Down on the Farm

This is actually from last week. The boys school had a night for first graders called "Down on the Farm." It was a night for families to see the first graders Encore programs (PE, Music, Art and Technology).

In music, we got to play the alto xylophone (I think) along to a play about Farmer brown. We played whenever the teacher said "grow". Mac's music teacher does an after-school program with guitar classes. Mac can start when he's in 3rd grade and he can't wait!


We also danced in music.


Dose Doe! (I have no idea how to spell that!)


Give it a whirl Elly!


PE was also a big hit...this is an obstacle course through the food pyramid. There was also some rope-swinging. I was hoping for a dodgeball game, but not today.

In art, we made a bracelet with colored beads symbolizing the amounts of serving from each of the food groups you should eat in a day, as well as minutes of exercise. We drew a picture on the computers for technology. A lot different from the Oregon Trail computer games I remember when I was kid!

Oh yeah...

and Elly's super-excited...


to take up longboarding!


By the way...I think it was 3o degrees this day. Daddy, where are her shoes?!

As you can see, our snow is gone. We got a skiff today, but no big snow falls in our forecast right now. Just cold.

Walkin' and Wheelin' Wednesday!

On Wednesdays, the boys' school encourages them to walk or ride their bikes. You would think that I would embrace this, but in all actuality...I'm rarely too excited about it. I think the problem is that
1. I have turned into a slight fair weather biker and it's getting cold in the mornings and,
2. the thought of getting them ready for school is hard enough on most mornings (I've got a major lollygagger on my hands), but then ride bikes too?!

However, I've come to find out that no matter what mood the boys are in on Wednesday mornings, they do not want to miss riding their bikes and even my lollygagger can turn into Mario Andretti on that bike ride to school. We have not missed one yet.


Starting out on the beginning on our trip. It's COLD and the wind is blowing...not my ideal bike-riding weather.


See the "A" in the distance? That's for Aggies, the CSU Rams original mascot. Aren't the trees beautiful this year?!


Made it! Crossing the street with all the other bikers.


They get their bikes across the playground quickly, so they have time to play with their friends befor the bell rings.


Then they have to put their bikes in the racks by themselves...don't even think of trying to help them...


This is why they do it...for a hole punch...and a chance to win prizes.

I've always wanted my kids to be active, and seeing how much they get into riding their bikes to school on Wednesdays does make me happy...even when they drag me away from my cup of coffee on a cold day when I'd rather just wave to them out the window while they get on the bus. Ah well, it's good for me...I wonder what they'll do when it snows?

Not quite ready for roller derby

The boys school had a fundrasier last night at Rollerland. My initial thought was that it was a bummer that Sam's working out-of-town during the week (he's been in Colorado Springs Mon-Thurs for the past 3 weeks, and has one more), because it would be a fun date for him and the boys...and then I realized...what am I thinking?! I used to love going to the roller rink when I was a girl! So although I laid off any neon colors, I was excited to take the boys. Here some pics, not the best with my camera, but wanted to share the experience.


The boys aren't sure what they're in for...I figured since they were such good ice skaters, they'd have no problem.


Not so much, my stomach hurt from laughing watching Nate try to roller skate. He was constantly on the ground.


But he kept a smile on his face the whole time.


Mac got it down pretty quick and showed Nate how he could hold on to the wall at first to get it down.


He also told him to skate with his arms out to keep his balance...so Nate was the one kid who looked like a plane going around the rink.

The boys didn't last too long, but we had a good time. They're already trying to figure out if they can have birthday parties there. We'll see...