Open House

Late afternoon Jackson Elementary had Open House.  It is a time when all the students are invited to come to school, bring their school supplies and meet their teacher.  I saw a really cute gift on pinterest so the kids and I made them to give to their teachers.

We loaded up the backpacks and took the short walk to school!

We first went to Naomi's classroom.

She is truly a girl after my own heart and is SO excited for school to start.  Her teacher was super kind and she has some great kids in her class.  She was very excited to see things on the classroom calendar for her birthday!

Then it was on to Jacob's classroom!  He is going to have two teachers.  He spends the morning with his homeroom teacher and then he will switch classrooms and have his other subjects with the other 5th grade teacher.  We met them both and were so impressed with them.

We cut the last ring off the chain and tomorrow morning is the first day.

Micah started 7th grade today.  His teacher is the best I have ever seen!  Tomorrow morning we have orientation for him and his classes at Port Gardner.  This semester he is taking 7th grade math (I know when I have reached my limit), Middle School Block and Digital Photography.

Mohawk

Jacob has a best buddy and his name is Culver.  They are in the same grade and met when we started attending Port Gardner.  They met in Spanish class.  It seems like since the moment they met they have been stuck to each other like glue.

It is a blessing to me that Culver comes from a Christian home and I adore his mom and love their family.  When we moved from Marysville to Everett we moved really close to Culver.  It takes about 3 minutes in the car to get from our house to theirs.

Jacob and Culver have a lot of similar interests but different personalities.  They are good compliment to each other.  Jacob is crazy and Culver is more grounded.  As Jake's mom, it gives me great comfort to know that he has a friend is his corner that has his head screwed on right.  And Culver's mom appreciates that Jacob helps Culver be silly.

They spend a lot of time together.  It was really hard when we felt God prompting us to have Jacob change schools.  I met with Culver's mom and she encouraged me to follow God's call and we both committed to fostering the boys friendship and to be intentional at getting them together often.  It is easy when you have mutual place, like school, that you see each other every week. 

Jacob and Culver love soccer.  Two years ago they played on the same soccer team.  Then Jacob took a year off to try football.  This year he is playing soccer again and will be on the same team as Culver, as well as a couple of his other buddies from Port Gardner.

When Culver plays soccer he sports a mohawk.  So guess who wanted a mohawk too...Jacob.  So Darrick made it happen.  Here is the before picture.

And here is the after!

Wow! I was a bit shocked.  The sides have grown in a bit more now and I like it much better or maybe I am just getting use to it.

Here is Jacob and Culver at their soccer practice last Thursday.

A year of Growth

First Day of Kindergarten

Last Day of Kindergarten

First Day of 4th Grade

Last Day of 4th Grade

First Day of 6th Grade

Last Day of 6th Grade

Catching up

Our Internet went cuckoo last week and it would not work properly.  They could not send a technician out until Friday.  So now that it is fixed and we are back online I will catch you up on our week last week!

Tuesday I had another ultrasound.  The doctor wanted to check on things and see if there have been any changes.  First they did it from the outside then there was a special wand that had to be inserted, I will let you figure out where, and they also took pictures that way.  I also went to the produce stand and bought all this for only $33!

Wednesday  We attended Naomi's Kindergarten Potluck at Forest Park.  We brought an awesome salad from out garden.  We were able to meet some new families.  But the highlight was meeting a mom who had great dreadlocks in her hair.  I felt a bit nervous, wondering what she would think of Naomi's dreads.  But she said they looked great!  Another bonus was that she does dreadlocks professionally.  So I got her card and she said we could connect.  I have been doing my best by watching You Tube Videos but it will be so great to have some one on one lessons!

Thursday  We attended Micah's Open House at Port Gardner.  He had some cool projects that he worked on in his classes.  In his Middle School Block Class they studied Medieval Times and in his Science Class they studied Populations and Ecosystems.  Some of the projects below are his own and some he worked on in a group.

Comic Micah made about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Shield he made that represent him

What his group knew about Medieval times before they studied it

What his group knew about Medieval times after they studied it

Micah's Illuminated Manuscript

His Group's Medieval Manor

Food Web of Mono Lake

Micah's Self sustaining Ecosystem

 

 

 

Cheetos Hair

 A few weeks ago we had Field Day at Port Gardner.  It is a carnival like event to celebrate the end of the year.  Every year there is a booth where the kids can get their hair sprayed.  It has never been much of an issue before, but this year since Naomi has dreadlocks I wasn't so sure it would be a good idea.  I am in charge of Field Day so Darrick was on Naomi duty.  I told Darrick to have them spray it lightly.

Well as you can see from the picture, that did not happen.  While Naomi was getting her hair sprayed, Darrick was sitting on the bleachers talking to his buddy Eric...no comment...

With the dreadlocks and orange spray she picked, it looked like she had Cheetos all over her head.  Disaster...

But thankfully it just took a few shampoos to get it out.  Then it took 5 hours the next day to re tighten the dreadlocks.  Oh well what can you do?

End of the Year Open House

Jacob's Pottery

 Last Thursday we went to the Boys Open House at Port Gardner.  This semester the classes they took were: Pottery, Environmental Science, Environmental Art and Lewis & Clark.  It was fun seeing all the hard work they had done.  We also had a table displaying some of the work we have done at home.

Micah's Pottery

Micah Lewis & Clark

Jacob Lewis & Clark

Jacob's Report on Seaman for Lewis & Clark

Micah's Keel Boat report for Lewis & Clark

Jacob's woodpile painting from Environmental Art

Micah's woodpile painting from Environmental Art

Environmental Art: Recycled Art Flower, Leaf Cards, Candle Holders, Wax Candles

Micah's Environmental Art: Recycled Art Flower, Leaf Cards, Candle Holders, Wax Candles

Jacob Environmental Art Painting

Micah Environmental Art Painting

Micah Salmon Studies

Jacob Salmon Studies

Micah Native Plants Book

Jacob Native Plants Book

Micah's project we did at home: How engines work

Ford Engine Model he made

Lego Technics Car and Engine

Jacob's Biome Diorama and Biome Book

Posters about our chicks and the learning we did

Actual Size of the Keel Boat on Lewis & Clark Expedition-the boys helped make this