The Last Day of First Grade

How has it gone by so fast? I swear we just started school! Pierce has had quite a year in Ms. Piranio's class. He has made a lot of new friends and learned a lot. His reading has made dramatic improvement from first grade reading level when he started to above 3rd grade reading level when he finished. He loves science and art. He complains and says he hates PE but then when he comes home from school and tells me about his day he usually tells me about a fun game they played in PE (go figure). His favorite thing they have learned about this year is the rainforest. We have been calling him our little tree hugger since he's been coming home with stories about the rainforest and all the devastation. In fact one Saturday, Clint decided to prune one of our big trees and he got a little carried away and pretty much hacked the tree to pieces. So I was mad and was telling him how awful it looked and Pierce chimes in, "Yeah, I'm mad too! That is habitat for birds and animals that you destroyed!"

Because I have nothing else to do...

I started refinishing furniture while Coopy takes a nap. I realize that I go in spurts with my hobbies and that this is probably the 3rd or fourth time I have been on the furniture kick. Usually I do it just to decorate our home but now I've been completing projects and selling them on Craigslist. I started a blog to show off what I've done. Check it out at newtoyouaz.blogspot.com

A hike through the beautiful Sonoran Desert

Preserve by our home.

Ethan, Rhiannan, Taylor, Pierce, Jordan

Cole, Bailey, Cooper

Pierce's 7th Mad Scientist Birthday Party

Pierce was so excited about his mad scientist birthday party. He invited 7 of his friends to the park by our house on a very windy day. When the guests arrived we spray painted their hair blue and green and gave everyone a pair of goggles and a lab coat so we could get started on our experiments.

Our first experiment was to build towers or molecules out of toothpicks and marshmellows / gummybears/ gummy worms / circus peanuts / and gumdrops.

Then we divided the kids into teams to make cola and mentos fountains. The kids placed 6 mentos on a paperclip that we lowered into the diet cola and then stood way back to watch the fountain. The pop shot up about 20 feet in the air.

The best part of the party had to have been the cake. Pierce asked for a vanilla and chocolate cake all mixed together and Andrea found directions to make this beaker cake online.

Pierce got a lot of great gifts from his family and friends. He got pixos, a pillow pet, a disco light, a dragon toy, lots of art sets, a magic set, a movie, and his favorite toy--k'nex rollercoaster.

Pierce is at such a fun age. He is very polite and a big help most of the time. He is losing teeth all over the place! He loves rollercoasters and waterslides. He loves to do art and to build with his toys. He is very friendly at school and does really well with his studies.

April 30, 2011

Cooper said, "No! Dop Tat!" when I tried to get a bite.

The Mentos and Cola Fountain!

Seriously, Where do they come up with this stuff?

Easter Morning

The kids were so excited when the got up Easter morning. They could hardly stand to wait for Cooper to get up since they had already looked out the window and had seen all the Easter Eggs hidden in the yard.

Cooper found his basket first and did not want anything to do with the stuffed bunny in his basket. He threw it out and said, "No!"

Cole found hers next hidden behind the couch. She had new sunglasses, a big collection of Littlest Pet Shop toys, a chocolate bunny, a big bag of Circus Cookies, Cotton Candy and a Pooping Chicken.

It took Pierce a little longer to find his basket hidden at the top of the pantry. Pierce also got a Pooping Chicken which he has been dying to have. He got a chocolate bunny, Cotton Candy, a big bag of Cheetos, some Bendaroo Pets, and some Pixos Micros Toys.

Then we headed outside to find eggs full of money and jellybeans. Cooper couldn't get enough!

This was pretty much all of our Easter excitement. We went to church and then came home and relaxed for an hour or so and then Andrea left to play the piano for a Stake Primary Easter Program.

April 24, 2011

Cole, Cooper and I had the best time at Pierce's school watching him do field day

in 100 degree weather!