The Bits: April 16th Through April 30th

April Bits: that's a wrap!

Accidentally twinning with your bus stop mates is a fun way to start the week!

We happened upon Unicorn Frappuccino samples in the grocery store.  Luke loved it, Tommy did not, and I am glad I got a taste, but I'm also glad that it was unpaid for and sample-sized.

Spring Field Projects at the SITW Pond!

Track season is ON!  Ben is running the 1600m, 800m and 4x400m Relay for his team this season.  We love watching this kid fly and, honestly--we get a bit of a thrill from watching him leave boys who are head-and-shoulders taller than him in his dust!

District 20 always honors Columbine Day with a day off school, even when it lands in the middle of the week.  This year it landed on a Thursday, and Tommy was invited for a little adventure to the Children's Museum in Denver with his pal Ike.

Spending Earth Day morning with my little naturalists at the Garden of the Gods Environment Expo.

Luke has a knack for building winning cars.  Luke and his car, The Green Blur, took first in our Pack for the Pinewood Derby again this year!  Great job, Luke!

Soccer Saturdays have a whole new meaning for us now that we only have one little soccer player.  Go Tommy!

Photo Cred: Josh.  Taken as an example of "perspective" while working on his Photography Merit Badge.  Love it!

Thank you, RHS Theater, for inspiring the next generation.  "Finding Dory: A Pop Musical!  By: Tommy Conlin."

Best smelling time of year!

So here's a story: While at Ben's track meet, I got a call from Adam that started off with the heart-stopping words: "Luke didn't get off the bus." I went into full panic mode!  Not sure what to do, I called his school, which was closed, of course.  I called a friend/neighbor whose son rides the bus with Luke, and because they have assigned seats on the bus, he couldn't remember whether he had seen Luke on the bus or not.  We aren't bus pros, Luke is our only kid to ever ride a bus and it's just been this year, and there has never been a problem, so I had no idea what to do.  He has to switch buses at one of his stops at another elementary school, so, of course, because I'm super rational when it comes to not knowing where my kids are, I started imagining that he had been kidnapped from that switch point.  Thank God my friend suggested that I call the District Transportation Office, because I was no longer capable of rational thinking.  In my head, my next move was to call 911. And I was starting to hyperventilate.  I called, and the dispatcher contacted the bus, which at the same moment was trying to contact the dispatcher about a kid who had missed his stop.  Luke had forgotten to get off the bus, because he had been reading too intently (the actual surprising thing is that this hasn't happened already this year--the kid is a bibliophile to the extreme).  I started sobbing into the phone, thanking the dispatcher, missed hearing the new stop where Adam should meet the bus, had to call them back when Luke still didn't show up because I told Adam the wrong school, and then, finally, I got the sweetest three-word text ever: "I have him."  I had to sit down with my head on my knees and try to control my breathing to make the stars go away and pull my head back to earth.  Ben was with me and kept asking if I was OK.  What a relief!  That was awful!  Luke kept looking at me like a weirdo all night because I kept staring at him and touching his face (hahahaha!).  These precious souls of mine, I love them so much!

Catching up with old soccer buddies and hanging out with new running buddies at the D20 Middle School Meet.  I sure love these boys and all they have been to Ben!

We are so proud of you, Zac!  RHS IB MYP Completer 2017, as well as given the Teacher's Choice Award for Personal Growth!

We are going to miss this special school so very much.

Rain, then sleet, then sun, then sleet again, then sunny sleet, all with freezing wind, and two meets in two days!  And smiling through it all!

Outdoor art time + watercolors + substitute teacher + ADHD + friends who think you're hilarious = a whole host of multicolored freckles.

Still trying to pretend it's April 29th somewhere with normal springtime weather.

Sixty-two hand bouquets in process for Teacher Appreciation Week!  Did I volunteer for this?!

These cuties decided to get together and have a "Sophomore Prom" on Rampart's prom night, since they're too young for actual prom.  What a good looking bunch of kids, and also really awesome ones, too.

Josh celebrating his buddy Jojo's birthday.  He is SUCH a social butterfly, so anytime to get together with friends is the best.

I really like these guys.