Jacob is a constant stream of consciousness. Ever hear a kid say something and wonder - what made them think that? Never a problem with him. He'll lead you to the final thought - and you better be paying attention - there is honestly going to be a quiz.
Recent thoughts: "what if the McDonald's was invisible? Wouldn't it still be there then you just couldn't see it? Have you ever seen an invisible McDonald's?"
"This bridge is 100 high. I bet if there was a bridge in the ocean it would only be 1 high. I bet you would have to be small to fit under it."
"Have we ever been kayaking in Appleton?" Me: "Well, the first time remember we went in Lake Winnebago." Jacob: "Where is that exactly?" Me: "well, it's actually in Menasha" (note: city limit approximately 3 blocks from our house) Jacob: "I said have we ever been boating in APPLETON." Me: "I guess not." Jacob: "So, you were wrong the first time, huh mom?"
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Things I've learned about composting
Earlier this year, I built a compost bin out of scrap wood. It's pretty basic - a square box with open slat sides. It doesn't spin, turn, flip, or otherwise mix stuff. But I've been assured things will compost in it anyway. Even if we do nothing. That's my type of compost bin.
So, I was reflecting on things that I've learned since we started composting. I thought I'd share.
1) generally - the more of your meal waste can be composted - the healthier the meal.
2) old Cascade dish tab bins make great kitchen countertop receptacles for compost waste. They have wide tops and they snap shut to keep out fruit flies and keep in odors.
3) leaving waste in the countertop bin for too long makes it smell like vomit when you do dump it out - particularly if it contains onions. Coffee grounds smell good all the time.
4) coffee grounds contain lots of nitrogen. Nitrogen makes plants get "leafy" it does not necessarily make them bear more fruit.
5) compost shrinks!! Our bin is not big and we thought that we'd fill it up by June - which we did. But then suddenly it was only half full, and so we filled it up again. And then the same thing happened again. Cool.
6) An open compost bin does not attract that many bugs. Of course, there are flies and bees and the like - but they stay within about a 2 ft radius of the bin at any given time. Why leave - that's where the food is.
7) it doesn't smell out there (except in the case of #3).
8) you are supposed to also add newspaper. We don't do this enough.
9) I did once add fruity pebbles. They are still the color of highlighter markers several weeks later.
We'll see what it looks like in the spring when we spread it on the garden. Hopefully like nice black dirt.
So, I was reflecting on things that I've learned since we started composting. I thought I'd share.
1) generally - the more of your meal waste can be composted - the healthier the meal.
2) old Cascade dish tab bins make great kitchen countertop receptacles for compost waste. They have wide tops and they snap shut to keep out fruit flies and keep in odors.
3) leaving waste in the countertop bin for too long makes it smell like vomit when you do dump it out - particularly if it contains onions. Coffee grounds smell good all the time.
4) coffee grounds contain lots of nitrogen. Nitrogen makes plants get "leafy" it does not necessarily make them bear more fruit.
5) compost shrinks!! Our bin is not big and we thought that we'd fill it up by June - which we did. But then suddenly it was only half full, and so we filled it up again. And then the same thing happened again. Cool.
6) An open compost bin does not attract that many bugs. Of course, there are flies and bees and the like - but they stay within about a 2 ft radius of the bin at any given time. Why leave - that's where the food is.
7) it doesn't smell out there (except in the case of #3).
8) you are supposed to also add newspaper. We don't do this enough.
9) I did once add fruity pebbles. They are still the color of highlighter markers several weeks later.
We'll see what it looks like in the spring when we spread it on the garden. Hopefully like nice black dirt.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Soccer team
Saturday was picture day for Jacob's soccer. Let it be known - Jacob's parents are cheap. I did not want to pay the money for team and individual pictures when I can take them myself (and we bought the picture for soccer in the spring.)
There was one other parent who fell into the same category, but what I didn't know was that all the other kids signed up for individual pictures - so they got to take them but Jacob didn't. So here we go:
There was one other parent who fell into the same category, but what I didn't know was that all the other kids signed up for individual pictures - so they got to take them but Jacob didn't. So here we go:
Monday, September 20, 2010
Fun Run?
Friday night we went to the kids fun run with the Fox Cities Marathon. Fun might have been a stretch (at least for us parents by the end). The kids were very excited, though. It was at the minor league baseball stadium and the kids got to run around the infield.
The run was supposed to start at 6pm. At 6pm, they were filing people into the stands. They then had kids run around the field with a torch. Then they talked for a while about the sponsors. Then they had a mascot race. Then (6:15+) they started the toddler trot. The parents with toddlers couldn't get onto to the track because of the crowd. We were waiting in the stands - and getting impatient. Well, the kids were getting antsy:
Then finally (6:40 - maybe) they started the 1/4 mile kids run. TWELVE KIDS AT A TIME!! There were like 500 kids in the stands. OMG. We were near the top of the stands and so finally we snuck down another aisle - pushed through a crowd of older kids waiting for the 1/2 mile run - and gave them a shove out onto the track. Quite literally. Our friends Kim and Todd were there with their girls - Natalie and Gillian - so Kim and I went and sent all the kids together.
Then we made a mad dash to the other side of the stadium because the kids leave from 3rd base - run the stadium - and then exit at first base (they pass home plate area twice). We pulled them from the melee at the other side with their medals and left for dinner. 7:10pm.
Here are the kids with thier medals. They had fun. We will not be signing them up for that again next year, however. And yes - Allison ran in a dress
The run was supposed to start at 6pm. At 6pm, they were filing people into the stands. They then had kids run around the field with a torch. Then they talked for a while about the sponsors. Then they had a mascot race. Then (6:15+) they started the toddler trot. The parents with toddlers couldn't get onto to the track because of the crowd. We were waiting in the stands - and getting impatient. Well, the kids were getting antsy:
Then finally (6:40 - maybe) they started the 1/4 mile kids run. TWELVE KIDS AT A TIME!! There were like 500 kids in the stands. OMG. We were near the top of the stands and so finally we snuck down another aisle - pushed through a crowd of older kids waiting for the 1/2 mile run - and gave them a shove out onto the track. Quite literally. Our friends Kim and Todd were there with their girls - Natalie and Gillian - so Kim and I went and sent all the kids together.
Then we made a mad dash to the other side of the stadium because the kids leave from 3rd base - run the stadium - and then exit at first base (they pass home plate area twice). We pulled them from the melee at the other side with their medals and left for dinner. 7:10pm.
Here are the kids with thier medals. They had fun. We will not be signing them up for that again next year, however. And yes - Allison ran in a dress
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Fall Activities
Thursday nights are activity nights for the kids. Jacob has soccer practice and Allison has piano lessons. Actually, Allison started piano lessons today. We found a teacher who was recommended by several people and we were on her waiting list for the last 5 months. She seems very nice and Allison was excited enough that after school today she ate her snack, put her coat back on and grabbed her piano book without ANY nagging by me.
We're going to start with Suzuki method and see if that works for her. If not, we'll try traditional lessons. Allison did a good job - her lesson was basically learning the proper way to sit at the piano and then learning how to play a basic rhythm with each finger on her right hand. When she started to get distracted at the piano - her teacher had her sit and play a memory match game with music cards. She really liked it.
We went from piano to dinner to Jacob's soccer practice. His coaches have their hands full with some of those boys (K-1). Brian took him to the first game last weekend (in the rain - no pics) and his team won by a lot and also a fight broke out (Jacob was not involved). Jacob does love it, though. His team is the Galaxy and their color is gold - slightly more "manly" than pink.
During the practice, Allison and I spent our time trying to do three days worth of homework that she apparently hid in her desk rather than bring home. We got through about 1/3 of it. I'm just going to send a note showing what we've done and ask her teacher if she can finish it over the weekend. 6:30pm is not the ideal homework time for her.
Jacob, by the way, cannot wait for his first homework assignment to come home. The joys of kindergarten. He does love school. He likes his teacher, and he especially likes gym class and library.
We're going to start with Suzuki method and see if that works for her. If not, we'll try traditional lessons. Allison did a good job - her lesson was basically learning the proper way to sit at the piano and then learning how to play a basic rhythm with each finger on her right hand. When she started to get distracted at the piano - her teacher had her sit and play a memory match game with music cards. She really liked it.
We went from piano to dinner to Jacob's soccer practice. His coaches have their hands full with some of those boys (K-1). Brian took him to the first game last weekend (in the rain - no pics) and his team won by a lot and also a fight broke out (Jacob was not involved). Jacob does love it, though. His team is the Galaxy and their color is gold - slightly more "manly" than pink.
During the practice, Allison and I spent our time trying to do three days worth of homework that she apparently hid in her desk rather than bring home. We got through about 1/3 of it. I'm just going to send a note showing what we've done and ask her teacher if she can finish it over the weekend. 6:30pm is not the ideal homework time for her.
Jacob, by the way, cannot wait for his first homework assignment to come home. The joys of kindergarten. He does love school. He likes his teacher, and he especially likes gym class and library.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
What's up with spelling?
So, there is to be homework this year for Allison (last year, there wasn't much - math worksheets and reading books). There will also be spelling tests. Maybe.
The note that came home at parent night said that each Monday the students would write the spelling words in their notebooks and then the test would be Friday. I guess this also started on Day 1 (Wednesday). I think. Allison did not have any spelling words in her assignment notebook. She did have a few drawings of fairies. Thursday afternoon at pickup I was talking to the other moms and learned there were spelling words - though each kid had their own story. One did not bring home the notebook, but said there was a test. One wrote 1/2 the words. One had all the words and insisted there was a test.
Thursday night, Allison still had no words and was very vague on the possibility of a test. So I'm thinking that either (1) the teacher is waiting for the "natural consequence" of being unprepared for the test - thus leading the kids to "get with the program" so to speak in the next week or two, or (2) as part of Allison's IEP she's not participating in the spelling tests. I don't know. I DO know that being unprepared for a spelling test is NOT motivation for Allison and that she may struggle with spelling because she struggles with being able to visualize things that aren't there. So, hopefully, she doesn't fall too far behind before getting it.
It's also a tricky situation because I don't want to be that parent that steps in too soon or to inappropriately: "What! My kid missed one spelling list! Why didn't YOU write it down for her!"
On the other hand, I want to know what's going on (and Allison is particularly vague about what goes on at school). So I figure if she misses this coming week's spelling list too, I'll send an e-mail asking if she should have spelling words or not - and go from there.
I am impressed with how much her reading skills have improved this summer. For bed now - she's reading me books that have a couple paragraphs on each page. Pretty cool.
The note that came home at parent night said that each Monday the students would write the spelling words in their notebooks and then the test would be Friday. I guess this also started on Day 1 (Wednesday). I think. Allison did not have any spelling words in her assignment notebook. She did have a few drawings of fairies. Thursday afternoon at pickup I was talking to the other moms and learned there were spelling words - though each kid had their own story. One did not bring home the notebook, but said there was a test. One wrote 1/2 the words. One had all the words and insisted there was a test.
Thursday night, Allison still had no words and was very vague on the possibility of a test. So I'm thinking that either (1) the teacher is waiting for the "natural consequence" of being unprepared for the test - thus leading the kids to "get with the program" so to speak in the next week or two, or (2) as part of Allison's IEP she's not participating in the spelling tests. I don't know. I DO know that being unprepared for a spelling test is NOT motivation for Allison and that she may struggle with spelling because she struggles with being able to visualize things that aren't there. So, hopefully, she doesn't fall too far behind before getting it.
It's also a tricky situation because I don't want to be that parent that steps in too soon or to inappropriately: "What! My kid missed one spelling list! Why didn't YOU write it down for her!"
On the other hand, I want to know what's going on (and Allison is particularly vague about what goes on at school). So I figure if she misses this coming week's spelling list too, I'll send an e-mail asking if she should have spelling words or not - and go from there.
I am impressed with how much her reading skills have improved this summer. For bed now - she's reading me books that have a couple paragraphs on each page. Pretty cool.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Uno Pizza
On day 1 - the kids come home with fundraiser info. That's a whole post in an of itself. Like - Day 1? Really? Welcome to school! Here, go sell stuff!
And then the fundraisers themselves suck - Entertainment Books and Sally Foster gift certificates. The school sends home an Entertainment book that you are suggested to either buy or sell - but please don't return it. OK, but then they sent home TWO. One for each kid. And who wants a Sally Foster gift certificate?? Why can't I just donate $25? Which, I guess I could but now I'm annoyed with the PTO - so probably won't.
Then finally there was Market Day, which if you don't know what it is - it's kindof like Schwanns with a kickback to the schools. Frozen meals - whoo-hoo! Another way to give money to the school, and oh by the way, don't forget to save your boxtops.
Day 1. Day 1.....
Anyway, the second problem (other than me being annoyed) was that Jacob was very excited that he got "a coupon for a game of Uno" at school. He wanted to go get his Uno game on Wednesday afternoon. When we got home, I realized it wasn't a coupon for an Uno game, but a coupon for Uno's pizza - if you buy the Entertainment Guide. Jacob was very upset to hear this news. (why my 5-yr old doesn't know the name of what used to be my favorite pizza place is probably testament to how our eating habits have changed since we lived in Madison). So I promised him Uno Pizza on Friday (today) so that he could use his coupon, even though it means at least one full night of indigestion.
Luckily, Brian has a $25 gift certificate for Uno's that he got last year for being in a focus group, so we don't have to buy the Entertainment Guide. As much as I complained about the cost of spring soccer - at least you did have a fundraiser buyout option.
Next post - "To spell or not to spell" the question of spelling tests....
And then the fundraisers themselves suck - Entertainment Books and Sally Foster gift certificates. The school sends home an Entertainment book that you are suggested to either buy or sell - but please don't return it. OK, but then they sent home TWO. One for each kid. And who wants a Sally Foster gift certificate?? Why can't I just donate $25? Which, I guess I could but now I'm annoyed with the PTO - so probably won't.
Then finally there was Market Day, which if you don't know what it is - it's kindof like Schwanns with a kickback to the schools. Frozen meals - whoo-hoo! Another way to give money to the school, and oh by the way, don't forget to save your boxtops.
Day 1. Day 1.....
Anyway, the second problem (other than me being annoyed) was that Jacob was very excited that he got "a coupon for a game of Uno" at school. He wanted to go get his Uno game on Wednesday afternoon. When we got home, I realized it wasn't a coupon for an Uno game, but a coupon for Uno's pizza - if you buy the Entertainment Guide. Jacob was very upset to hear this news. (why my 5-yr old doesn't know the name of what used to be my favorite pizza place is probably testament to how our eating habits have changed since we lived in Madison). So I promised him Uno Pizza on Friday (today) so that he could use his coupon, even though it means at least one full night of indigestion.
Luckily, Brian has a $25 gift certificate for Uno's that he got last year for being in a focus group, so we don't have to buy the Entertainment Guide. As much as I complained about the cost of spring soccer - at least you did have a fundraiser buyout option.
Next post - "To spell or not to spell" the question of spelling tests....
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
First Day of School
Allison and Jacob went back to school today!
Allison is a Second Grader!
And Jacob is in Kindergarten!
Allison is a Second Grader!
And Jacob is in Kindergarten!
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