Zoe and Nathaniel go back to school

School has started for both Zoe and Nathaniel.  Zoe started Kindergarten at her new school and she just loves it.  She loves the hot lunches (Zoe calls her self a hot lunch girl) and likes her new teacher. She has about 20 kids in her class.  In her first week, she has made friends with a couple of kids (Maddie, Tyler and a few others). Zoe looks forward to school which is a great sign.  The teacher provides a Daily Behavior report and Zoe has received 4 green card days and one yellow card day.  The teacher said that "Zoe has a tendency to yell in the classroom instead of using an inside voice.  Such a sweet girl, but she gets very excited and is hard to calm her down afterwards." Yep that is Zoe.

 

What is cool about Bellevue Public School system is that they have Kid's Time which is a day care before and after school.  They have a lot for her to do and the staff is very friendly and accommodating. Zoe has already been working on some Math and Art activities.  As you can see in the picture below! She loves he little crown, it is very fitting for a little princess.  She likes to be called Princess Zoe. Bellevue has a wonderful speech program for children who need extra help. It will be interesting to see if they feel she needs help. Several mornings out of the week I have to drive her to school.  She always asks that I turn the radio on so she can listen to music.  There goes my sports talk show in the mornings.  However, when I turn the radio to a top 40 music station they spend more time talking then playing music.  So, I went to the store and bought a CD with the latest top 40 songs.  What a life saver.  I can turn on the CD without her asking me to change the station 20 times until she hears the music. Who needs coffee or 5-hour energy...all you have to do is spend 10 minutes in the car driving her to school listening to Zoe trying to sing with the radio and you are up!

 

Princess Zoe (made her crown at school)

 

Nathaniel also started back to school.  He has a tough semester.  Not only is he taking a number of AP classes but he is playing football as a wide receiver at school, attending wrestling practice when he can and playing fall baseball on Sundays. Fortunately he is now driving to and from school on a school permit which takes a little of the load off his mom and dad. So, all is good...Sonja and I are trying to come up with a routine so it gets a little easier.   

 

Nathaniel is playing JV football and got to suit up for Varsity this past week!

Sonja has started her bowling league with her friends Debbie and Brenda.  It is great Sonja has found a few friends who like to bowl as she was not going to convert me.  In a few weeks Nathaniel and I are planning to go down to Fayetteville for a Arkansas Razorback game (WOOO PIG SOOIIEE) against Alabama.  It has been 10 years plus since I have gone to a game and this will be Nathaniel's first.  Both of us are excited...Could be a long ride home....but should be fun.

Well all is well and hope all is well with you all...Thanks for stopping in!

Where did the summer go! School is almost here!

Gosh.. where did the summer go.  We took our annual trip down to Branson, Missouri so that we can visit Silver Dollar City, shop at the area retailers during Missouri's tax free days, and to watch Nathaniel's baseball games at the week long baseball camp he attends each year.  As you can see from the pictures below...Zoe is a ham and loves to get her picture taken.  He brother on the other hand would be well OK if we just took pictures of her.  Unfortunately, I was able to coax him into a few photo's with Zoe. I did not have to bribe him...but would have if need be. Last year, Zoe was quite timid and was reluctant to ride some of the rides where as this year she was much more adventuresome.  She rode the Merry-Go-Round, the Tea Cups, Kids Roller Coaster, the flying bugs, the Bouncing Frogs and the All American Plunge.  She is becoming like her brother and a real dare-devil.  The only issue during the week in Branson was the 7 days of continuous 100 plus degree weather...oh it was hot and muggy. Sonja ran into Carla Pinneo, one of her highschool best buddies at Silver Dollar City. Sonja and Zoe about wore me out...how much shopping can upi do...really! One day..I decided to take a nap while they went out to shop for clothes...Zoe hauled in...I guess it is never too early to leve shoes as I think Sonja bough her at least 5 pairs of shoes...That's three more than I have today!!!

At about the same time we are  getting ready to send Zoe off to Kindergarten.  She has had so much change for a 5 year old.  She will be leaving preschool and is now going to the "Big School".  To get her ready Sonja had to get her caught up on all her required shots.  She had 4 of them.  She told me "Dad, I was a big girl...I got four shots and I did not cry." She is a brave little girl. So, she is all but ready to go to her new school.  We are excited for her, as we are hoping she will start meeting and making loads of school friends.

Nathaniel has had a busy summer. He made the JV Legion baseball team and they had games at minimum 4 days each week.  Nathaniel did very well.  He ended with the highest number of innings pitched, believe he pitched 59.1 innings.  Over 10 innings more than any other pitcher and posted the second lowest era at 3.34. During the district tournament they asked him to pitch against one of the largest schools in Omaha where he threw 102 pitches and shut the team out until the ninth inning.  He had 13 innings of shutout baseball before a run was eventual scored.  He also finished the season with the fourth highest on base average and fifth highest batting average so he held his own. While at the baseball camp for 15-18 years old in Branson, Nathaniel batted .750 (he was 6 for 8 with two walks) and finished with a .800 on-base percentage.  He did well but learned a lot as well. This year he reecived a written report from college coaches on what he needs to work on... they provided alot of suggestions...After the camp..he met up with a friend in Branson who was also vacationing on the lake and they went cliff junping, jet skiing and later going to the park to ride the roller coasters.  Now its on to football, where this week he has started to-a-days JV football practices and also participating in his school's summer band camp. So, like last year, he is going to be busy.

Really, nothing else new and exciting...just wanted to catch-up...

Sonja, Zoe and Nathaniel on the log ride!

Sonja, Zoe and Nathaniel got a little wet!

Zoe and Nathaniel in the tea-cups ride

Nathaniel and Zoe

That's all for now...