Once a month, Mr Barry (music teacher) has a talent day. It seems that Jimmy has participated in these before with less success than he would like (twinkle twinkle on the piano and an acapella version of ee nee mee nee my nee mo by Justin Beiber). So, here was his chance, the last Talent Day of the year...
Jacob and he have been practicing Baby Baby by Justin Beiber in recess, during lunch, on playdates, etc. Jimmy was to play drums with Jacob singing. (Jimmy would practice by beatboxing ... too funny).
Tom was "finally" allowed to attend the performance with the caveat that "he's outta here when I'm done".
Here's the proof (very lousey video quality but pretty good sound...) You cant really hear Jacob but Jimmy is rocking...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO-h7mAAy8w
Friday, May 28, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Camping and the Gymnastics Spring Show
This past weekend found Tracy and I going on a "test run" camping trip. The Millers offered to watch the kids while Tracy and I took the weekend off. We are planning a family camping trip over Memorial weekend and we thought it would be a good idea to test the equipment first (and how the dog will "react"), turns out it was a good idea. We loaded the boat with all our stuff and headed out Friday after Tracy got home from work. We dropped the kids at the Miller's around 6:00 and headed towards Afton to the campground. However our first obstacle - the roads were closed and we ended up going all the way north to 94 only to go east and then travel south along the Saint Croix back to where we started, not fun. At 8:00 we put the boat in and at 8:30 were took it out again because it would not start.
Meanwhile we had packed our equipment for boat camping not backpacking, which is what we had to do (now) because of the boat issue. We arrived at he campground and got organized to carry our stuff the 3/4 mile trek to the campsite. Tracy had the tent,sleeping bags,camp chairs and Nikki while I had our clothes, cook kit, and food. It was a brutal workout and we were lucky to run into some really nice kids who helped us out (she was avoiding prom because her boyfriend just dumped her so her older & younger brother decided to take her camping to get her mind off of it. They were pretty cute) We finally made it to our campsite around 9:00, it was getting dark and there was someone on our site and he had a fire going with our wood!The camp staff helped move him to his spot, Tracy started setting up the tent, for the first time, and in the dark, while I made another trip back to the car for the cook stove, lantern and water.
I made it back to the site,, Tracy had the tent almost up, (impressive) and at 11:00 we had dinner, finally. We crashed and had a great night sleep and even Nikki had a good night.
Saturday , after breakfast found us back at the Marina, and no sooner did the service guy showed up the boat started, go figure. Tracy asked him are expecting rain? his response in about 10 minutes and the next 2 hours found us in the car, in the campground parking lot, waiting for the rain and lighting to stop. The afternoon ended up nice but hot. We took the dog for a long hike through the woods along the river and Tom was able to fish and catch a few.
Saturday , after breakfast found us back at the Marina, and no sooner did the service guy showed up the boat started, go figure. Tracy asked him are expecting rain? his response in about 10 minutes and the next 2 hours found us in the car, in the campground parking lot, waiting for the rain and lighting to stop. The afternoon ended up nice but hot. We took the dog for a long hike through the woods along the river and Tom was able to fish and catch a few.
Dinner was several hours earlier than the night before! We packed out most of our stuff after dinner and headed back to the camp to read books by the campfire/lantern. It was another nice night. Sunday morning we had breakfast, cleaned up camp and packed back to the car. The weather was super humid and hot and I was wondering when we got back to the car why I evened bothered putting on a clean shirt!T
he kids were all amped up when we got back and the Miller's were ready to see them go! 
Jimmy was off to a birthday party while Billy and Kay were preparing for the Spring Gymnastics show. It was held in the gym, which is a huge two room pole barn complete with no air conditioning and several hundred sweaty kids while the temp was pushing 90 and the humidity was out of control. Our friend Sandy met us there and we watched as the kids one by painstakingly one, performed at Olympic levels on the floor, rings, parallel bars and the horse.
he kids were all amped up when we got back and the Miller's were ready to see them go! 
Jimmy was off to a birthday party while Billy and Kay were preparing for the Spring Gymnastics show. It was held in the gym, which is a huge two room pole barn complete with no air conditioning and several hundred sweaty kids while the temp was pushing 90 and the humidity was out of control. Our friend Sandy met us there and we watched as the kids one by painstakingly one, performed at Olympic levels on the floor, rings, parallel bars and the horse.
Kay and Billy had a ball and the similes when they were awarded a trophy are priceless! as they keep saying "this is my FIRST trophy" I like their confidence in the future:)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Kay's school play and Billy's creative side
The ending of the school year brings many surprises to us parents, what are children have learned and how well they are actually doing both educationally and socially and nothing tells a parent more about their kid then an appearance in the school play.
This year, as well as last, the first graders at Meadowbrook Elementary were proud to present "Rumpelstiltskin " The class takes one day out of the year, a drama coach comes in and they spend the day learning about acting. The drama coach stated it is fun to teach kids how to act, because it is pretend and uses their imagination, which comes easily with kids.
The roles are identified, costumes created and "let the show begin" Kay was the first born to the Queen and the one that was supposed to be given to Rump in exchange for the room of spun gold, however as we know that was not the case. She was great in her role! She goo goo'ed and gaa gaa'ed to beat the band. She did tell us the next morning that she did not want to be the baby and thought the casting call she answered was for the Queen. Either way we say way to go Kay!
This year, as well as last, the first graders at Meadowbrook Elementary were proud to present "Rumpelstiltskin " The class takes one day out of the year, a drama coach comes in and they spend the day learning about acting. The drama coach stated it is fun to teach kids how to act, because it is pretend and uses their imagination, which comes easily with kids.
The roles are identified, costumes created and "let the show begin" Kay was the first born to the Queen and the one that was supposed to be given to Rump in exchange for the room of spun gold, however as we know that was not the case. She was great in her role! She goo goo'ed and gaa gaa'ed to beat the band. She did tell us the next morning that she did not want to be the baby and thought the casting call she answered was for the Queen. Either way we say way to go Kay!Meanwhile back at the ranch, Billy has been bust creating or as Bill says "cleations". Bill has a special calling as a Lego cleator. He as you can see has a special hat and glasses that tap into his cleative energy and allows him to cleate many a masterpiece. (The kid walks around Tom's uncle Don's fedora 1/2 the time, I swear he's channeling some old man somewhere).
Imagination and expression are truly blessings the kids give us.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
THE BAD WITH THE GOOD
This past weekend had one of Tracy's least favorite events along with one of her most favorite ones. The school carnival and Mothers Day were the bookends of our part weekend.
The carnival is a combination of kids on too much sugar and the adults on 'ignore the kids' mode which results in total chaos and raises ones blood pressure. The events are all great for the kids, pop bottle ring toss, throwing darts to pop balloon's, cake walk and gym skills set test. There are many other events these are just the ones our kids were interested (ie obsessed) in.
The food this year was a much better production than last year and the overall organisation was key. Hot dogs, tofu veggie dogs, cotton candy and a new addition and always a crowd pleasers, cheese curds. Of course by the time Jimmy was ready to eat the hot dogs were gone. (reading in between the lines...minor fit)
Tracy spent most of the time working in Jimmy's room with Billy on the pop bottle ring toss whilst Kay and I worked in her room on the dart and balloon event. Jimmy was on his own with his friend Jacob (supervised by Jacob's dad) and they together terrorized the carnival goers, or whatever two 8 year old boys can do.
The evening ended with our neighbors Kristin and Craig and their kids for dinner post carnival cocktails and good conversation. There are now only 364 days until the next carnival!
Mothers Day was a very nice and quiet family day. Tracy was able to get a 2 plus hour bike ride and an hour dog walk (side note: she is in full training mode for the MS150 and we are are proud of her and it is still not to late to make a pledge).
The kids all made nice and inspiration cards for Mom as well as gave gifts of incredible art, written prose that is not only descriptive, but it almost brings one to tears and Billy brought home flowers. Nikki even came through with a gift card for a Mother's day massage.
The day ended with Mom's favorite dinner, Mexican, and what a fiesta we had. Kay made guacamole, and cut all the veggies while Jimmy and Billy watched sports center. Kay and Daddy cooked the shrimp and venison and Mom made the burritos to Jimmy's instruction, nice and crispy. We had a toast to all mothers everywhere - birth mothers, foster mothers, forever mothers, grandmothers, aunts, friends and women everywhere that "mother" in their own way.
Happy Mothers Day to all 'Mothers' everywhere.
The carnival is a combination of kids on too much sugar and the adults on 'ignore the kids' mode which results in total chaos and raises ones blood pressure. The events are all great for the kids, pop bottle ring toss, throwing darts to pop balloon's, cake walk and gym skills set test. There are many other events these are just the ones our kids were interested (ie obsessed) in.
The food this year was a much better production than last year and the overall organisation was key. Hot dogs, tofu veggie dogs, cotton candy and a new addition and always a crowd pleasers, cheese curds. Of course by the time Jimmy was ready to eat the hot dogs were gone. (reading in between the lines...minor fit)
Tracy spent most of the time working in Jimmy's room with Billy on the pop bottle ring toss whilst Kay and I worked in her room on the dart and balloon event. Jimmy was on his own with his friend Jacob (supervised by Jacob's dad) and they together terrorized the carnival goers, or whatever two 8 year old boys can do.
The evening ended with our neighbors Kristin and Craig and their kids for dinner post carnival cocktails and good conversation. There are now only 364 days until the next carnival!
Mothers Day was a very nice and quiet family day. Tracy was able to get a 2 plus hour bike ride and an hour dog walk (side note: she is in full training mode for the MS150 and we are are proud of her and it is still not to late to make a pledge).
The kids all made nice and inspiration cards for Mom as well as gave gifts of incredible art, written prose that is not only descriptive, but it almost brings one to tears and Billy brought home flowers. Nikki even came through with a gift card for a Mother's day massage.
The day ended with Mom's favorite dinner, Mexican, and what a fiesta we had. Kay made guacamole, and cut all the veggies while Jimmy and Billy watched sports center. Kay and Daddy cooked the shrimp and venison and Mom made the burritos to Jimmy's instruction, nice and crispy. We had a toast to all mothers everywhere - birth mothers, foster mothers, forever mothers, grandmothers, aunts, friends and women everywhere that "mother" in their own way.
Happy Mothers Day to all 'Mothers' everywhere.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Kay's rite of Passage
There is seemingly nothing more talked about in kiddom as the time one looses his or her first tooth. This loss triggers the beginning of a new chapter in a child's life and helps prepare them for the tough world out there.
Kay has been waiting patiently as Jimmy has lost 7 teeth and finally last week she joined the elite group of kids whom have lost a tooth. The amazing thing about losing your first tooth, is it triggers your gums to let go and many more teeth are suddenly loose, kids you have to love them :)
Presenting Kay Marie Jeon Murphy and her first lost tooth!
