romeo and juliet

today the kindergarten class did their rendition of romeo and juliet. it was so stinkin' cute. the high school drama class did this with them. they did a street fight to the song "eye of the tiger."

da.

da. da. da.

da. da. da.

da. da. daaaaaaaaaaa.

so imagine the kids jumping back and forth to this song. then throw in the chanting back and forth: montague...capulet...romeo and juliet...

each class did a scene from the play so there were 3 different romeos and juliets. tayte was mr. capulet. here he is with his speaking part. he got such a kick out of getting to use the microphone.

here he is waiting for the other classes to finish their scenes. you can tell he is done. not only did he lay down (which i later heard 2 moms complaining about the kids being bored "and there were some kids laying down" i almost piped up and said yeah my kid) he also put his shirt over his head and several other things.

they ended the show doing the macarena, which tayte actually did. he always says "i'm tired... my legs hurt..." and several other things which all mean i don't want to do what you want me to. i was really proud of how well he did. that kid never ceases to amaze me.

tara

living museum

third grade is a big deal. you have taks for the first time. but here in panhandle you have the living museum. everyone in third grade is given their assignment. this year's theme was the 50 states. each child had a state and had to research that state. it is a great learning experience for these kids. for many if not all it is the first time they research anything in detail, really laying the groundwork for research papers later.

baylee was the great state of north dakota (do you sense the heavy sarcasm?) other than the movie fargo most people wouldn't be able to tell you anything about the state.

the teachers had the kids to make a poster.

they dressed like a native from their state. we really needed clarification for this one because i tend to lean on the sarcastic side and wanted to say "i am a native texan and this is how i dress." so while researching at school baylee found a picture of a native american which met the approval of his teacher. i was really impressed with myself with this costume. the only purchase we made was for a box of straws so i could make his breastplate. everything else came from things we had lying around the house.

the idea behind the museum is that it is similar to a robotics type museum. all the kids were in the cafeteria in their assigned spot. after seeing several kids i figured out that they were placed in the spot they would be if you were looking at the map. ok, it was like halfway through but i did figure it out.

so the kids are all standing their with their heads down. someone comes up and pushes their red button. after that they go through the monologue they have memorized. it needed to be around 5-7 sentences with things like tourist attractions, what goods were produced their, the state motto, nickname, those kinds of things. when they finished their speach they put their head down until the next person pushed their button.

no matter how many people pushed their button they said the same thing. even if the same person pushed it several times. lots of older siblings doing that. of course i wouldn't be me if i didn't do something. so as some of the kids i know pretty well were talking i was making funny faces or sticking my tongue out. the all finished their speach mostly straight-faced and only a few giggled.

wasn't he the cutest little blonde headed indian you ever seen.

tara

homecoming of a fallen soldier

i had seen a youtube video a while back on someone's blog. she pretty much guilted anyone who reads her blog to watch this video. she said something along the lines of "he gave his life to protect your way of life, so you can give him 10 minutes of yours to watch his funeral procession." if that doesn't work you don't really deserve to live in the land of the free. well, after watching that i decided i needed to take the boys to see when troops come home. i had asked a few people that i knew had spouses oversees how one would find out when they would come home. no one could tell me. and in all honesty, i didn't push it more than that. i know i'm sad and pathetic.

so a week ago a guy i went to high school with was killed in iraq. i had heard that they wanted people to line main street to honor him home. perfect opportunity to teach the boys a lesson in patriotism.

we made a sign, got some flags, and i pulled the boys out of school ready for his arrival.

the wind was blowing 700 miles an hour, which made for some awesome pictures because all the flags were flowing so beautifully. i thought of complaining about how the dirt was killing my eyes, but really did i have any reason to complain? he gave his life and so many before him so i could be standing there.

these two guys just happen to be standing by us. i told payton to get in front of him for a picture. afterwards i told him "i used you for a cool picture."

his friend said "i'll give you a good picture of your kids." so of course i jumped on it. i didn't check so the one of tayte my focus was on the flag, still kinda cool. and baylee's friend sean wanted in on the action. they are members of the iron soldiers, they go to homecomings of fallen soldiers to honor them. see how awesome the flags look because of the wind.

it made me kinda sad that there weren't more people there. i don't know if because i had watched that video where they had gone over several counties and thousands of people had stopped to show respect. i wonder if my generation doesn't get it like past generations. if you compare the war now to any past war: vietnam, WWI, WWII, the civil war. i don't think we are affected like they were. there have been people die in this one and everyone is just as important as another, but i guess since there have not been as many we are oblivious to it. esau is the first person that i have personally known to die in war. i was talking to a lady the other day and she knew several people in her class alone that had died. i admit to never once think about the troops for days at a time. i hope i change this. i hope by taking my kids downtown that day that they learned something. i did feel better when i heard that highland park took all the kids out of school and had them line highway 60. and people from pantex lined highway 60 outside the plant.

the motorcycles were really cool.

the colorguard waiting.

i talked to baylee about what this all meant. how he was able to play the video games he wanted. to look online searching for an answer and not have to "learn" what his president told him was "truth." that he could wear what he wanted, say whatever he thought, and do what he chooses. i hope he understands. i am sure we will revisit this subject again. at first i wanted to shelter him and not let him think that people my age could die. i wanted him to live a kid's denial that nothing can happen to his parents. but, my desire to teach him respect and honor for a fallen soldier won out. i am glad it did because it is a leason i think he needs to understand.

i hope you never get this opportunity, but if you do it is your american duty to do this. honor this soldier, because without them you wouldn't get to do the things you love most.

tara

baseball season has begun

baylee started baseball. this year he is doing kid pitch. i'm not quite sure i like this level, but we have only had one game so i guess i should give it a try. he had his first game friday. let me tell you the story.


he had to be at the ballfield early so he could get his uniform. as we pull up to the field lee and i both realize that we didn't get the poor kid anything to drink. so we decided to leave and head up to taylor's to get him and the other boys a drink. lee goes in with tayte and payton. after a few minutes here they come. payton is crying and lee has a baggie of ice. lee gets in the car and tells me he just got a phone call that baylee got hit in the face with a ball. his glasses are broken and his eye is swelling. are you kidding me? the first game hasn't even started and he is hurt. so why was payton crying? he just got in trouble for not listening, go figure. now we are heading back to the field to see the damage.


we get there and the only thing wrong with baylee is that he looks like he had been crying. his lense had popped out, but was easily popped back in. his eye was fine, no scratch, no nothing.

other than that the game was good. it is a new level with new rules. they can steal, which once the boys figured that out they thought it was big stuff. they got creamed. you could tell the other team had practiced a lot more than our boys, but anyway.

baylee did great. he hit the ball twice making it to base both times.

did you notice who else is in the picture? that's right lee. he is just an observer. no coaching. he is kinda having a hard time with that though. this is the first time he hasn't been baylee's coach.

he even made it all the way around once. and he batted a kid in.

he is in the outfield. which is not the best position, but you know. baylee did mention that he played the whole game and didn't get to touch the ball. and when i was taking these pictures he was dancing to no music. maybe that's why he is in the outfield?!? and not sure why he is eating his glove.

tara