First Day of Mid Columbia Partnership

Did you notice how much Ethan loves him new backpack?  Last year I did the most brilliant thing ever: I ordered their backpacks online during the middle of the school year, without telling the kids.  This was great, because 1) They were super cheap - I think about $7.00 each, and 2) I got to pick cute backpacks that I thought they would like, instead of taking them to the store and waiting for an hour while they went through all the options.  I got the backpacks out last night while Brian gave us all father's blessings, and they were so excited.  Marcus isn't in the picture, but he has a super cool Batman back pack.

Holy cow, the kids were so excited to go to MCP this morning.  Alyssa's classes are Archery, Magic Tree House History, Diggin' Dirt, Big Messy Art, and Type to Learn.  Ethan's are Tomie de Paolo Books, Wonderful World of Weather, Big Messy Art, Sensory Investigations, and P.E.  The Big Messy Art classes apparently get better with each trimester, because the second trimester's class is called Bigger Messier Art, and the third's is Biggest Messiest Art.  The Tomie de Peolo class turns into Seussology during the second trimester, and If You Give a Child a Book for the third. I think the kids will have a great year!

In other news:

1. Alyssa and Ethan both had their first soccer games on Saturday, and they both played great.  At least that's what Brian tells me.  I was at a stake Activity Days activity all day, so I missed the games.  I'm looking forward to watching them both play next Saturday!

2. Alyssa and I went to the stake Activity Day Girls Activity, which was so fun.  We had a couple of Orton girls (Brian's second or third cousins or cousins once removed or something like that) in our group that we've gotten to know from various family activities, and they were excited to see Alyssa, and Alyssa was excited to see them.  We also had a girl from Alyssa's soccer team in our group, and she was so excited to be with her. 

We went to a few classes on modesty and manners and health, then had lunch, and then the girls got to shoot bows and arrows and bb guns, make a friendship bracelet and a necklace, then do a service project.  Alyssa made a lot of comments in the manners class, and I was very proud of the things that she said.  She's growing up!  Alyssa and I had to leave before the service project, so we missed it and I don't even know what it was.

3. Alyssa tried out for the Nutcracker for the first time.  I was so proud of her!  Up until Saturday morning she kept saying that she didn't want to do it, but then on Saturday morning she gathered up her leotard, tights, and slippers, and sounded excited to try out.  Fast forward to 3:15, when we were waiting for her group to be called - I have never seen her so excited.  Take Alyssa's normal happy, bouncy self and multiply it by 100, and you will get the Alyssa before her Nutcracker auditions.  She was literally (and I do mean literally) bouncing off the walls.  We went to Baskin Robbins afterward to congratulate her on her bravery, then headed home so Brian could go fishing with his dad. It was a busy Saturday.