it?

I: This one is quarter, it's for humans. The other one is just a Euro you can't spend it here anyways.

(I'm quite positive Isaiah meant no offense to all our friends that use a Euro as their currency)

Africa

Conversation at the Rolli house this morning:

Isaiah: I'm going to grow up and build a house in Africa.
Me: You're leaving me and going to Africa?
Isaiah: Yeah, I want a pet giraffe and elephant.
Matthew: Go to Como Zoo.

Early Bathtime

Lots of fun was had outside today. I find it ironic that this morning I assumed it would be too wet to play outside, due to the morning rain.

Sand is much more fun when it's wet.

This is what happens when I say, "Sure, I don't mind if you add water to the sand."

Sword of Light.... or not so much

We had a very busy, fun-filled day today (more on that later). Last night we were all up late watching the fireworks in Osceola. Because of our busy day today and late night last night we're relaxing in the living room at the moment watching old cartoons on the Boomerang channel. At the moment Thundaar the Barbarian happens to be on the TV.

Apparently Thundaar's weapon of choice is the Sword of Light.

While watching Thundaar restore good to the world and defeat all those bad guys that go around causing destruction in their path Anna spilled some soda on the floor. No worries, our resident hero, Papa, took care of the spill.

Matthew said to Anna, "No problem! I have my OWN of Sword of Light."

Anna said, "Where?"

Matthew then clarified, "Well, actually, it's more like a Domestic Towel of Cleanliness!"

Somehow Sword of Light sounds a bit tougher. I will say, however, the Towel of Cleanliness did a nice job cleaning up the soda.

Art Camp

Last week Isaiah went to Art Camp. He had a blast, as always. The theme was Wild,Wild West. Yee Haw! He not only practiced the visual arts but also the performing arts. Very fun! All week the excellent counselors at St.Croix Art Barn in Osceola plan neat projects for the kids to work on and they run around outside and play big group games that all campers play. On Friday, last day of camp, the children put on some sort of performance. Last year Isaiah was in a play and this year it was a cowboy fashion show (to show off all their projects) and a line dance. This is so out of Isaiah's comfort zone it's not even funny. He did it though. (even with all those people looking at him....gasp

Gramps and Grammy came to see the performance.

Getting ready for the big dance.

Walking very quickly off stage during the cowboy fashion show. Again, not Isaiah's element.

Isaiah you did great!

Dear Matilda,

I know you enjoy our new home. You have found a perfect spot to relax while the two-legged dogs eat their meals. It is ingenious really.

You have never in the 18 months you have lived with us ever, ever begged for a handout. You are a super dog. You simply sit in advantageous locations where there is a slight possibility of a crumb or two falling. If, then, a small morsel happens to fall you simply snatch it up for the sole purpose of making my job of cleaning the floor easier. I understand and appreciate your efforts.

I must warn you, however, when the shortest two-legged dog named Anna is enjoying an ice cream cone you may want to relax a little further away from your normal spot. No real reason, just a precautionary measure.

Thank you.

love,

Katie

Rainbows and Football

I was driving Isaiah to art camp today and he asked if we could ever drive to a rainbow. I said we could not and then explained, scientifically, all the reasons we could not actually get to a rainbow.

I continued driving and wasn't paying much attention to Isaiah and Anna's conversation (argument?). I believe it had something to do with talking rainbows and flowers.

Isaiah then felt the need to explain the unrealistic characteristic of speech among inanimate objects. Other than this I really wasn't paying much attention.

My ears perked up when I heard Isaiah say, "Anna, in real life flowers don't talk, rainbows don't sing, mountains don't have mouths, those star things aren't real and girls don't have football-shaped heads."

I said, "Are you talking about Dora?"

Bargain

Isaiah just informed me he had a great idea for the day.

I: Mom, I think we should go to the zoo today.
M: Why?
I: I want to go to the zoo and bargain for the zebra or giraffe.
M: Bargain?
I: Yeah, I want to bargain for the the zebra or giraffe.
M: You mean, like buy?
I: Yeah, I think I could bargain for the zebra for about 50.
M: 50 ... dollars?
I: Yeah. (then he looked at me like you silly mama and said...) No, Mom 50 cents, ha.
M: hmm, yeah that'd be fun.

I'm going to vote to just stick with the original plan and go to Grammy and Gramps' house.

Dear Grammy,

(and Gramps and Auntie Sally too)

Thank you for always attending the kids' functions at school and for their sporting events. We appreciate your driving and very often taking time off of work to support Isaiah and Anna. We feel very blessed and fortunate that you participate the way you do. Thank you!

Grammy, thank you for hanging out with Anna on Wednesday so I could have one last afternoon with Isaiah and his classmates during their Track and Field day. Also, thank you for pushing Anna for over 2 hours on the swing while I was gone. Not to mention the whole plumber thing that you had to be here for while I was gone. Thank you.

Love,
us

Ball

Isaiah has started his second year of machine-pitch. We are off to a super start. Here are some highlights of the first game of the season.

It was team photo day. Here is the customary shot. Isaiah is in the standing row and is second from right.

Isaiah's first swing of the season. If you look very closely you'll see his eyes are shut. I'm going to just guess I got him while blinking. I don't "think" he shuts his eyes when he swings.

Do you see that blur of blue? Yep, that's Isaiah running from 2nd to 3rd base. That's speed, pure speed.

And here we have Isaiah about to hit home. It appears as though he didn't run a straight line and veered wide a bit. Actually, he's multi-tasking and will be picking up that bat between him and home. He had to veer out to grab it mid-stride. Amazing, I tell you.

Graduation!

Anna has graduated from the preschool program at her school. She did such a great job.

During her Christmas program in December she did not even want to go on stage with her class and sing. Anna doesn't like any attention to be put on her so, even though other children were singing, she wanted no part of the performance. I was anticipating the same type of stage fright to occur during graduation. Yippee! It did not.

A tradition at her school, usually reserved for that year's graduating seniors, is the presentation of Character Awards. Character Awards are given by the child's teacher. The teacher painstakingly chooses a character that best describes that child and assigns a Bible verse to coincide with the character trait. The award presentation brought this mama to tears, for sure.

Here are some photos from the special evening.

The proud graduate complete with a wrist corsage from Gramps and Grammy.

Anna's teacher presenting Anna with the character trait of "content". Anna's verse is Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

.Checking out her award.

A family shot in which Anna is leaning in to give Isaiah a kiss right as Grammy was taking the photo.

Gramps and Grammy came to witness the special celebration. Auntie Sally was there as well although she posed for no photos. Also, I believe Isaiah is revisiting the thrill of his own preschool graduation.