Healthiest Life 4 Me

Last weekend was Zack’s last game of the fall season.  And of course, the next season starts right up.  This time he is playing NJB basketball.  He is in Division 3, which is 3rd and 4th graders.  He was so excited to start this season.  Last time he played was in 1st grade and it was considered Rookie Division, which is basically an hour of learning drills.  He thought it was boring and didn’t get much actual time with the ball or getting instruction as an individual.  So he chose not to play his 2nd grade year because it would have been the same thing again.  When he remembered that he would be able to play on a team and have games, he was ready to play again.

We’ve had about 4 practices with a great dad as coach.  He is so good with the kids.  But you never know how you’ll match up when the games start because after all, you’ve only seen yourselves.  And while we’ve seen improvement in 4 practices, what does that really mean? 

We got to see how we stacked against another team today.it was our First game of the season.  We played a team of what seemed to be mostly 4th graders.  But it didn’t really matter because only 3 of the players really touched the ball.  And while those 3 players were really good, how sad for the other 7 kids.  What I was most impressed with is that our coach really taught the kids to pass the ball around and make sure that everybody had chances to touch it.  After all, isn’t that what each kid is playing for.  They want to play.not just be a body on the court filling up space.  It’s a lot of running up and down, up and down, up and down, to barely ever touch the ball. 

As a parent of a kid who just loves to play and be a part of a team.I APPRECIATE the coach we were given.  He has the right idea.   And I know you are wondering.we lost 17-35 (i think that was the score.because it really doesn’t matter to me).  I am most excited about what the coach said to the kids after the game.”I am proud of you guys.  You passed the ball the way I asked.  You played a good game.  Now we are just going to work on playing harder in the game.”  Thanks Coach Powers (not that he’ll be reading this, but just in case.) I want you to know that I am very happy that we got a coach like you.lead us through a great season! 

Let’s GO CELTICS!! 

Here are some pictures of Zack during his first game!  He is number 11 (funny story: I picked up the uniforms for the coach on Fri night.  He told me I could pick one for Zack and bring him dressed.  When I went through the uniforms, there were 5 youth mediums - which was the smallest - so Zack wanted to be 11 since he is always 2 or 3 because he is always one of the smallest.  So Zack is 11 and kids bigger than him are 3, 5, and 10.  I think it’s really cute):

What a great game Celtics!! Let’s have a great season!

Wednesday, November 19th was the kids last day of school until December 1st and of course many festivities were crammed into that one day.  There was a lunch time feast, cupcakes for fall, and business day all in a matter of a few hours. 

My son’s third grade class celebrated with a Thanksgiving Day Feast.  There was turkey, mashed potatoes, corn chowder, rolls, and pumpkin pie with cool whip of course.  Now, I had to send my son with his own lunch because I knew he wouldn’t be interested in eating any of this stuff.  But the kids, including him, had a great time together.   (My son is on the far left with the HUGE smile)

My daughter’s class did not have a planned celebration because of the business day event they had planned, but I brought mini cupcakes for them to enjoy at lunch.  I am bad and didn’t get permission, but I am the room mom and that is the fun in that. (Nah.I know the teacher well and knew she would be ok with that)  The kids were so surprised and excited when they saw what treat I had brought for them. 

The biggest part of the day was Business Day for fourth grade.  To begin with, let me explain the days leading up to this crazy excitement.  On the previous Thursday my daughter came home very upset that this fun day was happening the next week because on Monday her teacher encouraged them all to buy raffle tickets with their Ducks Bucks (the teacher is a huge Anaheim Ducks fan).  So my daughter did use all her money to buy these raffle tickets and won some pink and white Floam.  But the problem was that on Monday they were going to have to buy their business license if they wished to have a store at the event.  Dominique was broken because she had been looking forward to this since her friends last year did it.  I of course went in to discuss this with the teacher and there was a reason and she assured me that Dominique would be able to have a business for the event.  Then on to the next concern.the paperwork explaining the details says that we cannot start our items until the approval get returned on Monday - for Wednesday’s event.  Well, Dominique dances from 4-8 straight through on Monday evenings and 4-8 with a half hour break on Tuesday evenings.  So Dominique was again upset because I made her do it all over the weekend and I helped.  She used Christmas silk flowers and floral tape to make flower topped pencils.  But of course, this was not yet approved.  I assured her it would not be a problem.  And of course, it wasn’t.  I just wish that the teachers understood that 5 days notice is not nearly enough for a project like this.  My daughter’s teacher is a first time fourth grade teacher so she has never done these things before, but the others have and always do it last minute.talk about disrespectful.  Anyhow.

Dominique named her business “The Write Flower” and she sold each pencil for $5 (all fake money) and she had tags available for $1 each in case they wanted to make them gifts. She started business day with $145 after buying her $125 business license.  The selling period lasted for about 45 minutes and there were 3rd and 4th graders shopping along with the book buddy classes (which are typically kinder thru 2nd graders.in my daughter’s classes case they are 2nd graders) and staff members shopping.  Services from cookies, cupcakes, brownies, snow cones, lemonade, root beer floats, origami, cards, Christmas ornaments, bookmarks, colored hair spray, getting your nails painted, tattoos, and different kinds of mini carnival games filled the pod.  It was crowded, loud, and chaotic, but the kids had so much fun.  When the time was up it was time to clean up and go back to class.  The kids counted their money up and my  daughter’s booth made over $400.  She was so excited.  She started with 130 pencils and ended with 60.  She couldn’t have been more excited.  And I  couldn’t have been more proud of her.  She did such a good job. 

Now you think they would have spent some time discussing more about the books after the event, but because of the holiday and the quickly thrown together event her teacher said it was just for fun.  Apparently there is another event planned for the spring.  I told Dominique we would start planning for it in January after the holiday hustle and bustle was done.  She is interested in doing something new this time.  If you have suggestions or ideas of what she can do that is relatively inexpensive to put together, that she can do most of herself, and would sell great to kids and adults please feel free to comment it here!  All ideas are welcomed and appreciated.