This evening, we saw at the school how the kids learn math concept in a Montessori way. It was amazing! The kids start with touching, feeling the beads, they are looking at them. Couple years later, they end up understanding the concept of squares and cubes, like 2 to the square of 5. They don't memorize, but understand. They see that 2 to the square of 5 makes a real geometric square made of beads. They actually see a cube being build up. I hear often that kids from Montessori schools are good at math, I am not surprised. I understand that the girls will know math concept better than I do - and much better than P does, needles to say.
While the six teachers from different levels were explaining the concepts, showing us parents how the children work with the material, we could easily sense that there was so much more to it, so many dimensions that covered complex math concepts. I am truly impressed!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Gerald and Edna's visit
Last week-end P's cousins, Gerald and Edna with Aaron and Sheila were here. P had to take Gerald for salmon fishing of course. The freezer is now so full, I don't know what to do. How are we going to eat that all!
P took them with F to six flags on Friday evening. They came home soaked and happy. Apparently, F did some rides as well, and she loved it. The nice thing about the rain is that the lines are short, they didn't wait anywhere.
Saturday, P, Gerald, F and Aaron went to Harley museum in Milwaukee. I went with the rest shopping at Pleasant Prairie outlet mall. We shopped for hours. I hadn't done such relaxed shopping for such a long time and I got a taste of how a shopaholic feels. Feels good!
Sunday was reserved for the city. The tour started as usual with Union Station and water taxi to the pier. Then we walked along the lake and to the Millennium Park. We had dinner there and went to get some desert somewhere else. We came across a new place, Sweetwater Tavern & Grille, that looked very nice. The owners are of the popular Wicker Park pub. (Found out on Internet)
Aaron and F played for the whole weekend. Aaron is the funniest boy and so busy. He makes me laugh. He picks up old bottles from the streets to check what it is and falls constantly at he playground by trying all kinds of crazy stuff on the playsets. A was friends with Shelia and she also kept on jumping on Gerald.
The cousins left on Monday.
P took them with F to six flags on Friday evening. They came home soaked and happy. Apparently, F did some rides as well, and she loved it. The nice thing about the rain is that the lines are short, they didn't wait anywhere.
Saturday, P, Gerald, F and Aaron went to Harley museum in Milwaukee. I went with the rest shopping at Pleasant Prairie outlet mall. We shopped for hours. I hadn't done such relaxed shopping for such a long time and I got a taste of how a shopaholic feels. Feels good!
Sunday was reserved for the city. The tour started as usual with Union Station and water taxi to the pier. Then we walked along the lake and to the Millennium Park. We had dinner there and went to get some desert somewhere else. We came across a new place, Sweetwater Tavern & Grille, that looked very nice. The owners are of the popular Wicker Park pub. (Found out on Internet)
Aaron and F played for the whole weekend. Aaron is the funniest boy and so busy. He makes me laugh. He picks up old bottles from the streets to check what it is and falls constantly at he playground by trying all kinds of crazy stuff on the playsets. A was friends with Shelia and she also kept on jumping on Gerald.
The cousins left on Monday.
Friday, September 25, 2009
F's b-day
This was very unplanned. We will have a b-day party for F in about a month. Still, we decided to pick her up from school on 23rd. P would take a free end of the day. Just 2 days before her b-day, I forgot about the plans and promised to go to Kerry and Sheila's for a playdate. The day after, I realized that I had a big chance of winning the worst mother of the year award, by forgetting my daughter's b-day. Instead of calling the playdate off, we decided to invite Sheila to spend the afternoon with us. (amazingly, P came up with the idea, I didn't have to rub it in!) The activity options were limited, F had school till 2.30. But we figured it out.
I picked up Sheila with A, and drove with them to the school. P picked up F with the girls. We drove to our house. We went to feed the fish in the pond, an activity most favoured by F and A. I don't know how much bread went into the water. Those fish will be giants! The weather was gorgeous, so the kids started playing outside, on and off their bikes, having fun. P had his Dutch calling again, he wanted to do nothing but sit at the sun. Took a while to persuade him that baking himself was not a very special activity on a b-day. So we left for the bowling.
The bowling alley was empty besides us. The girls started playing, almost dropping the ball to their feet and throwing it so slowly that a turn would take minutes. They were dancing and laughing. Sheila wanted to give the ball to the one who had the turn, each and every time. I called Shelia's mother to ask if she was allowed to eat with us, that was OK. Sheila was so happy that we were eating together. After an hour of bowling, the kids were tired and ready to eat. Oh, yes, A was the winner of the game. F threw the ball with quite some speed. Sheila said "I never bowled before and I am so good at it." The dinner was a lot of giggling. Sheila was a bit disappointed that there was no b-day cake.
After dinner, we took Sheila home and headed to our house. I think this was a nice b-day for F, and her real party is still to come.
I forgot to tell about her present. I spent my whole morning for it. We bought her a keyboard. It's a big present, but we see it as investment to the future. We want the kids to be involved with music as early as possible. We are not really planning to buy a piano, but we heard that they can have some lessons on the keyboard. We have the keyboard, we still have to arrange the rest.
I picked up Sheila with A, and drove with them to the school. P picked up F with the girls. We drove to our house. We went to feed the fish in the pond, an activity most favoured by F and A. I don't know how much bread went into the water. Those fish will be giants! The weather was gorgeous, so the kids started playing outside, on and off their bikes, having fun. P had his Dutch calling again, he wanted to do nothing but sit at the sun. Took a while to persuade him that baking himself was not a very special activity on a b-day. So we left for the bowling.
The bowling alley was empty besides us. The girls started playing, almost dropping the ball to their feet and throwing it so slowly that a turn would take minutes. They were dancing and laughing. Sheila wanted to give the ball to the one who had the turn, each and every time. I called Shelia's mother to ask if she was allowed to eat with us, that was OK. Sheila was so happy that we were eating together. After an hour of bowling, the kids were tired and ready to eat. Oh, yes, A was the winner of the game. F threw the ball with quite some speed. Sheila said "I never bowled before and I am so good at it." The dinner was a lot of giggling. Sheila was a bit disappointed that there was no b-day cake.
After dinner, we took Sheila home and headed to our house. I think this was a nice b-day for F, and her real party is still to come.
I forgot to tell about her present. I spent my whole morning for it. We bought her a keyboard. It's a big present, but we see it as investment to the future. We want the kids to be involved with music as early as possible. We are not really planning to buy a piano, but we heard that they can have some lessons on the keyboard. We have the keyboard, we still have to arrange the rest.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Didn't forget Tena
Didn't mention Tena at all in the last posting. I feel ashamed. Well, cheers Tena!
Goodbye friends!
Dave and Beck stayed at our place for 2 nights, their last nights here before the big move to Denver. F was very excited that Beck finally was sleeping under our roof. The two played like crazy. On Monday, when F was still at school, A had her first real play time with Beck. She also got used to Dave, a little late though. Of course, we gave fish bread. Kids love that! Tuesday, we all left for school, and that was the time we said goodbye. We will surely miss them, but hopefully we became good enough friends that we will keep in touch forever.
Poor Dave flew on Tuesday for Denver, to a house that he never saw before, to a floor bed and paper plates and plastic glasses.
F says she is getting married to Beck and before they left, I got flowers from Beck. See, he is already trying to win his mother-in-law's heart!
We hope to go to Denver soon, and inspect the new guest rooms!
Poor Dave flew on Tuesday for Denver, to a house that he never saw before, to a floor bed and paper plates and plastic glasses.
F says she is getting married to Beck and before they left, I got flowers from Beck. See, he is already trying to win his mother-in-law's heart!
We hope to go to Denver soon, and inspect the new guest rooms!
Friday, September 18, 2009
U2 was at Soldier Field - and where was I?
Somethings are meant to be. I was sure I was going to miss the U2 concert. I was sure about it. I first thought, if I go to see U2, it has to be on the field. Then, I need to be there early, and P would never do that. Then, I was sure P would be travelling. So, I hadn't even look for tickets.
P was indeed gone for a week and a half. Wednesday before the first concert, I saw a friend at the parking lot. She told me she was going to U2. She said they had tickets through their friends. She said her friend might have an extra ticket. I found it tempting, but we wouldn't be able to sit together. Would I go to the concert alone? Would I dare to do it for U2????.... I didn't think so.
After dropping off the kids, I went to the dentist. I was just sitting at the chair, a U2 song began on the radio. "Are you going to the concert?", I asked my dentist. "I didn't know they were coming to town" he said. While he was digging some holes in my teeth, his next patient came to sit on the chair at the other side of the wall that separates the clients. My dentist asked him if he was going to U2. He said something about having 2 tickets for sale, for the Saturday concert (sept 12). That's the only information I got from their conversation. "Could I get those tickets?", I was asking myself. This was just too much! The dentist asked for me how much the tickets were. 200$ a piece, but they were supposed to be special tickets. Wow, kind a expensive. No no no, I wasn't going to do it. How could I spend 200$ + babysitter + parking for my pleasure? No way!
I went to school to pick up the kids, still a bit confused. I parked my car next to Tricia. I said: "Can you believe it. I could get tickets for U2 and P is not here, so I am not going!" "I'll go with you", she said. Sure...or was she serious? Picked up A and F, went to the park with Fauzia and her kids. After a while, I had to call Tricia. "R U serious?", I asked. Well, she was.
At home, I called the dentist, who went to get Phillip from his work across the square. Phillip was the guy with the tickets. I thought... It appears that his colleague Brooke had the tickets. Brooke had the tickets on sale on Craig's list. He was going to let me know the next day if they were sold or not. And don't I hate to wait!!!!
Now were waiting....
Waiting....
Oh, are the tickets 200$ a price or 200$ for both.
Call Phillip, get his answering machine and leave a horrible message - A kept on talking through, and I had to walk the whole house to get away from her -.
Wait...wait...wait
Next morning, I waited for a while and around 9.30, I called Phillip again, didn't get a hold of him. My last resort was to drive to shopping center and try to see the guy. I stepped out of the car and he was just stepping out of his. Just meant to be! I introduced myself and asked him about the tickets. He sent me to Starbucks, Brooke was there. She told me that there were negotiating about the tickets with someone else. "Before 1.00 p.m. I will call you and let you know", she said.
After picking up the girls and saying a "I still don't know" to Tricia, I took the girls to "Little" Lauren's b-day. The kids started to jump up and down - we were at Pump It Up, I was talking to other mothers, all with the telephone clenched in my hand.
Before 1.00 p.m., somehow I realized I missed a call I never got. Brooke was on the answering machine. "I still have the tickets, you can have them for 150$ or 100$" a piece". I called her and somehow, she sold the tickets for 60$ a piece. Tickets for the field on U2 concert! Oh my gosh! I am going to U2! The next stop from the b-day party -which was very fun by the way - was Target to buy the new U2 CD.
Saturday, I made the girls crazy. I was listening to the new U2 the whole day, just too excited. At a certain moment, F said, "mama, can you stop singing that!" My poor girls.
OK, this is taking too long, let me get to the concert. Tricia arranged a parking place, right at the stadium. We were there right after 6 p.m. We entered the Soldier Field and it was WOW! It was real something. Did I feel like, small; and the whole place was so big. We did one mistake with Tricia, we went to buy something to eat. We could have been much closer to the stage. But whatever. The opening act was The Snow Patrol, it was good. Then, after making us wait for 50 minutes, U2 came on the stage. There is no way I tell about the concert, there are no words for it. The stage was very impressive. Bono and Edge got quite close to our view. 360 it is. Adrenaline rush, singing, dancing, jumping... I couldn't sleep till 3 a.m., just too much for one day. The songs are still going in my head, almost a week later.
P was indeed gone for a week and a half. Wednesday before the first concert, I saw a friend at the parking lot. She told me she was going to U2. She said they had tickets through their friends. She said her friend might have an extra ticket. I found it tempting, but we wouldn't be able to sit together. Would I go to the concert alone? Would I dare to do it for U2????.... I didn't think so.
After dropping off the kids, I went to the dentist. I was just sitting at the chair, a U2 song began on the radio. "Are you going to the concert?", I asked my dentist. "I didn't know they were coming to town" he said. While he was digging some holes in my teeth, his next patient came to sit on the chair at the other side of the wall that separates the clients. My dentist asked him if he was going to U2. He said something about having 2 tickets for sale, for the Saturday concert (sept 12). That's the only information I got from their conversation. "Could I get those tickets?", I was asking myself. This was just too much! The dentist asked for me how much the tickets were. 200$ a piece, but they were supposed to be special tickets. Wow, kind a expensive. No no no, I wasn't going to do it. How could I spend 200$ + babysitter + parking for my pleasure? No way!
I went to school to pick up the kids, still a bit confused. I parked my car next to Tricia. I said: "Can you believe it. I could get tickets for U2 and P is not here, so I am not going!" "I'll go with you", she said. Sure...or was she serious? Picked up A and F, went to the park with Fauzia and her kids. After a while, I had to call Tricia. "R U serious?", I asked. Well, she was.
At home, I called the dentist, who went to get Phillip from his work across the square. Phillip was the guy with the tickets. I thought... It appears that his colleague Brooke had the tickets. Brooke had the tickets on sale on Craig's list. He was going to let me know the next day if they were sold or not. And don't I hate to wait!!!!
Now were waiting....
Waiting....
Oh, are the tickets 200$ a price or 200$ for both.
Call Phillip, get his answering machine and leave a horrible message - A kept on talking through, and I had to walk the whole house to get away from her -.
Wait...wait...wait
Next morning, I waited for a while and around 9.30, I called Phillip again, didn't get a hold of him. My last resort was to drive to shopping center and try to see the guy. I stepped out of the car and he was just stepping out of his. Just meant to be! I introduced myself and asked him about the tickets. He sent me to Starbucks, Brooke was there. She told me that there were negotiating about the tickets with someone else. "Before 1.00 p.m. I will call you and let you know", she said.
After picking up the girls and saying a "I still don't know" to Tricia, I took the girls to "Little" Lauren's b-day. The kids started to jump up and down - we were at Pump It Up, I was talking to other mothers, all with the telephone clenched in my hand.
Before 1.00 p.m., somehow I realized I missed a call I never got. Brooke was on the answering machine. "I still have the tickets, you can have them for 150$ or 100$" a piece". I called her and somehow, she sold the tickets for 60$ a piece. Tickets for the field on U2 concert! Oh my gosh! I am going to U2! The next stop from the b-day party -which was very fun by the way - was Target to buy the new U2 CD.
Saturday, I made the girls crazy. I was listening to the new U2 the whole day, just too excited. At a certain moment, F said, "mama, can you stop singing that!" My poor girls.
OK, this is taking too long, let me get to the concert. Tricia arranged a parking place, right at the stadium. We were there right after 6 p.m. We entered the Soldier Field and it was WOW! It was real something. Did I feel like, small; and the whole place was so big. We did one mistake with Tricia, we went to buy something to eat. We could have been much closer to the stage. But whatever. The opening act was The Snow Patrol, it was good. Then, after making us wait for 50 minutes, U2 came on the stage. There is no way I tell about the concert, there are no words for it. The stage was very impressive. Bono and Edge got quite close to our view. 360 it is. Adrenaline rush, singing, dancing, jumping... I couldn't sleep till 3 a.m., just too much for one day. The songs are still going in my head, almost a week later.
***
...and why did Brooke wanted to sell her tickets. Yeah, she got from her husband, for their anniversary, Red Zone Tickets. She had Red Zone Tickets. I talked to her today at Starbucks. She said she was happy to give the tickets to a real U2 fan, to somebody who was excited to see them. We talked about the concert and got all goes bumps talking about it. I felt like a teenager. Wow, that was a long time ago. Love U2!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sept 15th
Wedding day and P is away. We tend to forget about it. We just don't seem to have any problem with it. Works for us!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Dancing A
A had her first ballet lesson today. What an excitement! We got her ballet shoes from the real dance shop. She showed them to her sister with proud. After she got dressed, we went to the rec center. Dave and Beck were by us, so F stayed home with them.
A went to the class head up high. She walked in as the first child. Then her classmates came in. I think there are seven kids in the class. Then started the dancing. She was really doing her best, so focused... Little feet going back and forth, little hands flapping like bird's wings... I think she felt really older, a big girl like her sister. Last year she was too young to join, this year she was standing herself in the dance studio.
She came out proud and happy. She was dying to tell it all to F. She wants to go tomorrow again. She doesn't accept that she has to wait another week before the next lesson. She surely has interest in dancing, we still have to see if she has some talent!
A went to the class head up high. She walked in as the first child. Then her classmates came in. I think there are seven kids in the class. Then started the dancing. She was really doing her best, so focused... Little feet going back and forth, little hands flapping like bird's wings... I think she felt really older, a big girl like her sister. Last year she was too young to join, this year she was standing herself in the dance studio.
She came out proud and happy. She was dying to tell it all to F. She wants to go tomorrow again. She doesn't accept that she has to wait another week before the next lesson. She surely has interest in dancing, we still have to see if she has some talent!
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