Field day / Jessie's Preschool Graduation

Jessie and Brandon in their South Mesa Tshirts on field day.

This was the first year that preschool got to participate in field day. I don't know how field days work in other place, or if you even have them, but I am not too impressed with how it's run. All the grades gather together and each grade runs the 50 yard dash to get a ribbon. Then they break away into groups to go to their designated games, every 20 minutes until lunch time. Most of the time by the time you figure out where your game is and figure out how to play, it is time to switch again. Or there will be someone else playing the game and so you can't play and you end up only playing a few games. After lunch the kids, especially the younger ones, have down time until the big kickball game between the fifth grade and staff that lasts an hour and the rest of the kids are supposed to sit and watch patiently. Then they have more down time with a popsicle party until school is out. This year Jessie was done by eleven so we signed her out and Brandon had another hour so we watched him until he was done. Then we found out they were just going to read and play quietly until the kickball game. We decided we weren't going to make Jess sit around because she was getting bored and tired and Brandon decided it wasn't worth it either so we ended up taking them both home. We ate outside at home and the kids played and we made a memorial stone for Shane to put in the garden. I think they had more fun than if they had stayed. The kids seem to enjoy field day even if it is chaos so I guess that is what matters.


Jessie's diploma

Jessie graduated preschool. They are so cute. They do a musical program that includes the zoophonics song. Then they go up to get their diploma and they got punch and a snack after. The kids are all a little confused by what is going on, but they enjoy it. Jess decided she wanted to visit Grandma at work and then we picked up chicken sandwiches and played the rest of the afternoon until Brandon came home.

I thought her kindergarten was all set with her new teacher, who is much better than the one Brandon had, but now they decided to do all day and half day kindergarten. The teacher they have now is doing the all day and we don't know who they are going to get for the half day. We have to put her in the half day because they charge for the all day and we can't afford it. Luckily she is smart enough that if she doesn't get a great teacher it shouldn't affect her skills but it tends to make school not as fun when you don't like the teacher. She is out of school now but Brandon still has one more week so I get broken in to having kids around all day.

Mother's Day

For Mother's day the kids gave me some presents they made. Jessie made me a purple bracelet and gave me some flower seedlings she started growing at school. She also painted a ceramic flower but gave it to GG. She painted it dark purple and brown with a little green. For a girl that loves bright colors for some reason she likes to paint with dark colors. Go figure. Brandon gave me a hats off to mom poem and made me a matching necklace and ring that he made with his rock polishing kit. They also wanted to buy me some flowers to put outside. I also got a drain mat to put under my dish drainer, a new swifter because mine broke, a cake frosting spreader, and GG gave both me and mom some money to buy flowers for our outside. It was a nice day and mom and I went to GG's and had a nice visit and then we had a family dinner. It was a good day with no fighting from the kids so that is always a good present.

Jessie also had her first field trip for preschool. They went to the city park rides and zoo. They got to ride the rides for about an hour and then we had lunch in the park and they played for a short time then we went to the zoo. They were broken up into groups because the kindergarten was also there and no one would be able to see the animals otherwise. My group was just Jessie and a little girl named Emily. Emily used to be her best friend but now they aren't quite as close and now I know why. She is a very nice girl but pushy and likes things her way. We spent about a total of ten seconds at each animal. Jessie wanted to watch some more but we had to stay together and it was easier to go with Emily then try to keep her there. She also kept trying to throw her hat into the water and wanted to go home. I think the parents were more tired than the kids by the end. The kids were more intrigued by the bat that peed on itself, the skeleton in the fake boat, and dandelions and a lady bug, then the actual animals. Oh well they had a good time and the weather was good so that is what matters. Then Jessie and I went back to the school to pick up Brandon and we all went home happy and tired.

Shane

One of the last pictures with Shane. Jessie gave him a stuffed dog to lay with him to keep him company

We lost Shane today. (Shane was the golden retreiver). On Friday, he went to jump up on our bed and fell. We thought he hurt his hip again (not the first time) but he wouldn't get up at all which made us suspect it was worse this time. Jessie sat in our bedroom and "read" stories to him to keep him company. I tried massaging him but it wasn't working so we decided to take him to the vet. Scott took him so I could stay with the kids because we didn't know how long it was going to take. I thought maybe he tore something or dislocated something, but when I moved his leg he would jerk toward me so I knew it hurt but I never suspected his leg was shattered due to bone cancer. The tumor ate away the bone until it was so weak it just shattered. There was nothing they could do. They splinted it and sent us home with pain meds and said to see how the weekend went. Our options were to amputate the leg to buy time or wait it out until it was time. It was decided that amputation would not work for him and we gave him a few days for all of us and made the decision. The vet came to the house so we didn't have to move him and he went peacefully. Jessie didn't really understand, especially since he was still here, but it is starting to sink in now that he is actually gone. Brandon told me yesterday that Shane's soul was not happy and he wanted his body to let him go so he could be free. Every time I try to think of something that drove me crazy about him I realize that is one of the things I will miss the most. Like him stealing things and "happy butting" around with it. Or the fact that he was always in the way because he was so big. He had the biggest heart and those big brown eyes could melt you. I want to share some memories but I will have to do it later because I can't see the screen very well right now. We loved Shane with all of out hearts and he will be greatly missed.