Grandparents' Day Festivities

Grandpa and Grandma N visited this year for Calvin’s annual Grandparents’ Day. Wednesday was the spring concert followed by the Open House in Isaac’s classroom. Thursday was Grandparents’ Day festivities in the morning—opening program in the church, classroom visit with Isaac’s reading to Gpa and Gma, and ending with lunch together. 

Grandpa and Grandma picked up Caleb after lunch to participate in the second annual walk-a-thon.  This year Isaac’s class was walking for the Autism Society to send a child to camp.  Isaac walked eighteen laps and raised $229 towards the cause. I had class at the time and was unable to join in the walk but got to watch parts of the walk from my classroom window.

On Friday Grandma visited Isaac’s classroom and read the book Corduroy to the class.  After reading, Grandma and Grandpa picked up the boys, treated them to lunch at McDonalds, and then took them swimming at Meadowbrook (where Gpa and Gma were staying). We are pretty sure the boys enjoyed playing hooky with them!

They stayed through the weekend so we celebrated Easter with them. The Easter bunny stopped by their apartment and left a bunch of bunny turds that the boys had to search for though Caleb assures us that it was not the Easter bunny but really Gpa and Gma who hid the jelly beans all around the apartment. J   After a California lunch of tri tip, the boys did an egg hunt outside the pool at Meadowbrook.

We had such a great time hanging out with Gpa and Gma and being spoiled while they were here.  We played lots of games both inside and out, swam a few times, and enjoyed exploring Meadowbrook.  It was a great lead-in to our spring break!

Isaac's Birthday

Isaac turned eight years old in May. When he was a baby and we were sleep deprived and sometimes overwhelmed, I secretly rolled my eyes at the people who told me that time would fly by and that he would be all grown up before we knew it. Eight years later I understand since it does seem like a blink of the eye is all that has passed since he joined our lives. I remember our leaving the hospital with him and feeling like the world rested on our shoulders and that every car on the road was out to take out our car and injure the newborn baby within.  J

For his actual birthday he decided to celebrate with our good friends one last time before they moved to the Midwest. We had birthday cake and singing right after school and then headed to the bowling alley.  The kids all bowled and enjoyed pizza while we adults just talked (and also enjoyed pizza).

Giant b-day cookie at Tavern-n-Bowl

He loved opening presents (who doesn’t?) and is enjoying playing with all of them.  He went with a Star Wars theme this year having the Millennium Falcon as his cake and Darth Vader and storm trooper rings and light sabers on his cupcakes for his class treat. (Kudos to Paul for baking cupcakes and for decorating them at school before Isaac passed them out.)  At school he enjoyed being sung to in his classroom and at the Friday singing time and also got to be line leader. Caleb made Isaac a birthday crown from the preschool and gave it to Isaac after school. (I love seeing how much the boys care for each other…most days. ;-)

He also had his first birthday party with school friends this year. He invited the boys in his class for a party after school got out. They spent part of the time swimming and the other part of the time playing games and eating snacks—root beer floats and rice crispy bars. 

Looking back over this year, we see how much Isaac has grown and changed. He started first grade reading very simple things but now is reading chapter books confidently and passionately. His favorite books include The Magic Treehouse series and The A to Z Mysteries. He started doing Accelerated Reader and absolutely loved the challenge of getting enough points to earn a Slurpee or $ from Dad. In class he loved getting “Prize Box” for good penmanship and neat pictures. He had his first spelling tests and focused on getting the bonus words correct each week. He still loves math and “sprints.” Recess was a highlight, and he loved playing soccer, foursquare, and going on the swings. The field trips enjoyed were a horse ranch and the zoo. His teacher was Miss M. who encouraged Isaac to become a more independent and confident learner and who also introduced them to the world celebrating the Chinese New Year and Chinese culture with them (Isaac discovered he loves orange chicken!), and she taught them so many other things Isaac really enjoyed this year. He also wanted to be the first one to Miss M.’s class each morning by beating two other classmates who are also teachers’ kids. 

Where have these eight years gone?!? It has been a joy watching Isaac grow into the boy he is today. We are thankful that God blessed us with him and entrusted the care of his growing up to us. 

Lake: Day 2

Another fun-filled day of vacation was had by all. We started the day with brunch on the pontoon (an annual tradition that we all love):

We enjoyed some time in the water but spent more of the day inside since most of us were a little rosy after Day 1. Below are some pictures from yesterday's water time.

First time trying to waterski

The guys and Gina went fishing again tonight.

They came home with this:

The kids loved seeing the line-up and also were enthralled with the cleaning of the fish. They were curious to see what the fish had eaten...many empty stomachs, but we did find one leech in one walleye.  

Happy Independence Day!

Walleye!

One of the things looked forward to on vacation for Paul is his time fishing. Tonight Paul and Chad went out for the first time. As they pulled back into the dock, Chad yelled up, "You're gonna want to bring down the cameras."  And this is what Paul caught:

When we asked who caught it, Paul's first response was, "I actually caught it this year. Chad got to work the net for a change."  

Both walleyes caught by Paul--his hand is to give perspective of size

I even got the boys out of bed so they could see it before it was cleaned.

Mini-Olympics 2013

Isaac got to take part in the annual tradition at Calvin Christian called the Mini-Olympics.  It is a wonderful day where the eighth graders run different events in which the kindergarten through seventh graders participate.  

The seventh graders are the team captains who choose their athletes on draft day.  Isaac was super excited to be chosen by his seventh grade friend Josh.  His team country was team Russia, and his team color was maroon.

The afternoon is filled with various events including softball throwing, basketball shooting, jumping rope, hanging from the monkey bars (yep, that is all that they do for "Hang Ten"), running an obstacle course and a mini marathon, jumping both the long and broad jump, running the 50-meter dash, kicking a soccer ball, and throwing a softball for distance and accuracy.  The day is capped off with a gigantic relay race that has all teams and athletes participating as they run back and forth across the big field trying to be the first to finish the race.  We are pretty sure that Isaac's team finished the relay in second place.  After the relay all athletes get Big Sticks (a fantastically delicious Popsicle--ask Grandpa N about these).  The eighth graders will tally up all the points in math class this coming week, and then the overall winning team will be announced as the teams gather one final time for this year's Olympics.

No matter who wins, this day was fantastic!  It is always one of our favorite highlights of the school year!

Team Russia!

 Running the obstacle course

 Arm hang

Hey, look what we found!  (It was a gopher snake!)

Jump rope

Basketball shoot

 Beginning of the mini-marathon

This one has got to be my favorite!   Running long jump.  Check out the shadow!

 Softball throw for distance

 Isaac's biggest fan!

Caleb and his best friend watching the opening ceremonies

 Team Russia

 Kevin and Paul (and Caleb)

The Lapka boys enjoying their Big Stick popsicles after the final relay.  Danae was busy rounding up her eighth graders to start the clean-up process.

Just like his Mom!

For those of you who know Danae, this picture brings her great joy.  I admit, I love seeing him lost in his make believe book world!  Our little reader has taken off and just can't put down a good book!

This was our view of him as we went out to eat for Mother's Day.