Donuts with dad

This morning was the second grade annual donuts with dad. This will be Chris' last donut with dads at Truman! Wil was very excited last night and this morning. He was up very early and woke his dad up (who said shhhhh, I have ten more minutes! LOL). Sounds like Wil was bouncing off the walls with excitement! He told his dad that they should do this every morning!

Again...

Last night found Kristen working the props backstage.



And Kate has another sinus infection. Seems her glands keep getting clogged and infected.

Tuesday

PSR was cancelled because of MLK day so of course we went to the mall. At least the girls...Daddy said his knee was bothering him LOL!! And Wil just told us to buy him a pink Hollister shirt! OMG! The girls have discovered "name" brands. I know it is a struggle that all parents face. Since we had a very hard financial year last year this is not the best time for them to become brand conscious, but it happens! Most parents I have talked to say it is a middle school thing and by high school it relaxes, so I will be grateful for that! HA! But for now I spent my evening at aeropostal and hollister and other stores that play their music WAY too loud (yes I am officially a mother, cause the girls saw nothing wrong with the fact that there was no way to hold a conversation in these stores as the music was so loud! Not to mention the perfume that is sprayed on EVERYTHING! What a marketing scheme! I of course had to analyze the whole system, causing Kristen to roll her eyes at me. I still have a little influence over Kate, but I'm sure that is thin and short lived.


Will also finished his timeline of his "life." It was really hard to only pick ONE picture for each year! He did a fabulous job!

Three day weekend...

Ok, so now the kids are getting on my case about not posting to the blog! Geesh! Maybe if they didn't do so much, Mommy would have more time to post! LOL!!

It was nice to have the three day weekend. Lots of play practice, basketball, homework, and soccer. After a late night Friday night, Kristen had basketball practice at the high school in the morning. Kate had a basketball game, played awesome and won by way too many points! Wil had a basketball game and lost. I have to say that it is an instructional league and Wil is handling himself very well as the parents are volunteers, even though he KNOWS so much more than the rest of the team. He had several incredible shots and more rebounds than I can count. I am going to have to think long and hard about signing him up for CYC at St. Paul next year instead of with his school friends as this is just not the league for a kid as competitive as Wil (or his mom :-). Like I said "fun" is not in his vocabulary when he loses.

Kate had foot skills practice this weekend. Winter skills have started twice a week along with her regular soccer practice.


BIG news! Kristen's team scored TWICE in her basketball game! It was awesome. They lost 4-18, so it was really a close game. Kristen had 4 steals!!! And probably 5 jump balls, she is very aggressive! But of course always friendly when the whistle blows! She had two really great shots that just missed, one went in, rolled around and went out! So painful! But everyone was so happy that they have scored!

Lots of movies and hugs and conversations held. I really wish I could remember them all. When they are happening I think, I HAVE to put this in the blog, but when I sit down at the computer it seems I can never remember!!

Monday was fun day! We went to the Science Center with Bushia! It had been a few months since we had been there and even longer that we had seen the IMAX. I was tickled watching all the mommies chasing their little ones around and yelling at their boys to stop throwing things. LOL! Wil wandered off a few times, where I wasn't sure where he was, but he says he knew where I was the whole time. Just different with older kids. We of course built the arch!

The kids spent most of their time at the math center. Yes, funny that we go to the science center but they are interested in the math concepts. Wil and Kristen are huge math buffs and love any challenge that has to do with math.
They also spent time watching the "balls" go round at the science center lobby and got in the "mouse-wheel."

We saw the IMAX movie, grand canyon. http://www.slsc.org/content.aspx?id=4503
The scenery was beautiful and I know the kids got the message of water conservation. There was a lot of history of the Colorado river presented, but I was hoping that there would be some solutions to saving the river presented (just the science teacher in me).

After the science center, Bushia treated us to a late lunch at the Soda Fountain. http://www.sodafountainsquare.net/
We were starving!! The kids devoured their meals and their ice cream floats!



Then there was a short time to play at Bushia's house (the kids would move in if they could). And then off to piano lessons. Kate has lost her theory book which is causing a lot of stress. She loves to play the piano but does not like the lessons! Imagine that!

And the evening ended with AMERICAN IDOL. Yes, it was on this week, but we have been too busy to watch it, so we recorded it and watched it last night. We do LOVE it and have already picked some of our favorites! We always watch it as a family and everyone has an opinion!! Yeah, music and math, so we are all dorks, but what fun!

Angels

Well, it is no surprise that when Mr. Tyler was short an angel for the Grease show, Kristen said her sister could do it! SO Kate was in her first middle school play two years before middle school! She was too cute!! Watched her big sister the whole time, but she knew the whole dance!!

The retainer story

ARGH!! Yes, on the day the play began I took Kristen lunch. WELL in the excitement her retainer was thrown in the trash!! She called me very upset. After school Kate, Wil and I went to look through the trash to find it. I was hoping that out of some miracle we could find it (not the first trash we have dug through to find a retainer). IT IS FREEZING HERE!! The temperature was about 9 degrees and KATE was incredible. Wil and Kate both jumped in the dumpster and started tossing out trash bags. I was rolling them around and sorta "smushing" them to feel for the big plastic container that the cookie cake was in. I knew the retainer was thrown away in that bag, so we at least had to try to find it! Wil was freezing after the first 10 minutes and went in the car and never came back. He said that he was freezing and that the dumpster smelled like puke! LOL!! I would work about ten minutes and have to go warm up in the car. But Kate was determined to find the retainer for her sister! She is so protective of her brother and sisters and she didn't want me to be mad at "her" sister :-).
At one point, Kate says (in perfect "Kate" attitude voice) as she is throwing out pizza boxes, "GEESH, they had to have FREAKIN domino's pizza today of ALL days??" If it wasn't so cold I would have cried from laughing. But then SHE FOUND the cookie cake container but the bag was busted open! OMG! I really thought she was going to find the retainer! Here is my kid over her head in trash, in the freezing cold, looking for a retainer that isn't even her, covered in nacho cheese, milk and a variety of other unmentionables DIGGING in a dumpster for her sister! What a great kid! At this point all the bags and boxes have been tossed from the dumpster and all that is left is about a two foot pile of loose LUNCH ROOM trash. Disgusting!!! The kid picks through every piece she can find, we knew Kristen had wrapped it up in white paper, and doesn't want to stop. Finally we HAVE to go so I can get Kristen to her show and I make Kate get out of the dumpster (she reeks!!) and is so sad. She then throws ALL the bags back in the dumpster (we're talking 80 or more) and at one point she lifts one over her head and nasty chocolate milk comes pouring out and soaks her! But she keeps on cleaning up the mess. No retainer, but what a FABULOUS SISTER!! Thanks Kate! XOXOXO

Dear Frenchy...

Dear Frenchy,
I can not begin to tell you how proud of you I am! What fun we had on Wednesday nights dress rehearsal. Remember Bushie brought over dinner and you were sitting naked in my bathroom sink shaving your legs? LOL!! I dried your hair and put it in a high pony and we gave you that tightly wrapped single curl. You looked in the mirror and gave that signature Kristen squeal that you give when you are please with yourself! Yes, you did look way cute!! You packed three bags for the performance, brushed your teeth (and retainer...NOT...I will post about that in a BIT! argh!!!)put on your green t-shirt dress with the ruffle at the collar and your ballet flats. You looked too grown up and were glowing with excitement!! You were to be at the rehearsal at 6:00 and of course we arrived at 5:20! First family there! In the car you were very quiet and reflective, I patted your leg and told you it was ok to be nervous, because you put your fingers in your mouth like you do when you are fretting about something. You said you were nervous and very excited. So was I!

You put your things away and Kate and I stood in the hall and watched you run up to everyone who arrived hugging and jumping up and down. Everyone commented on how good you looked. Then you were "off" to do your thing with your friends. Kate and I went in the little theatre and tried out all the seats, figuring which on was the best. We picked the third row on the left! Kate was so nervous for you, twirling around in her blue polka dot dress. She kept running after you trying to take pictures with my phone but always came back and said that you were busy with your friends or getting your makeup done. We walked around the top floor and found out that you were student of the week in December! LOL! I vaguely remember you telling me something about that, but didn't realize it was such a big deal. Your hair was long and blond in the picture, I suppose they took it right after school started.
Other adults started arriving and Kate found out that we needed tickets. It was a free performance but for fire code they needed to make sure they have only so many people there. The tickets were bright orange. Mr. Tyler came out and had on his GREASE cast t-shirt, they are so cool. He said you will get yours at the crew party!

I forgot the camera at work and had to call Daddy to go get it. He and Wil were coming up later. I sat and talked to the other parents, while Kate walked around looking for you. I could occasionally hear your voice out in the hall and I knew you were going to be great, your voice projects so clearly!! Two other parents who know you were telling me what a great voice you have. I suppose that you were singing when you were at their house, because they kept going on about how good your voice is. Of course I think your voice is great, but I'm your mom (you know how we watch American Idol and those people can not believe that they didn't get picked and their mom yells at the camera that their kid has a beautiful voice? ). Yes, you do want to be on American Idol and I will yell in the camera if they don't pick you, and not cause that is what moms are supposed to do, but because you do have a beautiful voice!! But American Idol will have to wait ;-).

Daddy and I talked and texted back and forth, we were both so excited and nervous and giggling. We were telling each other stories. Someday when you are a parent you will understand. Daddy dropped of Wil with the camera and went to the florist to pick up "pink flowers" for our pink lady!! Wil and Kate were so silly, going to look for you and coming back so excited when they saw you. Daddy arrived about 10 minutes before the show started because he thought it started at 7:30! Geoffrey, who is a fellow student who has down syndrome (someone I know no matter how old you are when you read this, you will remember), came to the theatre to see you. He sat next to daddy and said, "hi, I came here to see Kristen O...." Daddy said me too. G said, "Kristen? really?" Daddy said yes I'm her dad, Mr. Ohler. You should have seen the look on G's face, like he just met a rock star! It was too adorable. Daddy shook his hand and I though G was going to shake of Daddy's hand he was so excited. G kept saying over and over again that he was Kristen's friend. G's mom is so so grateful to you, she thinks you are an angel.

The theatre was full and your brother and sister were singing and dancing in their seats, they know all the words. All the parents and Sperreng kids were impressed that they knew the songs, well how could they not, they have spent hours with you in your room, singing them with you!! Mr. Tyler came out and spoke about this being a formal dress rehearsal for next week, explaining that there would be lots of dropped lines and that the props people and lights and techs would be working out glitches. He is obviously proud and nervous too!

The show began and your Dad and I were holding hands so tight we were nervous and excited and proud too! The very first scene and the pink ladies came walking in, you were already SO into character. The expressions on your face had us from the get go!!

I am not going to go through the whole show, you know I could, but I can already see you rolling your eyes at me! Plus, I don't want to spoil it for anyone else who is coming next week, but let me just say YOU STOLE THE SHOW! Everyone was cracking up at you and when you were giving other people their lines, it was classic! You had your lines and your blocks and your cues down pat, not to mention everyone elses. I am sorry that everyone was not as prepared as you, but you did handle it with grace and flair and NEVER once came out of character! You are awesome. At intermission, everyone was talking about "Frenchy" and it was fun to tell the other people we don't know that you were our kid! Some commented on your voice, or you dancing (yes, that one scene was too funny because EVERYONE was watching you through the difficult points because you never missed a beat!), and your facial expression and voice intonations were right on target! I know next week, everyone will have their parts down pat, but I was so glad I got to see this performance, it was so so so fun! Your friend Lauren did a great job as Sandy and the boy who played Danny was a good actor, lets just hope he learns his lines!! You said he will not be the Danny in the play next week, so it will be fun to see a different boy!

Dad and I could not be more proud of you! Waiting outside the dressing room, like groupies, were your "fans" and friends. You were so incredibly sweet talking to everyone, listening to their praise and comments and making them feel like they were special. We gave you your flowers and your smile was so worth it!



Of course we stayed until the last few people. Driving home in the car was so much fun, I wish I could have recorded the conversation! Everyone could not sleep from the excitement. I wish I could come up with a better adjective than FUN, but that is what it was pure FUN! Thanks for letting me be a part!

So proud of my pink lady,
Love-Mom