Have you heard of this one? and Field Trips

Have you heard of this one?

Someone in Baby's preschool has hand, foot and mouth disease. I guess it's a different virus than livestock gets. It's not dangerous, just gross and miserable while you've got it. We have gotten off okay so far this school year as far as illness goes. Only one stomach virus and one doozy of a cold virus. We've been in more than a month! Not bad since before we received the hand, foot and mouth notice we had already three slips announcing strep, one from each Freund kid's class. Chances are we won't get this disease, but maybe the next one. Will it be lice this year? Oh, I hope not pin worms, again. . . We will certainly make sure to all get flu shots this year. These typical childhood illnesses aren't so bad. Measles, mumps, and chicken pox, for the most part, are just memories to those in my generation. Those were all certainly more dangerous than what goes around nowadays. Thank goodness TB and polio aren't likely. I'd just like to not have any parasites or vomiting this year, PLEASE!

Field Trips

This week Rock Star had a field trip to an apple orchard. It was hilarious! The kindergartners swarming, running, laughing, pushing and poking each other. Not to be sexist, but he boys were completely physical and wild. We were to stay together in small groups as we passed through the corn maze. Yeah, right. It was barely managed chaos. Later, the orchard tour guide tried to give all kinds of great info about bees, apples, chickens and the kids just couldn't be still or listen. By that time they were so excited to be free in the wide open rows of trees and just run! The guide invited them to each pick just one apple. You can imagine how well that went, but I think overall the field trip was a success.

#1 had a field trip, too, to City Hall. Her class toured the beautiful new building downtown and got to meet the mayor in his office, sit in a police car, and go to the library. Mr. Mayor took questions for a long while. Here is a sampling of the kinds of questions the kids asked, "When is your birthday?", "Do you have a dog?", "What's your favorite animal?", "What countries have you traveled to?". It was very cute and very interesting. These kids were only a little less wiggly than the kindergarten kids. And ,in the case of the 3rd graders, it was the girls who most couldn't "keep hands" to their selves. Girls were messing around with each others backpacks, hair, strings on each others hooded sweatshirts. Another age related difference is that there was a lot of polite whispering where as the K kids would just shout out their thoughts. I think everyone had a good time.

The first field trip I ever chaperoned was during my student teaching practicum. During the practicum we had to teach for two weeks in K, elementary, middle and high school levels. My two week K assignment was at small school in a really small town. During my placement, a walking field trip to a bakery and a auto repair shop was scheduled. I was very nervous. In our small group, several kids were allergic to bee stings and this was fall! I had to carry a back pack with a couple inhalers and this bunch of epi-pens that I prayed I wouldn't have to use. The bakery was super, smelled fabulous and everyone got a goody, even chaperons. We watched how they decorated cakes, made the donuts, and we got to see, and feel the heat of, the giant ovens. But the bakery was not nearly as fun as the garage. At the garage we were greeted by the owner, a jolly, bottle, black-haired, old guy in a tie who smelled of spicy mouth wash, and astringent hair gel and aftershave. The owner showed us his office and told us about the garage from his desk, topless model on a car on the 1993 pin up calender behind him. He showed us a massive book, which he called his "Bible". He told us, "Forget about computers," that book and the telephone could help him fix any car. I think it was a parts book. The kids got to take turns looking at this most impressive book. A couple times it fell open to a marked page that was held by naked lady postcard, no kidding! He then introduced us to his head mechanic. Rusty's name was embroidered in cursive on his blue-gray mechanic's coverall. I noticed his curly red hair and red stubble as he lead us out to where the dirty work was done. The kids were impressed to see a few cars lifted high on hydraulic jacks being serviced. As he spoke to us, Rusty actually lit up a cigarette, despite several red "no smoking" signs being posted through out the space and his little visitors. With his cigarette held tight between his lips, he talked us through your basic oil change as he preformed it. I'm pretty sure I remember at some point he actually cussed during the procedure. MANY times during our visit to the garage I tried to make some kind of eye contact with my supervising teacher because I couldn't believe my eyes and ears . We never met eyes and afterwards she never spoke to me about the details of our trip.

Fall in Duluth

Sorry I didn't post on time last week. We were out of town for a wedding and although the hotel boasted of wireless from every room I couldn't seem to make it work. Dad's childhood friend, Jason, was married just south of Duluth.





Friday, while Dad attended to the responsibilities of being a groomsman (which in this case included a little golfing!), the kids and I checked out Cloquet and Duluth. We stopped at several parks before ending up at Canal Park, Duluth's harbor. There, we toured a retired iron ore ship and a couple of candy stores while walking along the shore of Lake Superior. Later in the afternoon, as it became chilly, we hopped in the van and continued our tour of the city across the cool lift bridge and out Park Pointe.







The wedding was outdoors at Jay Cooke State Park and very beautiful. The kids, especially Baby were thrilled that wedding guests were shuttled to and from hotel to ceremony in a school bus. The kids were well behaved and Dad looked handsome in his tux.






























The reception was great! Food was yummy and we were able to visit with Dad's old friends and their lovely wives. The dance was fun and kid friendly. They had a craft table set up and the DJ did so many kid interactive things. We danced and danced. #1 and I closed the place down, dancing right up to the very last dance!


On Sunday we returned to Jay Cooke State Park for some hiking and exploring. Photos cannot do justice! The fall color!!!! The rock!!!!! The icy water!!!!! Everyone got a little wet and a little hurt at some point. The kids are such nature lovers and #1, in particular, is very daring and adventurous in her hiking. By the end Dad had to carry Baby out as she was exhausted.


Please enjoy the photos and I will be back to my regular blogging schedule the end of this week, I think. . .