Ryan's Class Play - "Where are my animal friends?"

Last month Ryan's class did this play in groups of 5-6 kids each. Each group did the same play (it's one of the activities in their reading book).

I didn't find out about this play until 3 days before it then found out a day later that he needed a 'costume'. This was the best I could come up with... I was able to find a hat and make felt ears to fabric glue on, with a felt eye mask, striped felt tail, black sweat pants, gray shirt & gray gloves with felt claws!

This is one of Ryan's BEST friends! He met her in kindergarten and has been pretty smitten with her since. He was so excited when she got transfered to his class again this year!

Sadly the gloves made it very hard to turn the pages of the book. All the kids knew their lines, but to keep them busy and not focusing on parents watching them they let the kids read from the book. I didn't know they would use the books or I would have cut out the fingertips....

It included a raccoon, goose, hummingbird, bear and squirrel. Ryan chose the raccoon part for his group which was the main part of this little play. For anyone who knows Ryan you understand what a big deal this is. He's not a big fan of being the center of attention, but he's just so comfortable around this group of kids that he had a blast with it! He did an amazing job! I'm one proud Momma of my little raccoon!! :) Love him!!

Happy Birthday Dylan!

We celebrated Dylan's birthday a couple days early. He picked a birthday lunch of steak and root beer. :)

We started his party off with making pet rocks. The kids actually really enjoyed this far more than I had expected and I wish now that I had put more effort in collecting supplies..... oh well! :P

We had a great turn out of 14 friends even though invites didn't make it out until a week before.
I was able to rent a conference room at the library to avoid possible cold weather at the original location. I'm so grad I did because it worked out amazingly well for the set up on the whole party!

The gentleman who came to speak with the kids was AMAZING!! He brought so many rocks, minerals and fossils to share with the kids including a Mammoth Humerus!
The kids all had a great time getting to explore through all the great treasures!   

After teaching about each of the items he brought they got to do experiments with different types of minerals and rocks! He was so great at explaining everything to them.

As we were finishing up the party Dylan got to open his gifts. I was amazed how well each one of his friends knew him. His gifts were all so HIM! Crystal growing kit, rock digging, gold panning, lego's and books(plus more I can't think of at the moment)!
I was so glad all the friends were able to make it! Dylan was so excited to see each and everyone of them!

It was overall an amazing party! I think I may have one-up'd the entomology party from 2 years ago and I'm hopping I'm not setting an overly high standard for future parties! ;)
So hard to believe my baby is 9!! The time has gone by far too fast!!

The hard conversations....

Right this second my boys are 4, 6, and 8 years old. (Dylan turns 9 tomorrow)

I've always held my boys to very high standards. I've had high expectations. I'm a firm believer in punishment if those (achievable) expectations are not met. The #1 thing I drill into them is respect. Respect of everything! People, property, animals, nature etc...

Tonight when the feelings of others were brought to my attention I had to sit my kids down and explain those feelings. "wild", "bratty ass kids" who are "destructive". No I did not use this wording to them, this is just the way I was informed.

The just of it was that they behaved badly and wouldn't be invited back to someones house whom they love very much and love going to see, but I'll admit they have acted overly excited while there, loud, even messed up some carpet(which I'll be honest resulted in going to the bathroom for a spanking right away) and broke a couch(??) that was wasn't informed of until tonight. I'm not going to make excuses for them though because I've told them every time we are there to not act that way and they only seem to do it there. They didn't listen and had to learn a couple of very hard life lesson at a very young age.

Either way though they are being punished accordingly and are all very sorry and hurt at how their behavior has made others feel about them. Hopefully they learn something from it - before anymore relationships get ruined. Their actions set a huge impression and the words of others after bad actions hurt....

Tears are healing though.

I have to admit this is more my fault than theirs. When we first started going there they would play with a football (inside) and get overly excited with one of the people who lived there. I would tell them to calm down but then I would be told "it's okay, they are just playing" so I felt like I was wrong for trying to stop them. They would ask for candy, I said no but it would be given to them anyways so I stopped saying no. These first few visits set a standard for us and I've had a hard time knowing exactly how far to go on disciplining them while there or weather or not to say no when food/candy is offered to them. I'm their mother though and should have expected and required my children to behave the same way there I do everywhere else. I shouldn't have ever allowed this unacceptable standard to be set. They learned they could push me further there without getting in much trouble and that's not a good thing to allow. So in this way I failed them. We've all learned a very valuable but hurtful lesson we are not soon going to forget.

I don't like having conversations like this with my kids. I hope I never have to again....