Kid Korner

Cora

I usually help the kids pick out their clothes during the week, mainly because we have school and places to be. Saturdays are usually the exception. I generally let the kids pick out their own clothes and wear what they want, within reason...unless we have somewhere to be and then I help. So yesterday, Saturday, this is the outfit that Cora picked out to wear. You can't see it very well, but her skirt has polka dots. She is taking to heart that the new fashion "yes" allows you to wear stripes and dots together. Also, notice the tag by her neck, she likes to wear her clothes backwards too!

Her new love and passion is playing the drums. (takes after her dad) Ever since we aquired Rock Band 2, she has been begging to play the drums almost every day. She has now upgraded from the "freestyle" mode, to playing along with songs in the "no fail" mode. It is too cute! She must do it all on her own, and refuses any attempts we make to help. FYI, we do censure the songs she can play...so far it is pretty much "Eye of the Tiger".

Hannah

Our Miss Hannah has left us speechless this week! We got a note home from school informing us that Hannah would be recognized in an awards assembly this past week. Awards assemblies are not unusual out here, Anya gets recognized monthy at her school...but this was the first time for Hannah. They don't tell you what recognition they get, you pretty much find out at the assembly. So Matt and I went Wendsday morning. To our shock, Hannah was awarded an "Outstanding Achievment in Math" award. Hannah...math?!!! We mentioned our surprise to her teacher, and she looked at us like we were insane. Apparently Hannah is her top math student, she is a wiz at addition and is even doing basic multiplication....in first grade.

Who knew?! Hannah we are so proud of you!

Hannah recieving her award

The proud award recipient

Anya

Anya learned how to ride a bike this week! This was a huge development for our family. She had a bike with training wheels that she had outgrown, so I had gone to the thrift store and bought a bigger bike in pretty good condition for like $5. Anya has had this fear of learning to ride a bike. She was afraid of steering, going fast, and falling over. So she has really never even attempted to learn to ride a bike. Matt and I never really pushed her, but I was not going to buy a fancy, expensive bike if she wasn't going to ride it. This gently used bike had no training wheels, so it really never got ridden. This past week Anya tells us that we need to fix up her bike (air in tires, seat adjusted....), because on Saturday she wanted to learn how to ride it. She said that all her friends can ride a bike, and she must be the only kid in third grade that doesn't know how. Well, come Saturday, Anya still wanted to learn how to ride her bike. So Matt fixed up her bike and took her out to the common area in our neighborhood. He spent about an hour with her and then came home. I thought Anya had had enough for one day and would try again another day...but NO! She had learned how to ride her bike in that hour. That's determination for you. Now we can barely get her off it, all she wants to do is ride her bike! Good job Anya!

Anya right after she learned to ride her bike. Maybe we can get her a nicer bike as a present now...maybe!