Week in Review

1. Season’s End: Caleb scored 8 points in his final basketball game last Saturday. We attended an awards ceremony, which was much like a graduation, where every child that participated had his/her name called, walked on stage in front of thousands of people and was given a basketball. His teammates voted him “best shooter” and he even won a raffle for a free water bottle. We can’t say enough about this program and the wonderful experience it was for Caleb. His eyes welled with tears as he expressed how sad he was that the season was over.


2. Nurses Station: The results of Caleb’s MRI and blood work were both good.
   
3. Luck o’ the Irish: Caleb had fun building a leprechaun trap for a school assignment. He painted a small box green, a bottle cap for the pot yellow, punched circles of yellow paper for gold coins and posted a sign to lure the little guy in. We used some artificial moss in the bottom of the box which camouflaged honey that was intended to keep the elfin stuck once he tried to nab the gold. Though it sat on his desk all last week, it has yet to trick the clever fellow.
4. Look-a-likes: Natalie and I were at the school Monday morning doing PTA duties. One of Alyssa’s classmates came in late and went to check in at the office. The little girl looked at me, then at Natalie and said, “Alyssa, are we late?” Natalie just looked at her without responding so the little girl repeated herself, this time a little more emphatically. I finally noted that it was Natalie, not Alyssa that she was talking to. I’m told all the time how much the girls look alike. I admit to getting their voices confused but I don’t see the resemblance as much.
   
5. Rushing the Season: Natalie has developed an obsession with shorts. Our trees are blossoming and the tulips sprouting but we’re certainly not warm enough for bare legs. Each morning I carefully select an appropriate outfit but every time I turn around, she has changed into shorts. At bedtime, she wears pajamas on top, shorts on the bottom. I insist she change when we leave the house but the shorts are replaced immediately upon our return home. I’m looking forward to summer when she’ll be able to wear just one outfit a day.
6. Science Center: The kids did not have school on Friday so we made a trip to the Pacific Science Center with many of our friends. I also offered to take several other kids whose parents couldn’t go. It made an already busy outing that much busier but the kids had a great time. Alyssa tried the muscle endurance station which times how long you can hang in the pull-up position on a bar. She far exceeded the average (18 seconds) for a female of her age, and hung almost effortlessly for 60 seconds. I barely managed half of the average for someone of my age and I’m still paying the price.





7. Downtown: Jon and I accompanied the Young Women of our ward to the Seattle Art Museum. We visited the “Roman Art from the Louvre” and “The Gates of Paradise” exhibits. I felt sophisticated as I roamed the galleries listening to the commentary through my personal audio guide device. I thought the art was fascinating. We then walked up one city block to a favorite downtown restaurant for some seafood cannelloni and filet Roquefort accompanied with great conversation. Cap that off with some white chocolate cheesecake and crème brulee and you’ve got an ideal night of kid-free togetherness.



8. (8.85) New PR: We survived another gymnastics meet. They are agonizingly long and nerve-wracking but we’re proud of Alyssa and all she’s accomplished. We enjoy watching her present her skills to the judges. She did a beautiful bar routine which earned her a personal record of 8.85. She placed seventh all around in her division and as always, scored a perfect 10 in cuteness!