Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Student of the Week



So Friday the kids came home and said that Ethan was on TV. What? Of course, I wasn't believing a word of it, until they explained that he was on the TV at school. Their school has TV monitors in each classroom, where they do morning announcements, messages from the principal, etc. I'm sure they also use them for showing movies while the teachers take a nap. Ha! Ha!
Anyway, apparently the school has started this new "golden ticket" system. When the kids are showing good character, their name goes on a golden ticket, which goes into a drawing. They choose a handful of tickets each week. So here are Aubrie and Boston watching the announcements and hear Ethan say his name in his little baby voice, "Efan", as they are asking the students to introduce themselves. Apparently Student Council (the ones doing the announcements) thought he was cute and loved his freckles (according to Ethan).
So what does he get out of this? Cutting rights!!! He gets to cut in front of the lines all week. I let him get lunch in the cafeteria and he said it was totally cool that he got to cut to the front! I'm so glad that Ethan got picked. It meant a lot to him. He is doing so well in school. He loves his teacher, and loves to go and learn. He loves all the things he is doing...soccer, karate, music. He works really hard, and is very focused.

Ethan and Aubrie had their first soccer game Saturday. Aubrie did very well, considering she had no idea what she was doing. I was impressed that she just jumped in and did things, without acting fearful or nervous. I think if I was 9 and played my first soccer game with girls who had played before, I would have butterflies in my stomach. She was very aggressive, and also willing to play goalie. I think she realized that position wasn't where all the action was, and wanted to get back on the field. Once she gets her positioning down, I think she will do GREAT!
Ethan did very well, too. He was a little tired at first. He had just sat in the sun for an hour watching Aubrie's game, and kicking a ball around with Emmy. He also went to bed at 12:30 the night before. Once his adrenaline started going, he was a machine. He was all over the ball, and sometimes all over the players. He was just focused on kicking the ball no matter where it landed. One time he accidentally kicked a coaches hand as he was picking up the ball, and he also kicked it out of boys hand who tried to pick it up. It was kind of funny, actually. Ethan finally got his Karate Gi and equipment. He wore it for the first time yesterday. He did so much better than he has ever done. Everyone (the other Mom's and the instructor) noticed it. Amazing how having his uniform on helped him do much better. He was so cute, and I didn't even get a picture. I'm taking one on Wed, for sure, and posting it.

Afternoon Taxi Driver

Last week went way to quick. I honestly can't think of anything I did besides run kids to activities, go to Young Women's and watch the season premier of House (my favorite TV show). I'm sure I also got some Glen Beck in, too! The weeks just pass by so quickly these days. Before I know it, it is Friday and I'm gearing up for another week to come. It's all very good, but also very exhausting. I think I'm about to paint my car yellow, and start talking in a New York accent! I hope the kids really do love all their activities, and I'm not running them around in vein.

Growing up I wasn't involved in anything, until I got into Jr. High/High School. I remember spending my days, after school, out with the kids in the neighborhood, watching TV, playing in my room, etc. I wonder what produces a happier childhood, and if it really matters. I was a happy kid. Of course, times were much simpler then. Now our kids lives are filled with video games, computers, etc, when they are home. Especially if you live in Arizona. There isn't much playing outside unless you are swimming! (Well, for 8 months out of the year anyway.) Where am I going with this? I just hope at the end of it all, all my time and energy (along with all my kids time and energy) will help at producing more well rounded adults!

I'm posting our weekly schedule for family history's sake. I'm sure the kids will love looking at this someday, and it might be helpful for me, too, when I'm a Grandma and wondering why I don't see my own Adult children very often! I'm sure I'll also look back at this schedule in a few years and think how easy I had it! Ha! Ha! BTW, if there is some bad person stalking this blog, we have 3 doberman pinchers and all of my kids are black belts in Karate!
Monday
4-6 Aubrie's Dance
4:30-5 Ethan's Karate
Family Home Evening
Tuesday
4:15 Aubrie's Activity Days (every other week)
5:00-6:00 Aubrie and Ethan's Soccer Practice
5:30- 6:30 Boston's cub scouts
6:30-8:00 Young Womens
Wed (my easy day)
4-5 Aubrie's Tap
4:30- 5 Ethan's Karate
Thursday (the killer day)
4:30-5:30 Aubrie and Boston's piano
5:30-6:30 Ethan's music class
6:00-7:00 Aubrie's Hip Hop class
7:00- 8:00 Boston's Soccer Practice
Friday....NOTHING!!!!!!
Saturday
3 Soccer games at random times, and sometimes a dance practice

Ben...maybe you should print this out;)