Allison is 5!

100 Book Challenge

One of the programs that Alex's school participates in is the 100 Book Challenge. It is a literacy system designed to teach children independent reading. We have been huge fans! The children have Reading Logs in which they keep track of every 15 minutes of reading (similar to a Public Library summer reading program). The children are given 15 minutes during the school day to read, and they are encouraged to read 15 minutes at home each night, as well as 15 minutes on the weekends. Of course you can always do more, which Alex has! At this point in the school year, if you've followed the suggested reading times, the children should have completed 100 steps of reading which equals 25 hours of independent reading.

The school has four award ceremonies to recognize the students who have reached the appropriate steps. Yesterday students who had reached 100 steps of reading received medals and certificates. We're proud to admit that Alex had not only reached the 100 step mark, but was the only 1st grader to have reached the 200 step mark (and he is nearly to 300...we're actually shooting for 100 steps per month).

The picture below shows him being recognized by his teacher and the principal for his success. His teacher told the school, and the parents, that Alex's secret is that he doesn't watch much television, and therefore is able to complete several steps each evening. He's actually had a few children tell him that they want to quit watching TV in order to 'catch up' to his steps. This was encouraging to us because we've always told the children that if they do their best, it encourages others to do their best.
Later that day, in music, the music teacher made up a song about Alex for the students to sing. He couldn't quite remember it all, but it went something like, 'I know a boy who reads a lot, and this is how he does it, he turns the TV off......'. We told Alex that no one was making up songs about us when we were in school.

Snow Day

What would have shut down the entire Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area is par for the course here in northeast Ohio. I estimate about 5 inches of snow total. Adam had the driveway shoveled by 7 am, the street was plowed by 7:30 am, and we had Alex to school by 8:30 am. Alex was actually a little disappointed that he couldn't stay home from school to play in the snow. I told him that doesn't happen in Cleveland. I believe the forecast is calling for more tonight.

Sierra actually is a huge fan of the snow. She has wanted to be out in it all day!

The October Road

I cannot believe we are nearly halfway through November. October seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Our month was filled with camping trips, costume parties and a blur of other activities. To make up for the lack of posts, I've at least provided you with dozens of photos below. Enjoy!

Allison's THREE Halloweens

Allison had a tough time deciding on one Halloween costume this year. Fortunately, she had several opportunities to dress up. We went trick-or-treating one night at John Carroll University. This was such fun! The students decorate the dorms, and the trick-or-treaters go door-to-door within each dorm while the students pass out candy. There are even a few 'haunted' dorms. For that event she wore her ballerina costume from her spring dance recital. I was excited to get two uses out of it.

Second, she wore a princess dress for the actual Beggar's Night here in South Euclid.

Finally she wore a fairy costume to her preschool Halloween party. All girls should be so lucky.

Red Ranger

Trick-or-Treat

Costumes with Friends

October Photo Shoot

Niagara Falls

Waiting for the Football

More Allison

Alex is 7!

Alex the fairweather fan

This morning, Alex and I (Adam) were talking about the Ohio State game last night. He told me how they lost 35-3.

Me: That's what's called a butt-kicking.

Alex: Is that why they're called the Butt-Guys?

What a Sight!

The kids love to try to 'scare' us in these masks. Alex's new favorite thing to do is put the monkey mask on under the clown mask, so then when he removes the clown mask he again tries to surprise us. We especially like the monkey mask on Allison because it fits her face so well. Her hair blends in with it too!

Ballet Day

Allison finally began her ballet classes last week. She loves her new class!

Sierra's New Cage

Sierra has outgrown her first cage, and now simply loves this larger one. Her favorite thing is to sleep on her back with all four feet in the air. She was unable to do that in the smaller one.

School's In!

It's been awhile since I updated! Alex started first grade on August 27th at Adrian Elementary. He has made the transition well. It is a much smaller school than Roosevelt (his one in Vancouver), and it also only has students in grades K-3 (which I really like!). Because the school, and our community, is so much smaller it has been easy to get to know people and feel connected. Some of Alex's favorite activities so far....P.E. (of course! This was also a high point at Roosevelt), Math Lab (twice a week they get to go to a computer lab with laptops for math related games and activities), and Friday Fun (the reward from his teacher if the students have a well-behaved week). Adrian is half a mile from our house, so on most days Alex rides his bike to school which has also been a highlight for him.

Allison started last Wednesday at the South Euclid Co-op Preschool in the Pre-K class. She goes five mornings a week, and she has also made the transition well. The kindergartens in South Euclid are full-day (again...which I really like!) so most of the preschools have the 4-year-olds attending five days a week in order to transition them well to kindergarten the following year. She was definitely ready for a five-day-a-week experience. She loves her teacher, and is making great friends in her class. Also, with it being a co-op, the parents are very involved, and even after a week, I feel like I'm getting to know some other mothers very well.

Sierra has kept us very busy, but she is well-loved! Most people comment about how bringing a puppy home is somewhat like bringing a new baby home. I've decided its not quite like a newborn, but more like an older toddler who's into everything, and who you're trying to potty train at the same time. However, she is adjusting well. At times Adam and I think she's quite mellow, at least much more mellow than we remember Copper being as a puppy. But, I've discovered that she's just trying to rest up for her next few hours of playtime with the kids. They can all exhaust each other very quickly!

My contribution to the conversation about Sarah Palin

What hasn't already been said? Can you think of another political figure (not even to mention one's family) that has endured the intensity of scrutiny and attack that Sarah Palin has stirred up? My two cents:

1. She is the 'all-in' movement from the McCain campaign. Anyone familiar with poker knows that one of the tactics is to push your whole pile of chips in and dare your opponent to match you. It takes HUGE confidence, and forces opponents to think hard about the cards they are holding. Of course, if you get caught bluffing...

2. It makes McCain interesting, and potentially wrests the "change" mantra straight away from the Obama campaign. Obama talks change but picks an entrenched insider in Biden; McCain is seen as more of the same old/same old, but picks a nobody reformer (so the storyline goes). Suddenly people want to listen to what McCain has to say.

3. Perhaps most powerfully, Sarah Palin embodies one of the greatest of American archetypal storylines; that is, that behind every great man is an even greater woman. I am surprised not to have seen this discussed before, but I think Palin has aroused the feelings she has because we have all been conditioned to know with certainty that the woman makes the man. If McCain can tap that sentiment and not seem to be overshadowed or intimidated by Palin, but rather empowered and lifted up by her presence...

This election keeps getting more interesting!