Friday Feature: Student of the Month

This school year has been going very well for both kids. They both love GT; they have teachers who inspire and excite them; and we've received only good behavior reports from their classrooms.

That's really no surprise for Caroline but this week, she was recognized for going above and beyond. Way to go, kiddo!!

From Summer to School Year

Another summer vacation come and gone, with a treasure trove of memories and pictures to remember how amazing it was! We spent this past weekend celebrating the end of summer with a special dinner out at a grown up restaurant, taking the kids to Vetro 1925 here in town for what was definitely their fanciest dinner experience with the parents to date:

Sunday was the last ditch effort at soaking up some sun; I took the kids to the pool for a couple of hours because that's what you do in the summer, right? Given yesterday was the last day it was open for the season (what happened to weekends until Labor Day?!), it seemed like the thing to do.

Last night, though, lights were out by 8:00, because today was the first day of school for the kiddos; back to Holcomb Elementary for another year of learning and growing.

By the end of the summer, I think most kids are ready for a new school year, with their bright new backpacks and shiny new sneakers, with the possibilities of renewing friendships and making new ones in their classrooms for the year. Summer vacation was cut short by one week thanks to the crazy number of snow days we had in the 2013-2014 school year, but we did our best to make every single day in the ten weeks of summer vacation count. I mean, really count.

There was, of course, the Great Western Adventure and the trip home to Houston that followed hot on its heels (so hot, in fact, I haven't had time to capture it in words, but hopefully one of these days I'll get to it!). There was the summer reading program, sessions at the Botanical Garden, and a few trips to the pool. There was church camp and tennis camp and swim lessons, and there were days to just hang out at home and play with stuffed animals, Hot Wheels, or ride bikes around the neighborhood.

There was the Coussoule Curriculum, scaled back this year to allow for travel but also to avoid the meltdowns that accompanied the plethora of worksheets from the year before. There weren't too many sibling squabbles that turned into full blown fights, but there was plenty of annoying-little-brotherness and know-it-all-big-sisterness to go around.

I know a lot of parents are 100%, fully ready for school to start by the time it rolls around every year. I'm appreciate our predictable routine during the school year, but unlike the last couple of summers, I'm not quite ready for the kids to have a firm 8 o'clock bedtime or for the dreaded hurry-up-and-eat-your-breakfast screaming match on the occasional morning.

Here it is, though, ready or not - and just like the long days of summer, we are going to make the most of every day of this school year.

Let's see whatcha got, second grade. Saddle up, fourth grade. The Coussoule kids are ready to take it on and make it count!

It's like Christmas in May - except outdoors, with lots of games, and no presents

FIELD DAY!!! Are there are any other two words in the English language that create more glee and giddiness in the hearts of elementary school kids everywhere? I'm careening toward 40, and to this day, I long for just one more opportunity to play tug o' war, earthball, and round-the-base races with my classmates. Coach Waskowitz, thank you for creating the spectacular funday at the end of the school year for all of us Theiss Tigers!!!

It thrills me no end that three decades later and one state over, field day is alive and well. And - cue the trumpets - today is THE DAY. Caroline and John have been anticipating the fun for months, counting down the days until the outdoor extravaganza. Ready to go to school, 20 minutes early this morning:

Now, as you would expect, things have changed. Somehow, field day is no longer a competition, replete with blue, red and white ribbons for the winners. There is no crowning of the class champion, and you can wear shorts any day of the year, not just that one awesome day in the Houston heat. Word on the street (if the street is our dinner table, that is) indicates there will be cotton candy and face painting, along with the games and races. I was relieved to hear there would be tug o' war - and hold out hope that it isn't some softened, watered down version where everybody wins.

There's a theme for the whole school:

And each class had to choose a tribe name, mascot, and create a flag. John's class name was one of the more creative, and apparently the art teacher did the graphic design work because nothing says kindergarten field day like the Night Zombies mascot with a black flag including a terrifying cartoon zombie:

Caroline's class was a little more sedate, though surprisingly non-politically correct with the whole cowboys and indians thing going on:

Apparently these cowboys and indians are going through a woman's midlife crisis, or are potentially from the 80s, based on the zebra print background.

Ultimately, though, field day is about FUN - it doesn't really matter if the activities at Holcomb are totally different than the activities at Theiss were. They are different than the everyday, classroom routine, and as much as anything else it is a harbinger of the summer fun just over the precipice of the last day of school.

Let the wild rumpus START!!

Sounds A Little Fishy To Me

After two years of attending Caroline's music programs, it was finally time for John's debut. The Holcomb kindergarten classes were ready to debut their spring program, "Sounds A Little Fishy To Me!"

We had received a note several weeks ago indicating John had a speaking part, and that he needed to practice his line: something along the lines of, "For the fish that never grims."

Grims? I just assumed it was a play on words, though the concept of "grim" felt a little off in a kindergarten music program. No matter - practice we did, and John was ready to go! The day of the program, there was a dress rehearsal for all of the other grades in the school. John apparently nailed his line - and also apparently got feedback from big sister that she was pretty sure it was supposed to be "the fish that never GRINS." Script editing, people! Stat! Good thing John is used to taking orders feedback easily from Big Sister.

Evening program started at 7:00, and the music makers needed to arrive by 6:45. As they were finishing up dinner I asked if John needed a costume. Nope - well, I mean, other than a beach shirt. And a beach towel. And sunglasses, if we have them. But that's not a costume.

Off to hunt for a "beach shirt" in the closet... I suggested several sleeveless shirts, all of which were pronounced not-beach shirts. Fine... we are officially at the age that they can pick their own clothes. Not the fight to pick. John apparently interpreted glow-in-the-dark-Spiderman as a beach shirt. The glasses and towel set it off well, I think.

Once we got to the cafeteria after drop off at the music room, I realized that getting there at 6:45 was apparently getting there late. We were in the back row. Seriously, people? What time did you get here? You know it's a kindergarten music program, right? Guess I'm not winning Mom of the Year...

Off we go, recorded music, lots of sweet little voices that sound like music with unintelligble words, but cute nonetheless.

With the edited script, John's line made sense, and he nailed it:

I'm still not 100% sure what context it was in, but whatever - he was speaking into a microphone and I could hear him. I win.

As we watched John throughout the program, there was a lot of body language that indicated he was just-not-that-into-it. A little bit of nose picking, lots of messing around with the sunglasses. Singing, yes, but not so much with the hand movements the other kids did as part of the songs. I think it's just not really his thing, but I hate to make assumptions, so on the way home I asked him what he thought.

Me: "John, did you like being in that program?"

Caroline: "Yes!!"

Me: "Let me ask John that question. John, did you like being in that program?"

John : "Um, I don't really know about it. Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom."

A star is born.