Home for the Weekend

October 16, 2011

For the first time in six weeks, I got to see my college-aged daughter, who came home for the weekend. I can't even tell you how excited I was to have her home! She got on a Greyhound in San Diego late Thursday night, switched to Amtrak in the wee hours of the morning, and arrived in Fresno at 6:45 a.m. Unfortunately, I had to be at work bright and early, so I had to leave the homecoming to her dad. My reunion with her would have to wait just a little longer.

Although she didn't sleep much at all on the bus or the train, she powered through and stayed awake so she could come back during the school day on Friday and visit her choir and drama teachers and lots of friends who are still at Buchanan. She showed up at school with coffee in hand, and we got to catch up (and give big huge hugs!) during my prep period before she headed off to make the rounds of the school. During my last class of the day, not only did she come back to visit with several of her friends who are currently in my A.P. Lit. class, but a few of my former students also stopped by to visit with her and say hello to me. These are some of my 'extra daughters,' so getting to see them was icing on the cake.

Bree and one of her sister-friends, Miss Kaitlyn.
As luck would have it, Bree came home on the weekend of our local elementary school carnival. Bree has never missed this carnival since kindergarten, believe it or not, and even though this is my first year without any children at that school, we all found ourselves back there Friday night.


Several of Bree's friends joined her there. This a sweet, loving, beautiful group of college freshman, laughing and having a great time together at the carnival for kids. (Shelby, Marlowe, Bree, Nicole, and Mallory.) I love these girls!
Danielle also met up with a good friend at the carnival--Andrei. These girls both managed to win goldfish to bring home, much to my chagrin. (As of press time, only two of our four have survived. If the remaining two make it through the week, maybe we'll name them.)
Nicholas found his fun (and luck!) at the Cake Walk. He won four times in fairly quick succession, focusing his eyes on various forms of chocolate as his prizes. After years of Bree being the lucky one at the Cake Walk events, I'm so excited that we came home with something besides vanilla cupcakes and shortbread cookies! After we had Nicholas' four baked goods plates safely ensconced in the car, he made another trip back to the Cake Walk. He made it his goal to win another cake for his former robotics coach, who happened also to be there at the carnival, and to win something vanilla for his big sis, who was home visiting from college. Lucky boy managed to do both. What a sweetheart!
Me with my beautiful girls.
When the carnival ended, we found our way to Target, because Target is like the Mothership to both Bree and me. Danielle provided comic relief while I pushed her around in the cart.
Bree, trying to figure out if she can lug a beanbag chair back on the train with her for her dorm.
Because of the carnival, we decided not to go to Family Dinner Night until Saturday lunch. We amended our Family Dinner Night rule, so that whenever Bree comes home, she bumps right into the rotation. Dinner, or lunch, as it turned out, was Bree's choice, then, so naturally she chose Thai Fusion. Afterward we stopped in to Heart Village for dessert. Yum!
Sunday, of course, came too soon. Doug and I took Bree to the train station, and honestly, the only reason I didn't get too emotional was because I know that Family Weekend at the college is coming up very soon. In just two short weeks, I get to visit her!
Hard to see her go, but oh, what a wonderful weekend it was.

Scholarship Awards

June 15, 1011

At the recent scholarship awards at Buchanan, Brianna was awarded a scholarship given by the Garfield Elementary Parent-Teacher Club. This scholarship is given to Garfield alumni who have written an essay in which they talk about how their experiences at Garfield helped to shaped them. Brianna and Paige Hill (a student of mine) were this year's recipients. The committee members tell me both of the girls' essays were very moving!

Representing Garfield in the presentation: Mrs. Melissa Nunes, former teacher to both of the girls.Bree with Principal Ricci Ulrich.

My, How They've Grown....

June 1, 2011

My friend Susan, who is a librarian at our elementary school, just sent me this picture the other day. It's an old picture of the Destination Imagination team that I coached when the kids were in second grade--Bree, Austin, Nicole, and Macie. They were checking out materials for their competition skit. So many years later, just the day before this picture was sent to me, I had taken a picture of these same little darlings, all grown up, at the CSF Banquet. It has been a real privilege to see these kids all grow into amazing young adults. It's also been an especially meaningful year, since all of these kids ended up in my English class for their senior year.

Garfield PTC

May 16, 2011

Hard to believe, but my stint as a Board Member of Garfield's Parent-Teacher Club is coming to an end. I have been a part of this organization for the past several years--since my oldest (who is now graduating) was in 1st grade. I have served a few different positions over the years, ones that I felt I could take on as a working mom. I have been Historian, Parlimentarian, and Past Board Member each at least a couple of times, rotating every two years. Each of these positions allowed me to continue working with this group of women who are motivated and dedicated to supporting our school and our children in every way possible. Along the way, I have made good friends and gained real respect for the hours and hours these women pour into volunteering on behalf of the Garfield teachers and kids.

Some of this year's PTC Board: Krysty, Tammi, Jenn, Stacy, me, Teri, Kim, and Principal Jessica Mele

Softball Awards

May 4, 2011

I just love working so close to Danielle's school so that I can run over to awards ceremonies and sporting events without missing too much school. Danielle's softball team ended the season this year with only one loss, and she got to play a little first base and a little outfield, as well as catcher. Still, the position where the pitcher throws the ball straight at her face appears to be her favorite one. That's my fearless little girl!

Spring of Sixth Grade

April 5, 2011

Spring pictures for my baby girl!

Blue Ribbon Cub

February 8, 2011

Last quarter Danielle not only earned Principal's Honor Roll, but the Blue Ribbon Cub Award as well. I'm so proud of my little girl!

Here she is with one of her good friends, Andrei.

Buchanan Area Concert

January 23, 2011

Danielle decided to join band this year for the first time. When she told the band director she'd be interested in playing the flute, he gave her two options. She could join beginning band and learn with the incoming fifth graders, or she could try out the advanced band with her sixth grade classmates and see if she could catch up to the kids who had already been playing for a year. She opted to join the advanced band, and her teacher said she's been doing a wonderful job keeping up with her band mates.

As part of the articulated program in our district, each high school hosts a concert comprised of the bands of the high school, the junior high, and each of the elementary feeder schools. The older kids get a chance to show the elementary kids what is possible with continued practice and dedication. The younger kids even get an opportunity to play a song together with the junior high band. Each of the bands, as well as the combined bands, sounded great!

End of the Year Party--Garfield Dynomite

December 10, 2010

We had Garfield Dynomite's end of the year party not long ago. We all went out for pizza at Jake's Pizzeria. When the coaches handed out trophies and team pictures, they said something nice about each of the girls and how they contributed to the team. Coach Roger and Coach Bob both said that Danielle had definitely saved a few games for us by being an aggressive and active goalie all season.
As team mom, I organized a game of "Soccer Bingo" that the girls all got to play. They were pretty excited about getting to win prizes. One of the dads who is a professional photographer put together a slideshow of 300 pictures he'd taken over the course of the season, and he burned a copy of the pictures on disks to give to each of the girls. We also had taken up a collection to give each of the coaches a gift certificate to a local restaurant, so they could take their wives out to dinner to make up for all the time they spent away from their own families to volunteer their time coaching our girls.
I was really excited to have every single girl be able to make it for the end of the year party to celebrate their season. It was really a great group of girls and a great group of parents. Although I won't miss the early morning Saturday games, I really am going to miss all of these kids!

Raquel and Danielle


Ruslana, Alyssa, and Micaylah
Brynn and Chrissy

Bah Humbug!

November 18, 2010

The curtain finally rose on Danielle's elementary school play, Bah Humbug, this week. After weeks of hard work--nearly every day after school--the kids got to show off their skills in a retelling of A Christmas Carol. When Danielle first decided she wanted to audition for drama in 4th grade, I was a little skeptical. She struggled with speech issues when she was very young, and there was still some residual effect even then, although she had made great strides in improving her speech by that time. In 4th grade, she was cast as a chorus member, and by the time the play wrapped up, she was hooked and already looking forward to the next year's production. In fifth grade, she was once again cast as a chorus member, and again had a positive experience.

This year when the cast list went up, she was thrilled to find she'd landed a speaking role. She had several lines, along with some songs along with the rest of the chorus. I was so proud to see her up on stage, not looking nervous or sheepish, projecting her voice and enunciating clearly--something I could never have done at her age, by the way. She did a beautiful job, as all the kids did and I loved getting to see her in both of the evening performances. I'm thrilled that she is already thinking about continuing on with drama as she heads into junior high next year.

Ashley Riordan, Emma Zamora, Danielle, and Danielle Jenkins

Way to Go, Miss Danielle!

November 8, 2010

During Parent-Teacher conferences, I learned that Danielle would be receiving Principal's Honor Roll at the upcoming awards ceremony. I was able to attend since the awards took place during my prep period, and I was proud to get to see her accept a certificate not only for her straight A's, but also for the Character Counts Award (being recognized for outstanding responsibility). As always, I am so proud of her!

Spirit Week for Danielle

October 28, 2010

It's Red Ribbon Week at Danielle's school. Each day has its own playful, fun theme. As always, Danielle has her own style goin' on.

An original Design by Danielle Crazy Day hat.


Crazy hair day. Seriously, even when she spends an hour doing her hair, it still hangs in her face!

I think the favorite part of Spirit Week is Friday, though. It's Parent-Teacher Conference Day, which means no school for the kids. I meet with Danielle's teacher tomorrow afternoon, and I anticipate a positive meeting. She's loving sixth grade!

Garfield Carnival 2010

October 24, 2010

In this year of firsts and lasts, here's just one more to add to the list: The Garfield Elementary Carnival. My youngest is in 6th grade, so that means our connections to this school, though they will always be there in spirit, will be a thing of the past. That hasn't stopped Brianna from coming back every year--it's a tradition she looks forward to each fall, even though she's a senior this year--so I'm sure we'll check back in every now and again. But realistically speaking, it's the end of an era for us, and future visits will be more about nostalgia than about an active participation in a community we will no longer be a part of.

These little entreprenuers have their own necklace business, and they were a part of this year's Vendor Alley. They design, create, and sell at local carnivals. I was very impressed with their presentation! And yes, I had to buy something from them: )

My good friend Jennifer and her daughter Megan, also participating in Vendor Alley. Jen is unbelievably creative--I'm pretty jealous. My friend Karen also had a booth selling her adorable handmade baby blankets and bibs. I just had to buy something from her for my new niece, Zoe. How is it possible that my friends are all so crafty and I'm so...not?
The Pick-A-Pumpkin Patch

There was quite a variety of inflatables--some for the big kids, and some for the little ones. (You just can't have those 6th grade bruiser boys bouncing around and knocking heads with the tiny kindergarteners.) I thought this one was especially cool--an inflatable bucking bronco! Soft, bouncy landing included.
One of the booths selling tasty treats. Who doesn't love snow cones?
Brianna's good friend Shelby joined Danielle and Brianna for the evening.