4th grade math

Well, more reasons to like Jacob's school - he's been advanced a grade in math!

It started when we had parent teacher conferences the other week and I asked Jacob if there was anything I should talk with Mrs. Thomas about.  He said that he wanted me to talk to her about 4th grade math.  His class is a 3/4 split, and there were a few third graders who do math with the 4th graders; and a few 2nd graders who come in for 3rd grade math.

So, we did bring it up and his teacher thought it was a good idea.  So, she gave him the 4th grade beginning of the year inventory test, and other than geometry, he did pretty well.

Once he actually passed the test and was granted the ability to move into 4th grade math; Jacob got cold feet.  He was concerned that all his friends would be in 3rd grade math (omg, so worried about peer pressure with this one) and wanted a few days "to think about it."  So, we didn't say much and gave him a day to ponder it, after which he was 70% sure he wanted to be in 4th grade math.  But on the morning that he needed to decide, he was still waffling.

So, I gave him a strong mom-nudge; explaining how he would get to be a grade ahead from now on, it was an opportunity not available to him at his old school, and all the other wonderful things that will come along with getting ahead in math.  Long pause..... "Ok, I'll do it."

And then I sent the e-mail off to his teacher before he had the chance to change his mind... lol.

Exciting weekend - part 2

Saturday night was the annual e.a.t.s. fundraiser at UW Fox Valley.  Brian cooked pork (he posted pics on facebook).  People seemed to really like it.  And since our babysitter's mom is in charge of the event - we got free babysitting too (clearly we should have stayed out later).

On Sunday, Jacob was invited out to go fishing with our friends / former colleagues who live on the Wolf River.  He was sooooooo excited.

Getting the minnows out of the holding tank

Heading off on the river

While they were fishing, Allison and I went to check out the local nature center (Mosquito Hill..... clearly a marketing specialist was not involved in the naming decision).  But, it was very cool!

She wanted a picture with the bobcat, her school mascot.

She looks so old!

Enjoying the window seat.

We watched the boat motor up the river and then drift down a few times.  The catch was pretty good!

A total of 3 crappie and 7 walleye

We weren't able to cook them up Sunday night, but we fried the walleye on Monday and it was awesome.

Jacob really liked eating the fish and even Allison liked it (wasn't really able to provide a good reason why fish is still OK for vegetarians, but Allison deemed it flexitarian food).  Jacob said it was his third favorite food and if you added lemon it was his second favorite food ever.

Exciting weekend - part 1

It was a busy weekend.  It began with the last outdoor soccer game.  These are actually pics from last week.  If I would show pics from this week, the boys would all be in hats and long pants.  It was not warm.  Jacob did score one of the two goals and assisted on the other (via a corner kick).  I'll admit that playing soccer nearly year-round has improved his game.  He did choose baseball over spring soccer next year, though.

Jacob's team finished 3rd of 4 teams.  They were tied with second place team, but they played them yesterday and lost.  Generally, I thought all the teams were pretty evenly matched.  The games they lost were close and a lot of the teams had ties.  

After soccer, we went "Scouting for Food," which was picking up the bags that we distributed last week and taking the food to the food pantry.  Once we dropped them off, we got a hot lunch compliments of the food pantry (all the scouts in the city who participated did).  So we sat and ate a hot dog, chips, and cookie.  We did not see any of the kids from his pack, but did see 6 other boys he knew from various events (school, soccer, baseball, etc).

In the afternoon, I took the kids out to the pumpkin patch with the boy scout pack.  The rule was that the kids had to carry their pumpkins themselves.

Jacob displaying his pumpkin

Allison stretching her muscles before lifting hers.  Jacob said he would "help her" which apparently consisted of staring at the pumpkin that Allison picked out.

Success!

Health food?

So, I think we're mastering the art of making healthy food less healthy - but then eating it as though it's still good for us.

On Friday, Jacob and I picked some apples from the tree in the backyard... then we battered and fried them.  Yum.

(they are supposed to look like donuts)

Then Saturday, it was Allison's turn when we took an organically grown zucchini and made double chocolate zucchini mini-muffins (that's chocolate zucchini muffins with chocolate chips added).  When you make mini-muffins, you can make 70 of them!

A walk in the woods

Realized there haven't been many pictures lately... so these were from our hike on Sunday to enjoy the beginning of fall color.

Taking the boardwalk at 1000 Islands to get to...

which looks totally like a scene painted by that guy on PBS with the "happy little trees."

 Jacob caught a grasshopper, and I really think it looks semi-amused in this photo:

Brian and Jacob perfecting their synchronized rock stepping, and meanwhile Allison found the "perfect" rock to throw into the river (with flourish!)

Friday

What, wait?  It's Friday?

We're waiting a few minutes to take Jacob to a birthday party for an old friend from preschool.  Meanwhile, I think his other old friends from his former elementary school are doing stuff without him.  I suppose it's the inevitable result of going to a different school.  You will move on, and so will other people.  He stays connected through soccer and scouts and the boys on the street - but it's not the same as seeing everyone every day.  He has made a nice new group of buds at his new school, though.

Allison is going to start cheerleading.  Yeah.... lol.  They are starting a new special needs cheerleading "team" where the kids will learn routines and perform in the competitions, but they will be with older buddies to help them.  She's excited about being just like the Monster High Fearleaders.  Anyway, did I make a post about cutting back activities?  Yeah, that was totally before we got our homebody to want to do something.

I guess as a plus, Jacob's soccer will drop from two nights per week to one night per week.  Though that change was tempered somewhat by the new and enthusiastic (!!!) scout leaders.  They have a lot planned.

BTW - anyone need any overpriced popcorn?  Just think of it as a donation to scouting.....

Fall is arriving with a high temp Sunday of 55 degrees.  Tomorrow's soccer game in the predicted rain should be F.U.N.  Don't have big plans for the weekend.  Can't believe it's October.  Sigh.