Connaught Stars

We got a call this week to tell us that Carson was to get a surprise award at the assembly on Friday.  Every month the teachers pick kids from their class to get awards for various good deeds.  Clarke & I went to the assembly.  Carson didn't notice us there and walked right past us.

Unfortunately, his teacher was away.  The substitute gave him his award and read the comments off of the back for him.

This is the first video I have tried posting here from my camera.  Hopefully my focusing ability improves with time.  I also didn't edit it prior to loading which probably would have helped!  The first 34 seconds is Carson's part.   I must also say that with the amount of time it takes to load a video we won't have very many on our blog!

Carson and the substitute (sadly, I don't know her name!)

     After the presentation the teachers pose with the students for pictures which are then hung in the hallway for all to see.
    This is what was written by his teacher: "Carson, bravo! Tu es toujours gentil et tu penses toujours aux autres.  I love how Carson is always thinking of others and helping everyone in our class.  His kindness is contagious and is helping our classroom to be a wonderful place.  Thank you, Carson!"
     Clarke was very happy that they started the assembly with the grade 1 classes so he could sneak out as soon as Carson got his award.  I was just impressed that he came as he didn't think Kindergarten celebration was worth going to!  I also hate to think how much he will hate it when we have the boys in grades 3, 5 & 6!

Cadbury Buttons

Fiona was able to come visit before the long weekend.  As one of multiple treats she brought the boys (they inherited a great deal of classic Lego that they play with daily!) she left some Cadbury Buttons.  They had had way too many treats while Fiona was here so Fiona and I agreed that they boys could have their Buttons on another day.  They opened them this last week and, being my boys, turned eating them into a game.  Here are a few pictures of the boys with Button eyes and the resulting chocolate evidence left behind from them being silly.

Jay's Button eyes

 They would hold the Buttons over their eyes prior to eating.  As you can see they were left with yummy "black eyes" at the end.

 Jay actually looked a bit like he had 'allergic shiners' from his.  Nathan was just generally dirty with his after shot as we got the eye residue as well as additional remnants.

Mantracker 2011

Ducks Unlimited had a fund raising dinner in Brooks on September 9.  Clarke took Jay and Carson to meet him.  Carson's favorite show is Mantracker and he begs to watch it every day at 4.

The boys posing with Mantracker

Getting some food to feed the fish.

Dinnertime!

To add to this story, the boys hadn't been especially good and just don't seem to grasp how truly lucky, and spoiled, that they are.  Clarke told them that they had to earn their own money to pay the $50 for their tickets.  He taught them a door approach and sent them out on a bottle drive.  Carson's version:  "Hi, I'm Carson.  Do you have any empty bottles that I can have to go to a Ducks Unlimited dinner with Mantracker?  Know your land, know your prey."   In just under 2 hours they got about $45.  Pretty good return on the time.  I don't know that they learned the lesson yet but we'll see how things go in the future when they are being monkeys and begging for everything and I say no.  If nothing else, Clarke says they now know how to do a door approach!

Jay's first full day of Kindergarten

Jay met his teacher Mme. Spencer on August 30.  He then had a one hour orientation with half of his classmates September 1.  On August 31 he awoke telling me what he wanted for lunch in his lunch kit!   After much anticipation, today was his first full day.  He rode the school bus with his brother.  Clarke put him on the bus and I met the bus at the school.  The bus was almost 15 minutes late so all the kids, including Carson ran off the bus to their classes.  They were supposed to get late slips from the office but when the secretary saw me come in with Jay the kids were excused for being late and I walked Jay to his class.  He was a little thrown off by all the kids already with their bags on the hooks and lunch kits in their cubbies.  We got him set and found his place at the work table.  He hurried to 'catch up' on the coloring that the other kids were doing.  I leaned down and told him to have a good day and that I would meet him at the end of school.  He was beaming from ear to ear!

Jay ready to go catch the bus - the funny thing is I think he was wearing this same outfit last year on his first day of preschool.  The backpack is new!

Happy Birthday to Stinky!

We promised Nathan a party with his friends.  He said he wanted Chase to come and Makayla.  Makayla is his babysitter!  I invited her because that is what he wanted.  We suggested he invite some kids from his nursery class but that is all that wanted.  We did invite a couple of others in the end.  We went to Costco on Wednesday to get groceries and the boys pointed out the big cakes to Nathan.  He decided he wanted a big Costco cake.  I asked him what he wanted on it.  I double checked with him and his request is pictured below!

I thought for sure that Costco would call to make sure that this is what we wanted on the cake.  They didn't call and the cake was ready for us when we went to pick it up!

The big candle blow out!

This is how Nathan smiles for posed pictures!

Makayla did drop by and the truck in the picture was the present that she brought for the spoiled little man!  He was very excited and this was the photo he wanted me to send to her as a thank you!  She couldn't stay but he was very happy that she had dropped by.  She also gave him a little bubble gum machine so she is of course in even thicker with him.  He told me me he wants to marry her!

Uncle Jason came down for the party as well which is good as he was the official battery assistant for the new toys.  He also became the crazy gluer to put some of them back together!  All in all, I think that Nathan enjoyed his birthday.  All week long he referred to himself as the "birthday man."