Ashlyn's Birthday Party

Monday, Ashlyn had her friend party at Classic Fun Center. Although she really likes Classic the Karaoke room is what won her over. When she saw the party room with a stage and a microphone she knew this was the place she wanted her party. She spent most of the time performing for her friends or just performing alone. She is quite the superstar. It is a little frightening at times. She did occasionally leave the party room to play on the bouncers and play land. It was a fun afternoon.

Funny comment

Ashlyn came home from preschool the other day all excited about a dress she had seen. Her teachers high school aged daughter was showed them her dance dress. Ashlyn gave me a detailed description then said, "I was so pretty that it made my heart smile." I don't know where she get this stuff. She is always making funny comments. She is obsessed with pretty, fancy dresses so it wasn't shocking that she loved it. I just thought her comment was so funny.

What???

This week all of the kids had SEP (parent teacher) conferences. It is always fun to hear the nice things said about the kids. I walked away from the boys conferences thinking isn't nice to have good kids that do well in school. Then I started worrying about what we would hear when Ashlyn goes to elementary. Not that she isn't a good student and a sweet girl she is just so LOUD. So this is what I was thinking when I went into her preschool parent teacher yesterday. Her teacher told me how much she is going to miss Ashlyn and her group of friends next year. She said they are sweet and are befriending a little girl that is so much different than all of them. I felt proud but questioned that a little. I have seen her be mean when she doesn't want to include someone. Ashlyn can be a little bossy. I thought well maybe she is growing up a little and it made me feel better about her playground interactions next year. Moving on with the conference, she said she is doing well in school. Great! Then the shocker. She said "My only concern for Ashlyn is that she is so quiet that she might get ignored by her Kindergarten teacher. She needs a good teacher who will pay attention to her even though she always quietly obeys." WHAT???? I have never heard the word quiet used when describing Ashlyn. She sings all day long at the top of her lungs. She has loud conversations with her Barbies when she plays alone. She likes to run and scream with her friends. She is always loud. Not just chatty loud but actually hurt your ears loud. I have learned to tune her out most of the time but when other adults are around they always comment with a "wow". I would think that her teacher had the wrong girl but Miss Julie is in our ward and knows Ashlyn pretty well. I have always felt it was so strange how our kids behave so differently at school than at home. Connor is a chatterbox at home but very quiet in school. I can understand that because Connor doesn't like confrontation. He is well behaved because he doesn't want to get in trouble. Logan is more focused at school than at home. He really likes school and wants to do well so he keeps on task without becoming distracted. I never thought Ashlyn would be able to control her noise level. I thought she was missing that knob. I guess I can now look forward to Ashlyns future SEPs. I am so proud of all the kids. They are great students and great kids.

Is it time for Summer yet?

I am so tired of winter. We have had such a blah winter with little snow and a lot of haze. The kids are getting restless. Actually I am getting restless. I am so tired of sick kids. I don't think we have had a week without sickness since the middle of December. Poor Connor (our healthiest child) took the brunt of it with pneumonia and strep in the same week. He is finally starting to feel better after about 2 1/2 weeks. Unfortunately, he might be suffering from dramaqueenosis now. Just kidding we are just happy he is at least about 75% back to normal. He was able to play basketball on Monday and this time he didn't look like he was going to pass out. Logan and Ashlyn have also had strep and various other colds. I would think it was just our family having bad luck but last time I volunteered in their class rooms it was like a cesspool in the school. Maybe the inversion is making all the illness stick around. I am ready for nice weather and goober free noses. I guess until it warms up I will have to dream of our upcoming family trip to California and Chad and my trip to the Mediterranean.

Steve the Gecko

Connor got a gecko for his birthday in November. He went birthday shopping with Grandpa and Grandma Hatch and this is what he came home with. He used his birthday money from both sets of Grandparents and from his friend Carson. I wasn't that excited about having another pet. I was worried that it might smell so we banished him to the basement. It hasn't been bad at all. He doesn't seem to have a smell and he isn't much work. Connor feeds him two small mealworms every night. The kids really like him. We are now the proud owners of 2 frogs, Kruger and Godfrey (that are really like fish); 4 fish, no names, that came as 2 from school and then multiplied; 1 dog, Foster; and 1 gecko, Steve.

I know that the names are weird but they are all named after football players. Even the boys Webkinz have player's names. Who would have guessed.

It reallly is Connor's gecko even though there are no pictures of him with Steve. Connor tries to avoid pictures.

Can you hear me?

Ashlyn got these headphone for New Years. She put them on the Barbie MP3 player that she got for Christmas. She wandered around the house yelling instead of talking. She yelled "Can you hear my Boice? I can't hear my Boice!" I thought the headphones would cut down on the noise in the car when they are watching dvds. Now I am not so sure. They might make us crazy.

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