The Election

The 3rd Grade election, that is! 

The 3rd grade teachers in Seth's school didn't like the book unit on the election process so they decided to move outside of the box and stage a mock presidential election among their students.  Each class would vote to elect a candidate (complete with a vice-presidential running mate!) and then work on a campaign leading up to election day. 

Seth was voted in as President of Ms. Morrison's class, with his buddy, MaryJane, as his Vice President.  All the kids helped him perfect his campaign speech and worked on campaign posters to put up throughout the 3rd grade hallway.  These were a couple of my favorites:

"He is extremely responsible.  He listens to other people!Vote for Seth Averill!!!!  Seth would be a good president.  He helps with word problems and friendship problems to!!"

"Seth is very smart.  he helps students in math and other classes.  He doesn't get in trouble because he makes wise choices.  he is a great friend for playing!"

This one I wanted to highlight the last sentence.  I almost fell over laughing when I read it:  "He is Republican."  Seth claims he wasn't running as a Republican but he would have voted Republican in the actual, US Presidential election!

Next, Seth gave his campaign speech (they did a video of all the candidates presenting their speeches then showed them to all the classes so the kids didn't have to stand up and speak in front of 100+ kids):
"My name is Seth Michael Averill.  I am 8 years old.  I have a sister named Katey, a mom named Jen, and a dad named Michael.  I have 16 pets.

I could do a great job because I am talented, responsible, intelligent, nice, and a good friend.  I am talented because I won a dance contest on a cruise.  I am responsible because I put the dishes away when on one expected it.  

I would give the school new playground equipment and shelters for balls that would NOT break.  I would also make the food and treat prices lower in the cafeteria.  I would make recess longer and also every day.  40 minutes. 

My name is Seth Averill so vote for me!"

I loved the campaign promises - he came up with those all on his own!

So, after viewing the speeches, the kids voted.  I hear there were even pollsters campaigning outside the voting area. :-) 

Sadly, Seth did not win.  He is sure he came in 2nd place though (no confirmation of this fact - just what he believes in his heart), and the winner was the person he was pretty sure was going to beat him from the start - apparently her speech was REALLY good. 

Regardless of the outcome, I love that all the kids got to experience the process and see how an election works.  We are super proud of our Presidential candidate - 3rd grade today, United States in 30 years!

TRIPS!

As you can see from the dreadful lack of blog entries, we have been busy in the Averill household.  (I'm not a slacker, really, it's just that we have been busy...sooo, sooo busy!)  On the up-side, I noticed that my last 3 blog posts have all been on the 14th of the month - totally a coincidence, but a cool one in my opinion!

So here I go, trying to catch up on the last month or so of fun - the theme is TRIPS!

First, we took a nice, long-in-miles-short-in-time TRIP to INDIANA in October to return to Taylor University where Mike and I both graduated 15 years ago.  Time flies (but not when you are in the car with a sick husband*)!

We are very blessed to have wonderful friends in the Indianapolis area, the Molendorps, who were happy to host us.  All the adults went to Taylor together so we were excited to caravan back together and hang out on campus for the day.  Unfortunately, very few of our fellow classmates came to this particular reunion so it was a little disappointing.  However, just getting to spend some good time with great friends made the trip worth it!

Jen and Sara

Katey and Seth were excited about the trip as well since they got to pair up with Anna and Dayton.  The welcome from the kids was warm and wonderful!  Anna and Dayton had been planning for Katey and Seth's arrival and had a whole theme of Cozy Cabin Camp prepared - complete with signs on doors and welcome gift baskets as well!  The kids got along very well and were all sad to see our short stay come to an end.

Katey and Anna

Seth and Dayton

Thanks to the Molendorp's for hosting our stay and making us feel so very welcomed!


*Unfortunately, Mike wasn't feeling so well on the trip home and ended up sleeping for most of the 11 hour drive.  He managed to not share his sickness with us but did leave it behind for our friends.  Boo! 



Our next TRIP was just around the neighborhood for HALLOWEEN!  The kids were excited about their costumes, but not as excited as they were about Belle's...or Mike was about his own!

Seth the Ninja, Katey as Hermione Granger and Mike the Dolphins-loving Ape

Belle the jailbird...um jaildog

As always, the kids scored big on candy and we will be eating it until Easter, I'm sure.  One great thing about this Halloween was that we moved an old couch to the end of the driveway and some of the neighbors joined me in passing out candy while relaxing on the sofa!  :-) Wish we had gotten a picture of that!

Finally, we just got back from a TRIP to MARYLAND!  Another quick one, but we really enjoyed being with Brandon, Annie, Nate and Karina.  Everyone was excited to meet baby Karina and we got lots of time to snuggle with her.  We were also pumped to be able to be there for Nate's 3rd birthday party!  Katey and Seth were great in helping with the gaggle of small children as well as helping with the leftover cupcakes.  :-)

Nathan was all about tackling Katey this trip

Seth playing the Wii and Nate mimicking with a toy train!

Uncle Brandon working hard to give Seth a swirly!

Happy Birthday!

Another favorite past-time:  ATTACK Daddy/Uncle Mike!

Thanks to Brandon and Annie (who I managed to not get any pictures of, unfortunately) for having us at your house! 

Being with family and friends is always a special time and we look forward to more TRIPS to come!

Fun with Grammy

We spent yesterday afternoon/evening at Grammy's house enjoying the beautiful weather and some Fall activities.  The kids were excited to see snacks laid out upon arrival - witches fingers!  (Wish I had taken a picture)  They really enjoyed the short pretzel rods covered in green frosting (okay, and so did I)!

Grammy had lots of fun stuff planned and it all kicked off with carving pumpkins.  Who doesn't love digging out squishy pumpkin insides?!?


There was also some Corn Hole playing, hotdogs roasted over a fire, and s'mores.  We taught the kids how to roast the perfect marshmallows and enjoyed Katey waving them over the smoke so they would "have the perfect, smokey taste!" 

After dinner Grammy brought out a bucket and apples to let us all try some bobbing for apples.  Yeah, we are pretty sure we didn't do it right as it was downright impossible to get a hold of an apple apart from grabbing the stem with our teeth, but we all had fun trying anyway! 

The evening wrapped up with the lighting of the pumpkins.  Beautiful!!

A flying witch, a cute little goblin and Frankenstein!

Shampoo

I was preparing a shopping list for a Target trip this week when Katey notified me that she needed more shampoo. Knowing that I had recently purchased a giant, pump bottle of Aussie shampoo, I asked her how it was that she needed more already. Her response to me was this:

"But, I need to use the Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Shampoo. Since I use the Sleek and Shine leave-in conditioner, it says right on the bottle that for best results you should also use the Sleek and Shine shampoo. So that is the one I need to use."

I love my literal, rule-following Katey!

My Life as a President

Since the time the kids have both gone to school I have been a very active volunteer. I joke that I volunteer so I won't have to clean my house (and there is probably some truth to that) but honestly, I love to know that I am doing something to help someone else.

3 years ago I started getting more involved with the PTA in our school. I have done all sorts of fun things like be a Room Parent, organize an event for the graduating 5th graders, and oversee hospitality to coordinate things like monthly breakfasts for the teachers and staff as well as potluck dinners and pies at Thanksgiving. Last year I was elected to the position of Treasurer and spent the year counting money and running to the bank, among other things.

This year I have been upgraded! I was voted in as PTA President...despite my initial kicking and screaming against the possibility. There were several factors that kept me hesitant about volunteering for the position but, in the end, I agreed. Why? The main reason is that I truly feel God is calling me to this place in this moment and is going to use this year to mold and shape and stretch me. I pray that I will be putty in His hands and He will be glorified through my service.

So, I was approved and July 1 marked the beginning of my term. Since August hit I feel like time has moved at warp speed! Between getting a fundraiser set, organizing folks to help with various tasks and events, keeping up with bazillions of papers and trying to finalize an impossible calendar of events, I find myself making notes everywhere and losing the same piece of paper over and over again!

Mike asked me the other night how I was doing and if I was stressing over tasks yet-to-be-done. Apart from the fact that I have noticed a subconscious propensity towards clamping my teeth and holding my breath, I don't think I am too stressed out. There have been plenty of opportunities to get upset over issues that have arisen, but I think that, so far, I have been able to roll with the tide and even laugh about crazy mix-ups.

The hardest part of this job, as with any, is getting the hang of it. Knowing what is expected, what needs to be done and what can be let go of. I have a strong desire to please people and be appreciated for a job well done and I am heading into this new role with the knowledge that I WILL disappoint someone, I WILL make someone mad with a decision and I WILL fail somewhere (or perhaps many 'somewhere-s') along the way. Praise God for grace!!

We are now 3 weeks into the school year and I think I have logged somewhere around the equivalent of a full-time job in volunteer hours. But, I love it! I am so thankful to be able to do full-time volunteering. I am looking forward to the end of this school year - to be able to look back and see the failures and the victories - and know that God's hand was leading me through it all the whole time. (Though I do pray we have more victories than failures!! (-: )

End of August Rush

The end of August always proves to be full of activity between school starting and Katey's birthday. This year was no exception!

Seth was pretty excited to be heading into 3rd grade (with one of his all-time favorite teachers!). He was up and ready to go in plenty of time. It did help that his outfit was already chosen, weeks in advance! Seth could hardly wait to wear his "Just Do It!" shirt that matches his new shoes. I love it!

Katey wasn't quite as excited to be starting middle school, but she was excited that the morning routine can now move along a little more slowly. Seth leaves for the bus stop at 6:40 but Katey doesn't have to be up there until 8:05! Being an early riser and slow-morning mover she has really enjoyed this first week.

Check out those long legs!! She was ready to tackle 6th grade!!

We are now one week into the swing of things and both kids have had a good one! Seth talks about kids in his class and what special he got to attend each day (PE, art, music...). Katey has been excited about purchasing a lock, learning to use it, being assigned a locker and successfully navigating the halls of her new school. Great start to a hopefully great school year!

The first day of school was also Katey's 11th birthday! We celebrated a couple of weeks ago with a trip to Carowind's amusement park so the actual day was pretty low-key. Katey chose to have Chick-fil-A for dinner and then we broke into her 7 pound chocolate cake from Costco! (We took some cake over to a neighbor and we STILL have a chunk left after 5 days!)
It is hard to believe Katey is already 11! We are so proud of our wonderfully sweet, kind-hearted, energetic, Harry-Potter loving, unique, smart and fun Katey Beth! Happy 11th!

On Display

Thanks to a friend of Jen's mom, Katey was asked to be in a fashion show for Dillard's a couple of weeks ago. If you know Katey at all, you understand why Mike and I were curious as to how this would play out on the day of the show.

We made our way to the store about 2 hours before the presentation and started to get ready. The organizers put light make-up on the girls, and worked with the kids on how to walk down the runway, when to stand still and how to pose while the announcer talked about the clothes and shoes. Katey was pretty reserved that day but was still excited to be a part of all the action.

Here she is in her first outfit. This one was her favorite!!

And here is outfit #2!
Katey did a wonderful job, posed nicely and even remembered to smile during her 2nd runway experience! It is hard to believe how grown-up she looks!

Summer

Mike pointed out last week that it has been an entire month since I posted anything on here.  Summer has been too fun to stop and blog!

Since I am completely overwhelmed with all there is to write about, I have decided to do a quick poem to sum it all up (with a few pictures, of course).

SUMMER
The summer started out with lots of watery fun;
We spent a week with the Collins family (and Grammy) at a house on Lake Norman.
The kids learned to ski and we spent the week on the boat;
It took another 5 day for Jen to stop feeling a-float!
Next up was a trip back North;
To Ohio we went, just after July 4th.
We had fun at the Hankins' family reunion - what a treat;
Lots of aunts, uncles and cousins to visit with and good food to eat!
Packed and ready to head back home, until we heard a scream;
Seth scraped up his armpit but managed to not fall out of the tree!
Harry Potter camp is where we sent Katey;
She loved being a Hufflepuff and we don't mean maybe!
A camp filled with sports was where Seth then headed;
He loved it so much, the end of the week he dreaded.
Swimming with friends at the water park has been fun;
It's hard to believe that summer is almost done!!

On your mark, get set...

GO!  Seth up on ski's for the first time!

Check out Katey's form!  She skied like that the entire time!

The kids singing the National Anthem during the closing ceremonies of the Lake Norman Olympics

Uncle Jason with the kids.  They loved to go TOP SPEED!

At the reunion - the Ella Hankins clan

Father's Day

We are so thankful for Mike!!  And, here is how we celebrated him on Father's Day this year:

 

It started with the traditional breakfast in bed (cheerios mixed with frosted flakes!) and gifts.  Katey worked hard on the banner and all the letters are in the correct order from left-to-right this time! 

After church we headed to Crowder's Mountain to do some hiking.   

It is just a couple of miles to hike to the top but portions of the path are pretty steep so we did some resting along the way.

 And, it was pretty hot that day.

 But we made it to the top and were greeted with an awesome view!

 Then it was back to Charlotte for dinner at Tony's Pizza!  What a great way to spend Father's Day!

Good thing I am not...

...a betting woman otherwise I would be out some cash! 

It didn't take long to settle the "what will the kids call us?" question.  A week or so ago Katey asked if it would be okay to call me "Mom" but still call Mike "Daddy".  When I said yes, both kids were excited.  So, for the last week we have been working on the switch.  It is more difficult than one might imagine.

Several times Seth has frustratingly declared that he was addressing me as Mom but I didn't respond.  Admittedly, it sounds strange to have the kids call me that and my ears are not yet tuned to that being my moniker.  (It didn't help that we were on vacation with 4 other kids and I assumed that if I heard, "Mom" it was one of the others trying to address their parent.)  But, we are all getting into the groove, it is feeling more normal, and I think I am responding more often now...

Social Conventions

There is a big debate brewing at our house:  What to call the parents?  Both kids have always called us Mommy and Daddy.  In the last year or so I have wondered when they might switch over to Mom and Dad and I have even encouraged Katey to make the change as it feels a little strange to have a now 6th grader call me Mommy.  She has stood firm.  Seth, however, came home last week and declared that he would now call us Mom and Dad.  He's about 50% there in remembering to do so.

This got me thinking about social conventions and how we do things rather strangely in the US sometimes.  How bizarre that it is commonplace to teach a child to call you one thing (Mommy) then switch that around when they hit a certain age (Mom) - and have it be looked down upon if you don't.  Now, I don't know if others are judging my family when they hear Katey say mommy, but it feels uncomfortable to me knowing they might.

So, the great debate continues around here.  Seth is trying hard to make the switch and Katey happily adds, "E" to the end when Seth stops at Mom or Dad.  If I refer to myself as Mom we can also hear Katey say "E!" if she is within earshot.  (She has even gone so far as to correct me in writing.  I will sometimes jot notes to the kids on their napkins at lunch.  When I sign it "Mom" Katey will return it to me with MY added to the end!)

I am curious to see where we land in the coming weeks but if I were to place a bet it would be that we will soon be called both Mommy/Mom and Daddy/Dad, depending on which child is addressing us. 

Another Great Year

Summer break is here!  I'm not sure who is more excited, the kids or me!

We had a nice end to the school year with lots of fun events/parties.  Katey got to attend the 5th grade dance, then there was field day (for both kids), the 5th grade graduation and classroom parties. 

The dance was a lot of fun to chaperone.  It was great to see the kids run around with an air of, "we own this place"!!  As was expected, Katey had a very fun time but didn't really interact with her classmates much.  She really does march to her own beat and seems to truly enjoy life and not really care too much what other people think.

Our beautiful dancer!

Katey is all the way on the right.  She is dancing, just far away from the group!

Graduation was a nice event yesterday.  The kids were so proud to walk across the stage to get their certificates.  Katey said she was a little nervous because her class went first and, since they did things alphabetically, she was the very first student to be called up.  She did beautifully and is now officially a 6th grader!!

Finally, there were classroom parties.  It is always a little bittersweet to see the end of the school year arrive.  Katey and Seth both had fantastic teachers and it is hard to say goodbye to them (for me, too!).  Katey's class made 5th grade memory books and signed each others' yearbooks.  Seth's class had an ice cream sundae party and signed beach balls.  I believe today was taken up with cleaning out desks and watching movies.  What fun!

With Mrs. Carbone

With Mrs. Holder

With Ms. Crook

With Mrs. Haynes and Ryan

With Mrs. Toy

This year has flown by!  Here are pictures for comparison sake.  Wow, have these kids grown and changed this year!!

August, 2011

June, 2012

August, 2011

June, 2012 - I do feel the need to point out that Seth is wearing pj pants because today was pajama day!