Nikki's Graduation + Six Flags Magic Mountain!

I was there on the day of her birth. I helped my sister-in-law deliver her (well, I held her leg, that’s helping, right?).

I spent the next 9 ½ years of her life with her on a daily basis. Taking her to birthday parties, to the park, swimming, to amusement parks, reading to her, doing homework with her… she slept with me every Friday night and we watched cartoons or other shows. We played games and went on vacation together.

She is more than “just my niece”. She is a big part of my life.

This is Nikki starting Kindergarten and finishing 5th Grade!

On June 3^rd she finished 5^th grade. How is it possible that this much time has gone by?

She was so excited leading up to this day. She volunteered to speak and introduce a slide show (stupid me didn’t catch the beginning on video – stupid!). (Just like her aunt) she won the Presidential Education Award of Excellence from Barack Obama (mine was from Clinton).  I am so proud of my little girl!

After graduation we had a quick lunch and then, along with her parents and brother, headed to Six Flags Magic Mountain (for those of you who don’t know, this is a theme/amusement park). I worked there once when I was 15 (because it was the only place that hired 15 year olds back then) but I hadn’t been back in many years. In the time since I had last been there they added a handful of new big roller coasters.

I LOVE roller coasters (although not waiting in line for them). Since we went on a weekday and not all schools were out yet, the lines were relatively short so we got to go on all the big rides I wanted to enjoy.

My brother and his family have season passes and so I was able to get in for free with them – hopefully I’ll get that chance again because I REALLY enjoyed it!

Jonathan The Smarty Pants

All the conversations posts I've linked up with Amanda (from Knock on Wood) have been about Jonathan. Why? Because he is a character. Unique some might say. He is very expressive and playful so he tends to be my favorite person to talk about. 

Anyone with school-age kids knows that most states (I think it's 45) are adopting Common Core as their math instruction methods. This has been an issue here because it is quite different from what we all grew up with and so the change is difficult as parents/aunts/etc. 

The concept is using base-10. Something that I did to some extent (And still do). 

One morning last week I was helping Jonathan with some of his math homework in which he had to write out fact families (ie: 2+1=3, 1+2=3, 3-2=1, 3-1=2). I had helped him with the first two problems and then for the third I got distracted. When I looked back he had already done it. 

The fact family was 6, 8 and 14 but there were 2 other numbers so he had to pick which 3 were part of the family. 

Me: How'd you do that so fast?

Jonathan: Easy! 6 + 4 = 10, so 6 + 8 equals 14. 

That showed me that this math could really work and the problem is more so us as adults trying to help them do it the way they are being taught now. And to be honest I would have probably done it in a similar way (maybe more like 8+2=10 and the 14). 

I know it's blurry, but look how much fun he is having! 

I guess this isn't much as far as conversations go, but I was just so proud of him I wanted to make sure I shared it! 

I wanted to participate in Ember Grey's Grateful Heart Monday today. I am so very grateful to have Jonathan and Nikki around. I know my life would be a lot different if they didn't live near me. It definitely would be very boring. They keep me on my toes and I'm so happy to be around them on an almost daily basis. 

A Historic Hike

For anyone new around here - I live in Los Angeles, but specifically in an area of the city which is pretty historic. We can trace our history back a long way and we still have a lot of history all around us. 

Down the block from where we live (and right next to where my sister is buried) there is the Santa Susana Pass. While I have known it has existed I actually thought it was farther north where the current road that connects Simi Valley to the San Fernando Valley currently is. 

Over the past few weeks I saw a flyer on Facebook about a guided hike that was taking place this past Saturday and I was excited to check it out. I even got my husband to go! (He is NOT a hiking type of guy) My brother, sister-in-law and the kids came along as well. 

The hike started in a place that I didn't know existed right next door to the cemetery. It was dog friendly, which Jonathan was thrilled about. 

It was about 2.1 miles around trip and the steepest part was at the beginning, but it was nothing. Actually, it's something I wouldn't mind doing often to get some exercise. 

That's me in the green tank top. We're in mid-November and it's been warm enough to go around like that. 

Right after the first bend we were able to see this truck which has been there for over 50 years and has started to melt into the ground. Since it's been there so long and it's on the land of a State Park it is protected and therefore cannot be removed. You can see my sisters' niche from there as well (it's the second one in on the top row).

This hike mimics one that 3rd graders from 2 local schools get to do. Nikki did it when she was in 3rd grade two years ago and Jonathan will get to do it in another couple of years. There were 3 or 4 different stations with park volunteers and others telling us about the history of the pass. 

The first one was at this Stagecoach. The volunteer explained to us about the trails that were used when California joined the union and how they used the Santa Susana Pass to get over the Simi Hills and then on up to San Francisco during the Gold Rush. 

Jonathan is so sweet, he loves to be close to us. He was leaning on me here as we listened to the explanations.

We also learned about Oak trees (which are protected by law) and how the acorns will fall from the tree and eventually form a ring around the original tree. They also taught us about the Chumash Indians that lived in the area and showed us the type of food they ate and the things they made. 

One of the last stations were about the quarrying that was done in the pass. We stopped right next to an area where rocks were removed to take down to San Pedro and Long Beach. They also explained the methods that were used to break rocks and then Jonathan got the chance to break one. 

He was pretty excited about that.

Even though it wasn't too long of a trek, I was tired in the end. It didn't help that we went to Costco right afterward. Like I said, though, I'd like to do it again and more often (although the guided tour is only done once or twice a year) so that I can get some exercise and also so I can reach a bit further down the trail. 

There is a very steep part of the trail that we didn't get to see. It's cool (at least to me) because it's the actual part of the pass that settlers used to come to the area we live in now. The trail we walked on is also part of that pass. It totally amazes me to know that people were walking there hundreds and hundreds of years ago. 

Conversations: Jonathan Speaks!

Here we are again for Knock on Wood's Conversations link up! I love reading about other people's funny conversations and so I've been trying hard to remember the funny ones I have with my family and friends (or maybe the ones I eavesdrop on!). 

All my posts have been about Jonathan (my nephew for anyone who doesn't know) because he just cracks me up.

A few days ago Jonathan (who, by the way, is 6 years old) saw a magazine on a chair at my parents’ house. It’s a magazine from Uruguay published in Los Angeles that my dad picks up when he does some shopping at an Argentine store.

This is the back cover:

Jonathan looked at it and exclaimed: “OMG! That’s horrible!!”

Me: What’s horrible??

Jonathan: Are you kidding me?? I’m not ready for S-E-X!!

I don't know if I should be worried, concerned, surprised, or proud! We've always known that he is bright and he catches on really quickly so it's not really a surprise that he would make the connection from the sexual references he might hear/see on TV. BUT it might not be the best that he knows all this at such a young age. 

Weekend Summed Up

I have to say that I love Halloween. I love the traditions in brings. I love the pumpkin carvings. What I'm not loving this year is the heat. We are in a never ending summer in SoCal. It's cooled down quite a bit, but we were still sweltering over the weekend. 

Friday night was the night we had agreed on to carve our pumpkins. We bought a couple a few weeks ago when we went to the fright fair/pumpkin patch. It was a fun adventure. I hadn't carved a pumpkin in many years and only remembered how messy it was. I don't particularly love the feeling of the goo on my hands. Luckily the pumpkin I was working with had little moosh and a lot of drier strings. 

Thomas concentrating on the pumpkin. You can see my design.

We didn't have proper carving tools. We had to take a late night trip to Wal*Mart to pick up a kit. 

I was able to get the top off! Yay! 

Unfortunately we didn't have batteries for the lights, but I will fix that today! 

On Saturday morning I got a call from the LA County Registrar/Recorder's office. I've worked many elections in the last 12 years that I've been old enough to vote (wow, that made me feel old! I've vote in every election and probably worked all except 3 or 4). I had been assigned as a clerk to my local precinct this year but I had told them to place me on the list to be the "inspector" (the boss of the precinct) so on Saturday when someone cancelled they called me to see if I would do it. It's a different precinct, but it's not too far away. Besides, I like being the boss! I had to pick up the supplies that morning. 

An hour or so later I had to go to help my friend to set up her sons' 6th birthday party. It was a nice event that lasted from about noon until past 4pm (when I left). I brought my nephew Jonathan with me (Nikki had a different birthday party to go to). 

My friend and I put together a "pin the bat on the man" game during the week. It was fun. 

After that party we headed to Thomas' cousins' daughters' 1st birthday party. We stayed there for a short while because we had to head over to Red Robin's for my brothers' celebratory birthday dinner (my dad, Nikki, and I were also celebrated. Free meals for all of us and dessert!). 

The kids asked to spend the night after dinner so we brought them home and then watched a movie and stayed up way too late. 

On Sunday morning we played video games and then I headed over to the Pierce Farm Center Halloween Harvest Festival to do the corn maze with my brother and the kids. 

I finished Sunday by doing some grocery shopping and then grilling up some steaks and doing some housework. 

We got some more pumpkins so I'll help the kids carve them this week.

Have a great Monday everyone! 

#MyConversations - Link Up!

I'm once ahead participating in Knock On Wood's bi-monthly Link-up about conversations. Check out her blog and the others who are participating! 

Monday’s thru Wednesday’s I take the kids to school along with my mom. One day as we were getting out of the car my mom asked Jonathan about taking his folder and backpack to school.

Mom: Do you want to take your backpack? Or just your folder? The only thing in your backpack is your folder.

Jonathan: You never know when you’ll need your backpack!

Earlier this year Jonathan decided on his career plans. My brother upgraded his phone so my nephew got one to play with. It was still associated with an open line so he got to make a call or two to me and his dad. One day he told his dad something along the lines of…

Jonathan: Now that I have a phone I can get a job.

David: What kind of Job?

Jonathan: I can open a hot dog stand. I’d be good at that.

After hearing this story I asked Jonathan how to make a hot dog, which he explained to me in detail. My brother and I tried to dissuade him from this career choice, but he is sure that he will be a great hot dog salesman.

Oh, and by the way… he doesn’t eat hot dogs.

Finally, one afternoon my niece complained to her dad that some girls teased her at school about the way she plays volleyball. Jonathan overheard, went to his sister and said:

Jonathan: Nikki, let me tell you something. Bullies will be bullies! 

Not something you usually hear from a 6 year old!