cousins!

Niagara Falls!

Opening act

We went to the U2 concert last night at spartan stadium. Florence and the Machine opened for U2. I was so excited to hear her sing "The Dog Days are Over."

Happy 11th Bday!

Joe's T-ball Team

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

THE SUPERSTARS!

Eric "rickstar" winter music camp

Joe at music camp

Last Day of School

Emma's soccer team

The Griffins!

T-ball

Practice for the 2011 Lansing Superstars has begun!

Red Cedar International Fetsival of Cultures 2011

On Thursday Joe participated in the Red Cedar Elementary School International Festival of Cultures. Just like last year, we were amazed by what Joe could do. This year he (with the first graders) sang: "Che Che Koolya" (Ghana); "Hao Peng You" (China); Sare ke Sare (India); "I'd like to Teach the World to Sing" (USA); "Red Cedar Peace Pledge" (with signs); AND he danced a Croatian folk dance called "Drmes Iz Posavskih Brega." In the montage, he is usually on the left wearing a white shirt that says "Varsity 8" and red shorts. Leah is standing next to him.

The music teacher, Mrs Sigh, won a "pay it forward" grant from MSU and cut a CD of the kids singing the folk songs. The music in the montage is from the CD.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

early june garden

The peonies and irises are opening this week. The foxglove and delphinium are just past their peek and the daisies are starting to bloom. The smaller poppies are open but not the tall ones (at least in my garden). The azaleas are done.

Sports Skills Summer session

Coach Michael, Joe, Coach Paul

The MSU sports skill summer session began today. Joe is paired up with 2 coaches Michael and Paul to help him work on general skills including basketball, baseball and bowling.

Friends

Joe and Leah

Make Way for Ducklings

We are getting excited about our 4th of July trip to Boston! We will visit Plimoth Plantation, Old South Meeting House, Paul Revere's House and, or course, ride the swan boats at the public gardens.

Not Acceptable

"Not Acceptable" is a powerful and compelling 30 second television PSA which gives voice to a variety of diverse communities each of whom expresses that it is not acceptable to call them by what were once common words, but are now recognized as offensive slurs. It culminates in actress and self-advocate Lauren Potter from "Glee" stating that it is not acceptable to use the word 'retard' and she and "Glee" co-star Jane Lynch make a call to action to stop using the word and to promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to make their pledge online at http://r-word.org.

Sugar and Spice

Concert

Walking to the fifth grade concert.

Go Fish!

Let me be brave

"Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

Joe's class participated in mid-Michigan Special Olympics yesterday. Joe won ribbons in the long jump and the 50 meter dash. He is the kid with the blue Beatles shirt and the black cap.

Hippotherapy

Joe's teacher, Mrs. Olance, brought the class to C.H.U.M. for a riding session. Joe has been riding since he was 13 months (7 years!) and is scheduled to continue over the summer (as usual). Click here to see a slide show of Joe's class riding the horses.

Mother's Day

Calvin and Joe

Joe and Leah, another afternoon

Local young man directs the MSU marching band

Check out this inspirational video about how Barry Greer came to be one of the directors of the MSU marching band during the men's basketball games.

Click HERE

Joe is 8!

Happy Easter!

Joe's 8th birthday party

Joe had his 8th birthday party in his classroom yesterday. The kids played a quiz game with their teacher and then had cupcakes and sang "happy birthday" to Joe. Joe gave each friend a copy of the book "Pete the Cat" as a party favor. Then they read the book together and Joe sang and danced along with the book in the front of the class. In these photos you can also see the chicks that hatched this week in the classroom.

Happy Birthday, Chris!

Creative musician concert

Emma is on the far right with the crazy glasses. The kids dressed "creatively."

Emma's solo, "Midnight Wind."

Emma participated in an early morning creative musicians program this spring. This was a collaborative effort between the music teachers and a MSU student (as part of her field placement project). The 5th graders composed their own music and experimented with nontraditional forms of music expression. Last night they put on a concert at MSU. Emma surprised us by playing an original composition "Midnight Wind."

2011 Easter Photos

Our annual Easter photos taken at the MSU butterfly garden. I like to think of this activity as my annual fit thrown over spring outfits and pictures. Good times!

Joe and Leah