The 5th graders go to Balitmore!

 Each year, the 5th grade classes go to Baltimore and visit the Science Museum and the National Aquarium.  When Ryan was in the 5th grade, Mike was a chaperone so I felt it made sense for me to go with the girls.  There were so many parents who volunteered to go that each parent took their student as well as one other student in their group.  Having two students, I took two additional kids with me.  So, I paired up with my fellow parent friend Misty and her group of her son and one additional student.  It was great!  We had so much fun!

This is my group of girls with me.  Lydia and Emily in addition to Emely and Jesela. 

 We ate lunch at Uno.  It is a pizza place at the Inner Harbor.  The kids wanted to sit on the balcony so they could see everything.  They enjoyed seeing their fellow classmates walk by (we were able to do what we wanted at certain times during the day) and yelling at them from the balcony.

 Of course the scary picture inside the sharks mouth.  On the other side it says where we are (National Aquarium), but we were up against a window with the bright sun so I made them go on the other side so we could see them.

Totally a yearbook photo!  The kids (Misty's group of Colton and Tristin as well) are posing under a sculpture outside of the science museum and the triangle topped building you see across the harbor--is the National Aquarium.  We walked around the Harbor to get to the Aquarium--eating along the way.

Punk'n Pitch'n

I have always been one to love pumpkins and Halloween!!  While it means summer has come to an end and the dreaded cold weather is on the way, it is still such a fun time!!  Each year I get the kids pumpkins, but I typically will get one for each kid and that is it.  Pumpkins are really expensive considering that they just sit on your porch or are made into jack-o-lanterns.

This past Saturday, all three kids had somewhere to be.  Emily had a softball tournament, Ryan had band practice to gear up for his band competition this coming weekend, and Lydia had a birthday party to attend at the water park.  Mike decided, since he had not been able to come to a tournament of Emily's in a while, that he would take her and stay with her.  This was, like always, a 12 hour thing.  In between band practice and birthday party, Ryan, Lydia and I went to get pumpkins.  My brother had been to the Middle River Farms where they let him fill up a wagon (all you could put on it) for $25. 

They have now increased the price to $30, but we crammed our wagon full.  You can see a picture of Ryan and Lydia pulling it.  We hated that Emily and Mike could not come with us, but the next few weekends are booked and we wanted to try this out before they were too picked over.

Once we got the pumpkins home, and Emily got home, the kids all put the pumpkins together and divided them up.  They then decided on where to put them and made their own arrangement of them.  This past Sunday I took a picture of the girls (Ryan and Mike were on their way to see the Redskins) dressed for church--with the pumpkins.  Ryan and Lydia picked some big ones so we could only get a certain amount.  We did get a few small ones, but the kids put them in their rooms.  Love pumpkin season!

Skins Win! Skins Win!

Mike and Ryan got to go see the Redskins this past Sunday!  It was so great!!  Thanks to our great friends, Tiara and Billy, they were able to go at a good price too.  Ryan had never been to a professional football game and was CRAZY excited about being able to see them.  They parked near our niece's apartment, walked to the metro, and then to the stadium.  Not too far for either walk.  Free parking and getting to visit with Savannah (our niece) made the day awesome!

Valley Band Showcase

 Last week, there were four area high schools that participated in an area high school band showcase.  It was at one of the high schools.  East Rock's band was there as well as the local tv news.  They did a story on it.  Check it out at this link.  Hopefully this link will keep this clip forever.  :)  Ryan is shown in the story two times!! 


http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/Valley-Band-Showcase-327980251.html

 

East Rock is the smallest band in the county.  I believe due to there being three different band directors in five years--there has just been a lack of consistency.   The band director that is there now is really great so far and is working with the band director at the middle school.  They are doing everything they can to grow the program.  There are typically three people in the pit, but one of them were sick.  It was just Ryan and Blake.  They all did a fantastic job!!

A day celebrating birth

Even all these years later, it is still hard to understand why all three of our children have their birthdays so close together.  Makes it very difficult to get parties in, afford to do 3 birthday dinners and get gifts for all three of them at the same time!  We wanted to do Ryan's party the weekend of Labor Day, but one of the only two friends he cared to invite, was going to be out of town.  So we had Lydia and Emily's party on Saturday, September 11 and Ryan's on Sunday, September 12.  Party all weekend long!  :)  The girls tried once again to have their pool party.  This is the third time they have tried to have a sunny pool party and the third time it has been cool and overcast.  Frustrating.  They still had a great time!  Swam and swam and had a small gymnastics showcase at the end.  Pizza and Ice Cream cake and all was happy.  Plus, my cousin, Michelle, came up and brought her girls.  It was nice!

Ryan's party was the next day.  We took him and two of his good friends (Kemper and Kendall) to Jump C'ville.  It is a great place that has trampolines all over the place.  Plus there is a foam pit that you can jump into from trampolines.  Other trampolines allow you to dunk a basketball or do flips in the air.  Of course Lydia and Emily went with us.  Everyone had such a great time.  We went to Cici's for lunch after.  Great day and everyone was tired when we got home.

Though it was not hot and very overcast, the girls all had such a nice time!  Played games and swam the whole time we were there.  The pool is such a great place for a party!!

Marching becomes him

 Coming down beside the football field to enter the stadium.  He is the first base drum.

 Marching around the track and playing.

 Standing and playing while preparing for the star spangled banner

 This should actually be above the one above it.  :)

Halftime show.  Have not started playing yet, but ready to go.  This was his second home game.  It was on September 11.  However, the first time I managed to take a camera.  He was so great!!  He marches in with a base drum and plays the base drum while in the stands.  It is crazy how they all play together and just know when to stop and when to start.  He is then in the pit for the halftime show and then drumming out as they leave the stadium.  I think that was the least amount of a football game I have ever watched as I was watching the band in the stands.  The youngest member of the high school marching band.  :)  Not even in high school!!

May we help you?

The Elementary School where all three kids have gone, does a back to school picnic every year.  This year, we had a monsoon during the picnic so it had to be moved indoors.  The 5th graders sell food to raise money for their trip to Baltimore.  This is the best picture I could get--of both girls--selling their donuts, pizza, chips and soda.  Emily is in charge of plates for pizza (but clearly is shirking her duties in this picture.) and Lydia was counting out the boxes of donuts that were pre-ordered and people were picking up.  Behind the table was COMPLETE chaos and I applaud the 5th grade team of teachers for having the patience to let the kids "help out" with the selling.  :)