I probably won't remember half the things I was going to post about but something has to be better than nothing. I have pretty much given up facebook for the time being but still update on twitter from time to time. Probably less so now that spring activities are in full swing.
Zoe update: (warning: proud parent update here but she deserves it!) We are proud of Zoe for her spelling B efforts and she almost made it to the end. She was in the final three. Actually the kid that came in first place on that level is now heading to Washington. She also placed 2nd in the foreign language Poem contest. I have included it below. The name of the Poem is Zycenie and means "Wish" in Polish. She was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society last night and the ceremony was beautiful. She was able to sing during the ceremony as part of the Cantare group she is in, which made it extra special. She got straight A's and so she put up a good argument to get her Facebook privileges back (they often get taken away as a first line of discipline) she is now back on but we are limiting her time online. I am not sure how much she values it though since one of the first things she did was post a picture album labeled silly pictures of 28pics or so of her family AND even posted a video that she took titled my family is weird (which included extended family too). Although funny, I did make her remove it and she has been instructed that any further postings must be okay-ed before going on her wall. She seems to be very proud of what she considers our weirdness (which we really are NOT!) and retells silly sibling antics to her friends who now want to come see for themselves. I am starting to feel like she is trying to make us into a side show. :-) If she starts charging, I better get a cut. :-) Her teacher jokingly asked her one day why she was so weird and she told him she inherited it from her mom (nice). haha I guess I will have to work on that but this was coming from her weirdest teacher of all and he is a great guy and an effective teacher!
Violet Update: Violet had her first communion last week and looked totally beautiful and was beaming through the whole ceremony. She was chosen to do a short reading and I think enjoyed the whole process. She spent a couple of days down in Jersey City with her Godmother and picked out a gorgeous dress. She went into the shop saying that she wanted something plain and comfortable but ended up with one of the fanciest beaded one. All our close relatives came to see her take this big step and Zoe was able to be the Cantor for the mass, which was nice. We had a celebration following mass and returned home with enough extra food to feed us for a week. I was able to freeze some so maybe DJ can pull it out over the weekend while he is fending for himself. Zoe, Violet and I will all be away on a camping trip starting tonight. I have to go up in the attic and dig out our gloves and hats for sleeping because the weather is supposed to get mighty chilly this weekend. One of the schools I will be visiting to talk about Horseshoe Crabs is Violet's and she knew I was working on a powerpoint presentation. I was so impressed that without me knowing, she went on the computer and made up her very own. I am thinking that I will let her do her presentation which is short and then fill in the gaps.
Marina Update: What can I say about her? She is up to her old devilish ways and keeping us all cracking up with her constant witty comments. Both she and Violet are playing soccer again and she seems to really enjoy the competition. I was actually invited to join a woman's league but I have gotten too out of shape lately (working on that though) and am a little intimated by some of these women. I need to be more vigilant about writing down some of the stuff that she comes up with because it is just so funny and insightful. She came home from school yesterday and said that one of the boys (a friend of hers) kept telling her that he was stronger and a better fighter then she was and could beat her up. She said that he started fighting and in her words "I kicked him two times in the peni and then hmmm... I think he decided that I was the better fighter" I know it is so wrong but I had a hard time keeping a straight face. Worst part is that she is in a preschool program as a mentoring student and so is the other child that she was fighting with. I am not sure what kind of example they are setting? Good thing there is only a month left and they won't kick her out now. :-) Oh, she also found herself an older boyfriend at Dziadzia's birthday party. They danced much of the time. He is the boyfriend of one of their cousins mother. They made a date to dance again this weekend at the cousins first communion. She is so funny and keeps saying that she is trying to get rested up for her boy and that she hopes he is getting sleep too. I think she has a crush, and even seemed mad when she confronted me and said "Mom, I saw you dancing with my boy" Haha I think him being 30 or so years her senior and already involved with a relative will make this an impossible relationship. :-)
Gavin update: Gavin is all boy despite the strong feminine influence in the house. He makes everything into guns and shoots people down. Climbs the furniture and anything else for that matter and has boundless energy that just won't quit. He is well on his way to being a class clown and spends much of his days trying to entertain us all with his silliness. He is such a happy go lucky kid 90% of the time. The other 10% we have to fear for our lives while he takes the tantrum from Hell. I hope this stage passes quickly. He is also still very huggable but just recently has decided to reject my kisses. He claims he only likes hugs now. :-( He will be going for an evaluation next month to see if he will be able to get into the preschool mentoring program which I am keeping my fingers crossed for since it is an excellent program, free and they provide transportation. I am not sure if I would send him two or four half days though if he does get in.
Update DJ and I:
Not much new to report for us. DJ finished up tax season, thank goodness but the following week was up in Maine for a conference and then back home for a few days before leaving for almost a week long conference in MA. Hopefully that will be it for now and he is looking forward to taking some much needed vacation time. He will be starting up his summer sports (baseball and volleyball) and enjoying watching the Redsox win big again for 2010.
I have applied for my horsehoe crab scientific collectors permit with the state and hope to get that approved and be good to go by the middle of the month. I going out to the island with eighth graders this month to work on an Asian Shore Crab study that is being funded by 10,000 grant that was obtained last year. This particular crab is an invasive species and has taken over much of the green crab's territory, which is interestingly enough another invasive species. I am counting down the days until my girls weekend rafting trip at the end of the month and starting the HSC spawning surveys next week.
Wow, this became quite long but I am glad I documented a few of the kids milestones so that they/we will have these memories in the future. Especially since my memory isn't what it used to be.
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