3rd Grade Train to the Zoo

I chaperoned the 3rd grade field trip to the zoo. We started out at the Eugene Amtrak station and rode the train to the zoo.

The kids watched movies, went to the snack bar, read, drew, played games and visited. The chaperones read, talked and played games. (We actually finished Phase 10)

When we got to Portland, we walked to the max station (electric train).

They divided us into groups at the zoo. This is our group with the two 3rd grade teachers.

Checking out the bear feet...

the new baby elephant...

the giraffe (Emily's animal she was doing a report on).

The 3rd grade class

After the zoo, we rode the max back to the downtown station.

When we got to the train station, we found out the train was going to be late. Mrs. Kelly is a master of keeping the kids entertained. She had them playing rock, paper, scissors and a hide the backpack game and a kind of duck, duck, goose. They didn't fun around the station at all.

We all got a Chinese meal (I'm not sure why it wasn't Japanese)

It was late when we got home, but we had a very fun day!

U of O Japan Night

Emily performed at the Japan Night held at University of Oregon. They had giant chopsticks and giant sushi as we entered into the festival.

We ate a bento meal while we watched performances by various groups.

The 3rd graders, recited a Japanese story, sang and played the taikos. The kids got to go in a haunted house afterwards. It was based on Japanese Anime, and it was very different from what you normally see when you go to an American haunted house. It was a fun night, and the kids did a good job with their performance. (Emily is 3rd in from the left)

Yujin Gakuen 20th Anniversary

Yujin Gakuen (our kids' elementary school) is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. They had a special (translate as expensive) dinner, program and auction to celebrate and fundraise. We weren't going to go, but then Elisabeth was picked to be in the multi-grade school choir (2 kids from each grade) that was performing that night. So, we kind of felt obligated to go with her :)

We didn't want to pay for all of our kids to go, so it was a special night for Elisabeth to be alone with her parents. (She definitely doesn't get that very often, so it was exciting for her) The dinner was nice, and the kids gave a great performance. We got out of there without purchasing any items - but not because I didn't try. I almost gave my husband a coronary when I bid on the wooden trunk that Leilani's class made...not because I bid, but because of how high I went. He kept asking me how high I was going to go, and then he kept listing all the things we weren't going to do if I won the trunk at the price I was currently bidding :) I admit, I was bidding purely for sentimental reasons. It was her 5th grade project, and it had all their thumb prints and pictures of them, etc. But the mother of the twins in Leilani's class wanted it lots more than I did...or could afford it more LOL! It was a good night.

Memorial Weekend '09

We went camping at the coast for Memorial Day weekend. It was just us, Kim and her family, Jeff and Mom and Dad - which is a pretty small group for our family. We had our own campsite for the first time, which was kind of exciting. We actually set up camp and cooked our own meals all weekend. We used some of our camping equipment for the first time, because Mom and Dad weren't providing everything.
Benjamin found a new sense of power and freedom as he realized that he could go to the bathroom anywhere...and his sisters couldn't. He was very excited that he "peed a bug off a leaf," so Haylie decided that she was going to do it too. I'm sure you all know how that turned out. She was very disappointed!

Travis thought he was a big kid playing trucks with Benjamin.

We went to Heceta Head on the way home on Monday. The kids all had a good time. Haylie and Benjamin played in the puddles, ran from the waves, and fought over a stick (as you can see above).

Elisabeth and Benjamin played in the water for a long time.

It was a fun weekend, with very nice weather for May. We were exhausted when we got home, but full of fun memories. The kids are already counting down to camping on Labor Day :) (Maybe we should try camping out more than twice a year)

Easter Portraits

My dad took some pictures of my kids in their Easter finery. We never got any family pictures, because Alan stays so late at church with his clerk calling, but we got some cute one of the kids.

An Unexpected Rescue

My son earned the distinction of being the only child I know who has had to be rescued by a lifeguard at swimming lessons.

Benjamin has absolutely no fear of the water, and he jumps all around on the table that they put out in the water for the kids to stand on. As I was watching him during class, he was hanging on to the table with one hand and kicking the water everywhere, diving under the water on the table, and jumping up and down on the table. His two teachers told him to sit down and stay on the table several times, but he just kept messing around. I said to Elisabeth, "Your brother is going to fall off that table if he doesn't stop." Obviously the lifeguard thought so too, because he got down off his perch and walked around the pool to stand on the deck next to Benjamin's class.

Sure enough, soon he tumbled off the table backwards and sunk down into the water. His teachers didn't notice, but the lifeguard jumped right in after him and pulled him up and put him back on the table. (It was kind of funny to watch Bill - the swim coach - have to jump in and get wet. He was filling in for someone, and you could tell he wasn't excited to get wet) Everyone was worried that Benjamin was going to be scared or cry or something, but he was fine. He just continued with the class. Afterwards he told me that it was just like he was swimming - like a whale. I asked him if the lifeguard pulled him out of the water, and he answered, "No, I jumped back on the table." He's a crazy kid. But I'm glad he's okay, and I'm glad the lifeguard gets to do something exciting once in a while! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a good Mother's Day yesterday. My family made me breakfast in bed to start the day. They made banana waffles with strawberries and syrup and strawberry/banana smoothies.

I was also showered in gifts. Alan bought me two rose bushes and gave me some chocolates. The kids were so excited about the gifts that they made for me, that I have almost forgiven them for the clothes they all ruined with paint making the gifts. Leilani painted me a jewelry box and wrote a sweet letter. Emilyanne made me an origami corsage, drew a picture of me and put paper flowers around it, painted me a letter "L" for my wall and gave me a book of quotes with a sweet note in the front. Elisabeth painted me a "treasure" box. Benjamin also painted me a "treasure"box and gave me a handprint with a poem that he made in nursery. I will cherish each and every gift.

The men made us dinner at my mom's house in the evening. We had chicken cordon bleu, strawberry jello, baked potatoes, corn, salad and angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream for dessert. We were very happy mothers!

I hope all of you mothers out there were treated just as well. We tried to make my mom's day special too. Alan mowed her lawn for her on Saturday and we gave her a book about mothers. I did ask her to sub last minute (1/2 hour before church started) for Beehives, which probably didn't make her day easier, but I didn't have any choice because I was already substituting for Laurels. Thanks for all you do Mom, we love you!