Wow ! SHE CAME FOURTH !!!!!! - in the whole of the elementary school ! She even spelled the word psychoanalysis !!!!
What a trouper.... everyone was cheering for her, the little grade 3 student who isn't even 'allowed' to compete for another year :)
Well done Brooklyn - Mummy and Daddy are VERY proud of you !!!!
(& yes, we hid behind the wall for the entire thing.....)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
ALL-SCHOOL SPELLING BEE !!!!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK......
The all-school spelling bee is today! I am seriously nervous. Not for Brooklyn because she's taken the pressure off herself by saying it doesn't matter so much. But I'm just nervous to be there. WHICH she doesn't know I will be, and Darrell is coming too. But we are hiding behind the wall so she doesn't know we're there. She specifically asked us not to come as that would make her nervous she said. I think she just wants to make it past the first round. Here's hoping! She DOES know how to spell aggrandizement.......... so there's hope ......... ;)
The all-school spelling bee is today! I am seriously nervous. Not for Brooklyn because she's taken the pressure off herself by saying it doesn't matter so much. But I'm just nervous to be there. WHICH she doesn't know I will be, and Darrell is coming too. But we are hiding behind the wall so she doesn't know we're there. She specifically asked us not to come as that would make her nervous she said. I think she just wants to make it past the first round. Here's hoping! She DOES know how to spell aggrandizement.......... so there's hope ......... ;)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
And How do you Spell That Word?
Last year Zachary won the Spelling Bee for his whole grade (after being top 3 for his class) and then went on to the all-school spelling bee. This year, Brooklyn - who is in grade 3 - asked her teacher if there were any way she could be included in the Grade 4 spelling bee (They don't start it until grade 4) to which her teacher replied that she thought it would be a good challenge for her. If the Grade 4 teachers agreed to it, Mrs. Harvie was going to allow Brooklyn to compete alongside the Grade 4's. Well, the Grade 4 teachers said she would have to get 50 out of 50 words correct because the top students in their classes each got 50 correct.
So one day in November, Zachary and I sat in the hallway while Mrs. Harvie gave Brooklyn a test of 50 words. Needless to say, Brooklyn got all 50 words correct which meant she would continue to compete against the top Grade 4 students from each class (3 from each class I believe). Zachary asked permission from his teacher to go watch and Mrs. Harvie brought the whole Grade 3 class to watch their classmate compete at a grade above herself.
Well wouldn't you know it? She tied for 1st place !!!! She said it was so funny, boys were bear-hugging each other every time she got a word right and she couldn't quite understand why. I just told her people like to cheer for the underdog! She was SOOOO excited. Last Year, Zachary won the same Grade 4 contest and made sure I was able to come and watch. This year, however, Brooklyn said she didn't want me to come watch as she thought she would be too nervous. And sure enough, she apparently cried at the beginning of the Bee as she was nervous about the words. But once it started she just took a breath after each word and thought very carefully before giving her answer.
So this Wednesday, a grade 3 student will compete in the All-School Spelling Bee. And the best thing is, she said she's not nervous or bothered about what happens in this one. Which is great because as I told her (Respectfully, of course), NO-ONE is expecting her to do very well so the pressure is off !!! (I may go and hide behind a wall so I can hear what's going on..... I know she'd want me there if she knew she would do well, but not if things go the other way!)
The best thing about this though, is that I'm extremely glad that my child has chosen to put herself in an uncomfortable situation, and is willing to challenge herself above what is normally expected of her, even if it makes her nervous or fearful. The best way to feel more and more comfortable in those kind of situations is to continue putting yourself out there!
So one day in November, Zachary and I sat in the hallway while Mrs. Harvie gave Brooklyn a test of 50 words. Needless to say, Brooklyn got all 50 words correct which meant she would continue to compete against the top Grade 4 students from each class (3 from each class I believe). Zachary asked permission from his teacher to go watch and Mrs. Harvie brought the whole Grade 3 class to watch their classmate compete at a grade above herself.
Well wouldn't you know it? She tied for 1st place !!!! She said it was so funny, boys were bear-hugging each other every time she got a word right and she couldn't quite understand why. I just told her people like to cheer for the underdog! She was SOOOO excited. Last Year, Zachary won the same Grade 4 contest and made sure I was able to come and watch. This year, however, Brooklyn said she didn't want me to come watch as she thought she would be too nervous. And sure enough, she apparently cried at the beginning of the Bee as she was nervous about the words. But once it started she just took a breath after each word and thought very carefully before giving her answer.
So this Wednesday, a grade 3 student will compete in the All-School Spelling Bee. And the best thing is, she said she's not nervous or bothered about what happens in this one. Which is great because as I told her (Respectfully, of course), NO-ONE is expecting her to do very well so the pressure is off !!! (I may go and hide behind a wall so I can hear what's going on..... I know she'd want me there if she knew she would do well, but not if things go the other way!)
The best thing about this though, is that I'm extremely glad that my child has chosen to put herself in an uncomfortable situation, and is willing to challenge herself above what is normally expected of her, even if it makes her nervous or fearful. The best way to feel more and more comfortable in those kind of situations is to continue putting yourself out there!
Monday, January 04, 2010
A Beautiful Reason to be Blogging
We all had a wonderful Christmas here at Chez-Richmond but I shall leave the December blogging for another post.
This post is all about the wonderful occurrence that happened last night at church. Brooklyn was baptized at Adore along with 11 other people and it was one of the most exciting evenings of my life!
It started about a year ago when Brooklyn asked if she could get baptized. I wasn't sure she was ready for it so to be honest with you so I kind of 'postponed' the thought for her. Then she later mentioned that her friend Hannah wanted to get baptized too. I wondered if this was a peer pressure or she-is-so-I-want-to-too kind of thing but after talking to Hannah's Dad we both realized that both girls were wanting to be baptized of their own choice. They also completely understood what it meant and were doing it for the right reasons. Doing it together, however, would help reduce some of the nervousness so it was planned that they would be baptized along with the others in last night's service at Adore.
It was amazing. Brooklyn was SO excited the whole day - "Only 7 more hours until I get baptized" she said around lunchtime. Soooooo precious !
When Andy (she wanted him to baptize her....ahhhh) brought her into the baptismal tank she was the first of only two children getting baptized and we could barely see her head ! She kept bobbing up and down, I think so that people could see her !!! Fortunately it was all filmed so we will be able to get the DVD and we watched it up on the screens. Unfortunately, however, it meant I took my photos of the screens and it turned out kind of fuzzy. I honestly could cry about that except for the fact that I know the DVD is on its way.
When asked why she wanted to be baptized Brooklyn read from a piece of paper she had prepared "Because I want to live for Jesus and want to tell others about Him"... AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!! It was so beautiful - as soon as she came back out of the water we all clapped and cheered and hooted and hollered. Then Andy said "I think Mummy is excited!" so I stood up and waved at Brooklyn so that she could see us. Because truly, her head was barely visible above the tank !!! haha
I had stashed a whole bunch of Kleenex in my purse and I was sure I would need every single one of them. I cry at absolutely EVERYONE's baptism. I can't help it. It's so moving to see someone take a stand for Jesus in a public forum like that. But this time, I was so unbelievably excited all I could do was cheer and clap with the hugest grin on my face :)
It took me by surprise that I didn't need any tissues. But, when the baptisms were all over and worship continued again, our friend Kendal started singing "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, you are worthy, of all praise. Be high and lifted up, be high and lifted up, be high and lifted up.... Jesus" HALLELUJAH I absolutely lost it and cried throughout the whole song.
Jesus Be Glorified.
Amen.
This post is all about the wonderful occurrence that happened last night at church. Brooklyn was baptized at Adore along with 11 other people and it was one of the most exciting evenings of my life!
It started about a year ago when Brooklyn asked if she could get baptized. I wasn't sure she was ready for it so to be honest with you so I kind of 'postponed' the thought for her. Then she later mentioned that her friend Hannah wanted to get baptized too. I wondered if this was a peer pressure or she-is-so-I-want-to-too kind of thing but after talking to Hannah's Dad we both realized that both girls were wanting to be baptized of their own choice. They also completely understood what it meant and were doing it for the right reasons. Doing it together, however, would help reduce some of the nervousness so it was planned that they would be baptized along with the others in last night's service at Adore.
It was amazing. Brooklyn was SO excited the whole day - "Only 7 more hours until I get baptized" she said around lunchtime. Soooooo precious !
When Andy (she wanted him to baptize her....ahhhh) brought her into the baptismal tank she was the first of only two children getting baptized and we could barely see her head ! She kept bobbing up and down, I think so that people could see her !!! Fortunately it was all filmed so we will be able to get the DVD and we watched it up on the screens. Unfortunately, however, it meant I took my photos of the screens and it turned out kind of fuzzy. I honestly could cry about that except for the fact that I know the DVD is on its way.
When asked why she wanted to be baptized Brooklyn read from a piece of paper she had prepared "Because I want to live for Jesus and want to tell others about Him"... AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!! It was so beautiful - as soon as she came back out of the water we all clapped and cheered and hooted and hollered. Then Andy said "I think Mummy is excited!" so I stood up and waved at Brooklyn so that she could see us. Because truly, her head was barely visible above the tank !!! haha
I had stashed a whole bunch of Kleenex in my purse and I was sure I would need every single one of them. I cry at absolutely EVERYONE's baptism. I can't help it. It's so moving to see someone take a stand for Jesus in a public forum like that. But this time, I was so unbelievably excited all I could do was cheer and clap with the hugest grin on my face :)
It took me by surprise that I didn't need any tissues. But, when the baptisms were all over and worship continued again, our friend Kendal started singing "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, you are worthy, of all praise. Be high and lifted up, be high and lifted up, be high and lifted up.... Jesus" HALLELUJAH I absolutely lost it and cried throughout the whole song.
Jesus Be Glorified.
Amen.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Children's insights and funny visuals.....
This morning on my way in to work there were two rather interesting occurrences; one, a conversation with my daughter and two, something I saw on West Saanich Road (VERY busy street near the prison!!)
First of all - the street visual. I had dropped the kids off at their Grandma's house while I headed in for a rather short work day (thank you Anne!) when my head did a double take. On the side of the road, an extremely busy bustling street, was a house that cornered a cul-de-sac. It had no fence either on the side or front of the property. And on it, wandering around to their hearts content, were three live turkeys !!!! I'm not sure if they escaped from the farms across the road or if the owner of the home was giving them one last free walk before Christmas dinner!!!! It was quite a sight and I couldn't stop laughing. I really did feel like they may be escaping some farmer's cleaver, intent on selling them to the highest bidder!
Secondly, my talk with Brooklyn: there have been outside-movie viewings these past few weeks at the Ocean Point Hotel. Our tenant, Sherisse, said she went to one of them and it was really fun so I thought maybe we could try and catch one as a family. You know, our own little special Christmas moment. I explained this to the kids and they asked what movies were being shown on what days etc. Well we missed ELF, and a few others, and in fact tonight's is the last showing. I was told it was "It's A Wonderful Life". Let's be honest, whether or not you love the movie it is a Christmas Classic. And I have always believed that my children should be exposed to the Classics as much as possible during their short childhood.
Well the first thing that pops out of my daughter's mouth is "Is it a black and white movie?" Upon answering her affirmatively there was a sigh from both children in the back seat. "No thanks, I don't like black and white movies; they just don't make enough sense". After explaining that since the movie is still IN ENGLISH (!!!), the script would make PERFECT sense to her, Zachary chips in "Although I do agree with you Mum that it would still make sense, I do think Brooklyn is right about this one", (SHOCKER - that rarely happens.....), "black and white movies just aren't as good."
So you can imagine my slight disappointment of seeing my family moment crushed into a pile of dust, but here is where it got interesting:
Me: "Brooklyn, why do you think b & w movies aren't as good?"
B: "Because colour talks."
???? - I wasn't about to assume anything here so I probed a bit further....
Me: "Colour talks?"
B: "yeah, colour is more alive and awake and tells a story.... for example, if there are two sisters on the screen, and they are twins, you may not know it with a black and white movie. But if it is in colour then you can see that in fact they are twins as their clothes were exactly the same."
Hmmmm........
Colour does talk doesn't it?
The evergreens tell us there is still life through Winter.
The bright wrapping papers cry out to be torn open to reveal precious surprises.
The golden turkey shouts out 'Dinner time!'
The red raw skin on your husband's hands tells you he finished building that Christmas present (thanks hon!).
And the fresh pink skin of a tiny baby in a manger told us the Light of the World had come. His red blood was shed at Calvary and his white garments showed the way to Salvation.
May you experience Jesus throughout this season, and 2010.
Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!
First of all - the street visual. I had dropped the kids off at their Grandma's house while I headed in for a rather short work day (thank you Anne!) when my head did a double take. On the side of the road, an extremely busy bustling street, was a house that cornered a cul-de-sac. It had no fence either on the side or front of the property. And on it, wandering around to their hearts content, were three live turkeys !!!! I'm not sure if they escaped from the farms across the road or if the owner of the home was giving them one last free walk before Christmas dinner!!!! It was quite a sight and I couldn't stop laughing. I really did feel like they may be escaping some farmer's cleaver, intent on selling them to the highest bidder!
Secondly, my talk with Brooklyn: there have been outside-movie viewings these past few weeks at the Ocean Point Hotel. Our tenant, Sherisse, said she went to one of them and it was really fun so I thought maybe we could try and catch one as a family. You know, our own little special Christmas moment. I explained this to the kids and they asked what movies were being shown on what days etc. Well we missed ELF, and a few others, and in fact tonight's is the last showing. I was told it was "It's A Wonderful Life". Let's be honest, whether or not you love the movie it is a Christmas Classic. And I have always believed that my children should be exposed to the Classics as much as possible during their short childhood.
Well the first thing that pops out of my daughter's mouth is "Is it a black and white movie?" Upon answering her affirmatively there was a sigh from both children in the back seat. "No thanks, I don't like black and white movies; they just don't make enough sense". After explaining that since the movie is still IN ENGLISH (!!!), the script would make PERFECT sense to her, Zachary chips in "Although I do agree with you Mum that it would still make sense, I do think Brooklyn is right about this one", (SHOCKER - that rarely happens.....), "black and white movies just aren't as good."
So you can imagine my slight disappointment of seeing my family moment crushed into a pile of dust, but here is where it got interesting:
Me: "Brooklyn, why do you think b & w movies aren't as good?"
B: "Because colour talks."
???? - I wasn't about to assume anything here so I probed a bit further....
Me: "Colour talks?"
B: "yeah, colour is more alive and awake and tells a story.... for example, if there are two sisters on the screen, and they are twins, you may not know it with a black and white movie. But if it is in colour then you can see that in fact they are twins as their clothes were exactly the same."
Hmmmm........
Colour does talk doesn't it?
The evergreens tell us there is still life through Winter.
The bright wrapping papers cry out to be torn open to reveal precious surprises.
The golden turkey shouts out 'Dinner time!'
The red raw skin on your husband's hands tells you he finished building that Christmas present (thanks hon!).
And the fresh pink skin of a tiny baby in a manger told us the Light of the World had come. His red blood was shed at Calvary and his white garments showed the way to Salvation.
May you experience Jesus throughout this season, and 2010.
Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Things We Do For Our Kids
So I had a wedding cake to do for Katie Peterson from our church and her wedding was last Saturday. As I was prepping for it a few days earlier my son says to me "Oh Mum, by the way, I told my teachers that you would make a cake for our class Christmas Party!" As sighs went off quietly in my head I calmly said to him "Ok, and what day is that for Zachary?" "Next Wednesday" he says.
So really, no big deal. I'll whip up a rectangular cake, toss some icing on it and call 'er done.
No chance.
This is how the conversation went two days later, while I am in the middle of completing a 3-tiered wedding cake for 160 people:
Z: "Mum, what have you got planned for my class cake?"
Me: "Ummm..... planned?"
Z: "Yeah, is it going to be a 2 tiered or 3 tiered fondant cake ?"
WHOA! Back up the grocery truck! We are talking about a class of grade 5 students and two teachers here, who are probably so run off of their feet they would eat ANYthing as long as they didn't have to prepare it themselves !!!!
Me: "Ummm.... well Zachary, it's going to be a ONE-TIERED cake with no fondant in sight. Plus, children don't like fondant."
Z:"Seriously???? Coz I don't want it to be a lame cake."
Insert thought - so apparently, every other cake I have ever made if not for a wedding, baby shower, engagement party etc., has fallen under the 'lame' category. To my son, who has probably seen more cherry blossoms than any 10 year old boy would wish to see, it appears that any 'normal' cake (you know, the ones we ALL make.....) is 'lame'.
Me: "Oh really? And what exactly were you expecting on this NON-LAME cake of yours?"
Z: "Well not too much, just Santa in the sleigh being pulled by his reindeer."
Right. Not happening!
Me: "I'll give you a snowman and 3 trees and that's it."
Zachary: "Alright then."
Then after the fact I remembered something.... when I was young my parents were always having people over for dinner. It involved us three children having an earlier supper, and my Mum working away in the kitchen to prepare their friends a meal at which time us 3 kids would disappear to play in our rooms together and stay out of the way. Then one week my parents told us they were having friends over again (which had been happening a lot at this time) and explained that the same routine would ensue. Well, as a treat they had actually prepared the meal for US! The fondue set which was usually only brought out for the special guests, was intended for us kids - WE were the special guests! And then I thought that this cake was kind of like that; Zachary watches me do all of these special cakes for other people and I thought, you know what? He is as special as any one of them.... (More so - he's mine !) So the snowman and trees were not 'iced on' but were made with the 3-D dimensions and love that only a mother can give. And a little extra effort was taken to make sure that the snow looked just right and that the holly he requested made it into all 3 corners.
I hope I take more time in the future not to be so busy for people around me, that I don't notice the little things that make my children's eyes light up.
Footnote: the fondant trees and snowman? Apparently eaten by the entire class in little chunks.
And finally yesterday when unpacking his backpack....
"Zachary - why didn't you eat any of your lunch?" "I was too busy serving people cake....."
:)
So really, no big deal. I'll whip up a rectangular cake, toss some icing on it and call 'er done.
No chance.
This is how the conversation went two days later, while I am in the middle of completing a 3-tiered wedding cake for 160 people:
Z: "Mum, what have you got planned for my class cake?"
Me: "Ummm..... planned?"
Z: "Yeah, is it going to be a 2 tiered or 3 tiered fondant cake ?"
WHOA! Back up the grocery truck! We are talking about a class of grade 5 students and two teachers here, who are probably so run off of their feet they would eat ANYthing as long as they didn't have to prepare it themselves !!!!
Me: "Ummm.... well Zachary, it's going to be a ONE-TIERED cake with no fondant in sight. Plus, children don't like fondant."
Z:"Seriously???? Coz I don't want it to be a lame cake."
Insert thought - so apparently, every other cake I have ever made if not for a wedding, baby shower, engagement party etc., has fallen under the 'lame' category. To my son, who has probably seen more cherry blossoms than any 10 year old boy would wish to see, it appears that any 'normal' cake (you know, the ones we ALL make.....) is 'lame'.
Me: "Oh really? And what exactly were you expecting on this NON-LAME cake of yours?"
Z: "Well not too much, just Santa in the sleigh being pulled by his reindeer."
Right. Not happening!
Me: "I'll give you a snowman and 3 trees and that's it."
Zachary: "Alright then."
Then after the fact I remembered something.... when I was young my parents were always having people over for dinner. It involved us three children having an earlier supper, and my Mum working away in the kitchen to prepare their friends a meal at which time us 3 kids would disappear to play in our rooms together and stay out of the way. Then one week my parents told us they were having friends over again (which had been happening a lot at this time) and explained that the same routine would ensue. Well, as a treat they had actually prepared the meal for US! The fondue set which was usually only brought out for the special guests, was intended for us kids - WE were the special guests! And then I thought that this cake was kind of like that; Zachary watches me do all of these special cakes for other people and I thought, you know what? He is as special as any one of them.... (More so - he's mine !) So the snowman and trees were not 'iced on' but were made with the 3-D dimensions and love that only a mother can give. And a little extra effort was taken to make sure that the snow looked just right and that the holly he requested made it into all 3 corners.
I hope I take more time in the future not to be so busy for people around me, that I don't notice the little things that make my children's eyes light up.
Footnote: the fondant trees and snowman? Apparently eaten by the entire class in little chunks.
And finally yesterday when unpacking his backpack....
"Zachary - why didn't you eat any of your lunch?" "I was too busy serving people cake....."
:)
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Baby shower
Today there was a baby shower for sweet Helena and her new son Charles. I saw a shower cake once with a nursery scene and thought it would be neat to do a replica of little Charles' nursery for the shower cake. I was pretty pleased with the results and Darrell even helped finish off some of the woodgrain for the hardwood floor.
Then we went straight to the Saanich Municipal Hall where Brooklyn's little Grade 3 class had a recorder recital. Afterwards there were different stations around the hall where the kids could answer an energy quiz and win a pair of gloves, ride a horse drawn carriage around the property, go 'fishing' for toys and buy hot dogs. The kids kept disappearing from our site but we figured since the police station is right there and there were police-people all over the place, they were probably fine!
A fun Saturday.
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