Read Across America...

Today was Read Across America at Katrena's school. The school had volunteer readers come and read to the classes throughout the day and started off the event with a parade. The younger grades did one book for the whole class, Katrena's class did Billy Goats Gruff. In the older grades each of the students were able to pick their own book and could dress up if they wanted too. When Katrena was in Kindergarten in UT, they did this too and she chose to dress up as Matilda, I really wish I had taken a photo of her, she was so cute.

I was able to go to the parade this morning (it lasted all of 10 minutes) and then I was able to be a guest reader for her class. I read My Schools a Zoo and A Bad Case of Stripes. We had a little more time left so the teacher gave me another book about Dragon's to read, but I don't recall the name. They also had two other guest readers in their class that day. One came dressed as a fairy and another brought his guitar and played for them. I was the boring Mom, but that's okay; because as I've mentioned a hundred times the last week, I just love being able to go and participate so often at her school.

Here are some photos from today:

The parade Trena is the one in the hot pink skirt and polka dot shirt.

Here are some of the 6th graders, check out Anne of Green Gables (one of my all time favorites), this little girl, well young woman is in my ward here in Arizona. Her costume was great.

Katrena and her sister (aka her biggest fan)

Katrena in her Billy Goat Gruff hat.

Jump Rope for Heart...

Art work by Mrs V.

Today was Jump Rope for Heart at Trena's school. It's always fun to go and support Katrena as well as a good cause. This is a fundraiser the school does for the American Heart Association. The kids go to the school on a Saturday morning for 2 hours, the first hour they just team jump, (more or less practice and play around on jump ropes). This year she was on a team with three other girls from her glass, which she really liked because last year she was with older girls she didn't know (who were very kind). After the first hour they do a jump rope contest, first all the girls went and the girl who could jump the longest won $20, then the boys went and the one who jumped the longest won $20. Last year Trena couldn't even jump the rope twice and was out right away. She has improved so much the last few weeks. She has practiced every day at school and every night at home, I think her record to date is 37 a great improvement. I am so proud of her and her hard work. After the contest they do a raffle for some great prizes (all proceeds from the raffle and snack bar also go to the American Heart Association). The school has raised over $230,000 in the last 23 years. If the school raises $10,000 a year the Heart Association gives back $2,000 to the PE department for new PE equipment, so its a win, win situation.

They started off the day with a little boy from the school named Nick saying who he was jumping for, he was jumping for his Mom who died from heart disease in October. This little boy could not have been older than 10. So sad. He actually one the very first raffle prize which was the stained glass art work above made by the PE teacher, which made one of the PE teachers cry and seemed very fitting. T had really wanted to win that art piece, and was happy that it had gone to him.

We had a lot of fun watching T jump and enjoying time with her and her friends as well as the fabulous Arizona weather, and as you will see below one of us had a little too much fun.

Justice, Arian, Sarah and Trena

Ava watching her sister

Free jumping with her team

Jump roping contest

And one very worn out baby sister!

Kids at Hope Report Card Day!

Katrena's school had a Kids at Hope Report Card Day, today. The parents were invited to come and watch their kids receive their "report card". This was not your typical grade, end of quarter report card. This was more of you are talented and have great potential report card.

The teachers listed talents they saw in each of the kids and in some careers they could see them having as well as career choices that the kids chose for themselves. Katrena has said she wanted to be a Doctor from the time she was 2 1/2, so I was surprised a couple of weeks ago when Katrena came home and told me she wanted to be a singer in a band, I had know clue at the time what it was for.

Katrena's talents as listed by her teacher:
caring
helpful
sense of humor
responsible
kind
fair

Ideas for using these talents as an adult are (career possibilities):
singer in a band
comedian
attend college

It was really neat to see all the kids go up to the front of the room and stand with their Teacher and to see their little personalities shine. As always I am thankful for the opportunity to go and participate.

The picture below is when Katrena's teacher was telling about her talents, and when she said sense of humor, Trena started to goof off. When it was all over, her teacher came up and asked if I took the picture while she was goofing off, she told me how perfect she thought that moment was.

How laundry gets done at the North house...

Here's Ava going for her laundry ride.

Living in the cheaper two bedroom student housing we unfortunately don't have a washer and dryer, so we get to go to one of two laundry rooms on campus. There are 6 washing machines total and with our family of 4 we easily use 3 at a time. We live on the second floor and the washing machines are in a completely different building, so Ava and I go one load at a time (If you are keeping track that is 7 trips to and from the laundry room).

Lunch date with Katrena...

Today I surprised Trena and met her for lunch at her school. She was so excited to see me and Ava, it is always fun to hang out with her little school friends and see their different personalities. Some are very talkative, others so shy, others a little sad that their moms couldn't come. I am so thankful that I can come and be with Katrena on days like today, just because, she is growing up so fast and before I know it she will be too embarassed for me to come and hang out at her school. (forgot the camera so no pics, but those kids are sure hams!)

Can you believe it Our Little Sunshine is seven months old...

1/25/09

It is so hard to believe how fast the time is going by. I can't believe Ava is 7 months already, she brings so much joy to our home. She is so smiley when her Daddy and Sister come home. She sleeps like a champ 11 to 12 hours a night, and always wakes up happy.

Here's a list of some of her great accomplishments and firsts from 1/24/09 to 2/24/09

1/28/09: recognizes her name
1/30/09: First Merry-GO-Round ride
1/31/09: waves (Grandpa Art was the first person she waved at)
2/1/09: We cut our first tooth, bottom right
2/8/09: second tooth, bottom left
2/10/09: had cheerios for the first time.
2/20/09: brushed teeth for the first time
2/24/09: picked up cheerios, via pincher grasp

Here are some fun photos from her 7th month:

First Mery Go Round Ride
1/30/09

Easting with Grandpa
1/31/09

Just Chillin'
1/31/09

Hanging with Grandpa
1/31/09


2/1/09

Happy Girl
2/8/09

2/14/09

2/15/09

First time brushing teeth
2/20/09

Reading in the tub, just like Mommy
2/20/09

I think she's had enough with all this photo taking, but she sure is beautiful even when she is crying!
2/22/09

Facebook and old friends...

Okay, so I signed up for facebook about a year ago and never did anything more than sign up, never even looked at it again. Until January when I started to get requests to add people as friends that I had gone to High School with and I thought well I'll post some photos so that they can at least see my girls. And then I had the thought to look up some old friends. I am so glad that I did, this has allowed me to reconnect with 3 good friends that I have lost contact with throughout the years due to moving.

So although I believe that facebook can become an addictive obsession, I for when am so thankful to have been able to reconnect with Abby, Christina and Kristy. I had Abby's phone number but had no way of finding Christina and Kristy. I hadn't seen either of them since 2001 and I think it is such a tradgedy that we lose touch with people that change our lives.

So my goal is to reconnect and hopefully rebuild friendships that have been lost over the years. This is important to me. I have one friend impaticular that I lost touch with and she litterally changed my life. One of the scariest moments of mine and her life took place together (it was scarier for her) and looking back it is now a funny memory. She was one of those people that you just felt better being around. I have thought of her often over the years and wondered how she was doing and hoping she was well. She is. I think it is such a tradgedy to let these people go from our lives. I feel that it was my fault in almost every instance, I didn't make friends a priority in my life. I am sorry for that now. It is something I truly wish I could change. Can you rebuild those old friendships or has to much time passed and you can just be casual acquintances that send a christmas card. Or can you truly pick up where you left off- go to dinner at one of your old favorite restraunts and sit and talk for hours as though no time has passed.

What's you opinion?

Kim

There will be multiple posts still to come before this as I am still trying to get caught up. Basically, I am so far behind that I am completely overwhelmed; so bear with me and I will try to stay up to date now and continue to add the old stuff.