The big helper

Calvin is considered a big kid at school. He is one of the older kids and routinely works with 2 and 3 year olds helping them with their lessons and work. That’s the Montessori way. It reinforces lessons and fundamentals as well as helps teach communication skills as well as compassion. 

Sometimes Calvin doesn’t like it though. He told me the other day that he doesn’t like helping the little kids and wants to spend more time on his hard work and getting new lessons. But, I have heard he is one of the better helpers at school. 

Here he is helping an almost 3-year-old with counting number rods. 

Egyptian Party

On Saturday Ellie attended her best friend’s 10th birthday party. Ishbel had an Egyptian themed birthday party complete with a mummy wrapping race and an “escape room” which involved puzzles and riddles to “escape” from a pyramid. Ellie had a blast and was happy to celebrate with her friend.

California polar vortex

While it hasn’t been below -20 Fahrenheit outside, us thin blooded Californians have been feeling the cold. It’s been below 40 each morning and I’ve had frost on my windshield. There has been ice in the shade on the lawn and the neighbors have frost on their roofs. The kids bundle up for the long walk between the house and the car and the car and inside their classrooms. Fortunately by 11am the temp is over 60 degrees and the sun is shining and all is right with the world. 

Tonight we drove down to Temecula as E has a 8:30am game tomorrow. We stopped for dinner and Calvin had pizza with olives, meatballs, and “chips” (fried wonton skins). 

Thursday = tough practice

Goalie practice on Thursday nights is tough. It’s cold, the coach pushes the kids, and they really workout their bodies (serious core workout). They end up having worst case scenario goal shots tossed at them for a good 45 minutes following a serious skills clinic and workout/warmup (jumprope, stadiums...). I know it pushes her to her limits, but she loves it. 

New daycare room

Things are changing at Meher with the addition of a new classroom and a new daycare room. Well, the nap room is doubling as the daycare room. Calvin has adapted well and is enjoying the new surroundings.

Also, it was so cold today there was ice on my windshield...

Rain and potholes

Nick had a long commute home. 

He hit a pothole on his way home from work and blew a tire. It was raining too much, so he called AAA instead of attempting to do it himself. As he sat in his car, pulled over in the side of the road. Another driver, driving the opposite direction to where Nick was facing, hydroplaned and spun right into him. 

Nick is fine. Absolutely fine. 

The car is not. But Nicks car is better than the SUV that hit him, went through a fence at Forest Lawn, and is now totaled. Fortunately the AAAguy Nick had called showed up within 5 minutes of the accident. He had a flatbed and was able to tow Nick from the scene. Nick then waited to get another tow to a Pasadena body shop arranged by the insurance company. It was along wait. We will see what the total prognosis is for the car, but it doesn’t look like there is no structural damage to the car to the frame. 

Friday night party

Calvin went to a birthday party tonight for a friend from school. It was a kids karaoke place. The kids didn’t so much singing but there was dancing and some games...which was funny because the games were ones the kids play at school on rainy days (so they have had plenty of practice lately). There was freeze dance, musical chairs, and the cha-cha slide. They all had a blast and it was a party in a Friday night for preschoolers.