Lamentations of a Drama Queen

Last night, was the Drama Camp show. The kids sang and danced to So Long, Farewell; Be Kind to Your Parents; and You're Never Fully Dressed without a Smile. They danced to One Short Day. Abby was a selfish stepsister in a skit. She did a great job. She said her lines loudly and with emotion. When she realized the microphone was too high she had the presence of mind to adjust it so that she could be heard. In her scene she was arguing with her 'sister'--all those arguments with Andrew likely added to her technique! I was really proud of her stage presence, thinking back on all those times she hid behind my skirts!

Abby loved drama camp. She loved everything about drama camp. She loved her friends. She loved the counselors. She loved the director and his wife. This morning she has been lamenting it's end... "I miss drama camp!"

Drama Camp, VBS, and a Fun Night with Friends

It has been a busy week. Abby had drama camp this week from 9:00-noon; Andrew had VBS (9:15-noon). Andrew enjoyed VBS. Abby loved, loved, loved drama camp. She wants to do it next year. She wishes it went until school resumes in August. Drama camp is the best!

Last night, we had dinner with another couple from the Grammar School. Dad is a pastor in Naperville and is an Aussie. Their older two children are classmates of Abby's and Andrew's. The Little's children were playing and then went to get their friends who lived next door--two boys, ages 8 and 6. Turns out the family is Korean-American, and Andrew and the 6 year old, Jeffrey, became fast friends. Within 10 minutes they were exchanging phone numbers. It was too cute, and it was wonderful for Andrew to have another Korean-American playmate.

Pedalling around Wheaton

I mentioned a month or so ago that I received a new bicycle for Christmas. It's considered a hybrid road/recreational bike; the model is a Giant Cyress. I really, really, really, really like my new bike.

It's become my commute to work. I ride it to the library. I ride to Jewel to get small grocery purchases. Last night, we rode as a family to Northside pool. I find riding my bike to be restful and relaxing. Normally, I exercise because I know I should, not because I enjoy it. (I enjoy the books I read while I'm on the treadmill at the gym!) But I am thoroughly enjoying my new bike.

In the same vein, Abby has been outgrowing her 20" bike. As a rule, children's 20" bikes have coaster (pedal) brakes and one hand brake. She got her early birthday gift--a new bike--this week. We debated between a 24" and a 26" bike. Both looked good, though the 26" looked a bit like too much bike for her right now. The final cost-benefit analysis came down to a new bike is less expensive than a trip to the emergency room and the 24" bike won.

At 24", children's bikes have hand brakes only and gears. Abby also got a new bike helmet as she gets used to those new brakes!

First day at the pool!

Today was our first day at the pool for 2007! It was a great pool day--87 degrees--and we saw lots of our friends there! In the interest of keeping those friendships, there are no pictures of mom's in swimsuits!

Andrew went down the waterslides a few times today. Abby states that this is the year that she is going to jump off the high dive!

Our neighbor, Katherine, has recently returned from her study abroad experience in Indonesia during her sophomore year of high school. Abby and Andrew are very excited to have her home, and even more excited at the prospect of her babysitting tonight. So Katherine agreed to watch the kids while Steve and I had a ***date***! We went to our favorite Wheaton restaurant, Emilio's, and used the Christmas gift certificate from my brother and sister-in-law--- thank you, David and Peggy! We then topped off our date by a "kid-free" trip to the library!

Saturday, Abby and I went to the local violin store--who knew there was such a place--and got Abby fitted for her first violin. It's a quarter size, though the woman thought she'd be up to a half size violin within 6 months or so. Since we're renting the instrument at this point, we'll just swap the instrument when Abby needs the larger size. Here she is preparing for her first lesson tomorrow...

Sad Day...

Today was a sad day. It was the last day of school for the school year. Abby has been ruing this day for the past few weeks. I asked her why she was sooooo sad about school ending. Her answers?
"1. This will be the last time in my life I'll ever get two recesses". (Fourth graders only get one recess).
2. I'll miss Mrs. Johnson, my teacher."

Of course, the third week of school last September Abby came home and announced, "I want to stay in third grade for the rest of my life!" Sadly, third grade has ended, and fourth is around the corner.

Although her 4th marking period wasn't quite so good as the others, we've still been very pleased with her progress this year. We'll be working on reading and math this summer.

Abby was also assessed for her aptitude for the school's instrumental program. They assessed all the children, but sent results home to those who indicated interest. Abby is interested in playing the violin, and her test results were very good. So we may begin her in violin this summer. We'll see how it goes.

Andrew continued to do well in kindergarten, though that bug-a-boo subject, shoe-tying, continues to be his nemesis. Isn't that why they make velcro? But, hey, he's good at t-ball! He's also doing well sounding out words and reading level 1 and early level 2 books.

Nice weekend and a cold

This weekend I did something I haven't done in 9 years... I took a day off from the children and went down to Quincy to see my friend, Linda. It was girl's day out... we had lunch at Panera Bread (yes, Panera in Quincy!), toured the town to see the new construction (which included a Best Buy, a Country Inn, a Lowe's and Home Depot, a Kohl's, Old Navy, and TJ Maxx. Quincy is becoming quite the retail empire!

We also went out to Payson, Illinois to check on Linda's mother-in-law and feed the llamas. The Mayfields have 25 llamas in their herd, and they show the llamas. Here I am feeding a llama! They're pretty tame, and most would eat from your hand. Interestingly, llamas don't have any bottom teeth, so they just kind of nuzzle when they grab the food from your hand and don't bite!

After a quick dinner with Linda and Brian in their home, I caught the 5:30 train back to Naperville and was back in Chicagoland by 9:00 pm.

Unfortunately, my cold arrived today with a vengence. I've been fighting it for a few days, but today has just been nasty. So after a few errands with the children, I've laid pretty low.

The children swam today at the O'Dells who have put a small, above ground pool in their backyard and then were invited to the Thomas' this evening for s'mores. Abby was attacked by an exploding stay-puff marshmallow, and Andrew became the mashmallow Ninja!