Just a few days ago, the school was spotless. When I walked over yesterday with the kids, I was shocked at the mess. All of the plants were covered with toilet paper. Boards, cardboard boxes and other building materials were stacked on the playground equipment and thrown on the ground. Last year, the school bought rubber to put under the jungle gym. They carried it over to the basketball court in buckets and dumped it out. I’m sure it was just kids messing around, but still. Someone has to clean it up. Today, we went over and the kids worked together to get the school back in shape. School starts on Wednesday and I don’t want the students coming back to a mess.
Thank you kids for a job well done.
4 January 2009 ♥ no comments
This morning I was working in my room when Butterfly came in and asked for a trash bag. “My school looks dirty. I need to pick up trash.” Echo ran out to help her. They were so proud of themselves for cleaning up without the ‘big kids’ helping.
1 January 2009 ♥ 2 comments
Here is a photo of us getting our award. Yay! I’m so glad my sister-in-law was able to come with us and take pictures!!
1 January 2009 ♥ no comments
The kids missed the last day of school Friday in order to drive to Santa Fe and accept their award. They won the gold medal in the Governor’s Challenge Pickup Olympics. It was quite an honor and the kids were overwhelmed with the wonder of the capitol. The buildings! The people! The art! Did you know there was snow? Actual snow on the ground! We were a few miles outside of town and Echo pointed out the window, “White Sands! You didn’t tell me we were going to White Sands!” He didn’t believe me that it was snow until we stopped.
Luckily, Mike’s sister Barbie and her family live in Santa Fe so we were able to crash at her house. She and her mother-in-law came to the awards ceremony with her kids and it was so special to have some family there. We walked in and they called us ‘the cleanest family in New Mexico’. LOL… the kids thought that was so funny. Obviously they haven’t seen the kids’ bedrooms.
After the ceremony, we walked through the plaza and had lunch at La Fonda. We took the kids swimming and hung out all night talking and making pizza. Poor Butterfly was sick the whole time, so that was kind of a bummer. Out of all the things we did, I think the kids were most impressed with breakfast. Barbie gave me strict instructions to post this picture. I was supposed to title this post ‘Breakfast With Barbie’, but that doesn’t seem entirely fair since her husband is the one that did the cooking. These waffles were great! Even better than the picture.
Thank you for the hospitality! We had an amazing time. And CONGRATULATIONS to my kids. I am proud of each and every one of you. For more pictures from our trip, click on the link below.
Santa Fe, December 2008on flickr: set | slideshow
23 December 2008 ♥ no comments
Saturday morning. Eight o’clock. The kids were all in bed or watching cartoons. I woke them up and told them to pick up trash while I made breakfast. There wasn’t a single complaint. No whining. I watched them out of the kitchen window as they ran to pick up all the trash at the school as quickly as possible. My kids aren’t perfect, but I love that they are willing to try anything. Whether we are playing a game or working or doing a project, they always jump in without hesitation.
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” Jawaharlal Nehru
14 December 2008 ♥ no comments
This is Mikal after receiving her award from the Hispano Chamber of Commerce last night. Each quarter they recognize three students from each middle school, one from each grade. The awards are for ‘Academic Excellence and Exemplary Citizenship’. Each of the students had to fill out a questionaire that was read out loud. It included questions about their goals, hobbies and family. I felt bad because Mikal didn’t include her mom or her other siblings. We talked about it and she said she only wanted to list the people that lived in her home. She also refused to call and tell her mom about the award. In the past, I would have called her mom myself but I decided that she is old enough to make that decision. I completely understand her fear. What if she told Julie and her mom didn’t care or didn’t come to the ceremony? By not including her, Mikal is protecting herself from feelings of rejection. It makes me sad… sad for Mikal that she can’t just be happy and celebrate this accomplishment and sad for Julie that she is missing out on so much. Mikal looked absolutely beautiful last night. I’m so proud of her!
And in other news:
Bleu had his band concert on Tuesday night. He dressed up and tied his own tie like a big boy. Oops. He *is* a big boy! My kids are growing up too fast!
Mia left at 5am to catch her flight to Virginia. Tomorrow is the walk through and she runs at 2:00 on Saturday (USATF National Junior Olympics Cross Country Championships).
11 December 2008 ♥ no comments
the kids picking up trash at Onate
I got a call from Santa Fe yesterday. Sometime last year I entered the kids in the Pickup Olympics. She told me that we won. I couldn’t believe it! I called a few people right away and then started stressing out. Maybe I had misunderstood? It couldn’t be right. Right? Then I got the confirmation email:
It was great to talk to you this morning. Congratulations on being selected the gold medal winner for the State of New Mexico Tourism Department Pickup Olympics. We look forward to meeting you on Friday, December 19, 2008 at the recognition banquet.
I’m so excited for the kids and proud of this accomplishment. They really have worked hard for it.
11 November 2008 ♥ no comments
Mia, Mica and Mikal volunteered at Alameda’s fall festival tonight. I think they have more fun helping than they would walking around.
27 October 2008 ♥ no comments
Raising kids is hard. One of the greatest challenges for me is inspiring them to be positive. Anyone can force a child to behave. It is much more difficult to teach them to look outside of themselve and see a world that doesn’t revolve around childish desires. What in this world is beautiful? What can we do to make it better? Every once in a while, my kids do things that inspire me and make me feel like maybe, just maybe, I’ve done something right.
Saturday was Keep Alameda Beautiful day. Teachers, parents and kids join together to clean up our school. It is something that means a lot to us. We pick up trash as a family all the time. I told the kids we wouldn’t be able to make it this time because the girls were running in Alamogordo. We had to leave the house at 7:30. The kids were up at 6:30 and before we left, they took trash bags over to the school and cleaned up until it was time to leave. I was really proud of them, because there was absolutely nothing for them to gain. No one was there to notice or compliment them. They didn’t get free water bottles or tshirts. But they did it anyway and they were happy.
Friday, I was too busy to take Bleu to pick up his uniform. Mia volunteered to drive him over and back. She called and asked if they could stop at a carnival on the way home. I figured they would be walking around, talking to friends or riding rides. When they came home, she told me that it wasn’t that kind of carnival. It was the Relay for Life. Both of my kids, without prompting from me, walked six laps in the relay. With her fibromyalgia, Mia has a very hard time sleeping. “I wish I would have known about this sooner,” she said. “I would have stayed and walked all night.”
I am so proud of my kids.
“I think the big mistake in schools is trying to teach children anything, and by using fear as the basic motivation. Fear of getting failing grades, fear of not staying with your class, etc. Interest can produce learning on a scale compared to fear as a nuclear explosion to a firecracker.” Stanley Kubrick
8 September 2008 ♥ no comments
