Conor went to a nature center for his first first grade field trip. Unfortunately, I was in MA so I didn’t even get to try to see if I could chaperone. Poor Conor — I haven’t chaperoned a single field trip or helped out at a single school party. Hopefully I can change that this year.
Can you spot him?
(Hint: The tallest kid in the baseball hat)
MA Send-off with Holyoke Public Schools Friends
Natalie’s Dormmates
1st day of school breakfast bunch
Here’s a video from the event: https://youtu.be/dGFR-FC-QbM.
Elliott’s first back-to-school picture with his own dog!
Happy first day of school to Elliott (grade 7) and Conor (grade 1)! (Natalie starts in two weeks.)
Conor was first to drop off his supplies yesterday and first in line today. His teacher came out and said: “I can tell you know how school works. Can you do me a favor and hold this sign for our class?” He was thrilled!
Conor “C-MAN” enjoyed back-to-school shopping with me at Target. He liked picking out all his supplies (and some extra snacks). He was especially pleased that we bought 50 rhino stickers that he used to decorate all his supplies — and that his journal at school is so much more unique than his peers (most of whose parents just bought the standard school supply box and had it delivered to school). His only request for back-to-school clothes was polos because he looks handsome in them. (I agree with that — now, I just need to figure out how to get the marker, grease, chocolate, etc. out of the shirts after a full day of wear.)
Elliott is so low-maintenance… I asked him a number of times what clothes he wanted for school. All he asked for was more socks and a “save the chubby unicorn” shirt in a larger size (he’s had two smaller sizes as this is a staple in his wardrobe). I had to ask him on Tuesday morning, if he would please pick out a back-t0-school outfit. Later, I asked him what it was — he showed me — and then I asked about shoes. He admitted that he would like some new shoes, so we headed to Dick’s at 7:30 p.m. the night before school started. He did buy some new clothes too. I think we both felt equally good after that — me, more relieved because it feels like a tradition. Picking out your fav first-day-of-school outfit.
Natalie, on the other hand, is preparing for boarding school and her list of what she needs for her room and for clothes is ever-growing. She’s been thinking about her back-to-school outfit for weeks. More to come when we drop her off in just under two weeks!
We rented an Air BNB in Sister Bay. Kenzie and Cam were able to join us for a day at Peninsula State park and lots of outdoor games. The next day, we went to Washington Island which I have always wanted to go to. One of the only pebble beaches in the world. A cool old medieval Norwegian churches. And a beautiful lavender farm. We saw Becky (on her bday) and Trev for a short while too. Then G and G’s house which when we pulled up Elliott said “I love coming here. Thanks so much for taking us”.
Elliott and I had a fabulous day date in downtown Chicago. He is so fun, kind, appreciative and interested. We had lunch at his fav restaurant Pizano’s, walked by the fountain and bean, played at Maggie Daley, went to the torture museum gift shop, went on a 90-min architecture boat tour, stopped in the architectural center gift shop, at Crumbl cookies, went back to the torture museum gift shop, and came back on the express train.
more days like this please.
xoxo
Congratulations to our little Nat bug for finishing middle school! She received recognition for Gold Achievement (high GPA) and national junior honors society. Credit to Aunt Jira for the beautiful bouquet! We’re excited for a fun summer — lots of time in WI and at Nana and Pops pool, taking a typing class, and ballet. Before she heads off to Williston in Easthampton MA for high school!!
Conor made himself avocado toast for a snack,
from start to finish except for slicing the avocados and including salting it! He said he learned it from Sissa and it tastes great!
Elliott is a monkey. He likes legos. He built a lego museum. He is CMAN’s big brother. Elliott is nice. He passed Elden Ring. He is in 6th grade. He is 12 years old. He also likes his lego people. (I’m not sure what’s at the end of this.)
Note: The monkey comment is not an insult. Elliott told him that monkeys are human’s ancestors.
Legoland with Brother!
What are your favorite things?
Food: “I LOVE pizza! I do like grilled cheese and tomato sauce with pasta.”
Color: Golden, silver is second favorite
Stuffed Animals: “My whale, my Penny and Fawny and Penny’s Brother, Wiggy and Sharky, and my creeper and charlie and stuff like that”
Show: Pup Pals
Movie: “I have to whisper in your ear… Lion King”
Book: “Oooo… I have all of them, especially Narwhal and Jelly books and everything by David Biedryzcki like Santa’s Jet and Me and My Dragon … except the sloth one that was at the book fair.”
Author: David Biedrzycki
Animal: Rhino, followed by whale
Favorite things to do: “If you ask your favorite things to do, bounce on your bed with loveys, and regular, and tease”
Hobbies: Building legos, organizing things, collecting money
Holidays: St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Christmas
Presents (for Christmas or Birthday): Polar Express train that wraps around the Christmas tree (thank you Grandma!), my new iPad and also my surprise Wiggy and my birthday present Sharky (from Elliott) and my bank
Friends: Theo, Jackson, Bennett, Barrett, Miles W, the other Miles I know, Luna, Reid “That’s pretty much my favorite friends, those are all my favorites”
Sport: Wrestling and football and tennis
Team: Notre Dame and Packers and Vikings and Seahawks and Eagles
Candy: Swedish Fish
Homemade Dessert: The huge cookie that Mom baked
Subject: Specials stuff like art, gym, music, library
Trips: Dominican Republic and Florida
So excited that Mom is at school to ready for Conor’s birthday!!!
My hat-loving, hot chocolate-drinking handsome guy
How did we celebrate?
You love Christmas, so you wanted a Christmas party like Brother (with a gift exchange) and then a birthday party a month later. Both at home. I said that we needed to combine, so you had a Christmas-Birthday party at home with about 11 friends. We planned lots of fun games, like the gift exchange, pin the carrot on the snowman (we made the snowman), bozo show game with santa buckets, etc. You seemed to get overwhelmed by the amount of noise and kids not following your plan, so you didn’t have the best time, even though the party was exactly what you asked for.
Then, we were in the Dominican Republic with Nana, Pop, Jira, Alex, Clayton, and Wesley right before your birthday, so we sang you happy birthday at dinner and then took everyone to the arcade. We arrived home two days before your birthday, so Dad, you and I decorated the dining room. (You had many specific instructions). On your birthday, I read to your class (yay!!). We had grilled cheese and carrots for your birthday dinner–and cookies and brownies for dessert. You DO NOT like cake and you make sure everyone knows! And, then you organized arcade games for our immediate family to play.
Some highlights from Conor’s birthday, which included me reading to his classroom and him organizing an arcade for the family in the basement!! But no cake for this guy — just cookies and brownies!!
we love you!!!
