Easter

The kids were super lucky to have one final snow storm.  We will probably be moving away from snow so this is their chance.  The last day of spring break there was around four inches of snow.  I think a lot of people were tired of the snow by this point because there weren't a lot of kids out.  Nyla was the first to the green playground.  She enjoys sliding down a snowy slide.  Cora and Bohdin played for a few minutes as well.  I was in a hurry to get to the big hill that we missed the previous snow storm.  We were the first ones there and once we established a few runs it was a lot of fun.  Nyla didn't like it because she got snow on her face in one of the earlier runs so she slid on her butt next to us for a short distance.  The hill was pretty fun and it was nice to have steps next to it to make the climb up easier.  I think it was 73 steps to the top.  The snow was wet and we wore patches in it.  It was good that we were first.










The kids decorated Easter eggs on Thursday.  The weather had warmed up tremendously from the snowy day of four days earlier and the kids were dressed for summer.  I bought five dozen eggs which they quickly dyed. 












Saturday was the neighborhood Easter egg hunt and potluck. Nyla and Cora were in an age division together while Bohdin was with the older kids.  Bohdin found three prize eggs but let Nyla pick out a prize.  They brought home two of the prizes I provided.  I had extra so donated them to the neighborhood hunt.  I guess I chose well for my kids.

Nyla is sitting next to me now so I asked her about the Easter egg hunt. 
Nyla:  Nyla and Bohdin and Cora were swinging on the tire swing.  Nyla and her friend went down the slide.  We ate Easter bunny cupcakes and carrot cupcakes.  I and Cora, we went to a special kid area.  Cora and me had a lot of eggs.  There was one star egg but we lost it.  Bohdin hurt his self by bumping his face into someone else's face. 









Sunday morning we did our own Easter egg hunt.  The eggs were hidden between the golf course and the sports fields.  I didn't finish Nyla's Easter dress in time which disappointed her a bit.  Earlier in the week she said the thing she wanted most for Easter was to have her Easter dress done.  She immediately changed her mind and said I would be the best thing to have for Easter.  In reality what she really wanted was a stuffed bunny like the one she saw in the Easter baskets at the comissary.  She is still sad today that she didn't get one.  Cora wore the costume that the Easter bunny brought.  Bohdin and Nyla received mp3 players and a portable speaker.  Bohdin listens to a lot of audio books and lost his previous speaker when he left it in a hotel safe when we were moving.  I could have called the hotel I suppose and picked it up but it was also broken and I didn't want the hassle of driving to pick it up at the time.  Nyla can use her mp3 player for music listening and music accompaniment for dancing. 














More from Nyla
Nyla:  Nyla accidentally cracked a egg.  The egg broke and we ate it.  The Easter bunny bringed us sticky hands.  The Easter bunny bringed us poppies (these are little toys that you turn inside out and they pop).  The Easter bunny bringed us bubbles.  The Easter bunny bringed us balloons.  The Easter Bunny bringed us marbles from the marble factory.  Bohdin loves marbles.  I love marbles.  Cora loves orange marbles only. 






The kids started all of their after school activities this week.  Bohdin really enjoyed Crossfit and found it to be fairly easy.  The teacher's goal is more fun than fitness.  Toward the end of class they went outside and played kickball.  Bohdin has been resisting kick ball which is the most common recess game for second graders.  Now that he has actually tried it he really likes it.  I'm glad he was finally forced to try it.  I forgot to ask him if he has tried playing at recess now.

Nyla had gymnastics on Monday which she liked.  The class is set up very differently from the old class and I prefer the KY one.  This one will be fine.  Tuesday was swim lessons.  Nyla's class seemed too easy.  She is in the preschool level since she is just five.  If I had known more about the levels I might have put her higher.  Bohdin should probably be in a lower level.  He is by far the weakest swimmer in his group.  I thought the coach would want to have him moved down a level but she thought he should stay.  She said he would stagnate at a lower level.  I agree with her but Bohdin is going to have to work super hard.  When I described the class to Buddy he called it swim boot camp.  It's a great description.  They are constantly swimming.  The class started with treading water and cycled though different strokes.  It's a far cry from Bohdin's last swim experience.  The teacher seems awesome and insisted that Bohdin ask for help if he needed it.  She has no problem giving him extra attention.  I think he's going to be a much better swimmer by the end of the month but he's not going to have fun getting there.

The kids received report cards a few days before spring break.  Bohdin had all As.  I asked him about school and he told me he was bored.  On Friday I spoke with the principal about doing something.  She promised to call me when school was back in but she didn't so I had to visit her again.  This time I got some results.  Kansas law requires an IQ test and other testing prior to being accepted into the gifted program.  They told me they were too busy this school year but would let Bohdin go to the gifted program 3 times per week for one hour with a few other second graders.  We discussed other things but they have been forgotten.  I'll have to go back in again.  I spoke with the gifted teacher last week and was extremely impressed.  We had a long conversation about Bohdin so she could get a feel for him and what would be best.  She was incredible.  She is very knowledgeable, open-minded, and smart.  She seemed to know Bohdin's type and suggested things which sounded perfect.  She's the kind of teacher that every kid deserves.  I'm really glad that he'll have a chance to work with her.  The teacher is really flexible so she's not certain what they will do the rest of the year. Right now they are constructing a model of a homeless shelter that they designed.  Bohdin was paired with a quiet boy so he wouldn't feel overrun. Bohdin can have trouble having his voice heard in a group which frustrates him.  The teacher suggested pairing him with the quiet boy which I thought was a great idea.   On Monday  Bohdin said they used a lot of tape to make the tree trunk.  The kids designed an underground shelter with an artificial tree in the middle.  Bohdin came in mid project.

Bohdin reported that he told his teacher that math was too easy and he wanted something harder.  I don't know if anything has come of it.  There was talk of moving him up to third grade for math but they are just reviewing right now for the state tests.  I don't know if they will do any new math the rest of the year.

Nyla had dance today which she had been looking forward to.  She was upset when she came home though.  There was a new kid in her class today and all focus was on him.  The last time there was a new kid Nyla was upset as well.  Everybody wants to play with the new kid and she feels left out.  I like that all of the kids around here are so friendly.  Everybody here has been the new kid and they seem really tolerant and helpful.  I noticed this again when Bohdin was playing kickball.  A girl in Nyla's gymnastic class helped Nyla out a lot and made her feel welcome.  Overall the kids we've encountered are really nice. 

Nyla told me about school.  Her description today is colored by her bad day.  I don't think Bohdin hates school.  
Nyla:  I love school.  Bohdin hates school.  Cora kind of likes school.  My friends does not like me any more.  Izzie kind of likes me but not very much.  Isabella likes a new person in school more than me.  Jennifer likes swinging more than me - more than the other friends in school.  Janessa does not like me very much.  My new friend in Ms. Brigg's class likes Rapunzel too; like me.  Trey does not behave in school.  I love the twisty slide.  I like the high sidewalk.  I like school because it has a twisty bridge and I like running in the grass.  I like laying in the grass to look up at the sky to see the clouds. We don't do very much learning.  We read, write, go to library, have gym, sing songs, do art, duck tails, bubbles, color pictures, do recess.  You can't talk in the hallway.  Always wear backpacks.  The bus rules are no saying stupid or rip off the head.  You can't bring scissors.  Don't eat crumb food.  Always wear your seat belt. 

Nyla's biggest problem with school is riding the bus.  Kindergartners have to sit together and Nyla says they are always fighting over her.  Everybody wants her to sit next to them and she doesn't like the fighting.  She wants me to pick her up instead.  Swim starts so early that I do have to pick them up twice per week now which she likes.