Thursday, September 30, 2004


Maia showing off her new toothless smile, and her surprise from the Tooth Fairy! Posted by Hello

Cameron in "ground school," learning all about airplanes before he goes up in one. Posted by Hello

Getting ready to taxi out and take off! Posted by Hello

Cameron and the pilot after their flight. Posted by Hello

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Maia lost her first tooth!

Mark this day on the calendar, Maia says, because she lost her first tooth tonight!

All afternoon it was sticking out of her mouth at an odd angle, but it just kept hanging on by a thread, and didn't want to go. She played with it, she wiggled it, she showed everyone at the school open house, but it just didn't want to come out.

Then while Mom was tucking her into bed, she thought she'd help her wiggle it a little, and together - *pop* - that little tooth just fell right out!

She put it in a cup for the tooth fairy (we learned about under the pillow being a good place to lose teeth from Cam), and now she's drifting off to sleep with dreams of little surprises floating through her head.

She's growing up so fast!!!

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Ella Rose starts pre-school

The wait was finally over today when I started pre-school. I has been anxiously awaiting my first day of class ever since my big brother and sister started elementary school last week, so I was definitely primed and ready.

A few rough spots as I got comfortable with my new surroundings, and the new people I would be interracting with, but I was getting used to it by the time it was time to go.

To celebrate the first day of fall, we learned about apples. There are three units in our day - inside free play, activities, and outside free play

In inside free play, I drew pictures and played in the kitchen. I was feeling a bit shy, so I didn't want to talk to the other kids much.

During the next section we did three activities. First we painted a tree, using our hand and arm print as the trunk and then sponge painting on leaves and apples. Next we got to do a cooking unit, where we mashed up a cooked apple, added cinnamon and sugar and mashed it some more to make apple sauce. Yum! We made a craft, cutting and gluing apples on an apple tree (I am a really good cutter - I like cutting along the lines).

Then we went outside to play on the playground, and Dad pushed me on the swings. I love the swings, they're my favorite! Then he convinced me to get off the swings and let someone else have a turn (hoping I would join in with the other kids, but maybe next time!), so I went and rode on the tricycle. It was lots of fun, and I couldn't believe when it was time to go home already!

Signed, Ella Rose

Saturday, September 25, 2004

Cameron takes to the skies

Cameron had a very exciting day today. We went to the airport to check out the Young Eagles Program (here's a link to learn more about them: http://www.youngeagles.org ), which is a nation-wide program that offers kids the opportunity to take a flight in a small plane. The program is meant for kids ages 8-17, so we went just to watch, not expecting to get to fly. But one of the organizers approached us and asked if Cam wanted to go up. Did he ever!

After a short "ground school" program, where he learned things like how an airplane flies, and what you need to do in order to be safe in and around an airplane, he was hooked up with a local pilot who flew a Cessna 150, a two-seat plane nicknamed "The Parakeet" because it was orange and yellow.

Once Cameron was securely in the seat, waving from the cockpit window, they were off. They taxied down the runway and lifted into the sky. For about twenty minutes, they took a flight over the entire area, checking out Grand Coulee Dam and all of the other sights from the plane.

What a great experience! He had so much fun, and even got his picture taken with the pilot. Once we get the file, we will upload it so everyone can see the proud future aviator.

They finished their flight, he thanked him profusely, and then went over to get his certificate - which was signed by the pilot and Harrison Ford, who is the new chairman of the program. Right away he was talking about Star Wars (we had just gotten the dvd). Very exciting!

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Our first post

Welcome to our blog - we hope you will visit often and keep up on what we have been up to!!!

It's been a big month for us, and we have lots to share. On October 19 we moved back to the U.S. - and on the 20th (yes, the very next day) Cameron and Maia started at a brand new school!

Cameron is in first grade this year, and Maia is in kindergarten. They have both slotted right in like they were made for it. They were SO excited to get to ride the school bus!

Maia is a part of the first class of full-day kindergarten offered in this area, which the community is really excited about. The belief is that it will provide the students with a more solid base on which to build their school careers, and we are eager to find out how it goes! So far she really seems to love it, and she's learning LOTS. (She comes home every day with songs about letters. On another day when there is less to write about, we will share one of them here.) She is making lots of new friends, and having a great time becoming part of the "big kid" programs.

Cameron is making lots of new friends, too, and having a really great time. They are working on lots of new skills, and his reading has just blossomed hugely. He can read about anything if he sets his mind to it - and boy, does he ever. No more of that whole "spelling things so the kids can't hear them" thing for our parents!!!

Ella starts pre-school next week, so that will be really exciting for her. She has been looking forward to it for ages.

We'll write more - and post some photos - soon. :)