Archive for July, 2012
4th of July Week
Independence Day was on a Wednesday this year, so we ended up having a whole week celebration: how fun is that? I particularly enjoyed it because that also happens to be my only summer vacation; so while Keegan is at school I have a couple of days for myself (and catching up).
We started the weekend before the 4th with our annual celebration at one of Clairmont’s churches. We discovered it by chance three years ago, and we have been coming ever since. This year we met Sharon and Jada there. It is great, because it is not crowded and it is free. We had hamburgers and ice cream, played in the jumpee, watched a magic show (Keegan was enthralled) and of course went up and down the water slide. Well, Keegan did.
There were also climbing structures and swings, and Jada and Keegan had fun with these.
On the way home, an Abraham Lincon impersonator even gave Keegan a penny for his piggy bank (which is pretty empty at the moment).
The school’s celebration was on Tuesday. We decorated the bike the night before with paper and flags and we were ready for the big day. Of course we needed to put the training wheels on. Keegan stubbornly refused to even try to use the bike without it, so he won this battle.
When I arrived, all the kids were anxiously waiting for the parents to show up. They were so cute with their patriotic outfits.
Ms. Jill, Keegan’s new teacher for next year…can’t wait (-:
We all headed to the back door, where all the bikes were waiting. The kids were so excited. Check out Keegan’s very patriotic shirt…bought in Italy. I swear there is more American clothing in Italy than here.
To celebrate my first Independence Day as an American, I got decked out too.
As always, the preparation is longer than the actual ride around the block, but it is still fun.
At the finish line with Julia
The best part of all: the iced popsicle waiting the riders at the end.
On Wednesday, we started the day with the Stanley Park Fourth Of July Celebration. Depsite having so much fun during his own bike parade, he refused to bring his bike along, so we just watched the other kids ride around. There was a nice stage with different groups playing or performing, and there were, of course the rides. We had to wait a little for them to be blown up, but then it was a lot of (expensive) fun.
After a quiet afternoon at home under gray skies, we headed out for the fireworks show. This is the first year we were keeping Keegan up to watch, and he was so excited. We went to a local church, Pioneer Ocean View United Church of Christ, thanks to a tip from Chrystal, Julia’s mom. It was great: you could see the whole bay, from downtown to La Jolla and up. The church had popcorn set up and welcomed everyone. There was no traffic, and a nice parking lot. The perfect place to watch the show. We meet Julia and her family there, so the kids had fun together, and I chatted with Chrystal.
Playing with glow sticks
glow sticks twirling makes great photography
From our advantage point we could see everything from north county, to La Jolla, Mission Bay and Seaworld and even downtown…if their well advertised Big Bay Boom actually worked. It was supposed to be one of the biggest fireworks display of the evening. As we were waiting for Seaworld show to start, we saw some huge fireballs over downtown: very spectacular fireworks…that lasted about 10 seconds. And then darkness. Well, it turned out that for a malfunction, the thousands of fireworks scheduled went off all together. The Fourth of July celebration was expected to last 18 minutes, but went up in smoke within 15 seconds.
We did get to see our normal fireworks as well, of course, and Seaworld did not disappoints nor amazed.
On Saturday, we had a playdate at the end of Mission Bay with Alyce and her friend Elin. The sky were gray and the sun barely picked out of the clouds, but the kids had fun anyway. They run around, played with the sand and even played in the water. The best part is always snack time.
We ended the week of celebration with one last bang. On Sunday we went to a Port Of San Diego Event: basically a large amounts of inflatables sitting on a pier over the water.With downtown as a backdrop it was an amazing sight.
The event also boasted the largest, inflatable, water-slide. Since we had a 2 x 1 coupon, I got a wristband too, so I could try it out. Keegan, bravely tried it twice, by himself, and on my lap, after which he decided he had enough, and it was too scary. I really think it was the splashing in the water he did not like. At any rate, I got my money worth, and rode it many times. It was really fun!
I can’t really say I win any award for gracefulness…
There were plenty of other things for Keegan to do, mind you, and he tired himself out going on every, single one. The T-Rex adventure and the Spider Man one were his favorites.
It was definitely a fun way to start our July!
Comments are off for this postFun Times at Preschool
After a lot of soul searching, we have decided to keep Keegan at his current preschool for one more year, instead of transferring him at the Montessori school we have been looking at.
It was not an easy decision, but we felt it would be best for him (and honestly, for us), to finish up preschool at Bay Park: he loves it there, he has so much fun, so many friends, and he knows everyone, including all the teachers.
Bay Park Early Learning Center
He seems to be learning some academics as well, and hopefully he will not be too behind next year, if we do decide to send him to the Montessori school. The schedule is also a lot better for us, and tuition is lower. Plus, he will have all his life for focusing on academic, so we thought one more year of playing will not be that bad.
They do play a lot, but also focus on pre-reading and writing activities, and of course focus on discipline. And they do encourage art and art projects. It is interesting to see all the artwork the kids create, especially because Keegan does not really like to draw, color or write. So, peer pressure must do miracles.
Can you guess which one is Keegan’s?
Here it is. I love the description!
Even if, as it turns out, a couple of his best friends left the school (MacKenzie and Kelsen, Owen and Erik), he is still enjoying school immensely. In fact he never wants to go home, which drives me nuts…but this is another story.
There is always so much happening at school: besides all the the learning, there is plenty of fun play. Dressing up is always an option; dragons, tigers or knight: you just need to choose.
Even storytelling is more fun when you are dressed up!
Sometimes I pick him up with glittery spray painted hair, or nail polish. Sometimes I get lucky, and there is only a temporary tattoo or skin drawing.
a spitting cobra. Scary!
One thing I am really grateful for is their emphasis on storytelling and book reading. We obviously stress it a lot at home, but it is great to see this great habit reinforced at school as well. So, oftentimes, Keegan and I found ourselves at the local library picking books to bring home to read. It is a small, disorganized place, but I can usually find something good. Keegan really likes these visits, and never asks about using the computers: he just dives into the books.
When it is summertime, Bay Park runs a summer programs, and even more fun activities are planned. The older kids’ classes are joined together under the name Summer Explorer and they take trips and share their days and teachers.
The school usually kicks off the season with a bouncie.
Now that Keegan is old enough, they even take the kids to field trips. The first one was at the Chula Vista Nature Center. Unfortunately I could not go, but a couple of the moms that were chaperons took these pictures. It looked like they had a great time, even if I think they liked the schoolbus ride the best.
Victoria, Keegan and Julia
the junk jelly fish
and the junk crab
and the junk fish
group photos. Cute shirts, but couldn’t they get a smaller size?
getting tired up for nap time
going back to school, tired but happy. Julia, Rozelin and Keegan
All these activities definitely help to get some of his energy out (never enough): when he finally goes to bed, he sleeps soundly. So soundly, in fact, he did not even noticed I came into his room, and shoot a few pictures…with a flash.
