Bingo!

Friday night was Spaghetti and Bingo night at school!

Charlie plays bingo with his friend Duncan:

Sarah wins big when her friend Samantha plays a card for her after winning a prize herself:

Mommy plays with David and Allison's friend Ellie:

Daddy was a good sport and played seven cards simultaneously when David, Allison, and Ellie decided it was more fun to play in the water fountain and Mommy decided it was more fun to chase them! But despite his best efforts, Bingo was not his name-0.

Sarah contemplates her loot:

She won a Family Game Pack which included Pictionary, Yahtzee, Mancala, Uno, and Checkers/Chess/Chinese Checkers.

Watch out, Auntie Ally: we're gonna practice our chess!

Allison Grace "wins" a bottle of water!

Charlie's Field Trip

Charlie's second grade Discovery class took a field trip to the High Museum of Art, which is hosting exhibits from the Louvre. I went as a chaperone - my first field trip in a couple of decades! I figured a field trip with the gifted second graders would be fairly easy, but each pair of moms were in charge of 7 kids, and our group was all boys. No one had any problems about wandering off, but we definitely had to remind them of the "keep your hands and body parts to yourself" rule!

The museum was really fun. First we did an art project, and the museum art education instructor talked about color theory: primary, secondary, and complementary colors. Then a docent took us to the exhibit hall, and showed the children how artists like Monet used color theory in their works.

I don't know about the kids, but I sure learned a thing or two! And it was definitely fun to go on a field trip with Charlie!

I'll Start Tomorrow

Allison got into the art supplies and spilled glue on her new pants. When I got home from work Bryant told me what happened. I said to Allison, "Were you playing with the glue?" She looked at me thoughtfully and said, "I have to tell the truth, right?" I said yes, so she thought about it a bit more and said, "Tomorrow I'll tell you the truth."

Oven Girl Bakes a Cake

Hoop Dreams - David style

David Mackey loves the basketball court! He desperately wants to shoot baskets and can't stand to see the big kids playing when he can't have the ball. Before and after the games he takes a ball, walks over to a basket, stands under it and throws the ball up in the air. It misses the net by a good 8 feet, but he definitely has the concept down.

When it's time to stop, the only way he can stand to give up the ball is for him to put it on the ball rack himself. He sees the big kids put the balls there, so as long as he puts his away himself he can tolerate the end of his playing time. This kid is gonna have game.

Hoop Dreams - Sarah style

Sarah started her basketball career with a bang! She is playing in the kindergarten - first grade league and is the only girl on her team. She is a tough player and is very athletic. She scored a basket in her second game, and we were so proud! She doesn't have any Kurt Rambis goggles, so she is shooting at a disadvantage since she doesn't wear her glasses when she plays. But when she took a ball in the face in game 2, we had confirmation that we made the right decision to leave the hardware at home.

Hoop Dreams - Charlie style

Charlie started his second basketball season with Coach Daddy once again at the helm. This year Charlie moved up to the 2nd - 3rd grade level, which plays very competitive ball. Charlie scored in the first game of the season and has been very strong on defense and passing. His coach observes that he is more of a guard than his daddy ever was!

Charlie gets open on offense

Watching for an offensive rebound

"Good game!"


Our fearless coaches: Perry and Bryant

The post-game, post-snack satisfaction

The Vanity of Google

Charlie's friend Liam googled his own name and found references to someone who lived and died some years ago. Charlie was fascinated, so they all gathered around the computer and asked me google their names.

Charlie went first, and he was extremely amused by all the hits: a police juror, a dentist, an Arizona State football player. But the coolest was when his own grandfather and namesake, Dr. Charles Mackey, came up as a hit, complete with a picture, from his medical practice's website.

Next came Sarah: an award-winning librarian in Ohio, a gymnast, a strategist for the BBC, a woman born in Pennsylvania in 1816 and another born in 1784, and a University of Chicago Law School alumna mother of twins.

Then it was Allison's turn: a professor a Georgetown, an HR Director at a corporation, a photographer, and an author.

David's was really fun, although he personally wasn't a bit interested. There was an NHL player, a Christian blogger, an Australian ophthalmology professor, an architect, and a video game afficionado.

Then they asked me to google my name, so I did. We found a navy lieutenant and a runner, but then we found an article that I had co-authored several years ago about the value of environmental responsibility to businesses. The kids were very impressed that their own mother actually came up on google!

Given this digital age, it is only a matter of time before the hits on their names will actually be these children, be it for swim meet results or sports league rosters or school accomplishments. But for now, it's cool enough to see the hockey players, the gymnasts, the professors and the librarians, and dream about how many of these things they will be when they grow up.

Valintine's Day Non-Fickshin by Sarah - NEW ILLUSTRATIONS!

Sarah wrote and illustrated a beautiful book about Valentine's Day:

Valintine's Day

non-fickshin

by Sarah

Valintine's Day is very fun. You send or give it to someone. You and them will be Happy! And it mens you love them!

The valintine looks like this!!!

to _________

from _________

I love you!

(heart)

thank you

(flower)

When you show LOVE it mens you show ruspect.

I Love you.

Annie Rules My Brain

Sarah, discussing our weekend schedule: "We have a lot going on. We're almost as busy as Miss Hanigan is mean!"

On Catholicism

Charlie observed that he is the only Catholic child in his class. He has a lot of Catholic friends from our church, but I racked my brain and couldn't think of any other Catholic children in his class, so I told him I think he's right. Sarah then asked too, and I think it is the same for her.

I was surprised by this, since I am still colored by the world view of growing up in Milton where all through school people in my class were mostly Catholic, with some Jewish people, and a very few Protestants. When I got to college, 14 of the 19 girls in our 2 suites were Catholic. I didn't understand why all of them were so amazed by this, since it was perfectly in keeping with the ratio I was accustomed to, but looking back on it I bet they did put us together deliberately. It certainly was nice to have a big group to go to Mass with every week.

It will be different for our children to grow up as a Catholic minority in the South. I guess there are still a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes associated with Catholicism around here. Charlie in particular has been asking a lot of questions: Are Catholics Christians? What's the difference between Catholics and Baptists? What is the difference between Christians and Jewish people? Can you be Christian and Jewish? When did Daddy become Catholic? What did Daddy used to believe? And Charlie's observation about the conversion process: "I'm sure it's not that simple to just say you believe this and then suddenly you're Catholic -- right?"

Sarah has joined in too, and some of their questions are stumping me. For instance, last night they asked if you are Christian and then you are adopted by a Jewish family, what are you then? (My answer: it depends on how old you are when you are adopted, and whether you were baptized, and what you believe). It's so interesting to watch them thinking about these things and asking so many questions. Charlie is excited about making his First Communion this year (May 6) and it is amazing to guide these children along their faith journeys.

The Best Day Ever

From Saturday, January 6, 2007


Tonight when I was putting David's pajamas on him, he said, "This was the best day ever!" I was so stunned (since he is not quite 19 months old) that I asked him to repeat it three times. Allison and Sarah frequently declare things the best ever, and he said it with the same inflection he hears from them. He was quite insistent so ultimately I stopped questioning him and simply agreed with him: today was the best day ever.

Visit with the Peczuhs

We had a great visit with the Peczuhs on the way home to Atlanta. It was so much fun to see the Peczuhs and their new house, and we especially enjoyed the American Idol karaoke machine!

Mrs. Peczuh made some delicious soup, and lots of yummy desserts. So nice to catch up with old friends!

David was two for two in visiting his Godmothers on this trip north: lucky kid!

Why Aren't These Children In Bed?

Finally, at 11 pm, we left the 10:30 am wedding. Rob and Ally are duly married!!!!!!!!!!

More of the after party

And Then There Was The After Party/Chess Tournament

... And Continued!

... And Continued ...