Excellent Reports

 This past week also included our 3WP meetings for MA & DB. DB was so excited to show/tell us what he has been working on this term. He did a great job. I think we could have stayed there all day and he would just keep showing us more and more. His teacher said he is a leader in the class and sets a good example for his classmates. He is a hard worker and his writing is coming along. I was impressed with his coloring/ drawing. Each week, the kids draw a vase of fresh flowers that someone brings in. Each of his were different and full of detail. Another day they were asked to draw a character from a book- a pig with a quilt/ checkerboard pattern on his body. His teacher said he was one of only a few that were able to replicate the grid with lines in both directions to make the boxes. Then he colored each square in different colors.

  MA's 3WP meeting went extremely well too. She is a leader in her class. She has really taken to reading this year. She is reading at a higher level while still maintaining a high level of comprehension. They work a lot on retells when they read and also they do  recount at the beginning of each week about the past weekend. Her handwriting has also improved 10 fold. Her teacher has spent a good deal of time with the class on handwriting and it shows. Ms. M didn't have any concerns and said she was doing great in year 2!

Term 1 is done

  This past week we finished up Term 1 of 2013. Crazy how fast it went. The kids and I are definitely ready for a break though. DB had his last AFL session. It was a parent vs kid game. I think some of the dads were having more fun than the kids. I played a bit and had a good time. MA had her hip hop performance and did great. She loves to dance, just like her mom, Matt kindly reminded me.
  The swim carnival was also this week. It was fun to cheer on the kids and watch them have a friendly competition. MA did freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. DB did just the 1st two styles.
  MA went on an excursion to GoMA, Gallery of Modern Art. They took the train into the city. She made a couple crafts and drew in her visual art diary for class.

 

Friday Funday

We had a jam packed Friday. It started with another junior assembly where both kids got awards. DB completed level 1 of Lexia. MA got a star student award. It was for 'always managing distraction and being absorbed in her learning!" Then we headed straight to swim lessons for EL. Our car decided to take the morning off half way to school so we walked home from swimming. Had lunch and a sleep. Then it was time to go back to school for an Easter egg hunt organized by a few of the parents. There were kids everywhere. And at one point a mom was just throwing eggs out and kids were swarming her. But it was a fun way to spend the afternoon with all our school friends.

Soccer Way of Life

  We finished up our Ginger Sports soccer session over the weekend. This past week was a little bit of madness with club soccer starting and term 1 activities still going on. I signed both MA & DB  up for soccer. Both were a little hesitant  until we told them they could get new cleats. Then they were all about it. We found some online and ordered them the next day ;-) Neither team had a coach so looks like I will be having that honor. I was a bit nervous but practice and our 1st scrimmage went great! Both teams seem like a nice group of kids and parents. And both teams have some parents that have volunteered to help with anything I need when they are in town.
 

Pizza night

  Friday night at our house is pizza night. Matt is generally in charge of making the pizzas. By Friday I am done cooking. The kids like to help out too. Of course, we all have our favorite crust and toppings. This week pizza orders were 1 sausage & cheese, 1 cheese no sauce, and 1  1/2 sausage no cheese 1/2 cheese no sauce. Yum!


 The rest of the weekend was pleasant and pretty uneventful. We haven't been able to go to the beach for a while. They are pretty torn up from all the storms we have had and a lot of the sand has been washed away. It was sunny and hot so we swam a little. Played at the park during soccer. And did a little shopping.

Footy

  AFL this week they played a proper footy game. DB scored twice for his team. He was having a great time. All the kids got a chance to try offense and defense. I think I have learned a lot about the game sitting at practice each week. The fun was put on hold when they switched to another activity and DB took a footy off his face. Compliments of one of the coaches. Of course I had just left to take EL to the toilet. Luckily our friend Plantain was there and took care of him until I got back.

 While DB plays, the girls entertain themselves

 DB is trying to show his friend how to catch the ball.

Reminders of the USA

  It always catches me off guard when I see American city names on clothes here.

  Currently McDonalds is running a promo for Tastes of America. Always find it interesting to see what other countries associate with America. They have a New York and Texas burger and California chicken sandwich. And a couple sweet treats too!

She just had to try it out.