School Rules

I am kind.

I listen and raise my hand.

I keep my hands and feet to myself.

I work and play quietly in the room.

I have my name on all my things.

I will be on time.

I will get on the right bus.

I will line up and wait patiently outside my classroom.

I will not bring my dog on school grounds.

I will report to the office if I'm late and have a note from my parents.

I will bring home lots of forms for my parents to fill out.

I won't ride my bike to school until I'm 9, even if my parents are with me.

I will take my medicine before school.

I will play by game rules and choose referees before the start of games.

I will play tag only in the field.  

I won't chew gum.

I won't climb on the outside of the play structure or on top of the monkey bars. 

I will slide feet first.

I will only run in the field.

I will not dig in the field.

I won't pick up sticks.

I will not call names.  

Be responsible.

Respect yourself.

Respect all property.

Respect other students and all staff.

Respect school community and playground expectations.

Stay on school grounds during school hours and observe defined boundaries.

Do not bring gum, super balls, hard or soft baseballs, trading cards, toy guns, pocket knives, lighters or matches to school.

Electronic devices of any kind are not allowed.

Umbrellas are permitted when used safely.

Students are expected to dress for the weather. 

Use only the main building restroom during recess.  Obtain a pass from playground teacher first.

Students must possess an office/hall pass to be in the main building.

Tackle football, playing tag on climbing equipment, "play" fighting, rough play are not permitted.

No sexual harassment.

So, Joel has read and understood all the rules and has signed his name to them.  Right after he finished his thesis on migratory centipedes.  Did I mention he's 5?

My Apologies

While I was looking for school supplies at Walmart tonight, I didn't say "hi!"  I was very tired.  It was a long day filled with errands, new routines, a sick dog, swim lessons, forms to fill out, and a lot of whining, arguing, and disappointment.  Yeah, you're probably too tired now to read further.  Follow your instincts.  

Once I found a parking spot, I kept my head pretty much focused on finding a plastic box, some slippers, and a backpack.  I had my handy shopping bag so that I wouldn't have to lug around a cart or basket that might slow me down.  I'm sorry for not making eye contact.  I was just making sure I had enough time budgeted to stand in line at checkout.

I know you were there, because everyone was.  Who wasn't?  Who knew?  I've never seen Walmart the night before school starts.  I didn't know that we were all supposed to be there.  That if you live within 60 miles of Seattle, you'd be there.  But since I'm sure you were there, I felt guilty for not saying "hi" and for trying to avoid you.  I was afraid you'd slow me down, and I'd get sucked into a vortex of cranky shoppers with sharp pens, scissors, glue sticks, hand sanitizer, and snacks.  I might have become possessed by desperation and "oh, they're out of pink erasers!" defeatism.  So, I just pretended not to see you.  

I'm sorry.  I'll catch up with you tomorrow, after the kids are in school, with their supplies, and snacks, and new slippers, and I've had a shower.

Happy Birthday Pa!

We had a lovely dinner.  

The best part of it was blowing our diet on blackberry cobbler!

I used to be an INFP.

Now I'm an INFJ.  I didn't see the breakdown on my scores, but maybe I'm teetering on the middle.  Anyway, I love to read summaries of my so-called personality in a lengthy, nice description that sounds better than I am.  It's as if by taking a test, someone out there now knows me better than I know myself, and I suddenly have an instant soulmate.

Mush Me

Jamie:  "I'm afraid there's going to be a poopoo on the ground and the poopoo's going to mush me."  Said as an excuse to ask me to pull the other lawn chair over beside me for him.

Ready to swim

We took Jamie to the pool yesterday.  He picked up some skills right away, which is encouraging me to get him some lessons.  "Why swim lessons?" you might ask since I used to teach lessons myself?  Good question.  Could it be that the cost of buying myself a new swimsuit would cover 8 weeks of swim lessons?  Could it be because there's not a pool around with enough uncrowded public swim time?  Maybe I lack the confidence that two little brothers would learn much of anything from their mother?  

Nevertheless, if Jamie wants to go swimming and can put on his swimsuit by himself, what am I going to do?  Discourage him and point out it's on inside out?  

It's killing me not to have good access to a pool for the kids.  I was so spoiled with it when I was young.  

Sweethearts

Yesterday, Joel said he thought we needed to do some work for Jesus before we could see him again.  He decided we need to get big, black trash bags and go fill them up with trash from the whole world and bring them home with us and put in our trash cans.  Then he decided that we needed to share some of Jesus' love with others and that we should make cookies and take them to people.  

So, today was Sunday, and we shouldn't be working on the Sabbath, so the trash will wait until Monday.  But the cookies, we could make on Sunday.  I consider that work, but I don't think Heavenly Father nor most people do.  So, we only finished 10.  If you're one of the lucky 10 people we visit tomorrow, be prepared for some sweethearts.