Pole Vaulting?

So, when the school year started last September, Darian realized that with the budget cut backs and a cut back in the number of classes that they are allowed to take, that he would have to take some pre-emptive measures to ensure that he would be able to take the classes he wants.  (ie: he doesn't have space in his schedule to take a foreign language and orchestra, and language is a requirement to get into most colleges.)  We learned from Calvin's experience that summer school is much easier than regular semesters, so he could take his harder classes over the summer and get better grades. 

The option that he picked was to take a sport and get to skip taking P.E. for the year next year.  He thought he wanted to play football, but didn't bother to get involved. (He probably missed the tryouts since it was already football season when school started.)  So he thought, Track and Field would be fun.  He went to the practices leading up to try outs and decided that to try pole vault because there were fewer people trying it, and he'd get more time "doing", less time "watching".  The requirements for joining pole vault were that you have to be able to do a sommersault and a handstand.  Now go back 2 months.

Zachary decided he wanted to try gymnastics because a friend of his did it.  When Darian heard that Zach was joining gymnastics he wanted to do it also. So I signed the both of them up.  Where Darian learned to do among other things, a sommersault and a handstand.  Funny how things work out.

Darian made the team, and is now finding out just how crazy a teenagers life can really become... He'll be real ready for spring break in a few weeks.

Pray for Rain

After a 10 year drought and fears of the low levels at Lake Mead, we've been praying for rain for a long time.

We haven't seen much rain in Las Vegas for the 17 years we've lived here.  When we do we remember it distinctly!!  I remember July of 1998, our friends had their home flood, and my kids had to wait at school for the flood waters to recede before we could go get them. I had to drive home from an appointment, and couldn't go the regular route because the main street approaching my neighborhood had become a river.

I remember sudden downpour around 2003 or 2004? when we were at a party in the park and out of no where we were pelted and had to run to our cars.  Party over!! That's the year helicopter rescuers had to help the lady stuck in her car that was being washed away.  So having these memories in mind.....

Calvin started college night classes this week.  The orginal plan was for me to drive him to Allen's work where he would take his dad's car to school, then go back and work at Allen's office after class for the rest of the evening.  Then the rain started. 

Tuesday night I decided to just drop him off at school because it was raining substantially.  Yesterday was pretty mellow but the rain started up again in the evening as Calvin finished with his scouting responsibility.  (He is the assistant Den Leader for Zach's Wolf den)

Anyway, I decided to suck it up and let him drive to school.  All seemed to go well...  Today however...

The rains are already taking over, and I'm nervous enough for myself to drive in it, just because I don't know where I'll find floods.  I've heard that this will be the biggest storm in a decade. and it is a series of storms.  I have to go out myself tonight, so I'm definately driving Calvin to class first.  He got his license in Sept. and he is 18 years old, but the mommy in me still panics.  Is it a mommy thing?  or is it a hereditary thing that makes me a bit jumpy about stuff like this?  I remember Grandma Stagge being scared of driving and flying as she aged.  Could I be heading the same way?  Maybe I have some things to figure out.

Anyway, I hope all this rain helps the grass green up a bit.  That's the fortunate thing that we usually get out of rain storms.  Of course it wouldn't hurt if it helps fill Lake Mead just a little bit.

Elder Kissner

I haven't written in the Blog much lately.  I've been writing all my happenings to letter to Brady.  I just opened up his blog for everyone to read.  I wasn't sure about the privacy issues, but I knew that more of his friends would like to be able to see what he's up to. 

Our family has taken on more activities again with Ethan in Tae Kwon Do, Zach & Darian in Gymnastics, and Calvin is taking Japanese and computer programming.  All of these activities are in the evening.  It may get crazy again, but I hate to have my kids miss out of something that could be beneficial to them, just because us parents have crazy schedules.  I guess there is a balance to all things, and it's about time we get back on the scales instead of just watching the world go by.

Actually Darian may get a little on the busy crazy side very soon.  He is joining Track and Field at school, he's in Orchestra and takes private music lessons, and he's ready to start working on his eagle project, in addition to the gymnastics he just joined.  If anyone can make it work, I believe that he can.  This kid has the best attitude I've ever seen. 

I really am a very lucky mom.  These kids are the greatest.

Winter storms

Reasons to be glad we live in Las Vegas....

This is the entrance to a building in Grand Forks, ND