Homework....friend or foe!!!

Tuesday, this past week was to be Kate's very first day of homework. We all knew this as the kindergarten teachers had sent home a note letting parents know what to expect. It just so happened that Tuesday, I went with Valerie to pick up the kids from school. Out bounces Kate from the school. She is so excited that she could barely contain herself. She said, "I have homework for the very first time in my entire life. This is the best day in my whole life. I am so excited, I can't wait"...all the while unzipping her backpack to pull out the proof of homework as she was still bouncing towards us. Not more than than a few seconds later, a young boy (it had to be a kindergartner and probably in the same class) came out of the school and collapsed onto the lawn in total agony with tears rolling down his face as he proclaimed to his mother, "I have homework and I don't want to do it. I don't know how to do it. This is the worst day in my entire life". Poor boy was scooped by his mother who gave him a big hug but is didn't seem to console him much.  Homework....friend or foe? I guess it depends on your perspective.

Labor Day and Birthdays!

Sunday, we celebrated our daughter Valerie's birthday with a family dinner at the house. Valerie was born on Labor Day, on a Sunday, 33 years ago. I can remember it like it was yesterday. Craig was the Ward Clerk at the time and needed to make sure that things were taken care of on that end. Meanwhile, Everyone kept checking in with us and it was the real buzz that I was in Labor ON Labor Day. It's funny but I remember every little detail about the day that she was born and even the day before. And now, she has three kids of her own and I bet that she remembers every little detail about their precious births as well. Children are such a blessing...and even after they grow up, they continue to be so.

"I got pulled over for picking up rocks"

Yep, it is true! Kate started Kindergarten this year. It is so fun to hear those first stories out of the mouths of the babes themselves. Kate has always had a fetish for picking up rocks and bringing them home. She has always done this and most recently after the passing of her bunny Peanut, she and her brother had painted rocks from their yard and put them on his little grave. Apparently it is a real "no no" at school to collect rocks on the playground. She was told by one of the teachers at recess to put the rocks down and when Kate didn't do it, she got in trouble. When relating the story to me she said "yep, Nana I got pulled over for picking up rocks at school". I laughed my head off...later of coarse!  Out of the mouths of babes.