World's Sweetest Teachers

The boys love choosing teacher gifts off Pinterest.

For Christmas Eli chose a crayon wreath

because he thought his teacher would like it.

 

And Bennett chose an A&W awesome gift

since his teacher loves soda.

 

 

The boys had so much fun doing the Christmas stuff

that they wanted to do something similar for end-of-the-year gifts.

 

Here is what they chose to make:

 

 Candy bouquets with a tiny bit of healthy (Jamba Juice) mixed in.

 

Both boys really enjoyed their teachers this year:

 

 

Black Beans and Worry Dolls

Our school had an International Night a few weeks ago, where people represent the country they come from, or in my case a country where they have lived.  I haven't pulled out all my mission stuff in quite some time, so talk about fun to share the traditional costumes, bags, blankets, and other handmade textiles I brought back from Guatemala. 

I had a few activities for the kids.  They could test their strength by carrying a small load of firewood attached to a head strap, just like the Guatemalans do (with about ten times the weight, of course).  They could strap a baby doll on their back with a blanket, just like the Guatemalan mothers do, to keep their hands free for doing work.  I also had copies of the Guatemalan flag for coloring.  Or they could make a worry doll, a small wooden doll that you tuck under your pillow at night.  You tell it your worry before bed and the doll will help ease your burden while you sleep, per Guatemalan superstition.  The worry dolls were a hit, to say the least!  I was busy helping kids the whole two hours, so much so I didn't even get to walk around to see all the other countries' tables.

I also made some crock pot black beans and corn tortillas for people to eat.  Thankfully, Stephen came with me and manned the beans while Benito stamped the kids' passports.  It turned out to be a family affair and one of my favorite school events of the whole school year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soccer Baby

A few months ago after dinner I was leaning back in my dinner chair after enjoying the meal and Millie came up to me and patted me on the stomach and said:  Daddy, you have a food baby.  Now, anytime we have had a lot to eat we rub our stomachs and smile and say, "wow, my food baby is happy".  Or "look at my food baby".  Sometimes Millie goes over the top and proudly lifts up her shirt to show her food baby. 

 

Now that the world cup is upon us we started talking about how we would celebrate scoring a goal.  So naturally I loved this soccer baby celebration, minus the thumb sucking, which made it a little weird:

  

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2097369-joel-campbell-celebrates-goal-vs-uruguay-by-going-full-baby


On another note:  Here are the teams I am cheering for in the World Cup and why:

USA--Of course I have to cheer for them even though, like their head coach I have no confidence that they will win the World Cup.

Mexico--Cause I served my mission there.  Nice 1st win against Cameroon.

Costa Rica--Since Julianne and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary there.  Very nice 3-1 win against Uruguay.

France--Since Bennett played 2 seasons for the local Sunnyvale Les Petits Bleus team.

Portugal--Since Bennett now plays competitively for the Portugese Athletic Club in San Jose.

Brazil--Gotta cheer for the home team.

Spain--Since on Bennett's competitive team we pattern our play after Barcelona and most of their players play for the Spain National team.

Any other Spanish or English speaking teams I will cheer for if they are playing against any other teams that don't speak the language. Go Americas!

Enjoy the games!

Stephen

First Fiesta with Friends

Miss Millie had her golden birthday!

She turned five on the fifth.

 

I asked her weeks ago how she wanted to celebrate.

"With my friends!"

Got it.  Now what kind of party should we have?

I threw out a few suggestions:

princess party, dolly tea party, animal party, water party

"Water party, water party, water party!!"

 

So water party it was.

The birthday girl



Water balloon tossing with her pals

Sprinkler time
(Not pictured: bucket relay)



Aqua streamers and "disco ball" as Millie called it

Yes, indeed, we even put the punch bowl to use. Lime punch magic!

Aqua, aqua, all around

Millie requested a "water cake," and this is what we ended up with.
Someday I'll take a cake-making class, I swear!

In June We Celebrate Fathers

Meaningful Memorial Day

I had the opportunity to join Bennett and his scout troop yesterday at the Golden Gate National Cemetery as they decorated the graves of the 116,000 veterans buried there.  Many other scouts from the peninsula joined in, of course, and to be honest I'd never seen so many boys in uniform in one place.  We happened to stand next to a large troop of teenage boy scouts from Palo Alto and another large troop of very young tiger scouts from San Mateo.

The foggy, misty weather made donuts and hot chocolate a welcome sight at 7:30am Saturday morning.  While I started to wonder if gathering this many boys in one place was such a good idea--as they impatiently waited for things to get going--the ceremony proved me wrong. 

They started with the color guard, just like our boys do at pack meetings, consisting of bag pipes and flags, after which they honored the "Blue Star" families who have a family member currently serving in one of the armed forces.  Then a "Gold Star" couple came up, one of eighteen families, who have buried a son in the cemetery.  This couple lost their son in Iraq in 2006 and graciously thanked all the scouts for being there to serve their son's memory. 

Congresswoman Jackie Speier spoke next, honoring veterans and making special mention of the Vietnam POWs and MIAs.  A bugler dressed in sailor whites stood atop the hill where the flag flew half-mast and played "Taps."  Talk about moving.  The boys may have maintained dry eyes, but I certainly didn't. 

Then came the flag decorating.  Heavy, metal pokers make small holes directly in front of the headstones, after which the flags go in.  Such an impressive sight once all the flags had been placed!  It was truly inspiring and humbling to read the stories those headstones tell.  Some lived long lives, others short.  Some fought in one war, others fought in three.  Some came from California, others didn't.  Different names, different religions, different hometowns, one cause.  I hope the boys felt the same grateful patriotism I did.

After the ceremony, before heading off to place flags

First comes the poker

Then comes the flag

Wacky Walkathon

 Eli sent an email out to family a few weeks ago:

 

Julianne Geddes julgeddes@gmail.com	Apr 23
to Stephen, Kristi, Robert, Elisabeth, dadconhome, Paula

 

I need some money for my school walkathon. any amount of money. :) :)           from Eli

You gotta love the way kids communicate.

Straight to the point, huh?

 

Stephen took the packet to his office,

and many kind coworkers donated.

Eli loved calling his dad at work for updates on totals.

"Wow, I can't believe I have that much money!!"

You've never seen a kid so proud

to turn in walkathon $.

 

Onto the main event, however.

 

Wait, these are from last year's walkathon...

I don't think I ever posted these, so let's look at 2013 first, shall we?

That's what I get for unoriginal photo labels ("walkathon"), ha ha

Eli and his buddy Leo

 

Icee-chomping cheerleader

 

Now I give you the 2014 Wacky Walkathon.

Promise.

 

Benito with his buddies

Eli and Noah

Eli, Noah, and Beka

Eli rounding a turn

Millie pulling Bennett off the path

Getting lap loopy

Back in action

B did eighteen laps and Eli did sixteen,
or 4.5 miles and 4.

 

Thankfully the weather cooled down a bit for the day,

so the kids weren't melting like they have in years past.

Oh, speaking of heat, Millie and I helped

by spraying walkathoners with water bottles.

Best job.

What kid doesn't love water in the face?