Friends

It's better than a "No Girls Allowed" sign!

 

Translation: "Warning only James and stuffed friends"

 

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Making faces

 

 

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Dear Diary

James' diary was short-lived but fascinating!

 

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Technology

I didn't think I'd be texting James already, at eight years old. He doesn't have a phone (yet) but his iPod makes it possible to text to other iPods and iPhones.

So I like sending him random "I love you" messages or things to tell his Dad when they're downstairs in the Man Cave.

 

I really did LOL! (Laugh out loud)

 

James is also pretty handy online. He likes visiting coolmathgames.com or using Khan Academy, a math website.

Learning about money here- en español!

 

 

James and his Dad are also exploring coding. I'm not quite sure what that's about- I leave that to Jim :)

 

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Thief

Self-imposed timeout after I caught him sneaking and eating a mint Oreo cookie from the pantry. I heard the rustlings, ask for a hug, smelled the cookie, and asked what was in his pocket. Poor little guy couldn't even lie-- just hung his head down. #eatyourdinner

 

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Challenge

This goes a bit back but I forgot about this video gem.

Tia ChaCha and James had a back-and-forth challenge going on and this is a compilation of his efforts to best his Tia.

 

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Basketball camp

James had a week of Basketball camp in July. I was very glad that he was willing to try. So far he's been more of an individual sport kid, so this was his first big kid team sport. (He did t-ball as a 4 year old but he probably doesn't remember that!)

Half days for one week. I would come to pick him up each day and he'd excitedly show me how he can run and dribble, how he can pass the ball, etc.

 

On the second day he was noticeably sweaty and tired! But so handsome :)

He received this bright tshirt and his very own Skyhawks b-ball!

 

 

On the third day I found them doing lay ups.

 

 

Group ending.

 

Parents were invited on the last day to watch them play "a game". His age level didn't play a game but really just practiced their drills. The other (older) groups were actually playing against each other.

I still cheered and supported James.

 

 

There was a tense moment when james' partner refused to do the drills with him. I was able to figure out from a distance it was because they both wanted to use their balls for their partnering. They ended up doing Rock Paper Scissors to find a compromise.

 

Back in business.

 

At the very end there was an awards ceremony. The kids clasped hands and made this bridge. James was the first one through and he was thrilled!

 

 

All week long we heard about Coach Buddy. At the end of each day I did see the extra support she was giving him. I asked James if we should get her a thank you gift. He immediately said "orange flowers!" I thought that could be difficult so red flowers were the second option.

I did find some and I brought them on the last day. James was ready to give them to Coach Buddy.

It was so sweet! First girl (besides his Mom) to get flowers from James!

 

 

 

And guess what? Coach Buddy told us that she just was hired at Woodcrest as the new gym teacher! I guess James has an automatic "A" now!

 

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Around town

Costco ice cream. You can't beat $1.35! (He doesn't finish it all. And I resist the leftovers.)

 

Playground stop.

"Whatcha lookin' at?!"

 

We attempted to 'ball.

 

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Early May shenanigans

A student gave me this mini May Day basket of flowers and candy.

 

I put a few more candies in it and put it on our front doorstep for James. As far he knows a neighbor was kind and left that for him.

 

Cuddle time and silly faces.

 

You can kinda see here that he has the two teeth way up in his gum line, the ones next to his top front teeth. Those teeth are above and over the baby teeth, one of which has fallen out now. The concern is that he will have moderate to severe crowding.

 

Silly.

 

James helped me try out a craft before I did it with students for Cinco de Mayo or Mother's Day (whichever they chose to celebrate). I did this craft with my Gay Straight Alliance group and of course they were rainbow colored flowers! Painting coffee filters...

 

For flowers!

 

One of my students was very creative and made his fancy. Love it!

 

Here are some shenanigans. James received this wind-up spider in a Happy Meal. He knew it would be perfect to scare his Dad! He hid it on his Dad's side of the bed (:

 

One weekend in May I went on a "scrapbooking weekend" at a rented cabin. I think this was just an excuse to hang out with my fun colleagues, be silly, and drink a little wine!

We ventured into Taylor's Falls to look around. Two people are missing from this picture.

 

There might have been some midnight strolls in creepy barns, and knocking on windows to scare the other girls. Silly "old" women!

 

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I don't know why...

I don't know why...

 

there was a naked boy running through my living room!

 

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Christmas Day 2013

My family doesn't mess around. Presents come first.

(But big thank you to my fellow throwdown chef, my sister Ana, for prepping the meal and dipping into the wine before my M-O-M and Larry arrived!)

 

James is super polite. He hugged and thanked each person after he opened each gift. I didn't even tell him to do that!

 

Oh no... Is that a regifted Gnome Chia Pet?

 

Tia Kiki and Tio Berto sent a present for James. It rained money! He was so thrilled! (Jim not so much the next day when he cut each bill out.. Ha!)

 

Those are $$$ hanging from the umbrella! James was so thrilled!

 

 

And then he got a small box full of money from Grandma and Grandpa. Good thing it was clearly labeled "For College!" And a wad from Uncle Rich and Tia ChaCha!

 

And a super large water gun? This kid wants for nothing!

 

Apps- cheese and meat plates, keeping with our French theme..

 

 

Coq au Vin for dinner. It might look like a mess on a plate but it was divine chicken and mushrooms cooked and soaked in wine!

 

After dinner we played a board game that Tia ChaCha and Uncle Rich gave to James. It was really fun! A lot of "would you rather..." questions, giving you a choice between two and guessing what the others would say. Also, some cards had some fun challenges, or dares.

 

James chose one of those cards and he opted to come up with his own challenge rather than what was suggested on the card. He is creative like that. But he had to think for a minute about what exactly he would do...

 

He chose to be wild and crazy and shout out to the world...!

 

That's how we roll!!

Merry Christmas to the Koldens and Hulletts! And to the Esteves family- far away but so close to our hearts! Awwwww...

 

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