Ending the School Year

It has been two weeks since I wrote a post here.  It happens to be the last days of the boy's school year AND Kari's quarter at the college.  There has been some late minute stuff.  You might say, "But Danna, you're not in school."  You would think but not true.  Let me explain...

Kari is working hard at her Math class and online PE class.  So, I took the role of helping Riley with his 4th grade science project.  Well, of course, it took three attempts making sugar crystals.  My kitchen turned into a sugary mess.  It took 10 pounds of sugar!  The sugar mixture took 1 cup of water and 3 cups of sugars for each experiment.  Anyway, then we had a poster board to make.  I, of course, being in education wanted Riley to do the work.  I hated it when poster boards came in looking like a parent did it. 

Last Friday the 4th grade did their science presentations.  Kari and I went to see and support Riley giving his science project presentation.  He did great.  It was nice to see the process and the reasons for the learning experience.  You see, now they are starting out to do a project but by the time they reach the 12th grade, they will do other projects and one big one to graduate high school.

I also went with Riley on a field trip last week to the WA State History Museum in Tacoma.  I also looked after 4 other students along with Riley on the trip.  It was interesting, a warm day, and fun.  I am so glad I took the time to go with him.  Below is Riley and a friend "driving" a wagon they had for the kids at the museum to see what it was like in the pioneer days.

This weekend we also celebrated the Royal Rangers end of the year badge ceremony.  The boys got their badges and they had an ice cream social afterwards.

I am tired from the last week.  I am looking forward to the next week.  Kari ends her quarter and she will have more time and then the boys will end school the next week after.  So I will be writing on those events and my thoughts on my goals.  Have a great week!

Thoughts on Moore, Oklahoma

The day the tornado hit Moore, I woke up to the news that Oklahoma etc. might be in for a series of tornadoes.  I said a prayer since there had already been tornadoes damaging one city in Oklahoma already and there was damage in Texas.  Tornadoes are no joke.  My only experience with a tornado warning, sirens, hail falling etc. was when I went back to Wichita with my ex-husband to his home town to visit  his dad and step mom in 2003 before Riley was born.  We were at local restaurant where his dad liked to eat and the sirens began to sound the warning.

We stepped outside to see the sky which had turned a really weird shade of brown and to see the hail fall on the ground... hoping the hail wouldn't dent the car.  A security officer drove up and told us to take cover because "there was a tornado touching down on the corner".  Inside was two TVs set up with the weather man giving us a moment by moment report on what was happening. 

I asked where we were to go if the tornado was going to hit us and was told "the bathroom".  With a big question mark on my face and only the Wizard of Oz to work with... I asked about a basement or a cellar.  I discovered that most places didn't have a place like that for these kinds of emergencies.  I felt helpless!  There was no where really to hide or escape if the tornado was really bad.

My ex's dad just sat in his chair while I ran around trying to figure out what to do.  I actually wished it was an earthquake I was dealing with because then I would know what to do... coming from earthquake country and all.  I couldn't figure out how he could be so calm sitting there in the chair drinking his drink but he had been dealing with tornadoes all his life like I have dealt with earthquakes.

The small tornado that day damaged a parking garage and a few cars but it was nothing compared to what Moore experienced.  I couldn't help but remember the feelings of not knowing where to hide and thought how the people there when facing a EF5 tornado.  I also thought about how they didn't have safe rooms or cellars just like Kansas and wondered why people acted like they would dodge the bullet every time?  But then we aren't always prepared for an earthquake either.  The lesson  here is to get prepared for one.

I am amazed at how many people lived and sad that people, kids, died.  My heart goes out to their families and friends.  I am also going to donate to Hands of Hope which is working with two churches in the area.  God Bless Them!

Our Seattle Adventure

 

It has been a little while since I last posted.  I had got a cold and it kind of knocked me out.  I would come home from work tired and wanting to just sit around or go to bed.  I am still dealing with the cough but not as badly as before.  But if you deal with coughing after a cold, it also can wear out a person.  I keep trucking but it uses up “my gas”.

Last weekend I did manage to go to Seattle as planned with the family.  It has been some time since I have been at Pike’s Market and the waterfront area.  Pikes Market is up on the hill and one can walk down a bunch of stairs to get to the waterfront which is right below.  Pikes Market is very unusual.  It is like a maze and one can easily get lost.  But it has things that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.  It also isn’t so easy since there are crowds to deal with and all kinds of behavior (a few were drunk).  It is what makes it unique and interesting too besides the items they sale.  I believe it was very uncomfortable for the boys who aren’t use to so many people at one time.

I felt we should go down to the waterfront and ease the boy’s anxious feelings.  When we got down there on the waterfront it was a bit better.  Plus, we choose to have lunch at Ivar’s, a famous fish restaurant there.  Ivar’s looks just like it did 20 years ago when I first came to Seattle… and it was good to enjoy it again.  Riley though had enough of the crowds and it affected him in… he was moody and didn’t want to eat which isn’t like him.  We ate and he started to settle down a little.  He didn’t want to go back up to the market so we stayed on the outside of it where there were lots of booths and vendors.  One had a bracelet with his name in beads that I bought for him… and that made him happier.

The parking cost me $17.  I looked up on the Internet to see what it would cost to take the “Link” which is a light rail we have here.  It would cost me $16 for all of us to go round trip to Seattle.  So it would also be less the gas and the traffic.  The Link lets off about a block from Pikes Market, so next time it is the Link all the way.

All and all it was fun to revisit a place I haven’t been for years.  It was good to see how the Link would make it easy for us to visit again in the Fall.  We also bought a BIG bouquet of flowers for $10 for us for Mother’s Day.  Everyone was buying one for their mom and Brady thought we should have one too.  Can’t believe that half of May is gone.  Can you?