High/Low

Several years Craig and I rented a movie that was pretty bad - so bad I don't remember much about it, including the name. All I remember is this otherwise totally dysfunctional family played a game that caught my attention. They called it "High/Low". It just consisted of everyone in the family sharing their high point and low point of the day. Even though we don't yet play this regularly as a family, it is something I have always remembered. This past week while I was at my parents' house I watched a Bill Hybels DVD where he shared about a group of people who played this and how it changed their friendships and their lives as they learned to share more deeply. (I don't think this game was started by the bad movie I mentioned first - that was simply the first time I had heard of it.) Anyhow, I thought that since this is the last day of June I would share some of our highs and lows of various this month.

End of School:
highs -
The First Grade Musical Sarah Winnemucca (our kids elementary school) has the most wonderful music teacher (besides Mrs. Earle, of course). I have been so impressed by her since the first time I sat in on one of Annie's music class, but this musical was quite an accomplishment. Over 100 students were in the musical and each child had a solo, a speaking part or played a musical instrument for one of the songs. Amazing.

Kindergarten Graduation It doesn't get much cuter than Kindergarteners singing songs. The only thing cuter was when they called each child by name and shared how they completed the sentence "When I grow up I want to be..." Annie said she wanted to be an artist. But I think my favorite answer was the kid who said she wants to be a teenager.

low-
Poor Annie. She had a wonderful teacher for Kindergarten and on the way home from school on the last day was sharing her feelings with my friend who was driving carpool that day. I wasn't there, but this is how the conversations was conveyed to me: So, Annie, how was school on your last day? Annie: The last day...a new grade, a new classroom, new friends, a new teacher. This is the worst day of my life. I think she is excited about first grade, but it is nice to know how much she enjoyed Kindergarten.

Father's Day Weekend:
highs-
Craig's friend let us use his family's cabin near Lake Tahoe for the weekend. (Thank you, Scott!) Our highs inlcuded pancakes & baon for breakfast, taking the kids to the beach, finding a great, cheap burger joint, shopping at a craft fair, an awesome BBQ and a fun time just being together at the cabin. The kids were overheard saying things like, This is so AWESOME! (Josh) and When can we live in a cabin like this? (Annie) and Can we come every time no one in Scott's family signs up to use this cabin? (Josh) E-mail me if you want the link to the pictures.
low-
I think it would be for Craig - we were up on the beach hanging out with Max and Noah, teaching Max how to dig in the sand, when Annie came running up and said, "The inner tube is floating away - will you go reach it?" If it had been our inner tube it would probably still be in the lake but since we borrowed it from the cabin Daddy saved the day and dove in and swam after it. Lake Tahoe is pretty chilly in June...

Trip to San Jose:
highs-
Mike Kenny's wedding in Hollister It was a beautiful wedding and we especially enjoyed hanging out with college friend Kristen who had flown up from San Diego
Day Camp Josh and Annie had a blast at camp each day. Their fieldtrips included the redwoods, the children's historical museum & park, Monterrey Bay Aquarium, gymnastics and swimming. While they were at Camp I spent my time catching up with friends I hadn't seen in a while (Rebecca & Kristi) and watching some great DVD studies that my parents have - Bill Hybel's, Just Walk Across the Room and John Ortberg's If You Want to Walk on Water You Have to Get Out of the Boat. Great stuff.
lows-
Our travel times were less than perfect due to events in Reno both Saturdays. An interesting tidbit - we crossed the state line right around 11:30pm BOTH ways. Yep, we left Reno late Saturday night after Craig got back from working a wedding and arrived at my parents' house at 4:00am. Then Friday after Day Camp we left at 5:00. It took us 90 minutes to go the first 30 miles. That only included one short "detour" when I pulled over to change Max after he got carsick. Such a fun trip. Did I mention that Craig flew back Monday morning in time to go to work? Thankfully, Kevin and a friend of his (whose mom I happen to know - crazy...) met us for "dinner" at McDonald's in West Sac lasat night about 8:45. It was nice to have a few extra hands for our stop.