Hiking in April

Cayden and Bryce and I went on a hike on Pilot Butte in Bend.  This is us "taking a break" before we hiked some more.  They are getting so big and sometimes I only see it in pictures. 

Our amazing friend Erin brought the boys a surprise at the beginning of Spring Break - College Gear.  I had them sit down and write thank yous tonight (I kind of was a slacker after their birthdays). Bryce wanted to use his Easter present which is a "Thumb Doodle" book.  It is a craft type book that has small ink pads and gives directions how to make animals and pictures using finger prints.  It also came with a black pen to add the details.  I worried that it would be too difficult for Bryce so I was hovering and thinking he might need my help but as it turns out he did just fine.  In fact his end product made me laugh out loud.  The top picture was the direction/sample page and the bottom was what Bryce did 100% by himself (except for the writing on the bottom left).  The picture includes octopus (with 6 legs), a jellyfish, some fish, a scuba diver.  My favorite is the octopus with SUPER long legs.  Also notice that he spelled his name backwards which he said "is okay, right?".  

He did it again!

I am so proud of Cayden... again! Cayden continues to excel at reading. He loves to read and devours books

of all kinds. He loves all genres of books but really likes reading bo

oks in a series because "it makes it easy to pick from all the books". He reads every night before he goes to bed and when we tell him "Lights out" he always says, "just two (or 5 or 10) more pages pleeeaasse?" At his school they give each student reading goals based on their grade and reading level. The kids have to read books at or above their tested level and take a comprehension test on the books. If they pass the tests they get to move on towards reaching the next level. Cayden quickly moved through all the levels this

year and began on the final goal which is Honors Reader. If you look in my posts from last year he achieved this pretty remarkable goal. Honors Reader requires the students to read a certain number of books from certain categories. This year the stakes were raised when it was announced that the first 6 students from grades 3-5 to achieve Honors Reader would receive a refurbished Macbook from Facebook (which has a data center in Prineville). Cayden was jazzed and doubly motivated. There were a few

bumps in the road and some miscommunications but on Friday, March 23rd Cayden was awarded his laptop at morning assembly and the poor kid was petrified. He was so nervous all morning he kept asking me what time it was because he didn't want to be late. When his principal called his name and the reps from Facebook presented him with his laptop he didn't crack a smile. All of us in the "audience" were smiling big in the hopes he would smile back. My heart went out to him for his nerves.

Here are just a few of the books he had to read:

Newberry Award Books - Bud, Not Buddy, It's Like This, Cat and A Year Down Yonder (a great read by the way)

Newberry Honor Books - The Hatchet, The Egypt Game, The Long Winter (Cayden loves Laura Ingalls Wilder books)

Historical Fiction - The Watsons go to Birmingham

Foreign Author - War Horse

In total he read 28 books! WOW!

End of Spring Break!

Jeff took Clay, Hogan, and Cayden up to Mt. Bachelor for a last snowboard of the season. He said it snowed ALL day up there. That must mean it's Spring in Central Oregon. The boys had a great time and are excited for the next time (which might not be until next year).

Cayden's reading

Cayden has been working on his Honor's Reader level again this year. I often try to engage him in conversation about the books he is reading. But, Cayden being Cayden, he often isn't forthcoming with information. The other day I was really peppering him with questions and he was being a good sport (ahem) and answering with the shortest possible answers he could. But, in the middle of this exchange Bryce said something that made me say aaaawwww.... and then Cayden made me laugh out loud.

Me: How was your book?
Cayden: Good.
Me: What was it about?
Cayden: A kid and his cat.
Me: How old was the kid?
Cayden: 14
Me: What was the dramatic event that happened in the book?
Cayden: There wasn't just one.
Me: Did he live with both of his parents?
Cayden: Yes
(read my increasing level of frustration here...)
Me: Did he get along with his parents?
Cayden: Sometimes.
Me: Why did they fight?
Cayden: They wanted him to take more Core classes.
Me: Did he have any brothers or sisters?
Cayden: No.
BRYCE: That's sad.
Me: That is sad.
Cayden: I guess.

And then the conversation just stopped and I was the only one to realize that something out of the ordinary had happened. First, Bryce was not the one doing ALL the talking and second, he has shown that he thinks having a sibling is a positive thing. Cayden is obviously not as "over the top" about it. I guess that probably is pretty typical between older and younger siblings :)

Thankful

Spring Break is almost here. I am dreaming of beaches, warm weather and just in general I am dreaming of SPRING. In a week I will be on the beach. Nope, not this beach...

This one... (yep, that's snow)

And, I'm trying to be thankful for Spring Break. I'm trying to be thankful because we will be spending it with family. I really am happy for that. But, honestly I am sad that I have to pack gloves, hats, and coats for the beach. I am thankful that we have a nice house to stay at (that beats camping in the snow on the beach). But, if any of you out there have any pull with Mother Nature I would like some nice weather on the beach. I want to walk on the beach with my kids and not have to dress like I'm headed for an Artic expedition. I, obviously, will take whatever I get. And, there is a Hot Tub which I'm sure I'll appreciate more with chilly weather (I'm really trying here people). We will have a good time but still doesn't the sand in that top picture just look amazing. On a positive note (and not to brag) I will be on a beach like the one above come July. Oh Cancun, how I've missed you. The sun, the sand, the heat, the sun. Did I mention the sun?

Sledding and Snowshoeing

Taking a snowshoeing break
SLEDDING!

Covered in snow

Jeff just returned 3 1/2 days of NCAA basketball in Portland. Nope, he didn't have a camera for that boys trip. Thank goodness! But, when he came home he gave me a break and took the boys sledding and snowshoeing. He took some great pictures and videos.