Cassie was really excited about a
certain movie opening this week. She even re-read the book in preparation for the event. She heard about the
midnight showings of it and asked if we could go. I replied
"Are you crazy? That is sooo VERY much past your bed-time. The movie will be there next week when we can go." She was a little sad that we weren't going to be going that weekend. Little did she know when I let her fall asleep in my bed that I had already bought tickets for the midnight viewing of it. She was told that she had to go to bed early because we were having friends over early the next morning. At
11:00pm Jon and I went into our bedroom and turned on the lights and told her that she needed to wake up and get dressed. We explained that it was
almost "tomorrow" and tomorrow was when Harry Potter opened and that we needed to go get in line to see it.
This is what she looked like when she found out we were going to see the midnight showing after-all.
OK, so when you don't get in line by 10:00pm for a show that has 16 sold-out screens at midnight you end up near the back of the line. We weren't worried. We bought our snacks ahead of time and waited in line with them. (bad idea giving Cassie soda before a 2 1/2 hour long movie I'd later find out)
My mom came with us - I'm glad my mom is always up for a fun adventure. She's so cool.
The end of the line meant that the seats that we got together were in the VERY front row. On the very far edge too, mind you! At least we were together. Cassie thought it was great that we were in the very front row. Nana and I were just grateful to be sitting together. I think it's been many years since I sat that close to the big screen. While we were watching the previews she saw a preview for another movie from a series of books that she devoured this last year. She now wants to go to the midnight showing of that one too.
I'm so grateful for this great girl. She's super smart and lots of fun to be around. I love hanging out with her and surprising her.
Cassie and Jeremy were in "The Velvateen Rabbit" through their school. Cassie has been involved with the plays every year since she was in first grade and it was so fun to have both of them in together. Jeremy was the smallest of the toy soldiers (the others were in fourth or fifth grade) and Cassie got the role of Mother. They were both wonderful. The sets were awesome and the costumes were out of this world. Cassie was so excited to have a role with lots of lines and I was very proud of her for learning them all. They even cut the Father role out of the play a week or two before it opened and had to rearrange a lot of her lines and staging to fit. She did wonderfully.
We've gone on field trips with Jeremy's class. I got to go with them to the Japanese gardens and had a wonderful time. They made beautiful fans and were taught some oragami. Jeremy's teacher is Japanese and he is learning some Japanese words. If we ever get over there he'll be my go to man if I need to count to ten, greet someone, or say please or thank you.
Cassie has had a great time in fifth grade. She has the same fifth grade teacher that I had when I was at Minni Gant. Their class had a "colonial day" and they could go to school out of uniform if they wore a colonial style costume. We just love to play dress up and luckily I didn't have to sew this one (like I've had to do the last few years).
Jeremy is playing baseball this spring. He's a pretty good hitter and after he's batted a couple of times the other team backs up a little when he comes to the plate. He's loving it and Jon is able to help coach at some of the games. His main coach is a friend of ours and it is fun to have a friend on the team.
Cassie has been playing Spring soccer and is on a traveling team this time. Their games are mostly in either Long Beach or Northern Orange County so we don't have to travel too much, but it sure has been fun. Her skills just keep improving and we enjoy playing a little Family Soccer when we have the chance (until it gets too competitive and people cry - mostly Jon, just kidding)
His balance was excellent and we knew it was just a matter of time before his confidence caught up with his ability. Sunday evening was that time. We went over to the church parking lot (where we taught Cassie to ride - open space without grass and other obstacles) and within two minutes he was riding. At first he wanted Jon to hold on, but then he told him to let go and he'd push with his feet.
All of a sudden out of the blue he lifted up his feet and put them on the pedals and off he went.
It's amazing to me that Jon and I had gone through all this preparation work get him to ride and were ready for the traditional "Don't let go, Daddy" style of learning to ride with two wheels, but this little guy told his dad to let go and then just basically did it on his own (and on his own terms). I wonder if that is a foreshadowing for the other milestones in his life.
