 |
| From 2009-02-28 Colfax Champions |
Smallmonster’s basketball team played for the K-1 championship last Saturday at Colfax. It was a close game but pulled it out in the end 44-38. Never thought they could score so many points but practically every shot they took went in. It was a great ending to an exciting season and smallmonster can’t wait for next year. Now it is on to Baseball…
The Tallone had to make a catapult for a science project due on Monday. He had been mentioning it for a couple of weeks now, but Daddy didn’t quite get the gist that it was an official school project, nor that a deadline was looming.
A quick Google search and we had locate a pretty easy design and thanks to StormtheCastle.com we had the prototype done withing a couple of hours. The plans for the Table-Top Troll Catapult were just what we needed and we were catapulting tin foil balls all over the yard.
 |
| From 2009-01-10 Science Project |
Tallmonster decided to work with pulleys for his science project. We took a couple of trips to Wal*Mart to get a few clothes line pulleys and some rope. The Tall One did a little bit of research on the internet to learn about the simple machines.
We did some experimenting in the garage with different combination of pulleys and measured the results with a fish scale. Tallmonster put every thing together on his project board and even typed out a presentation, http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=dcwkzzcr_4gsw39rgd. He didn’t win any prizes, but the project was pretty cool.
Tallmonster was up and at ‘em first thing this morning. Mommy set his alarm last night and he popped right out of bed. No rest for the wicked the bus showed up at 6:45 sharp. The bus driver is going to give them a little relief and come at 6:55 from now on, but it is still way early.
Smallmonster was last to get his lazy bones out of the sack. When Daddy went in to roust him he explained that he doesn’t get up until someone turns on his light. Glad we got this all straightened out on the first day.
With Mommy at work and the jmonsters at school Daddy had plenty of time to get some work done. Instead he remembered that he had a dentist appointment where they decided it was a good idea to replace a filling. So with a mouth full of Novocain he got to spend the rest of the morning explaining his incomplete words over the phone to everyone. It still was pretty quiet and Sandee didn’t quite know what to make of it, so she decided it was prudent to nap most of the day away.
When the bus dropped the jmonsters off, there was much to say and explain. Tallmonster started the year out right, by forgetting to bring home a paper that he needed his parents to sign. Daddy was trying not to stroke out on the first day, and we suppose we should somehow applaud his consistency. He still tries everyone’s patients as only Tallmonster could.
Smallmonster seemed pretty happy with his teacher and class. He explained that 1st grade is easy, so there are no worries. As long as we remember to turn on his light, so he can get out of bed in the morning.
All of the spitting, sputtering, crying, sobbing, gyrations, and general self abuse at the kitchen table seemed to pay dividends at the end of the school year. It turns out Tallmonster is not as dumb as he thinks or acts. He did very well and we had to take a group shot in order to capture all of his awards in school this year. The one we are most proud of is being the highest Accelerated Reader in the school, and he started two months late.
Tallmonster entered a composition into a Reflections competition as part of a class project. He had to write about “How I can make a Difference”. He was busy with it for about a week and Mommy kept having to sign a form that he was working on a short essay. We never really put all of the things together until last week he came home to tell us he received honorable mention for the paper that he wrote.
We haven’t read the final version as of yet, but hopefully he will have the paper returned this week, so that we can take a look.
The jmonsters survived their first full week of school. Smallmonster has the weekend thing figured out and has already learned to live for them. Tallmonster has begun to switch classes for science, and reports that it is no big deal. We have only had one forgetting of the homework assignment, and a pretty good grade on a spelling test.
All of this prompted a dinner and movie night at the house. We watched Alex Rider – Operation Stormbreaker, and had garlic pizza and Bucci Pizza Bread. Both the movie and pizzas get the thumbs up, so a win/win for a week in the history books.
Not sure who was more nervous and excited mommy or Smallmonster. everyone was up by seven and dressed, fed, teeth brushed, and ready for action by seven thirty. The lunch pails were piled high and packages of pens, paper, pencils, folders, markers, crayons, wipes, and tissues broken into. A pack mule was needed to tote the school supplies in, things are a lot different from when we went to school with just our new trapper folder and jeans so stiff they wouldn’t bend at the knees. There was a bit of time left over after all of the scurrying, so the jmonsters were allowed to do the school morning taboo and watch some cartoons before heading off to the mines and toil for the day.
It was a full day of school so when Mommy went back at 3:00 to pick up the jmonsters, the first thing Smallmonster said was “it was a long day!” When I asked him if he was ready to go back again tomorrow he said “probably not”. He was quickly reminded that you have ta, sort a, kind a got to go to school. He didn’t correct any of our poor grammar, so we are questioning the worth of the first day.
Tallmonster seemed pretty un-phased by the nostalgia of the first day. When asked about his day, we received the typical Tallmonster reply “Good”. It always takes hours of interrogation under a naked bulb to get him to come forward with any details.
All in all they both had a successful first day!
On Wednesday night Smallmonster graduated from preschool. It was quite the production with each child wearing a cap and tassel. They sang some songs and the ceremony was concluded with all of the graduates dancing to “The jungle sleeps tonight” and a rousing “YMCA”. It was too cute!
Smallmonster looked so proud sitting in his chair and he couldn’t stop smiling and waving to us in the crowd. Grandma and Pap-Pap made the trip out for dinner before hand and cake after (pap-pap’s favorite part). He is excited (and nervous) about going to big school in the fall. Mommy and Daddy are still wondering where the time went…
A copy of Smallmonster’s Diploma: http://matt.jmonsters.googlepages.com/SmallmonstersDiploma.pdf
A copy of Smallmonster’s Program: http://matt.jmonsters.googlepages.com/SmallmonstersProgram.pdf
flickr: Set – Detail – Slide Show – Map
Videos at end…
*Not liking some of the comments on the photo pages so… if you are having trouble seeing them drop us a note and we’ll invite you! matt at jmonsters dot net
GEO: Auburn YMCA [GP:ymca]
It is always such a joy to get Tallmonster to do his homework. The gnashing of teeth, the howling in pain, and the emotional distress makes for a truly enjoyable evening. All of us simply shake our heads in disbelief and ignore him, but tonight we decided to take some pictures to lighten the mood.
Smallmonster grabbed his camera and did some photo-documentation as well. Daddy tried not to rub it in that he did not have to work on any God forsaking paper or presentation himself, and we wonder where Tallmonster gets his disdain of homework from.
Cursive writing, multiplication, and spelling can bring out the best in anyone.
flickr: Set – Detail – Slide Show – Map
: Web Album
GEO: jmonsters place [GP:jmonsters]
