Destination Imagination Competition and Other School Stuff

Summer signed up to be on Southview's Destination Imagination Team this year, which is a group of students who worked together after school to complete a service project, create a theater production fulfilling certain requirements to perform on competition day, and compete in an Instant Challenge, which is an unknown challenge given to the group on competition day, and graded not only on how they creatively and successfully complete a building or theatrical challenge, but also how they work together as a group.  We were beyond excited that Grandpa K agreed to coach Summer's team, and he put in hours upon hours both with the kids during after school practices as well as outside of school.  All the kids had a total blast and we are so grateful for the memories Summer was able to make with Grandpa.  The team did great, and came in 5th out of 12 in their division, which was especially great considering all participants were young, first time DI team member!  Unfortunately, after all his hard work, Grandpa came down with a horrible stomach bug and flu the day before the competition, so I attempted to fill Grandpa's large shoes along with another mom, who also helped Grandpa coach.  It was so fun to see the team's hard work pay off!  I took a video of their performance and will include it below along with some pictures.

This should be Grandpa wearing my shirt....!

Most presentations were done with kids acting out a skit.  Summer's group chose to take a creative different approach, and used an old overhead projector from the school and created shadow puppets to act out their skit.  Three of the team members were in charge of moving the characters and the other three were in charge of the voices.  They really worked so seamlessly as a team, thanks to Grandpa's great coaching.

Summer's DI team, one of two teams Southview sent to the competition.

Here is a video of the team's presentation.  It had to meet many requirements, including

•  being less than 8 minute long including any set up the team needed to do
• Including their team service project (selling cookies at southview's bingo night to raise money to buy seedlings for fruit tree farmers in Africa
• Including some sort of "escape" story
• Including three "clues"
• Including two team choice elements highlighting their skills as a team

Enjoy!





Tour Guide

Summer was chosen (along with three other students) to give a tour of Southview to the Superintendent when she visited the school.  She was super excited to meet "THE Superintendent"!

Field Trip

Summer's class went on a field trip to the zoo!  I was so sad to miss chaperoning, due to Larkyn being sick, but Summer was thrilled to be in a group with some of her closest friends!

Colton

Colton loved making his "box" project and creating something out of a box.  He chose to make a rocket ship for his cars.  

Colton loves science!  One of his favorite parts of the week is "Mystery Doug" when some phenomenon or how something works is explained.  He even got to have a guy come into his classroom and do experiments!

Colton had a fun Valentine's party and enjoys his friends at school!

Larkyn

Larkyn is still enjoying preschool at home with Mommy and has recently learned to count to 100 all by herself, and how to form her numbers correctly (sometimes they are still backwards ;), but they are getting better!)  She is also continuing to grow in reading and getting quicker at sounding out words.

She is currently our little note writer and artist.  If she is not playing dolls or magnatiles, or dressing up to "put on a dance show", you will most likely find her at the kitchen table with markers, scissors and a huge stack of paper on hand, writing and creating (often in a leotard)!

She is into making animals right now, but cutting corners off the paper and taping them on to make ears.

As mentioned above, she spends most of her free time either writing, drawing, or creating something....or....

Making something out of magnatiles (like our shoes?!)

Playing dolls

Snuggling with Mom

Or dancing.  She LIVES in this leotard, and changes into it daily to perform any number of dances....by herself....

while mom attempts to learn guitar or Summer plays piano....

To the radio or CD....

Or...(her favorite if Summer is home and willing!)...with her big sister Summer <3 td="">

A highlight of her week is going to have lunch with her siblings at school on Tuesdays after dance class with Ms. Daria....

and then going to the library to play the computer with Grandma and Grandpa while Mommy volunteers in 3rd and 1st grade at Southview :).

Wrapping up February:

I should probably also note that the kids have had multiple days off of school for both cold and snow....

(My snowblowing and outdoor attire...when windchills are WAAAAAAY below zero!)

and so its been REALLY fun to have NO SCHOOL many days these past two months.  The kids get really creative composing songs and dances, creating birthday parties for the stuffed animals, playing in the snow, and doing all sorts of projects.  I love having them home.

Cheers to March....and hopefully spring....though the 10 day forcast doesn't show temps going above 10 degrees.....

(*Picture from our walk to school this morning....around 0 degrees....Bode (Paul's parent's dog) pictured as we are currently dog-sitting while they are in AZ!).