Student of the Week

One of the highlights of being a 2nd grader at my son's school is the opportunity to be Student of the Week. All elders (2nd graders in the mixed-grade classes) have the opportunity to share mementos representing who they are. The items are displayed throughout the week and then on Friday, there is a Q&A session with the student and their family. Families get to choose the week they prefer and normally choose a week close to the student's birthday. During the Q&A, the teacher writes down the 'facts' about the student and uses them as a writing assignment. The drawings and writings completed by the class are then compiled into a lovely book for the Student of the Week to keep. Pretty darned cool.

Today (okay - last week, I'm doing some serious back-posting) was the end of Orion's Student of the Week and our family Q&A. Some items he chose to display were his medals for soccer, ski 4 kids, and running club. He hung up a poster of a Triceratops because it's his favorite dinosaur (his bedroom has a dino theme). We put out his baby book & a scrap book, photos of our family, his first Halloween costume (a lion), his favorite books (Calvin & Hobbes, Asterix, and Geronimo Stilton) and some Pokemon cards.

His classmates asked all sorts of questions. "What was a funny incident?" was the most popular question - I was only prepared for one answer, so when the question arose several times, we were a bit stumped. Orion never crawled - his preferred mode of transportation was the "Butt Scoot". He'd sit up and use his heels to pull himself around the room. It was quite entertaining & he actually wore holes into his little soft baby shoes. We showed a clip of him scooting around - his class loved that! I'll have to find a way to post that video, it's too darned cute.

What a great way to honor kids! I know we'll always look through Orion's memory book and have fond memories.

Here's a quick peek of what's on the needles. I hope to have a finished object to show soon:

I'll leave you guessing as to the details for now.

Ciao ~

Just Checking In...

Short & Sweet: Life has been a bit hectic, so no time to blog, knit, etc. Spring Break in San Diego has come & gone - great week; will post pics, etc. later. I decided my life isn't crazy enough, so I jumped back into coaching our girls JV soccer team. Yup - like I don't have enough to do. It seriously has cut into the knitting time, but it will be worth it. Today was my 1st official practice w/just the JV girls & they are a hoot. I forgot how much I enjoyed coaching JV. ( I last coached JV back in 2001 - gave it up for a bit when the boys were itty bitty.)

Today is Orion's 8th birthday - wow! Time certainly flies by. Well - not only am I busy, but I feel a cold coming on. So - just checking in to say - "I'm here" & will hopefully return soon with more entertaining & knitting content.

Until then...Let's hope I can get the pair of socks done soon so I can have something to show. Sock #1 has just the toe to finish - let's see, that was 3 days ago....

Ciao~

Happy Read Across America Day!

This post is dedicated to Theodore Giesel, aka, Dr. Seuss. In case you aren't aware, today, March 2nd, is his birthday & nationally known as Read Across America Day. The ability to read is such a strong indicator of academic success; plus it's FUN!! So I present to you some recommendations:

Family Recommendation: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems. You and your kids will love this book! It's a quick, yet interactive read. The premise is a bus driver needs a break & asks you - the readers, to keep an eye on the bus & not let the pigeon drive it. The pigeon tries his darnedest to convince you to let him drive the bus. Other books by this author: The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late, & Knuffle Bunny. All are family favorites.

Iain's Recommendation:

Any Curious George book. He likes these books because "Curious George is funny and curious. That's why." He also recommends Pokemon books - I don't find them to be the best bedtime reading, but he's fallen into the Pokemon craze.

Orion's Recommendation:

Any Geronimo Stilton book. There are a ton in this series. If you want more information, visit this wikipedia site. Geronimo Stilton is a mouse who is also a journalist. He always winds up in some fun and silly adventure. I think this series is geared toward 2nd graders, but if your child is a good reader, 1st grade would be fine. Orion usually plows through these books in an afternoon, so I highly recommend getting a library card, or setting up a credit account at your local used books store. Orion loves visiting Title Wave just to keep up with the antics of Geronimo Stilton.

Arctic Knitter's Recommendation:

Wow - so many! I don't know if I can narrow it down - but here a a few favorites:

Knitting Related: Any Stephanie Pearl-McPhee book. I'm sure all you knitters already know this.

The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. If you are looking for a little fluff & fun - this series is it. The series (3 books, the 4th due out in August) isn't your typical teenage angst & romance novel. Vampires and Werewolves are thrown in for good measure. Great escapism. Perhaps I enjoyed them so much because I get to witness this sort of thing everyday w/my students. Ms. Meyer is also releasing an adult novel later this year, I'll be interested to see how that turns out.

Pillars of the Earth & World Without End by Ken Follet. Pillars is one of my all-time favorites. I really enjoy historical fiction. Both are rather long, so settle in & enjoy. I think I'll re-read them again this summer on our road trip.

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. Another historical fiction / love story. History, action, adventure, political intrigue. Oh yes - I must mention romance & Jamie - a Scottish Highlander who I imagine is a 'hunka burnin' love'. I warn you now - this series is a commitment. Six books have already been released w/more planned for the future.

Non-Fiction: I don't read too much of these. As I see it, my life & job are non-fiction, so when I read, I'm looking to escape a bit from reality. So I recommend: Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History by Penny LeCouteur & Jay Burreson and & Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks. Both deal with chemistry; go figure. :0)

Wade's Recommendation:

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein and anything by Iain Banks (the namesake of our youngest son...) Wade is a science fiction fan - so if you're into sci-fi, these might be right up your alley.

Wow - that should be plenty to keep everyone literate. I'm always looking for more good books to read. Leave a comment as to you and your family's favorite book(s) & I'll link it in the side bar. I'm always looking for a good read.

Make it a point to sit down this evening as a family & read together. Enjoy! Read On!!

Super Saturday in Anchorage

The 1st Saturday of March in Anchorage is a big deal. It marks the beginning of the annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race. It's billed as a 1049 mile endurance run, when really the mileage is closer to 1100. The 49 celebrates Alaska as the 49th state. Saturday marks the ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage. This allows thousands of people to come out & cheer the musher as they embark on their journey to Nome. On Saturday the mushers & their dogs go 11 miles before loading up & driving out to the official start in Willow, AK. The official start is tomorrow, Sunday, March 2nd. I'll try to keep an update on the progress of the mushers.

Usually we meet up with friends for an annual Iditarod Breakfast & walk to a nearby trail to watch the mushers go by. It's a regular party atmosphere & lots of fun for children & adults alike. However, this year, there was no breakfast due to the Ski 4 Kids. The Ski 4 Kids event is a fundraiser put on by the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage to help provide gear and coaches to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the joys of cross country skiing.

The weather was bitterly cold (10°F + heavy winds) - I figure w/the wind the temps were below zero. Fortunately once skiers entered the trees, it was a lot warmer (relatively speaking). Both boys skied the longer race - about 3 Km. Orion entered the medium wave & finished 55th out of 119 skiers with a time of 19:10. Pretty good! He really had a fun time even though he wiped out before the race & banged his knee on the ice. Tough kid!

Whew! I'm Tired!

Iain had an equally great race. I skied behind him since this was his first time doing the "big kid" race. He finished 41st out of 91 skiers with a time of 28:08. It was fun watching him book up the hills and then "tuck his bum" for the downhills. He and another boy kept the competitive spirit alive - the other boy would pass Iain, then Iain wouldn't have any of that, so he'd turn on the gas & pass him. Then, the other boy (I wish I knew his name - 'the other boy' is quite awkward) would not like that and ski past Iain. They kept this up for the entire course. Iain poured it on at the end & finished in front. Gee, I wonder where he gets that competitive drive from?

Happy Leap Day!!

Just when I was wondering what to blog about, the answer revealed itself! When I got home from work today, my Scavenger Hunt Swap package was waiting for me. Thank you Wendy!!!

The premise of the swap was to find items related to themes. At least 4 items had to be fiber-related. Here's the run-down:

Something Hard: The book, "Arctic Lace" - Knitting projects and stories inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters. Hard indeed! I've only started to tackle a lace project & oy-vay! I think that let's you know how the Secret of the Stole project is coming along. (Can you say only row 26 on Clue #1? I think I'm now 6 clues behind)

Something Round: A retractable measuring tape. I can never have too many of these.

Something Local: A coffee mug depicting the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C. - Wendy is supporting my coffee addiction.

Something related to the letter "T": Yummy Chocolate/Coffee Treats! All dark chocolate + coffee - Can't forget the cool coffee bean stitch markers. Most excellent.

Something Funny: One of those toys that when you turn it upside down it makes a mooing sound. I think the sound is supposed to be a sheep (sheep are in the picture).

Spoiler's Choice: Yarn Yuminess! Last time I checked, sock yarn doesn't count in the stash, right?

Something Green: A knitting pattern for a dissected frog! Isn't that too cool? It is absolutely perfect & so clever. I have just the right yarn to use. As an anatomy teacher this is so fantastic! I think I know what my biology teacher friends are going to receive for Christmas gifts next year. :0)

I'm still waiting on my 'something funny' to arrive so I can send of a package to my downstream pal. There was a mistake by the vendor, so they are fixing it.

Well - the kids & hubby aren't home, so I need to sign off & take advantage of the quiet.

Ciao ~

P.S. - I think it took 5 times to get the van up the driveway today. Some good the new tires designed in Finland for ice & snow did.

How Many...

... times does it take to drive a vehicle up an icy driveway? Due to the recent freeze/thaw/freeze cycle we've experienced, our driveway has become a glacier.

Our driveway is a bit steep. Perhaps this spring I'll go out & actually do a wee-bit of math & calculate it's slope. Trust me - it's steep.

How steep? Well - so steep that once you start backing down the driveway, there is no stopping until you hit the bottom & potentially the ice/snow berm on the other side of the street.

So steep that I did a 180° turn when I was coming up the driveway today. Yup - that means I spun around & then was pointing down the driveway. It's during times like these that I regret not putting the studded tires on the car. After 3 tries, I made it up.

So steep that walking down the driveway to retrieve the mail is placing your life (or integrity of your bones and joints) at risk.

Hmmm - me thinks it's time for some ice melt (calcium chloride or something equivalent) & a date with an axe. Yeah - I'll get right on that. (as soon as I finish knitting sleeve #2)

Ciao ~

Slow....

In 4m 4s

Click here to Play

Wow - I thought I'd do better than that. I focused on the West Coast - those small East coast states were off the screen, so I kinda forgot about them. Hmm - I think I can do better, but must resist. :0)

In 3m 32s

Click here to Play

Okay - I really mean it now - back to knitting! (My competitive nature just couldn't let me stop). Oh - and now I know you don't have to capitalize the states, or hit return - once it's typed in correctly, it automatically moves on.

Back to knitting if I ever hope to finish a sweater.

In 2m 39s

Click here to Play

Edited Post @ 9:47pm: Okay - off to bed now. This is really getting ridiculous. :0)