Life as a Brandtito

  Here's a quick pic of Gavin's 5th Grade Science Fair project this year! He did a study of Popcorn (right up his alley) to see which brand of pop corn kernels had the highest rate of popping in our popcorn popper. He did all the research himself, but Dad helped him input it into the computer to make the graph charts and I helped him with the decoration (because there's no chance I'm letting an of our kids loose with a glue gun). He made a 100 on his project & learned a thing or two along the way as well. Pop Secret was the winner...just in case you were curious.

This is the reaction most of my "new ideas" get Every year since Annabelle started school the kids are forced to do a "Back to School Survey". The questions are generally the same, but I usually mix in one or 2 new ones to keep it age appropriate, (For example this year we had to get rid of the "favorite cartoon" question in lieu of the "favorite TV show" question ::sniff sniff::). It's neat to look back over their old answers and also watch their handwriting and spelling improve ( in some cases ) each year.  This year I decided to up the anty and force the kids to particpate include a short video of the mini's to go along with their surveys...below are the results...Enjoy.. (You may have better luck viewing if you click to view directly from You Tube..)   If you listen closely...you can hear Gavin realize he's been eating Seminole germs all year...   "Can I get something out of my backpack" translation ...

Happy First Day of School Day !!! Token First Day Awkward Photo...and yes, those are leopard pants Annabelle is wearing...

Random Photo Rundown as we get ready for back to school TOMORROW   Teacher crafts for kissing up on the first day... Annabelle cooked dinner for us on Tuesday. No seriously. She did 80% of the work. Patriot Nails for the girls first day at Dixon Womby. The dog I would like to steal. The girls have started making tents in their room....like on the regular  I have to admit, I'm slightly impressed by their design. Separate "rooms" any everything. Annabelle in a sea of stuffed animals.

We had our orientation at Dixon Intermediate today.  The girls were of course super excited, but GAVIN ACTUALLY REQUESTED A PHOTO of him in his new desk...so I think that shows he's a little excited too. 4th Grader Heaven in her desk! She has Mrs. Kennison this year. 5th Grader Gavin in his new desk in Mrs. Orehosky's Room! 3rd Grader Annabelle in Mrs. Walker's class!! We were very excited with the kid's teachers this year...especially since it's a new school for them! Annabelle's teacher, Mrs. Walker was her Aunt Casey's 3rd grade teacher too!! Casey said it was her all time favorite teacher...so we're taking that as a very good sign. Heaven has Mrs. Kennison and she remembered her from her subbing days at Pea Ridge the minute she saw her! Gavin has Mrs. Orehosky who I went to school with. She is just wonderful and she'll keep a special eye on Gav. Gavin's classroom is also across from Uncle Brian's so he can drop in a...

After feeding and watering the dogs for 6 weeks, Annabelle earned herself a fish today! After much debate at Petsmart, she decided on a pink "dragon scaled" beta & a mermaid themed tank. She has named him Poseidon (we're a bit into Percy Jackson right now...for better or worse) though I personally pushed for King Tritian (I mean HELLO it's a mermaid tank!!). She could not wait to get home and get it all set up. Because we (I) underestimated how big the tank we selected is, we set it up in the girls room...as there is no where else to put it. He has lots, and lots of pink decorations...so hopefully he's not too much of a manly man fish.

Heaven's hard work has paid off and with a final total of $235.00 earned,  today she headed off to camp. Words cannot express how excited she was this morning! She said she was a little bit nervous, but mostly just eager to get her week at camp started. She elected to ride the bus to camp & from camp and was excited to see several girls show up at the last minute to meet the bus as well. John had her convinced it was the all boy week and that she'd somehow slipped thru the screening process. Notice her "adventure hat"she picked up yesterday while we were getting the rest of her camp supplies at Target. Look at her grin...she was seriously so stinking excited I cannot believe my lil HB is old enough for camp. I was going thru old photos and just look at these of baby Heaven from when me and John were dating... Our first Halloween Look. at. those. cheeks Our very first camping trip!  100 days of Kindergarten  She's barely big...