School Days – Page 2 – Sarah's Journal

Anna’s First Field Trip

Sarah Anna, Firsts, School Days October 6, 2011October 7, 2011

One of the advantages of sending Anna to the same preschool as Carolyn is that she gets to do all the same fun things! So today was Anna’s first field trip, just like Carolyn’s four years ago. Anna was pretty upset when we got to the farm, because she “wanted to go to school today!” Luckily, that wore off quickly, and she had a fabulous time.

20111006_stokoe_farms2 — Anna in the pumpkins.

20111006_stokoe_farms1 — Riding a bunny "train" car (hooked to a tractor).

20111006_stokoe_farms3 — Holding a baby chick.

20111006_stokoe_farms4 — Giddyup, big wooden horse!

She also really enjoyed trying to feed the animals in the little petting zoo. I say “trying” because she tried to feed them like she gives treats to the dogs: hold it out in your hand and then chicken out at the last second and drop it on the ground in front of them. Too bad, because the goat and sheep had such soft tickly muzzles and tongues. I want to go back just for the petting zoo!

Get Acquainted Night

Sarah Carolyn, School Days September 29, 2011October 7, 2011

Tonight was the get acquainted/curriculum night for Carolyn’s 2/3 classroom. It was great to see what she’s been working on, and how her classroom works. All the kids have jobs, which they had to write a letter of application to get. Carolyn is one of the class librarians – which makes sense considering her love of reading! (My jaw dropped when I saw the collection of chapter books they have in the classroom. I thought we had a lot at home!)

The class ran through a mock morning meeting for us and then sang a song they had all written together. All in all, it seems like a really fun, dynamic classroom and the science units they’re going to be covering in the next few months sound really neat: magnets, electromagnets, electrical systems, the solar system, ecosystems, skeletal and circulatory systems…the theme this year is “Working Together”, to tie into all the systems!

I’m looking forward to another great couple of years of multi-age for Carolyn!

20110929_about_carolyn — All About Carolyn

Smile Potato Bento

Sarah Food, School Days September 22, 2011September 27, 2011Bento

OK, so smile potatoes aren’t the healthiest food out there, but they really can’t help but make you smile…

20110922_smile_bento — Smile for the camera!

…especially when they make such cute leftover bentos! Also, mini sandwich thins are about the best invention ever – the girls both adore mini foods. If it has “mini” in the name they are far more likely to eat it. Mini apples, mini pears, mini bagels…most of what I buy at the store lately is “mini”!

Also, my little bento sandwich person makes me think of the drawings on this parenting blog. So very true, all of what she writes about!

What grade did you learn this stuff in?!?

Sarah Carolyn, School Days September 20, 2011September 27, 2011

Carolyn came home today and told me about a math problem she had to do in school:

x + y = 10
y = 4
x + x = 12
x = ?

I can’t say for certain, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t doing this kind of math until at least 7th grade…

First Day of Preschool

Sarah Anna, Firsts, School Days September 13, 2011September 15, 2011

Anna was so very ready to start school that she was beside herself with excitement this morning!

20110913_anna_first_day1 — Sisters ready for school.

20110913_anna_first_day6 — Now a funny face, mama!

20110913_anna_first_day5 — Reading a book and ignoring the camera...

After we put Carolyn on the bus and I managed to drink a little coffee, we headed down to the school and waited for them to open up the doors.

20110913_anna_first_day2 — Anna picked out the penguin backpack.

Anna showed her teachers the little treasures she brought with her in her backpack, then made a beeline for the Mr. Potato Head set they had out. She barely looked up when I said “bye”.

20110913_anna_first_day4 — Oh, yeah, bye mom!

Her favorite parts were apparently snack and the playroom. Is it just my two girls that think lunch/snack & recess are the best parts of school?

Meet the Teachers

Sarah Firsts, Growing Up, School Days September 8, 2011September 15, 2011

Anna got to go to her preschool today and meet her teachers!

20110908_meeting_teachers1 — Hooray for preschool!

20110908_meeting_teachers2 — So little...and yet, so big!

She was a tiny bit shy at first, but then warmed up pretty quickly.

20110908_meeting_teachers3 — Sitting in the teacher's chair already...

She apparently thought she needed to show off every bit of knowledge she’s already stored up, as she walked around the room pointing out various things that had her name on them (her star for circle time, her nametag for her seat, her coat hook, etc.) and counting aloud all the numbers she saw. Then, instead of building a tower out of the alphabet blocks as she was instructed to, she lined them up in alphabetical order.

20110908_meeting_teachers4 — Oh, it's an "O"!

I really hope her teachers didn’t think I coached her to do all that…

The Return of the Bento

Sarah Food, School Days September 7, 2011September 15, 2011Bento

Carolyn was going to buy for her first day. But when I mentioned that I would make her “back to school” bento the second day, then, she changed her mind.

20110906_bento — A back-to-school bento.

I’m out of practice, a bit, so I packed this one the night before. (All but the cookies – I added those in first thing in the morning so they wouldn’t get soggy in the fridge.) Her lunch time this year isn’t until 1PM, so nearly every bit of this was eaten, and for the first time since she started all day school she didn’t eat everything that wasn’t nailed down the second she walked in the door!

First Day of Second Grade

Sarah Firsts, School Days September 6, 2011September 15, 2011

New year, new teacher, new ‘do:

Carolyn wanted to wear a million little braids to school, so we settled on a slightly smaller number (*only* 18) and got up early to do it this morning.

20110906_first_day_carolyn4 — Lots of braids!

It was a tad bit chilly waiting for the bus!

But she is definitely all smiles and ready to meet new friends and face new challenges!

Anna, on the other hand…when the bus left, she grabbed my hand and started pulling me to the car, saying “OK, now it’s time to drive me to preschool!” She was so crestfallen when she realized she doesn’t get to start until next Tuesday…poor girl!

20110906_first_day_carolyn6 — Watch out for flying pigtails!

It didn’t take her too long to cheer up, though, and by the time we were waiting for the afternoon bus she was dancing around with her pigtails flying!

Newly Minted 2nd Grader

Sarah Carolyn, School Days June 23, 2011

Carolyn came home with a backpack stuffed with stuff and a shirt covered with her classmates’ handprints. Let summer vacation begin!

My Mad (but rusty) Bento Skillz

Sarah Food, School Days June 22, 2011Bento

It’s the last week of school, which means “Cook’s Choice” for the whole week on the lunch menu. “Cook’s Choice” (aka whatever’s left in the bottom of the fridge) is not a friendly sounding thing to a somewhat picky eater, so Carolyn has been bringing her lunch all week.

This morning at 8:05 (the bus comes at 8:27) I got out all the sandwich makings and said “Sunbutter and honey, right?” and got a face. I tried again, “Ham?” and got another face. So I said, “All right, what do you want for lunch??” “Can I have a lunch without a sandwich?” “What do you mean, a lunch without a sandwich?” “Like you used to make, with lots of different things but no sandwich, remember?” Errr…it’s 8:09 AM, the bus comes in 18 minutes, and you want me to make a bento?!? After not wanting a bento lunch since last October…? Oh, sure, why not?

June 22, 2011 Bento — A tomato flower bento

Not bad, considering how out-of-practice I am and how very little time I had to stand in front of the fridge and figure out what on earth could go in a bento and form a complete-ish meal!