Monkey Bar Madness!

Last week I took Olive to the park and she said "monkey bars, Mommy!" I thought, how in the world does she know about monkey bars?! We went toward the monkey bars and she climbed up on the platform and I stood under the monkey bars to catch her. She then says "Moooooove Mommy!" and motioned me out of the way. WHAT?! So I told her that Mommy couldn't move, so she proceeded to jump off the platform and hang from the monkey bars! I thought I was in another universe! What had just happened?! My little girl who is scared of going on the bridge and scared of tunnels suddenly thought she could do the monkey bars! I knew Stephen wouldn't believe me, so we went back to the park a few days later for him to experience the phenomenon himself.

Climbing like a pro and getting frustrated if you get to close to her to keep her safe.

Possibly my favorite part is when she stands at the top of the platform, she says "I go for it, Olive!"

"WHEEEE!!"

And again...

Stephen tried to help her understand that you actually go across monkey bars, not just swing and drop.

But it was more fun to drop!

Again!

Then she wanted to jump to Mommy.

The monkey bars were so much fun, but she had to do a few of her favorites before we left.

I assumed that her new found courage and monkey bar experience must have come from school, so I asked her teachers about the monkey bars on Friday. The explained that the monkey bars are off limits for the Bears class because they are too tall and they could get hurt. So, the question is...where did our little monkey develop her love for the monkey bars? We still don't know! It scares me (and terrifies Stephen) a little to think that she may some day attempt this new found trick with no one there to catch her, so we will be following her very closely at the park from now on!

Lots of Dots by Olive Link

I am not going to lie, I want to be artistic. I envy those of you who can paint and draw and create. I have the creative gene, but not the true artist gene and I have always wanted to have it. (In elementary school, I wanted so badly to be in "Honor's Art" which was a special art club that met at lunch with the art teacher once a week. But to get in, you had to submit a drawing and since I can't draw to save my soul, I didn't get in. I even cheated and traced a picture to try to get accepted, but they could tell I was cheating. This has been a life long dream!) At school, I always loved doing creative projects with my kids. It has always amazed me how they can turn simple things into beautiful creations because they aren't afraid to take risks! I want to pass on my love of artistic things to Olive and the poor girl has had more than her fair share of forced painting projects in her life.
But, she has been asking to paint for awhile now. She got to paint special boxes for Father's day presents, so keeps saying "Ollie paint box" everytime we go to the basement and she sees the paint. I had decided last year to have her do a painting every year around her birthday. Her first masterpiece was completed during the time when she hated having anything wet on her hands, so it wasn't quite as much fun as this year. I let her pick out the colors she wanted to use and she went to town covering the whole canvas with pink.

We had to have a little talk about how to go "back and forth, back and forth" to make the brush strokes and she caught on really quickly.
I have to say, I was shocked that she was able to cover so much of it by herself! We didn't do any of it!

I was really wanting to do something with polka dots because she loves them right now. Anytime she wears something with polka dots, she likes to point out her "circles" to anyone and everyone who may act interested. I asked her if she wanted to use her fingers, which was of course a no go, so for the dark purple dots, she used the base of a marker. I showed her how to do one and then she was off!

I wanted the dots to be different sizes, so we used the laundry soap cup for the green dots. She really liked slamming it down onto the canvas. I think she liked the thud noise it made.
Next up was light purple. We used the lid on the paint for this one. She got really busy putting lots of little purple dots.

Waiting for it to dry was a big bummer, but she was so excited to show off the finished product today! We hung both of her masterpieces in her room above her crib. She keeps walking in her room and saying "Ollie's paintings. So pretty!" I think she is right, they are so pretty!

Today, We Remember

Today we remember. We remember the last moments we were able to share with Stephen's Mom, Grandma and Aunt. We remember all of the memories that include them. We remember the valuable lessons that they taught us. We remember the laughter that we shared the night before they went to heaven. We remember the long talks. We remember the special way they made us feel. We remember what it was like for them to be here with us.
It was 4 years ago today that they were taken away from us so suddenly. It still feels surreal to really think about it. Things like triple murders happen on the movies, in other towns, to other people, not to us. But it did. In an instant, they were taken to heaven to be with Jesus and the angels. Selfishly, we wish they were still here, but we take comfort knowing how happy they are! It makes us so sad that Olive will never know her Grammy or Grandma Bishop. But we know they will live on through her. She says good night to their pictures every night and we hope that she will get to "know" them, even though she won't get to meet them until she joins them in heaven.

We love you both and we miss you every day.

Ode To Eisenhower

Today as my precious Eisenhower friends are starting back to school, and I am not with them, I thought it would be fitting to do an "Ode to Eisenhower" post. I have resigned with NPS to take a position teaching online school with a charter school. I am very excited about this new opportunity because it is allowing me to be home with Olive, however, leaving Eisenhower has been a very hard thing to do. You see, Eisenhower isn't a regular school, it is a magical learning community filled with the most amazing people! It is truly different and it is because of the founding principles, the heart of the teachers and the amazing tradition. I am so blessed to have gotten the chance to teach there for the past 6 years! I am a different person because of the influence of the people at Eisenhower. I rounded up pictures from my time at Ike to share and most of them we are wearing costumes, that is part of the fun of being a kindergarten teacher.

K team 06-07 Halloween

Danee', Deanna, Kim, Sara (Lindsay wasn't here for this pic)
Apparently, "back in the day" a few of the teachers got the idea to turn their school shirts into t-shirt dresses, so thanks to a little idea prompting from our principal, our team did this for our Halloween costumes. Stephen's Mom sewed all of the dresses for us!

Halloween 2007

The characters from Mrs. Wishy Washy

Lindsay, Danee', Kimi, Kim F., Casey

Kim F. was our fabulous long term sub for Deanna when Molly was born.

Wacky Wednesday 2008

Deanna and Danee'
I am not sure when this pic was taken, but it always makes me giggle! It was pouring down rain so we had put our hoods up and stuck our purses in our jackets! Apparently I have a BIG purse!

Halloween 2009

"Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate!"

Kimi, Maggie, Danee', Michelle and Lindsay

The hardest part for me to "leave" is getting to do all of the extra fun stuff with the kids! Like having Johnny Appleseed come to visit. Stephen has always been a very convincing Johnny Appleseed!

And performing skits so that the kids believe that I am a real princess!

Fabulous friends at the Teacher of the Year Banquet 2009

Shannon, Julie, Danee', Audrey and Deanna

(please note that I am pregnant in this pic, not just chubby!)

Back to School Night 2009

Maggie, Danee', Kimi, Lindsay and Lynette

Lynette was my long term sub when Olive was born. Because she was born in August, I missed the first few months of school. I wanted to be a part of BTSN though, this picture was 12 days after she was born! Man, I look TIRED!!Wacky Wednesday 2010

Maggie, Lindsay, Kimi and Danee'

Olive got to come to school to visit my class in May. They had been asking me to bring her for "sharing" all year. They were SO EXCITED to meet her :)

Every summer, the past and present Eisenhower teachers are invited to Grand Lake to the first principal of Ike's home for a fun long weekend. It is such a great experience building relationships with past teachers and learning how things used to be done and why. It is a great honor to be able to spend time in Judi's home knowing that she is one of the main reasons Ike is as wonderful as it is, is because of her vision and hard work. It is also a lot of fun!

This is the Lake Group Summer 2010 Wacky Wednesday 2011

Danee', Somer, Kimi, Maggie, Lindsay, Sarah

We were blessed this past year to have WONDERFUL assistants, Somer and Randie. Randie was taking the picture instead of being in it.

Celebration of Bob Day~ May 2011

During Spring Break, our wonderful music teacher, Bob, passed away. He was a very incredible person who touched every child and teacher he came in contact with. His love of music and passion for teaching was second to no one! At the end of the year, we held a special celebration of Bob. One of the parents at school made special shirts to help remember him.

Caboose!! Get it? Ha!

I am so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to work at Eisenhower! I met the most incredible teachers and families who have changed my life. Some of my closest friends are fellow Ike teachers. I love each one of you dearly! Thank you for changing me! I hope that you have a wonderful school year! The children who are lucky enough to go to Eisenhower have no idea how blessed they are to have such incredible teachers!