Happy times... February 9, 2012

Hi everyone--

We've had a great past few weeks! Right before Ellie-Kate's birthday, Chelsea auditioned for her last high school musical, and she was cast as the lead and title role, "Alice," in the musical, "Alice," based on "Alice in Wonderland." Interestingly, she portrayed "Alice" in a Studio For Young Actors production in 2005, and she's loved the character ever since. Whenever we go to Disney, we get her picture with Alice, and it's so cool that she gets to portray her again :) Right now, Chelsea will appear in "One Acts" at AHS this week-end, and she starts rehearsal for "Alice" next Monday. The show will be in mid-April.

Last week, Emmy learned that she made the traveling soccer team for spring. Based out of OU, the Bobcat Soccer Club will start practice in April and then compete in May around the region. She's very excited, but I'm bummed that this commitment effectively rules out softball for this spring :( However, she really wants to be prepared for seventh grade soccer try-outs so this decision was likely a good one.

On Tuesday, February 7, Roger and I met with Miss Megan, Ellie-Kate's teacher, for our very first parent-teacher conference. Ellie-Kate is doing so well!! She just turned four, and she can already write her whole first name, count to 30, recognize rhyming words, and label some letter sounds. Miss Megan showed us samples of cutting and coloring from the beginning of the year and now, and she has made so much improvement. She's such a sponge-- so smart and funny and friendly. She has many friends (almost all boys but oh well), and the kids and teachers love her. If she were a month earlier, we would likely try to bump her like we did with Emmy, but, with a January 26 birthday, it would be too much of a stretch to start her early. However, Miss Megan is giving Ellie-Kate other things to do when the material is too easy, and she's going to keep enriching her curriculum so that Ellie-Kate doesn't get bored. She's so much like Chelsea in that a bored Ellie-Kate isn't the best Ellie-Kate :)

On Wednesday, February 8, I went to the very last parent-teacher conferences that I'm ever going to have for Chelsea... Kind of sad, when I think of it... As usual, all of the teachers said that Chelsea is doing a great job, but one teacher commented that she has a bit of senioritis. Britti started her senior year with senioritis so at least Chelsea is catching the condition late in the game :)

Speaking of Britti, she defended her master's thesis today, and she PASSED!! We are so thrilled that Britti is just a few revisions away from a master's degree. Her job at the extention office requires a master's degree so she's now all set to apply for the permanent job and settle in to Athens :)

I'll sign off for now. I have a full day at the office and lunch with Britti tomorrow and then three performances of One Acts over the week-end. Will upload pics soon :)

Have a great week-end!

Christie