Bike Rider

Lexi officially became a bike rider today.  I asked Steve to take her training wheels off at the end June.  She didn't even get to try it once before we headed off to California.  When we got back, it was WAY too hot for bike riding.  All of my friends told me that in Texas, bike riding is a fall/winter/spring activity.  Summer is only for swimming.  The first time she finally got to try it was 4 weeks ago when my brother was here.  He helped her with a few of the basics.  She loved to complain that it was too difficult and dangerous (sounds just like I did).  I took her last weekend too.  Only a few times was I able to let go of her for a few seconds. It was kind of a pain running along side of her.  It was also hot, so we didn't last long.  

I knew we had to go this morning, despite her complaints.  I decided to find a parking lot rather than a trail like we'd been doing.  I figured that would make it easier to help her & watch Jordan.  I was astonished how quickly she went from being completely dependent and grabbing onto me for dear life to riding by herself - maybe 10 minutes.  After she realized that I wasn't really holding on, she wanted to try it herself.  That was it...away she went.  Now, she tells everyone it is EASY.  She still needs to practice starting by herself.  She managed a few times, but got frustrated by it many times.  Hopefully, soon he'll be saying that starting is easy.

Family Tree

This week, I started working on genealogy.  My grandparents on both sides of my family have loved/love doing it and so our lines go back so far that new names are almost impossible to find.  Fortunately, about a year ago, Steve's Great Aunt (on his mom's side) sent me some of the paperwork she had put together.  I started on working on a family tree chart.  I mentioned this to Lexi and she was very excited.  She surprised me today when I looked over her shoulder to see her making her own family tree.  She only cut out four leaves though.  She wrote her name, Jordan's name and my name.  She had one leaf left over and realized it was only big enough for a short name.  She wrote Paige's.  I thought this was cute.    

Hat Day

The fifth graders at Lexi's school do fund raisers for various charities every year.  They come up with neat ideas to get all of the kids involved.  This month, they are selling tickets that allow kids to wear hats.  I think the money goes to kids with heart problems.  It costs a dollar a ticket to wear a hat for the day.  They can buy up to 20 tickets.  I gave Lexi two dollars.  I told her she could wear it once this week and once next week.  She got excited and picked out her outfit today.  

Halloween Artwork

I decided that we needed a down weekend to relax.  Lexi got a chance to do some artwork.  She did Halloween stuff.  The picture above may not look like Halloween, but she drew it because she wants to be a peacock for Halloween.  The picture below is a two-headed Frankenstein.  There are headstones on the ground.  

Reading Up a Storm

Lexi has been reading up a storm lately.  In fact, sometimes I have to tell her to stop because we need to get ready for school.  Other times, I am thrilled like when she is reading to Jordan.  Yesterday after church, I saw her holding the book with her feet.  I had to get a picture.

Primary Program

Today was the Primary Program at church.  Once a year, the kids put on a program instead of normal services.  It is usually in October, but our congregation is so large that we are going to be splitting next month.  There are 170 kids between the ages of 3 & 12.  Each class (split up by age groups) goes to the podium.  While there, each child gets to say a line into the microphone.  Then the kids sing  songs between the classes.  I happen to teach one of the CTR 5 classes (kids that were born in 2006), so I was up on the stage too.  There are 2 CTR 5 classes and Lexi is in the other one.  Lexi did a great job.  Her line was "I know Jesus loves me because I live in a beautiful world."  The kids got to come up with their own lines and that was her response to "I know Jesus loves me because...."

Headstand

1st Grade Homework

This year, a folder with the homework for the week is sent home every Monday.  It has a worksheet for math, a poem worksheet with different things to identify, a word building worksheet (learning word spelling patterns/families rather than memorization), and a reading log.  Lexi has to read every evening and finish all the homework to be turned in on Friday.

Nottingham Ward

Since Uncle Clay is in town, we wanted to go to church with the Nottingham Ward.  That is the old congregation that Clayton & I went to in high school.  About half of them (mostly our friends' parents) still live here and go to that ward.  Lexi and Jordan enjoy going there too because our good friends are there.  Here is a picture of them after church with Camden.

Clayton enjoyed seeing and catching up with people we knew 20 years ago.  One of his good friends, Stephen, is still there too.  After church, we went to see Stephen's house that he designed and built himself.  After the tour, I shuffled the kids out and went home.  Clayton stayed to have a nice long talk.  I hope that helps him decide to move back.  The kids sure liked having him here.  

Visit from Uncle Clay

Uncle Clayton came to visit last night.  He has been working in New Orleans inspecting claims for hurricane damage.  That work has wrapped up, so he stopped on his way home to Montana.  He is here for the weekend.  We had a fun day.  We went to see model homes out west of us.  Yes, I'm trying to get him to move here.  Then, he did some minor home repairs for us like fixing the flusher on a toilet, replacing a few light fixtures, and hanging curtains in my room.  Lexi & Jordan's dad came over in the evening and had dinner here with us.  Later, we headed to the mall.  Everyone loves going to Outdoor World (picture above).

Sick Day

Yesterday, Lexi wasn't feeling very well.  She wanted to stay home, which surprised me since she spent most of last year mad at me because she had to take 1 sick day at the beginning of the year.  At the end of the year, they give out certificates to kids with perfect attendance.  Of course, she didn't get one.  

This time, Lexi was a little warm, but wasn't running a fever (only about 99.1).  I decided to send her to school and figured that I would have to pick her up early.  Texas is pretty strict about the number of days a child can miss, so we generally try to send them.  The day went by without any calls.  When Jordan and I picked her up, she was feeling even worse.  She said her teacher wouldn't let her go to the nurse.  After dinner, she was running a low grade fever.  

Today, she and Jordan got to enjoy a sick day.  They watched movies and chilled out.  About 3 pm, I took her to the doctor.  The doctor was sure she had strep throat, so we got a prescription.  It has been a long time since she has been to the doctor or been on antibiotics.  I also had them give her a flu shot.  

By the way, she weighs 47 lbs, which I think has been her weight for over a year.  She is in the 60th percentile for height & the 40th for weight.        

Nursery Rhyme Parade

Jordan and I had to rush to Lexi's school this afternoon.  The first graders have been memorizing nursery rhymes and today they had a parade.  The kids were supposed to dress up as a nursery rhyme character and parade the halls.  All the kids from the other grades lined the hallways.  Parents were invited to stand near the entrance.  The only costume-ish thing I could come up with was a stuffed lamb and a dress, so we put it in her backpack.  Lexi decided that she was Mary from "Mary had a Little Lamb."

Week 2 of First Grade

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Grandma Margie's Birthday Card

Grandma Margie is turning 60 years old on September 7th. The kids made her birthday cards a little over a week ago, but I didn't want to post them too early.  Lexi also wrote the letter above.

Inside of the card:  

Outside of the card:

Labor Day with Dad

Lexi and Jordan spent last night and today with their dad. He took them to Pirates Bay, which is a water park. 

Junior Drill Team Member

Lexi had a marvelous experience last year with being a junior drill team member, when the opportunity came up again, I had to sign her up.  The clinic and performance were yesterday.  We registered her about 8 o'clock this morning and then Jordan and I headed out.  For the next few hours, they played games, had snacks, got to know each other and of course learned the dance.  They had a rehearsal for the parents at 11:45 am.  I wonder if Lexi is the only one not taking dance classes.  Hopefully, one of these days, I'll be able to afford it.   

At the Game

Waiting for the second quarter, so they could go practice

Dance

Exiting the Field

McKenna's 3rd Birthday

Last night, we went over to our friends' house for McKenna's third birthday party.  The theme was based on her favorite book, Mrs. Wishy-Washy's Farm.  It is basically about farm animals that feel their owner scrubs them too much so they go to the City.  It was all farmtastic!

Puppet show

Birthday girl on Lexi's lap for the puppet show

Duck, duck, goose

Piggies in a pudding eating contest

Blowing out birthday candles

Yummy & cute cupcake