Star Spangled 4th

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

School's Out..

....and we couldn't be happier! After phase 1 of closing down our classrooms, we picked up Anna and gave Hallie the choice of restaurants to celebrate her completion of Kindergarten. Knowing the choices 5 yr olds make, we were strong and didn't make a suggestion or try to lead her down our preferred path. As you can imagine she chose Burger King. Dad stepped in then and said "Well, honey, we were thinking...." at which point she interrupts with "I know, something nicer. More special -pause-Wendy's?" She took the laughter as a sign that it mightn't have been what we were thinking. And after wavering between Mimi's and Applebee's, we ended up at Applebee's. Maybe by the time she's in junior high we can go someplace that doesn't have a TV. Well, for some reason somebody's food was a dollar so we actually got off easy for about as much as Burger King and a half. We also enjoyed cooling off in someone else's air conditioning since it was still wavering between 102 and 104 degrees at 4 o clock.

Hallie's favorite things about Kindergarten: It's great and it's wonderful for every day. It was fantastic. We did tear art, we did finger paints. We learned about fish and how the lion fish is poisonous. We learned math like 3-3 is 0 and we learned that your mouth is like a circle when you say 'O' or 'ahh'. We went to the Discovery center on Friday May 9th and got to ride the bus. Riding the bus was fun because it was like riding a roller coaster without seat belts. I liked when we made the gingerbread man. They were just pretending he was real and that he hopped out of the oven. We found him in the office in the Principal's office and he was wearing a real band aid. He had it because he was running in the hallway and he fell. I made some friends and they are Taylor and Henry and Katie and Jessica. I wish I would see my old Kindergarten teachers again. I love them so much. (she also asked if I was sure I didn't need help spelling 'because' which she proceeded to spell out loud to me)

Anna's not out yet but she had a few things to say as well. Anna's favorite things about pre school: I like see the kids. Kids say hi. I play with the kids. I paint on my shirt. (It not nice so-and-so you paint my shirt) Its some paint and get ALL wet. Um play in water and biiiiig SPLASH! I sing at class. Her favorite book is Brown Bear, Brown and her favorite song is ABCD. She does a mean teapot by the way.

It's hard to believe that it's been a year since the PreSchool Graduation Extravaganza but now our big girl is ready to move on to first grade and the other 'big girl' will finish her time with the toddlers to move on to the two-year-old curriculum.

Sesame Street Live

We, as parents try to be fair and provide equal opportunities for our children. We know that they don't read into everything the way we do yet we even out the Christmas presents, let them take turns choosing videos and music and try to give equal time. As a result of this parental need, we arranged for dinner and a show for just Mom, Dad and Anna. It was an easy sell for Hallie because she was too old for the show and would get the better end of the bargain by having her own one on one time with Grandma. Perfect!

Right. After about 5 seconds from pulling away from Grandma's house, for our careful planning and consideration, we were rewarded with tears. Anna began to cry and kept saying she wanted her sister. So, instead of a ride filled with excitement for the upcoming adventure, our time was spent convincing her that the show would be over soon and then we could go get Hallie. Really.... pretty much all the way to the performing arts center.

Everything was OK by the time we arrived at the venue. There were many distractions provided by the hoards of people arriving for the sold out show. Screaming fans, larger than life celebrities, A-list concert, right? Yes, but screaming because the fans are barely out of diapers, celebrities are larger than life because they are in fuzzy costumes with gigantic heads and feet and A-list....well, because this performance was brought to you by the letter 'A'. The show? Sesame Street Live!!!!

It's an interesting place, this world of tiny fans and their crazy wallet emptying parents. Programs, t-shirts and ticket stubs for souvenirs for sure but instead of Stairway to Heaven, it's Sing...sing a song... and instead of lighters raised to illuminate the event, it's those spinning lighted things that kids get wrapped into their hair. Typically one tries to get the seats closest to the stage when purchasing tickets to a concert but in here again lies a difference. You have to know if your kids can handle being that close. Parents do NOT, repeat do NOT buy tickets as yourself for a show like this. The big furry things with giant heads come off the stage and walk around so if your child doesn't like em at Disneyland and won't pose with Santa, don't waste your money!

But, for better or for worse, we had been to a couple shows before and knew the ropes. And, admittedly, it is a good show. Plenty of movement and singing, familiar friends, appropriate themes complete with lessons and splashy effects keep the kids riveted to there seats (or floor space) for at least 1 minute and a half. This experience really illustrated a big difference between our kids too. We couldn't pay Hallie to laugh or clap along or ANYTHING. She's always really into it all but doesn't join in. She leads. (like when she started her own "tastes great/less filling" team at Disneyland alongside the pre-parade entertainment-except it was Mickey Mouse/Donald Duck) Anna though, laughs hysterically, claps and sings so much so that we feel the need to install a volume knob. She announced every character as they appeared, yelled hello and waved her little hands off. She was ready for it to be over at the intermission as evidenced by the speed with which she hopped out of her seat but we assured her that she would LOVE the next part. We also told her that her 'Big Bird' really wanted to see the rest. She kept us entertained by making monster faces but when I pulled out the camera and asked her to 'show me the monster' she held up her cookie monster shirt in front of the lens. Smart girl - she did show me the monster! She loved the rest of the show and remembered enough to tell Hallie and Grandma that she saw Sesame Street and all the friends and they had to make a show. It was loud and she had to cover her eyes because it was so loud. Ahh, money well spent!

Midway Fun

See the sign? Exclusive preview - check us out! Obviously we don't ever win anything big (you'd know) but we did win tickets in a Disneyland drawing. Passholders were given a chance to enter to win preview passes to ride the new Toy Story Mania attraction at California Adventure. We had to pick the exact day and time we'd be available to go so we chose carefully and crossed our fingers. A couple days before the date we were notified that we got to go. WooHoo! Now, you may think big deal, but if we can avoid waiting in the obnoxious lines after a ride opens, we'll take it. True, our lives wouldn't crumble if we never went on, but hey, if it's handed to you.......... right?

We raced around after school, picked up Grandma (she was one of our winning tickets) and began the arduous journey down the 5. Luckily we had plenty of time in our 'ride window' so we arrived comfortably, checked in and made our way to the Pier section of the park where the ride is located. With comically serious security measures, we forged ahead and had to wait a whole, mmmmm, 10 minutes? Oh, but it was so worth it! It's clear that the attraction is geared toward the 'younger generation', and it's clear that Mom and Dad are WELL out of that category anymore but, we know how to play a video game (as long as it's got a joystick, a jump button and doesn't spin 360 degrees) We know that it's here because anything that isn't interactive is boring and that today's kids have SERIOUS attention problems (being teachers, we do have issues with that-not a discussion you want to have with us). However, the ride was so brilliantly designed and executed, it appeals to everyone. 'Gamers', yes but grandparents will enjoy it just as much.

The Toy Story premise, from the beginning, was supposed to appeal to kids and the adults who would bring them to the movie. By making it great, they wouldn't mind bringing them again and again. So with the 50's TV western and sci-fi themes covered for the 'grands', Disney name for the parents, animation for the kids and the devotion to the product of the Pixar people, it had to be a hit. The ride throws in the nostalgia of boardwalk carnival games and for free! What could be bad? Not much.

Other than being pretty jerky in between stops, it was pretty near perfect. Each carriage holds 8 people in sets of 2. Armed with string pull cannons, each player is assigned a color and, after a practice round, they're ready to go. Virtual projectiles are lobbed as fast as the player can release the string and scores are tallied. A brief countdown warns him that the game is about to end and off he goes to the next 'booth'. At the end, the riders stop at a virtual prize booth to see what stuffed animal they will take home - virtually, of course. (Pay no attention to the accuracy scores..one of us is 5 and one of us was taking pictures)



Last stop was, what else, the store you must use to exit. Hallie chose a t-shirt to wear to school the next day and Anna chose this hat. Yes, it still counts in our tally of theme park purchased hats. #86, I believe.

So Proud!

We have reason to celebrate! We always consider ourselves lucky to be part of such a great little family, but this month we celebrate two of those members. Hallie and Dad. They each have a new credit to their names and Anna and Mom wanted to spread the news!

After another wonderful session with a high school student/swim teacher, Hallie has learned to swim! Pretty remarkable too since she only gets in a pool for about 8 days once a year when the swim team holds their lessons/fundraiser. After just a couple days, her teacher Kyle had her paddling away and getting her feet off the bottom of the pool. We weren't sure exactly how much skill she would gain since she was pretty much vertical and paddling nowhere fast. But, patient, WONDERFUL Kyle really kept her going and kept her challenged. After a few more days she was calling out to me from the deep end where, for the first time, she was getting ready to push off from the wall to swim for her teacher's outstretched arms. He was so great about giving her a lead to follow without having to 'tease' her by pulling his hands away. She had every confidence in him and even performed a tandem jump into 'the 5'! On the last day, she called to me from the deep end and wanted me to watch her swim to the steps. So, other than 'pulling over' a few times due to circumstances beyond her control (ie; water up the nose) she paddled her way to the steps on her own and pretty quickly for a first timer. We are all so proud of her and can't wait to get her back into the pool for some more practice. (Of course, as previously mentioned in another posting, we have another thing for which we need to provide some follow through - "We can go to their house when you know how to swim..." sigh)

And.....da da da DAAAA! Receiving accolades from colleagues and students from the deck of the pool, Dad was humbly acknowledging their praise and congratulations for being named Teacher of the Year at the high school. Bottom line? He works HARD and he deserves it. Just ask us - we know what's piled up on the table every night and cluttering up the computer. Anyway, we weren't quite done busting our buttons just yet, and thought we'd share.


The History of Hallie in the pool (about 3 min)