Literacy Week

This week is Literacy Week at school for the k-5th graders.  Everyday during the week, the kids are encouraged to dress up a certain way and at the end of the week, the class with the most participation gets a pizza party.  There is also a book fair where student's can buy books and a Family Literacy Night with various activities for the kids and their families.

Day 1- Dress like your favorite book character.  Mikayla made a fish to resemble The Rainbow Fish out of card stock and we colored it and put foil on it.  We did not have much to pick from since it was Sunday night at 8pm and she had 30min until bedtime to get something put together.  Unfortunately, I did not get a picture either and by the time she got home it was ripped!  The fish did look nice though.

Day 2-Seussical-Dress like a Dr. Seuss Character.

Jordan and Mikayla. 

Allison, Jordan and Mikayla

Mikayla

Day 3-Dress Like a Librarian- The Librarian at our school is a good friend of ours, Mikayla was going to dress like a "traditional" librarian with the glasses on a chain, etc., but at the last minute she decided to dress like the school librarian.  Our school librarian likes to stop at 7-ELEVEN and grab a Big Gulp so that is what we did.  Mikayla got a pink lemonade instead of soda though.  The librarian thought it was funny.  So did Mikayla's teacher.

California Academy of Sciences-San Francisco

Today Ashlee and I went on a field trip with the 7th graders at her school.  We went to The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.  Ashlee and I drove instead of riding the bus.  I was nervous about driving in the heart of San Francisco and navigating the Bay Area traffic, but thanks to GPS and Ashlee's navigating, we made it there and back just fine.  This is definitely a place to take a family trip to.  I had never even heard of this place.  They had a three story rain forest packed with animals I have never seen.  Tiny frogs, two-cans, butterflies flying around, etc,.   There was an aquarium, earthquake simulator, a garden growing from the roof top, and much more.  I never knew there were so many different types and colors of fish.  There are even parts of the building where you kind of feel like you are in the water with the fish, you can stand underneath them and look at them.  We had a nice trip.

The two-cans in the rain forest

Green Lizard on the tree trunk.

Looking up at the fish from the bottom.

This picture does not do this justice.  There were so many different types and colors of fish.  Nemo fish, purple fish, hot pink fish.  

The group of girls we chaperoned

Jelly Fish

Mini turtle

Ashlee on the roof top.  Those circular things let light into the rain forest.  This building does not have any heating or air conditioning.  It is all controlled through "natural means", and it does remain pleasant.  The rain forest was hot and humid though, but that is what a rain forest is suppose to be like.

Penguins.  

Albino Alligator.  Yes it is alive too!

Ashlee, Alyssa, Mariah and Lauren. Ashlee's group of friends.

Never say Never....

I was one of those people that said I would never drive a minivan.  And in 2006 we bought our first van and in 2011 we sold it and bought an SUV.  When we sold the van I said I would never have another van.  Well, after driving a mid-size SUV for a little over two years, dealing with blind spots, poor gas mileage, little cargo space, having to put seats up and down all the time, and repair bills on top of a car payment (fixing things that a car that is only a little over 2 years old should not have wrong with it).  It was time for something else, so after debating on the topic for about 6 months, going back and forth with John trying to find the time when he could go with me (he told me to go to do all the work and he would show up sign the papers, sorry it does not work that way)!  and trying to figure out what to get, we finally got rid of our mid-size SUV and got another vehicle.  Yes, we got another Mini-Van!  We were going to get a car or smaller SUV, but we felt like we would always be battling the space in a car or small SUV so we decided to get the van.  Lesson learned, Never Say NEVER!

Valentines Day

The girls were out of school the week of Valentines.  When I left for work they were still sleeping.  When I arrived home from work, this is what I found.

The girls along with John, heart attacked the kitchen.  John did some before he left for work, and the girls finished.

Church

A couple months ago I was released from being Young Womens' Secretary and called to be a Primary Teacher.  I team teach with a friend and we teach the 9,10, &  11 year olds.  We have a big class.  It has been going well. The kids are good and seem to enjoy our class.  I made these bags for them to carry their scriptures, handouts and Article of Faith Cards in to church each week.  Hoping to instill some responsibility into them! :)  It seems to be working. For the most part they are all bringing their stuff.

Cinderella

Mikayla was a choir mouse in the Cinderella Play that the K-5th graders performed in at school.  The girls are growing so fast.  It's sad to say, that this was probably the last time her or Ashlee will perform in a school play.  Next year she will be in Middle School and they only perform in plays if they choose to take Drama for an elective, and I do not think that will happen.

Mikayla and Allison performing for local schools at a day time performance/

Mikayla and Allison performing for parents and family at a night time performance.