Kindergarten Open House

Tonight was open house at Clara's school. Unfortunately, Chris is out of town again, so it was just me and the kids. I loaded Matthew up in the Baby Bjorn and we walked to Clara's school to see all the things she's been working on lately. I volunteer in Clara's class every Wednesday, so I've seen most of the projects, even helped hang them, but Clara was very proud to be able to show it all to me herself!

Each student's parents wrote up a little story about the day they were born to hang in the class. This was Clara's.

Clara's carrot seed storybook

Mrs. Ward has been putting together a memory book to show the things the kids have done over the year and how they've improved.

The Valentine card Clara made for Mrs. Ward

Clara and a classmate dressed up for Halloween

On the 100th day of school we had to disguise the number 100. We made penguins but their eyes have since fallen off.

When the Kindergartners were first learning to write sentences, they stuck with this form, "I see..."

In the Fall they learned a lot about apples and Johnny Appleseed. They got to taste a green, a yellow and a red one and decide which variety they liked best.

Clara standing below her self-portrait (Hers is the one dressed in pink and purple, of course!)

Clara's self-portrait

Clara's Flower

More practice writing sentences. Clara's teacher gave them each a picture of themselves around the school and they were tasked with writing a story about it.

They also planted carrot seeds and wildflowers.

In the main school building, they showcase one or two art projects from each class. It just happened to be Clara's project hanging in there. She drew this on the computer in class.

After looking around Clara's classroom, we took the opportunity to check out the 1st grade classrooms as well. Clara's excited because in 1st grade each student gets their own desk, not just one big table!

Gilly is a Frog!

Just after I posted the last pics of Gilly, he continued to transform quickly into a frog. I forgot to take his picture as a frog, but here's some from the next few days. Once he was a frog I stuck him in the aquarium (since our fish have long ago passed).

Looking at his reflection. We only have the one, but the book says they're social animals, so we might have to get him some friends.

The tail's getting shorter

...and shorter.

Sometime I'll have to try and snap a picture of him without his tail.

Gilly

Spring is all about new life, and for the last 2 years we've watched the metamorphosis of nature's finest: the ladybug, then some butterflies. This year we're watching a tadpole change into a frog. Chris' Aunt Mary got the kids a kit after hearing about our adventure with butterflies last year. The kids have named him/her 'Gilly' (because that's what the instruction manual called him/her). The tadpole has been sitting on our counter for a few weeks now during which time it has grown longer and wider and just recently, it grew front legs. Unfortunately I didn't take pics when Gilly first came to live with us, but here's some I took the other day.

You may need to enlarge one of these pics to see his front legs, they're just where the wider part of his body meets the thinner tail part. (yes, those are scientific terms!)

So far he's doing well, though this is a much slower process than the butterflies last year! From what I understand he will turn into a frog that likes to stay in the water...Hopefully we can keep him alive long enough to watch the full transition!

Cruisin' on a Sunday Afternoon

I got this car for Jonathan when he was about Matthew's age off of Craigslist. Jonathan loved riding in it and now Matthew loves it just as much!

He holds onto the steering wheel the whole time, as if he's actually driving. It's too cute!

I can't believe how big he looks in the car!

17 Mile Drive

Before we left Monterey, Chris and I did the 17 Mile Drive, since he wasn't with me when I did it in the fall with the kids. This time around it was sunny, making the ocean an even more beautiful color. There's not much else to add to these pics, other than just take a look at them for yourself and know that no matter how beautiful it looks in the picture, these pictures just don't do it justice.

The Pacific Ocean is VERY cold!

Chris and I never have pictures of just the 2 of us, either one of us is always taking a picture of the other with the kids, or we get some passerby to take a picture of the whole family...it was nice to get some good pics of just Chris and I.

We had fun climbing out on the rocks for photos, not something we can do with small kids in tow!

It was eerie sitting out on the rocks with your back to the ocean, you just knew any minute that huge wave was going to come knock you off and carry you away!

Chris set the camera up on the hood of the car and took this picture with the timer...not bad!

Like a painting!

The Lone Cypress

God really knew what he was doing when he made places like this!

The Ghost Tree