Updates

School:

Ashlyn:
 She still LOVES school.  She enjoys riding the bus when daddy is home(I enjoy it too).  PE is her favorite thing in the world.  She learned to hula hoop.  I could never do it and we got a kick out of Brandon trying to this weekend.  I got a cute email on Friday from the media specialist.  They were in the library for a story and checkout.  I can't remember the name of the book they were reading but it had to do with a box.  At the end the media specialist was asking questions and she said that everyone kept answering literal questions.  Then Ashlyn raised her hand and said she thought it was an imaginary box, which apparently it was.  The media specialist said that it usually takes a lot of coaxing to get the kids to realize that.  Ashlyn checked out one of the Biscuit "I Can Read Books" and is excited because she can read it to Chloe.  Chloe, of course, said she would prefer me to read it because I do it faster but it's all good.  While practicing some sight words at home, Ashlyn said that she had a test to see how many she could get.  I asked her how many she got and she said she didn't get any.  Why?  Then she went on to tell me that she was waiting for a hard one and Ms. Williams kept showing her words like an, and, the, and is.  She said she didn't know why she would ask if she knew those words.  I had to tell her that Ms. Williams was asking her those because she wanted to see if she knew them because not everyone does.  Then she said, "So that's why I didn't get a hard one?  Is it because I didn't say the easy ones?"  Yes, why yes it is......

Chloe:
Chloe also LOVES school.  She adores Ms. Beth who is so sweet.  I had to take Chloe to a dr. appt last week and got to go into her classroom for a few minutes in the middle of the day.  The kids were so cute and so well behaved.  Chloe says school is easy.  As a matter of fact, Ms. Beth told me that Chloe will raise her hand and say "uhhhhh I already know how to do this!"  I think that phrase will be coming out of her mouth for awhile.  Beth told me that they were practicing writing their names but some kids were drawing pictures so she told them all to put their pencils down for a minute.  Chloe didn't put hers down and when Beth walked over, she had already written Chloe, Ashlyn, Mom, Dad, Cat, Dog and was trying to write Pemberton.  She even has better handwriting than Ashlyn.  Beth told her to just keep on going.  Their class has a private website where they post pictures, videos, notes, etc.  It's really cute.  So we were looking at pictures and I was asking Chloe what the names of the kids were.  When she came to Nick, she said "There's my Nickey-poo."  It was sooooo funny.  I'll have to tell his mom.  She will get a kick out of it.  She teaches at McConnell Middle.

ME:
I am on day 21 of my 24 day challenge and am down 14 pounds.  I feel great and can see the difference in clothes.  I still have a ways to go but am finally feeling good.  Work is going great.  I love my students.  My third graders are the same kids I had in 2nd so it was easy to jump in with them.  However, in third grade I teach academic subjects so it has been an adjustment for some.  Their parents are very supportive and like that their kids have to work and are being challenged.  I teach the gifted resource model to my 2nd graders so it is always fun.  This week they are doing some research online and learning powerpoint.

Brandon:
He is also nearing the end of our challenge and has dropped 24 pounds.  He is on his last belt loop and his pants are hanging on him.