24 May 2015 - Warhawk Air Museum

This week, Joanne and I got to be chaperons for Emily's class field trip to the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa.

It had been a while since I rode a school bus, and a longer while since I did it with seventh graders. So fun. So fun. Their teacher had done a nice job getting them ready for the field trip. Among other things, the kids grew (or bought in some cases), plants to give to veterans who were there at the museum to tell of their experiences in World War II, Korea and/or Vietnam. There was one vet there who had served in all three.

We thought the veteran in this photo was probably the most interesting to listen to. He was a light perimeter boat gunner, which meant that he was on a smaller boat that went ahead of the larger ships to lay down cover fire and clear a path. He was there on D-Day, shelling the beach at Normandy for more than two hours before the first land troops went ashore. He said that he was on his boat for 18 months of the war, and only got off twice for two hours each time in that 18 months. He had pictures of himself and some of his comrades on their boat to share with the kids. I was very impressed with how respectful they were.

This is me with the museum's namesake, a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter plan.

This is a 1938 Packard, which was used as an officer's transport car during the war. It was immaculately restored, and I found myself thinking that we ought to get back to cars with this kind of leg room in the back seat.

In addition to the World War II section, the museum had sections for World War I, Korea, Vietnam, and smaller areas devoted to Desert Storm, and even space exploration. It was a pretty cool place to spend a day, even if it was with 50 twelve and 13 year olds.

17 May 2015 - Peter Panic @ TCJS

After months of dedicated work, Jessica's school finally put on their spring musical. It's called Peter Panic. Jessica was cast as the female lead, Pam, president of the high school drama club who plans to produce a play based on the story of Peter Pan to raise money to save the drama program from budget cuts and the school's scheming football coach (Coach Rook), who needs the school's auditorium for storage space for his football gear. She succeeds by getting the star quarterback, Tinkerman to join the play (cast as Tinkerbell), along with several of his teammates. I'd never heard of the play before, but I really liked it and thought the music was really catchy. Here is Jessica's first song, Here in Neverland.

After a disagreement with Tinkerman, Pam fears her plans to stage Peter Pan and save the drama program are doomed. Tinkerman sacrifices his football stardom to try to help Pam, and they sing How Can You Reach the Stars? joined by the rest of the cast.

Here's a shot of the cast at the end of the play, after they've successfully staged Peter Pan and saved the drama club. The kids obviously had a lot of fun with the play and they did a great job.

Jessica with some of her BFFs after the play. She had a Peter Pan hat, but it kept falling off.

The play was staged on Friday night and again on Saturday afternoon. Grandma and Grandpa Phil, Jennifer, Eric and Bailey all came up from Utah on Friday night to see the Saturday production. Aunt Kathy and Eric and Lara's family came to see it on Saturday too. It was excellent to have so much support and to share the afternoon with family. After the sets were broken down and hauled away, we went to Eric and Lara's for a bonfire and tinfoil dinners. Madeline and Bailey had a good time chasing the chickens and baby ducks.

Waiting for tinfoil dinners to cook in Eric's back yard.

Not lost during the busy weekend was Emily's participation in a pre-girls camp hike. They did one of those chalk powder races, so she came home painted like one of the Lost Boys. She had lots of fun, but had to take a shower before the Saturday play performance.

It was a great weekend full of good memories and success.

10 May 2015 - Last Week at C of I

This week was our final week of the semester at The College of Idaho. Because I'm moving on to Utah Valley University in the fall, it was also our last time teaching here in Idaho, so it was not without mixed emotions. We made some cookies to cheer ourselves up. It worked.

It was a desperately busy week that also included a quick trip to Utah to meet with our builder (we're building a new house in Vineyard, which is where Geneva Steel used to be) (40.299033, -111.755195). We spent hours on Saturday picking out flooring, cabinets, counter tops, etc. Here are the samples of what we picked.

3 May 2015 - 5th Grade Track Meet / Piano Recital

This week the girls had their spring piano recital.  This was the only picture we took, which I admit isn't great.  This is Jessica with their teach, Sister Wasden, who is going to be tough to replace.

Friday was the 5th grade track meet at the high school.  Here is Madeline throwing the hammer.

Running the hurdles.  Credit Joanne for the great action shot.  Madeline is second from the left, in the air.

Ribbons with BFF Mauvey.

Throwing the shot put.  Madeline took first place in this event.

Long jump sand landing.

This year at school Madeline has been in a Gifted and Talented program.  Recently they did a learning unit on physics, and they had a guy bring in a homemade hovercraft made from a leaf blower and, from what Madeline said, a whole lotta duct tape.

We've been enjoying some mighty fine spring weather, and spent an hour or so on Saturday on the playground at the girls' school.  Emily's been wanting to go there when the recess teacher wasn't around, so she could actually climb on stuff without getting scolded.  I climbed with her.

26 April 2015 - Emily's Birthday

We now have two teenagers in our house.  Emily turned 13 on April 22nd.  I met her at school with roses and a balloon (roses not pictured, balloon pictured).

She got not one, but two chocolate cakes -- one for her actual birthday, and one on Sunday when Kathy and Eric's family came over.

Got a new P!NK dress!

And some superhero apparel.

Gifts from sister, with love.

And money from Grammie and Grandpa! (American dollars, not Australian, arrived by mail).

Emily had a Hello Kitty flash drive that unfortunately, went through the wash, and then did not work. A replacement has been given, with instructions (click pic to enlarge and read instructions).

19 April 2015 - Spring, Swimming, Musical Theater

We took the girls out for pizza Friday night.  It took so long to get our food, Emily had enough time to build an entire fleet of tiny paper airplanes out of silverware holders.

We had the April Pools swim meet at the Nampa Rec center.  Here's Madeline on 50 Free.

Emily on 100 backstroke.

Jessica on 200 backstroke.  We had several new personal bests and a some top three finishes between the three girls.  Good meet.

Joanne made a string bag for our niece Calista because she was turning 8 and getting baptized.

We took the girls to see You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, at the college on Thursday.  They had little felt squares on the "grass"  so the kids could sit at the edge of the set.  The students did an impressive job with the musical.

Spring is here in Caldwell.  Joanne planted some curb appeal at our house.