Off to Hoopfest

By noon today we'll be on our way to Spokane for Hoopfest, the world's largest 3 on 3 street basketball tournament. It's an amazing spectacle. There are thousands of players from wide-eyed eight year olds up to the senior division of 40+ players. A large portion of downtown Spokane is shut down in the area surrounding Riverfront Park. Portable basketball hoops sprout up in the streets and parking lots. Noah's team is a great group of boys with fun parents. We enjoy hanging out between games at the hotel. Two of Noah's teammates have older brothers who also play at Hoopfest so we get to watch them play too. Several of Alyssa's classmates are playing this year too so we'll try to find their courts and watch them if possible. I'll post pictures next week.

DRAMA

The draft for Noah's football league is later this week. We've been trying to request a coach without really requesting (If you know what I mean?). We'd like for Noah to play with a friend who has younger siblings whom Alyssa babysits for. She often watches the youngsters so they don't have to be out in the cold for hours at a game. It would be great if Noah and his friend could play together, and then we could drop off Alyssa and take turns delivering the boys to practices and games. The other reason we're trying to arrange his draft spot is that one of the coaches has a reputation for allowing lots of trash talk, and he's been known to swear at the kids. So I'd like to avoid him if possible. However, some parents I've spoken with really like this coach. What to do? What to do? Forrest tells me that football is very different from every other sports environment that I've been exposed to, and that I shouldn't worry so much. This is my first experience with youth football. I guess I shouldn't borrow trouble. The draft hasn't even happened yet, and I'm already worrying. I think I need to sign off and go read my newest Maisie Dobbs mystery and take my mind off football.

Solstice

Occasionally the solstice and the last day of school occur together. This was one of those years. We were originally scheduled to be done with school on the 15th, but our unusually snowy winter caused us to miss four days of school. While we enjoyed them at the time-we regretted them this week. The staff at my school were worried by threatening skies during our award assembly. We were afraid that field day would have to be moved inside. Thankfully by the end of the assembly the clouds had parted and the sun peeked out. Since I'm writing this on my deck I thought I'd submit some pictures of the view I'm enjoying. When I'm not running children around to their activities, this is where I spend much of my free time in the summer. I'm hoping to read some great books out here this summer. I'll keep adding them to my list, and maybe I'll review some too.

Almost the End of the Year

Instead of a "graduation" the fifth graders get to have a "Sponge Bob" party. The kids and the teachers took after each other with sponges, hoses, and spray bottles. Noah is wearing a navy blue shirt. I think you can just make out N. Jones on the back of it. After the water fight the kids had a picnic and watched "The Shaggy Dog." I tried to stay out of the reach of the sponges, but most of my former students did manage to hug me while they were soaking wet. I helped set up the food tables for the 90 children. It's amazing how much 11 year olds can put away. It looked like a plague of locusts had swooped in. I'll post more later this week about the last day of school.

Book Review for The Whistling Season

Since I'm going to miss my book club meeting tonight I thought I'd write a review of one of my new favorites, The Whistling Season, by Ivan Doig. I was first introduced to this author several years ago when I read Dancing at the Rascal Fair. I loved that book, but was disappointed by many of his subsequent books until now. The Whistling Season takes place in Montana 1909-1910. The story revolves around a widower homesteader, his three sons, their housekeeper from Minneapolis and her brother Morrie. When the teacher at the one room schoolhouse elopes with the traveling evangelist, Morrie is pressed into the job. His enthusiasm for teaching, especially science and the return of Halley's Comet captures the attention of the whole community. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books about the west.

More Sporting News

Noah's baseball team was eliminated from the post season tournament Friday night. It would be nice if I could say that baseball season was now over for us, but that would be a lie. Noah tried out for the All Stars Team, and it looks like he'll probably be selected. That means two more weeks of practice starting the 18th, another tournament, and more money for an All Star jacket. This is the time of year when all of his sports overlap. Football tryouts are June 16th and 23rd. Basketball camp is June 25-29, and Hoopfest (the world's largest 3 on 3 street basketball tournament) is June 30-July 1 in Spokane. Just writing that down makes me tired. But he loves it all, and there are lots of great families involved who we get to hang out with.

The volleyball team Alyssa coaches had their post season tournament yesterday. They played really well and advanced out of the morning round into the Gold Division. The afternoon did not go as well and they were eliminated in their first afternoon game. Based on points the team finished third out of eight teams.

Forrest got his stitches out Thursday and was back behind the plate Thursday night. His softball team won, and he managed to keep his head away from the ball. I have no sports news to report about myself. I'm just the driver, equipment manager, and chief cheerleader for everyone else.

Forrest and the neighbor are hoping to fell a large, dead pine tree in the neighbor's yard later today. I'll try to take some photos and maybe some video. It might be worthy of sending in to America's Funniest Home Videos.

New Teachers

HURRAY!!!!!! Both of the student teachers in our building have been hired to teach fourth grade with Theresa and I next year. Brandon and Nikki will be excellent additions to our staff. I'm so happy to have gotten what I wanted even though I didn't get to be part of the interview committee. Since several buildings have positions to fill there were administrators and/or teachers from every building on the panel. I warned a friend of mine from another building who was on the committee to keep her hands off our student teachers. Although we're down to the final 12 days of school I'm forced to look ahead to next fall to think about how Theresa and I can make the lives of our new teammates easier. There is a lot of shuffling around and people changing classrooms for next year. I'm glad I'm not one of them. I moved to my room a year ago after spending 13 years in the same room. I think I can wait another 13 years before I move again.

The Agony of Sport

Can someone explain to me why a dad who always makes sure his son is properly equipped to play ball would get behind the plate to catch in a slow pitch softball game without a mask? Here you can see the results. Forrest caught a freak foul ball in the head Thursday night. He swears he's never had a ball come off the end of the bat straight back like that so he still won't wear a mask the next time he plays. We were in the emergency room for two and a half hours Thursday night. Friday was a very long day after staying up till midnight.

On a brighter sports note Noah's team has progressed out of the first round of their end of season baseball tournament. They have a 5:00 PM game Monday night in Everett (about 25 miles from our home). I wonder if the organizers of these tournaments have jobs? It's going to take a major shuffling of our daily schedule to get us to that game on time. School isn't out for Noah till 3:40.

The volleyball team Alyssa coaches finished their regular season strong with a victory yesterday. Now they have a full day tournament all day next Saturday. Thankfully that one is only 7 miles from our house. Alyssa has taken to calling Forrest "Igor" since his injury. Can you guess what she's reading in English right now?

Co-Workers

When my class viewed the slideshow of our field trip the first comment I heard was, "Gee Mrs. Jones you're in a lot of pictures this time." I guess that's true if you call three a lot. I thought some of you might want to see my co-workers. The first photo is of my student teacher, Brandon. Hopefully he'll get hired to teach in my building. The second photo is of my friend and fellow 4th grade teacher, Marla. She's the one who is leaving 4th grade to teach kindergarten next year. The final photo is of Theresa. Theresa and I are going to have to break in two new teachers next year and show them the ropes.

Kayak Point

The fourth grade classes had a great day at the beach. The weather was glorious. Not too hot or windy, just pleasantly warm. The kids had a great time exploring the -2 tide; hermit crabs, rock crabs, sand worms, and shrimp are just some of the creatures found by the children. A new playground has been added to the park since our last field trip. Even I climbed to the top of the rope structure.