Field Trip

I got asked to go on a Field Trip with a 5th grade class as a substitute teacher a few weeks ago.  It was a little different sub job.  The teacher only needed me 1/2 day so I went to the school at 11:25, picked up the teacher's car keys and then got in her car and drove to the field trip site.  Once I got there, we swapped places and she took her car to go to a training and I stayed for the remainder of the field trip to ride with the class on the bus back to the school.  Luckily, I know this class really well and knew most of the parents on the field trip too.  Things were going smoothly ... we got to eat lunch, look for animals (we saw a pretty good sized snake), use nets to pull up creatures in the water, test the water, and learn how they clean sewer water.  Then, it was time to load the bus to head back to the school for a 1:30 arrival time.

As we were heading out of the site we had to go through a one-way, very narrow tunnel.  I was looking down at my notes for the rest of the day when we crashed into the tunnel as we were going in!  The bus full of kids was silent!  Luckily, it was a new bus that had seat belts and she wasn't going very fast. Everyone was OK, but our bus was not.  The side mirrors all shattered and got knocked so they were blocking the door.  The bus driver was able to move them out of the way and after asking if everyone was OK, drove through the tunnel to the other side and parked off to the side because where we were, we were blocking traffic. 

I called the school to let them know we were OK while the bus driver called her dispatch and called the police.

 While we were waiting for the Highway Patrol to come out, I had to go seat by seat and write down the kids' first and last names and which seat they were sitting in when the accident happened.  The kids were so good while we waited on the bus!

Once the Highway Patrol arrived and checked out the bus, a new bus arrived and we moved the kids one by one onto the new bus.  They had to give the Highway Patrolman their birth-date to go along with their names.  After four or five calls to the school and an hour of waiting, we finally made our way  back to campus.  We arrived back at 2:43 just two minutes before the bell rang.  Because we were so late, the bus couldn't get into the carpool lane to drop us off, so she parked in traffic and crossed us across the street.  A car pulled around the bus (into oncoming traffic ... which is illegal by the way!) trying to get into her driveway!  She was a little annoyed that the bus was blocking her way!  We all arrived safely back at the classroom safe and with a great story to tell.  Best of all ... they had no homework!

The following day I was subbing at the school and we had an unannounced fire drill.   As I was taking the class of 1st graders outside, I was really hoping it wasn't a real fire drill!  That would have been the topper to my week!  

Activity Days - Family Olympics

On Friday night for Activity Days the girls had a Family Olympics ... Minute to Win it style!  Unfortunately, our family was spread out in many different directions that night, so it was just Calissa and I.  Barbara Leal joined our family, just as we were getting going.

We started off by picking up paper bags with our teeth, then we picked up a spaghetti noodle with our teeth and had to pick up 5 more noddles and thread them on. All just using our mouths!  (It's harder than it sounds!)  Then, we had some Dixie Cups and had to put the top on the bottom alternating hands until the blue cup was on the bottom.  Next, we had to pull all of the tissues out of a box.  Then, we had to put ping pong balls in the box, tie it around our waist and shake them out!  Finally, we had to make a mummy with a roll of toilet paper.

 Here is Barbara and Calissa getting started on the mummy.

 Eventually, she just told Calissa to spin.  It went on much faster at that point, but Calissa got pretty dizzy!

 The last thing we needed to do was all go back as a team with our balloon and pop it.  Calissa wanted to do it, but after a few tries she realized that she didn't weigh enough! 

 We made a big mess, but had a fun time!

 Calissa and her Activity Day Leaders (Sister Muhlestein and Sister Muhlestein) getting her Olympic Torch.

Our team.  We may have come in last place, but we had a great time!

Thanks Barbara for joining our family!  You are welcome anytime!

Another Opening Day

Yesterday was Opening Day for Conner's Little League.  It seems to come around more quickly each year. Trav and I were trying to decide yesterday how long we've (the boys) been playing in this league.  We think this is year 9!  Conner says this will be his last year playing, but we'll have to see how he feels at the end of the season.

 Here is Conner with the Major Braves walking in.  Conner is the only one without his jersey.  He was cold, so he decided to wear his sweatshirt!  At least he's easy to pick out in the picture!

 Here's a view of everyone, once all the teams walked in. 

 Christopher is old enough to play this year.  Here he is in the middle of the picture (without a hat) and Andrew has his hands on his shoulders.  T-Ball ... here they come!  Andrew is helping coach the team this year.  We're looking forward to watching a couple of Christopher's games this year.

 Conner's team didn't take pictures yesterday because their hats didn't come in.  (He's wearing his hat from last year).  They still did the hit-a-thon though.  Conner hit it 115 feet.  He's not used to hitting it off the tee. 

After the hit-a-thon, he quickly ate his tri-tip lunch and then he warmed up for his first game.  They played the Dodgers.  This is the first year that they've had games going on Opening Day. Unfortunately, they lost, but Conner played great at shortstop.  He was 1-2 with a walk.  His hit was a double and knocked in their only RBI of the game.  It was a long day, but a fun one.

 (And yes ... we did get sunburned!  We always do!!)

Volleyball

Parker is playing Volleyball for Concord High.  He started off the year thinking he was going to play Golf in the Spring, then he decided he wanted to do Track after his successful Cross Country Season.  Finally, he decided on Volleyball with a little encouragement from his PE Teacher (who was also his Cross Country Coach, and is the Volleyball Coach).  He went to conditioning several days a week for a month or so and then had two weeks of tryouts.  He was excited when he found out that he made the Varsity team.

He's never played Volleyball before and is doing a great job.  They have a lot of Freshmen on JV and a couple of them made Varsity, so they should be pretty good in a couple of years.  The season has just begun, but already they're showing signs of improving.  A couple of weeks ago they had a Jamboree at Campolindo on Saturday.  Parker played the Varsity games in the morning and then stayed and played JV too since their setter had to leave.  He ended up playing 13 games that day (only 20 minutes each ... but still)!  He was pretty worn out when we got home!

Only problem with Volleyball is that he sacrifices his body for the ball.  His knees and elbows are pretty banged up.  He takes after his dad ... but that's what makes him a great athlete!

Congrats Parker!

Awesome job Parker!