Parklawn Elementary Memories

(written by Brianna Bender)

I miss my old school a lot. And I miss my friends. It was so fun for my mom to be at my school and I hope they miss me too. All my friends may be a little sad, but wherever they are, I will still remember them. And my teachers too!

Brianna brought cupcakes for her birthday...is was also a time so say goodbye to her class

cupcake face!

best friend Amy

Myra was a good friend!

Frances was really smart

Leonel was a great buddy!

Maya was my best best friend!

Ms Kure was the best teacher...EVER!

my class all signed my Parklawn Panther shirt so I could remember them!

Maya and I drew this best friends picture together

Christmas 2008

I know that it is now January, but I wanted to make sure I get these memories down!

We had a wonderfully quiet Christmas Eve and Day! With our impending move, we were thankful to have a rest and really enjoy our children.

On Christmas Eve, it is our tradition to exchange new tree ornaments with each other. We try to have it represent something significant that year if possible, especially with the kids. Brianna received a school chalkboard to show her first year of Kindergarten, Riley's was a big "digger" bulldozer - he has been especially into the construction stuff this year, Brian's was a "movie buff" clapboard, and mine was a handpainted mini-martini glass (Brian started me on this collectible line last year).

I think the kids didn't really wake up realizing what morning it was! Riley climbed into bed with us like he does each morning when he wakes up, and Brianna soon followed. Neither said anything of presents! Brian asked them to go on out to the living room and we would be right there. We could hear the surprise in their voices when they say the presents and Brianna ran back into our room and said, "We must have been really good! There are a lot of presents out there!" Here are a few of the pictures we took opening presents!

Grandpa Steve and Grandma Jeanne gave them this Nativity kit for the kids to put together


fingerpaints for the bathtub!

Riley got Daddy a book of Batman comics from the 1940s newspapers

Brianna got Riley his own Leapster...mostly so he would stop playing with hers!

a daily crossword calendar for Daddy's desk from Brianna! she knows her dad LOVES to do crosswords!

Littlest Petshop Wii game!

travel Thomas train set from Grandpa Bill and Gramma Lissa!

Riley's own tools from Daddy...mostly so he would stop touching his! (are you seeing a pattern here?!)

Decorating the Tree!

At first, we weren't going to put up any Christmas decorations this year due to our move in January. I tried, I really really tried! It was making me more depressed by the minute not having anything decorated! So, yesterday I got out my green and red Tupperware bins and went to work! I put up some garland around our fireplace and archway to the kitchen, Christmas nicknacks on the mantel, and then the tree. Mommy is in charge of the lights (no exceptions and NO I don't want any help!), and then after dinner Daddy and the kids hung up the ornaments. Each year on Christmas Eve we give each other a new ornament for the tree that has to do with something in the past year. Brian picks out mine, I pick out Brian's, and we choose the kids' and Darby's together. It was fun to look at the dates (some from OUR childhood) and the kids were totally into all the stories. We has Christmas tunes in the background and it was a fun moment together.

As with most of you, we are focusing on the moments we can share together instead of all the physical presents. I hope to hear about the special times and traditions you all with share with your friends and family this Holiday season!

Autumn Fun!

What could be more classic in the Fall, than kids jumping in the leaves? We had a beautiful sunny day today and totally took advantage of getting the kids outside to help with the leaves. The payoff? A HUGE pile to play in of course!

Dewey Beach, DE

Well, its official: summer is over! We took advantage of a couple of amazing "Indian Summer" days and took the kids to the Delaware coast. Brian was just finishing a 10 day leave from work (he totally needed some time off!), and we wanted to make the most of it. Who would have known that we would have 80 degree days in the middle of October?! We packed up the car and after about 2.5 hours arrived at the beach. We found a cute little hotel right on the dunes and were lucky to get a room in front with a view. The kids couldn't get their lunch down fast enough and were begging to get out to the water. How is it that kids have such high endurance for such cold water??? I think it must be the excitement and pure joy that is in them when facing the magnificence of the ocean! They were quite content with their buckets and one shovel for about 3 hours when Daddy announced that he must eat some dinner! I have a feeling they would have stayed out to play on the sand until they fell asleep! I found such a peace sitting in my "mommy chair" watching my children enjoy themselves. The next morning after breakfast we attempted a nice walk, but Riley must have heard me say "beach swim" instead of "walk"!! He just couldn't comprehend that you can actually walk next to the water without going in it!! I pray a beach house is in my future!!

A beautiful horseshoe crab gliding across the sand during out walk!

Riley was never satisfied unless the bucket was completely full to the top!

They never got tired jumping waves!

Brianna is a beach girl in the making! After only one afternoon, her skin was tanner and her hair blonder!

Riley is very serious about his sand castles! He and Daddy built them and then Riley spent a lot of time looking for rocks to put on top of them!

that's Brianna laying in the water in the background!

A Grown-Up Girl!

I can hardly believe that Brianna has already finished her first month of Kindergarten! Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday that Brenda, Danielle, and I were busy with our playdates and enjoying each other as good friends. Brianna is in public school, but unlike most elementaries, her school goes year around (July 28th - June 17th). It is also ALL DAY! Oh how I miss my little girl! She is now more concerned with which barrettes to put in her hair, what days to eat school lunch (which are, by the way, served on awesome red trays!), and who her current best friend is! She was very fortunate to be put into a multiage, K-1-2, classroom. Her teacher, Ms Kure, is fabulous and we couldn't be happier. Brianna is very loved by all her teachers and we are told almost daily what a joy she is to everyone she is around. She is reading above her grade, doing math, and completing her homework without much help. She loves her school and is thriving.

I will share this story with you: on her first day of school, the classes were all sitting down in the auditorium (sp...sorry!) for a welcome assembly. Brianna, however, wouldn't sit. Ms Kure continued to encourage her to sit, but for some reason Brianna kept saying, "I can't! I just can't sit down!". Ms Kure saw that Brianna was quite serious about this and moved on to help the other children. Finally, Brianna was the only one left standing and they needed to get started. Ms Kure firmly said to Brianna to sit as they were about to start. To this Brianna replied, "I just can't sit down Ms Kure!! I'm just so excited! This is my very first day of school and I'm too excited to sit down!!". This outburst of pure joy was witnessed by most of the teachers and Ms Kure told us that it very much served as a reminder of why they all love their jobs and continue to invest in these kids. What an amazing young lady I have and am truly blessed each day with her sweet spirit!!

Our First!

Hello Friends and Family!! Aly - you have totally inspired me to start using this website! I love looking at your blog and seeing how your life is going. I can see why so many have chosen to use this as a means to communicate. We all get so little time to talk on the phone and see each other and this is a great way to keep in touch! I can't wait to share pictures of the kids and keep you up to date with all their shenanigans!! I look forward to all your comments! - Dara