First day of school

How could I be such a terrible parent?? I didn't even take any first-day-of-school pictures!! Geez, I'm really falling down on the job. School started yesterday and both kids are very excited about the new school year.

I think they both have good teachers, although I hope M3 is challenged enough. I don't want her to slack because some things (reading and "language arts") come easily to her. We'll see how math is for her this year. Fortunately, her teacher last year helped her recover her enjoyment of math. (Thinking about her 1st grade teacher still makes me mad!!)

We took our new international student, who is from China, with us to M3's open house at school. M3 has about 21 students in her classroom. Our student said there would be at least 50 and up to 70 students in a room the same size at her school in China!! It's kinda hard to wrap my head around that.

Iowa State Fair

It's been almost a month since I posted??!! Crazy summer! I will post some vacation highlight pictures later, but I was insane enough to go to the Iowa State Fair a day after we got back from vacation. Despite the madness, I love going. Oversized farm animals, myriad foods on a stick (I actually had to trek ALL OVER to find a corn dog that was NOT a "foot-long." I mean, c'mon people, that's just obscene.), one-man bands, blistering heat...what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, and the best ice cream in Iowa!! (Sorry, Dairy Barn. Sacrilege, I know.)

M4 on his first roller coaster!! You can just see him on the left:On the Sky Glider, above the madding crowd:
M3 and her buddy on this thing, whatever you call it:
M3 and her buddies on the Sky Glider (don't lose your flip flops!!):
And of course, the piece de resistance:
Apparently, Iowans voted "No" on a butter Michael Jackson. :-(

July fun!!

Sorry it's been so long since I posted, but with four sets of visitors since July 4, it's been crazy around here! And a TON of fun! Not to mention my trip to Madison tacked on the end, which was also a blast. With my dad serving as SAG wagon/bike tech extraordinaire, some of us rode a few miles along the RAGBRAI route this past week:

My tandem riding partner, M3. She was a powerhouse!! It's nice to have two people to pedal up those hills!
M3, Noelle and Nick...M3 pedaled 18 of the 33 miles we did this day.
Lovely baby V...she's not too photogenic or anything... It was so fun to have her around! And it reminded me of how exhausting a mobile baby is!! OMG, Nick and Lauren can't be farther than a foot from her or she will find the most dangerous object in the room. And eat it.

I promise I will post more this week before we leave for our camping trip. As soon as we get back from that, it will be time for school to start...I can't really believe the summer is almost over! NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

In honor of the protests...

One of my favorites of Andy Samberg's SNL digital shorts:

The Travelers...

They were playing "travelers." For some reason, this picture both cracks me up and makes me sad. I think it's because the poses are funny, but they also make M and M look a lot older for some reason. M4 also used the tricorn hat to play "President." It was hilarious!! He had his whole room set up; M3 made an "Oval Office" sign for his door; he also held "court." I was summoned for driving too fast, but there wasn't any clear punishment. Phew!

This week they are both participating in Mad Science camp and having a great time. M4 did not make himself almost throw up on the first day, which was a great relief.

Slip 'N' Slide!!

So yesterday I rediscovered a gift long sitting idle in the garage...the Slip N Slide!! (Thanks, Grandpa!!) M and M had mucho fun. Here are some action shots of all the trick sliding that took place:

Somehow M4 manage a sliding somersault...I never did catch it perfectly, though!

On the knees:
Backward!
Everybody's gone surfin'!!

She's on YouTube!!

Here is the stop-motion animation project M3 made at workshop with some local artists:


She had a great time! You can see more of their collaborative work and work made by other groups of kids at her workshop here or here.