The Hansen Times

Thursday, July 2, 2009

A Week at the Lake......

well, several days anyways. The Bushlings had their trailer down at the lake last week so we decided to crash their party. The Reiswigs were there too. We'd go down when we got up and around and spend the day down there till we had dinner and dessert then come home and shower and sleep. The kids kept bugging me to sleep down there so on Thursday we packed up the tent and air matress and spent the night. Yet another reminder why I don't tent camp. I had a great group of boy scouts to put my tent up and I put the air matress in before bed. I woke up somtime in the middle of the night on the ground......it had deflated! Then I woke up every hour hoping it would be light so I could get out of that stupid tent. The last time I woke up was at 5am by a stupid speed boat on the lake. Won't do that again anytime soon! Thankfully, the fun we had during the days made up for that one, long night. The kids played with eachother all day long. They fished, played in the sand, swam in the lake, and went for rides on the waverunner. We had a blast hanging out with everybody! Thanks Bushlings!

Spencer, Trey, and Ryan.....probably waiting for gas so they can ride again

Ali and Tayah after a swim in the lake

Spencer is ready to take a dip

Ali

Not sure why I took this picture but I did. It looks calm, relaxing, and inviting. Don't you think?So what if it's missing the beach, a hot couple, and a Corona? I still like it. I enjoyed sitting IN the chairs with my feet in the water even more!

Swim Lessons

So, I decided to put the kids in swim lessons this year since we haven't done them in a couple years. Spencer was just plain terrified of water. Dave really wanted to just throw him in the pool and let him sink or swim, pretty much. I strongly disagreed with this approach so we went with the swim lessons. He did great! Being with someone else in the pool was just what he needed. He didn't know them well enough to fight them and one of his instructors was a high school boy, Cody, whom Spencer probably didn't want to be thought of by as a baby. Spencer jumps in the pool and dunks his head like a pro, though he's not actually swimming yet. He promoted to level 2 but we won't do that till next year. He can practice in our pool the rest of the summer.

Ali started in level 2, though she should've been in level 3 but the class was full. Her instructor worked with her on some level 3 skills, though. She is fine in the water and can swim under water but has not ever worked on strokes before. She began learning freestyle, backstroke, and breast stroke. And she got more comfortable opening her eyes under water and not plugging her nose. Ali moved on to official level 3, but like Spencer, we'll wait till next year for that.

Tanessa really didn't want to do swim lessons and I really can't blame her since she was in a class with a bunch of little kids. I figured she may as well do them since we'd be out there anyway. She was on a swim team for a short time last spring but didn't get much personal attention so she still needed to fine tune some of her strokes. She did well, though didn't pass because she still needs to work on the butterfly. There was something else she needed to work on but I can't remember what it was. There is a competitive stroke clinic later in the summer that I may put her in if we're not busy. They are trying to start a swim team up here next year but I'm not sure if she will want to do that again. We'll have to see.

Softball Playoffs

When it seemed t-ball would never end, Ali's team made playoffs and softball kept going even longer. They had their playoff game on Wed. in Cal City against Tehachapi. Spencer had a dr. app. in Bakersfield that day and I wasn't sure I'd make it to the game on time so I let Ali ride with her coach. It took a lot for me to let her go and then I find out I should have "gone with my gut". As it turns out, he doesn't make his kids wear seat belts on long trips so that they can be more comfortable! I could have killed him but that is another story..... Anyway, lucky for me, they lost their game or we would have had to go back on Fri. The other team's pitcher was GOOD. No one on our team could hit off her but the final score was 11-4 so at least it wasn't a total shutout. Our team had their end of the year party after the game at Pizza Factory.

Ali down and ready at second base

Ali up to bat

Team huddle

Sami and Ali at party

Ball Season Comes to an End.....

We had closing ceremonies for t-ball, baseball, and softball the very next weekend after the picnic. There was a huge potluck with lots of people. At least it wasn't hot outside because it surely wasn't "short and sweet". They announced all the teams and the kids got their trophies.

Spencer and his trophy

Noah, Brenna, Spencer, and Josh

Ali holding her trophy

Sam and Ali

A kickoff to Summer

To start summer, the weekend after school got out, we went to the annual "friends" picnic. It is a huge deal at the park where lots of families come, bring yummy food, and play games. The weather was pleasant as it was when we were having cloudy skies and rain.

Spencer passing the wet sponge

Ali playing tug-a-war

Ali and her little buddy, Alex

Spencer and Trey

Thursday, June 11, 2009

End of Year Activities

So, the last week of school the kids had a lot of things going on. Ali had sprinkler day and pioneer day. Spencer had dinosaur day and sprinkler day/pizza party.

Ali and Tayah NOT playing in the sprinklers.

Really, they harldy got wet at all.

Kylee, Tayah, Ali, and Samantha

Tayah, Ali, and Sam on pioneer day.

Ali didn't have anything pioneerish to wear

but she said she didn't want to dress up anyway.

Spencer on dinosaur day

They did different dinosaur activities all day

Spencer actually playing in the sprinklers

I love his face in this picture. Thanks Marcie!

Marcie took pictures for me since I was at Magic Mountain

with Tanessa's class.

Michael, Trey, and Spencer catching some much needed rays!

Kieran and Spencer enjoying their pizza party.

I enjoyed not making a lunch that day.

Spencer with Mrs. Jones on the last day of school after their slide show and picnic

Ali with Mr. Lassen

I know the last few weeks seemed to drag on, but the year really did fly by! My kids all progressed greatly and changed so much. Tanessa got honor roll two out of three trimesters. This was her first time ever getting honor roll. She really bonded with her language/reading teacher, Mrs. Shaw, who saw her for the great kid she is even though she's not a straight A student or an all star athlete. She had tough times with friends this year but stayed true to herself. Ali has become a great reader. She is reading at a 5th grade level and surpassed all her AR goals. She made some new friends through school and extra-curricular activities. She is doing great in math even though it's not her favorite and she really enjoyed science with Mr. Lassen. Spencer had a super year in kindergarten. Mrs. Jones said he was ready for first grade half way through the year. He loves to find words that he can read on signs and papers. He is doing well with beginning addition. He also made some new friends this year. My kids all had a great, enjoyable year. Next year they will all be in transition years. Tanessa enters high school, Ali goes to 4th grade, which means an extra hour of school and a lot more homework, and Spencer leaves the comfort of kindergarten and heads to first grade with the big kids. This means transition for me, too, as I learn to let go just a little more. I'm so proud of my kids and love them so much.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Dance Recital

A few weeks ago, Ali and Tanessa had their dance recital. Ali really enjoys dance and is becoming very good at it. This year she took tap, ballet, jazz, and hip hop. She was doing so well in ballet that her dance teacher put her in an extra ballet class with the older kids. She was happy about that since her good friend, Ella, also took that class. Tanessa, on the other hand, has never been into dance much. She wanted to take hip hop and that was it.