Happy Hanukkah!

Sam plays basketball at school nearly everyday at recess. The kindergärtners have "a team" and the usually play against the first and second graders. Now Sam can practice with a full size ball after school as well.

First Week of K was a-okay!

Sammy's first week of kindergarten was better than any of us could have imagined or hoped for. Sam loves his new school, likes his teachers, and has made many new friends already. He is asking to stay later each day at kids club to play with the other kids and do the fun activities that they plan. It's a great experience to just walk his a few blocks to school instead of driving across town and he's already made some new neighborhood friends. Yay for a great first week of school!

Yay: The First Day of K

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for my sweet Sam.

Go Terps!

It says, "Maryland. M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D." Yay, Terps! Thanks, Auntie Betsy!

The Peanut Song

This week Sam sang us a new song that he learned at school.

Now, once more with feeling!

When Sam first sang this, I laughed. He asked why I thought it was a funny song. I explained that I thought it was pretty funny that the peanut got smushed and turned into peanut butter. He was shocked--shocked, I tell you. He explained the song to me: "The peanut is sitting in the middle of the track. The people on the train smell him when they're coming and think it is peanut butter. They drive over the peanut who does not get smushed because he's so little and then the people are sad because they have no peanut butter." "Oh," I say, "I guess I misunderstood the song."

What I Did on My Summer Staycation

Well we didn't get a summer vacation per se this year, but Sam and I took a long weekend trip to Maryland and then we had the last week in August mostly off from work and school. I had to go in one day for a presentation and Sam (and his parents) went to school one evening for Back to School Meet the Teacher night. My presentation went well, but Sam was sad to find out that 3 of his 4 best friends were assigned to the other pre-K classroom. He gets to see them during outside playtime and in the late afternoons, but he's still confused and stressed by the situation. On the other hand, we had a great time during our free time together. Emma came to visit for part of the week and we all played the part of Seattle tourists. Here's a recap of the week.

I've already written about our trip to Mount Rainier.

On Monday, Sam and I took the bus down to the Seattle Center to visit the Children's Museum. Unfortunately the museum was unbearably crowded, so Sam negotiated a stop at the carnival rides instead. He frequented the airplane ride and the 2 bouncy slides.

We also went to the Seattle Aquarium, where Sam and Emily were fascinated by the sea otters, and we all got to see an octopus have his lunch. Sam was tickled by the machines that simulated waves in the tanks. And running around on the pier with a friend from school that we ran into.

On Thursday we took the ferry to Bainbridge Island. We started off the morning in downtown Winslow for breakfast then headed up to Fay Bainbridge State Park to walk on the beach and pick blackberries.

After a few clams "attacked us" Emily was determined to dig one up, which she accomplished after much effort.

We returned to Winslow for a bit of shopping and lunch. Best of all was dessert at Mora's. And my lovely yarn purchase from Churchmouse yarns. My first yummy Malabrigo.

On Friday we made it to the Ballard Locks. Sam and I are regulars, but it was Emily's first visit and she was rewarded with jumping salmon and the most enormous barge we've ever seen.

On Saturday, Ari was finally able to join our sightseeing and we made it the Arboretum and the Japanese Garden as I mentioned before. Sunday we took our last summer outing to Seward Park. We picked more blackberries and exhausted ourselves.

It was the best summer staycation ever.

First Day of School

Sharpen your pencils and pick out your lunchbox; today is the first back to school. Okay, I don't know if they actually use pencils in Pre-K since I've only seen crayons and markers. And of course, this mom does not subscribe to the disposable lunch box philosophy, so Sam is using the same "No animals in here" peta bag from last year. But, the lazy days of summer camp are over and the barely-more-than-a-week summer vacation has passed. Time for a new classroom, new teachers, and new friends.

Serious face
Goofy Smile Besides his lunchbox and snack, Ari and Sam were packed up with classroom supplies (tissues and baggies and such), our "homework" describing our family, family photos, the rest-time (not nap-time) blanket and stuffed animal (guess who?), and emergency kit. Did you know that kids now need to take an emergency kit with them to school? At least they do in the potential big-one area of Seattle. The kit consists of water and blanket provided by the school, and an oversized sweatsuit, underwear, mittens, knit hat, a day's worth of food, a comforting note and family picture provided by the parents. Knit hat? I'm all over that! So, I packed up this hand-knit hat, a warm brown number I knit last winter. It won't have any more cold seasons left (at least fitting Sam) by the time the kit is retired at the end of next summer. Here's hoping Sam never wears this hand-knit hat again. Sigh.

This Land is Our Land

Yesterday evening we were frustrated that Sam would not share the details of what he does and what he learns at school each day. Today he came home and told us he learned a new song. Hallelujah!



And now here's the remix version. Enjoy!