Hi from port of call
john olson | sent from my iPhone
theOlsonfive the life of an expatriate american family
Recently on Twitter/jwolson
- Enjoying the new version of Picturesque (http://ping.fm/Xlpk1) about 3 hours ago
- Paying billz. 1 day ago
- Took kids to dentists and ophthalmologist appointments, tomorrow it’s just the pediatrician. 2 days ago
- Geaux Tigers! (http://ping.fm/iINZl) 3 days ago
- Arrived in Louisiana after a day-long trip. Kudos to AmericanAirlines for a hitch-free travel day. 3 days ago
On the way to Miami
john olson | sent from my iPhone
Schoolwork Avalanche
UPDATE: Neatly organized in annual stacks are two years worth of three kids schoolwork edited for quality and portability. Just waiting for binders big enough to hold them.
Biting the bullet, originally uploaded by jwolson.
It is definitely that time of year. The end of school brings an avalanche of work home as the kids empty their desks and cubbies of poems, stories, drawings, and page after page of math, spelling, and writing worksheets.
I used to see myself as and editor: I would evaluate the work quality and uniqueness and select only the best for inclusion in a year-end summary book. The books I made in Nigeria are pretty useful for transient families like ours, and the kids enjoy taking them out occasionally and reminiscing.
But, I have procrastinated too long now I have two huge baskets full of test results and mad minute worksheets. I really need to get my act together if I am going to make anything useful out of these moster piles of paper.
Or maybe I’ll just sit here and look at it all while I brew another pot of coffee and blog about it.
Summer Movies
We’ve got our list of summer movies: Batman, Hulk, Narnia, Clone Wars, Indiana Jones, Kung Fu Panda, Get Smart, Love Guru, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan and Wall-E.
Five tickets per movie, thats 50 tickets. At 8.00/each thats 400.00 just for summer movies.
Thanks, melvin.
One Week Until Summer Break
The kids are in their last week of school here in Caracas. We will spend next weekend here with Stacey, then we fly home next Monday. We should get into NOLA by 6:00 pm or so and to Mandeville by bedtime.
After school activities ended last week. The ECA Swim Team held a school-wide swim meet which featured alot of little kids and only three boys over age 8. This highlights the problem with the local swim team - no boys participate. I have read that this is a problem in the US, too, but it is disappointing to watch and has seriously dampened Ben’s enthusiasm for the sport, for sure.
The girls will have end-of-the-year parties at the end of the week. Lilly’s party features ‘Stop Dancing’, photo album signing, cake and ice cream. In fact, this morning, she said her teacher promised ice cream every day this week. Simone’s last week will be melancholy. She will say goodbye to her best friend, Lucia, who is moving back to Cincinnati where her Dad will work for Procter and Gamble.
Well, we are watching Ben get closer to High School and Simone will be entering her last year of Elementary school when we return in August. At least we have the summer.
By the way, Ben is looking for odd jobs to earn money this summer. I am glad to get him out doing something. And we are all looking for volunteer opportunities - Habitat for Humanity requires kids to be 14 years or older.
Troop 8 Campout at Papelon
Troop 8’s last Campout of the 2007 - 2008 School year was a grueling hike up four hours to Papelon Campsite where we held the best campfire of the year.
Rain did not dampen our spirits as we headed back down on Sunday morning, but it did give us a goal: home and a hot shower!
All the camping photos are available in a the 200805 - Troop 8 - Papelon Campout set on flickr.
About
The Olsonfive are an American expatriate family currently living in Caracas, Venezuela. This blog is a way for us to keep in touch with family and friends around the world.
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