May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 6

[lillygator]

love the pics Holly! He looks so excited!

 

[HollyTyler]

I will have to cut down on my casual things, but as I go through those quite quickly in the heat it looks like I will be spending plenty of time in the laundry!

Marilyn, I'll be doing laundry too! I'm a light packer, so I expect I'll do laundry twice.

 

[lillygator]

was the classroom filled with parents? I can't believe that will be me dropping off Samantha next year. Where does the time go?

 

[granmaz]

John will be in pirate costume as well. He just loves dressing up. I've got him stuff for 70's night as well.

70's night????!!!!


Holly, Tyler looks fab in his outfit and crocs, and that BIG bag!!! He is such a handsome young man - I love his smile.

 

[lillygator]

Marilyn, I'll be doing laundry too! I'm a light packer, so I expect I'll do laundry twice.

I'm no light packer by any means but will probably have to do laundry this trip.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

YEAAAAA TYLER...such a little man...looking so ready to become educated and I'm sure he'll make great friends, possibly for life and be a great student like his mom! Such a proud day Holly! Thank you so much for sharing, it makes me proud too to be a part of it!

 

[granmaz]

15 nights onboard is a long time. 2+ pairs of undies each a day and that is a lot of undies!!!

 

[HollyTyler]

was the classroom filled with parents? I can't believe that will be me dropping off Samantha next year. Where does the time go?

No, it wasn't filled with parents. He's actually afternoon kindergarten and in the morning goes to something called Kindergarten Activities Program (K.A.P.) in a different room, which is a free program for all students that basically just extends the day to full-day kindergarten. After K.A.P., that teacher escorts the kids to lunch, then after lunch, escorts the kids to their kindergarten room. Sort of confusing, but the teachers say the kids catch on to the routine by the end of the first week. The morning part isn't part of the required schooling, just is a convenience for parents who work all day or want their kids to have a full-day experience because they do still learn kindergarten stuff in the optional morning part. But if we oversleep or something, he's not marked absent if he doesn't go because of the mornings being optional. Strange, but very handy!

We were the only ones in his real kindergarten room because his teacher set up a private little tour for him because he missed orientation. She's very sweet and made him feel right at home!

 

[HollyTyler]

Holly, Tyler looks fab in his outfit and crocs, and that BIG bag!!! He is such a handsome young man - I love his smile.

Thanks! Yeah, he recently acquired that closed mouth, sort of sly smile. Cracks me up! And his camoflage crocs.....good grief! I have to buy the next larger size because I can't get him to wear anything else!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

15 nights onboard is a long time. 2+ pairs of undies each a day and that is a lot of undies!!!

Remember that at least half of the time you'll be wearing a bathing suit, even if it's under other clothing....maybe a cover up at the pool and hot tub and shorts or a sundress on an excursion....I never use all the undies I bring (I usually bring at least one per day plus and extra half dozen or so) and I always have new ones leftover when I get home. I bring a lot of bathing suits and wear them just about every day...then rinse them out when I take them off and put them on the terrace to dry.

 

[HollyTyler]

15 nights onboard is a long time. 2+ pairs of undies each a day and that is a lot of undies!!!

I think I'll be laughing at that comment all day!

 

[HollyTyler]

YEAAAAA TYLER...such a little man...looking so ready to become educated and I'm sure he'll make great friends, possibly for life and be a great student like his mom! Such a proud day Holly! Thank you so much for sharing, it makes me proud too to be a part of it!

Such a sweet comment! But I just love how kids are so eager to learn at that age. Little sponges! He told me he can't wait to meet his Spanish teacher. They do full immersion, starting in Kindergarten, so she says the kids don't realize she speaks English. I wish I could see the looks on the faces of some of those kids! Tyler will love it because he's always asking me how to say stuff in Spanish and just eats it all up.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

OK folks...I've got to tear myself away from DISing for a while...got to go get ready for the doctor appointment. cya later. chat alot, I want a lot to read when I get back!

 

[HollyTyler]

I guess I should clarify my full immersion Spanish comment. In Kindergarten, it's on 25 minutes a day with no English. Then it's gradually increased until by 8th grade, the kids have a full day, once a week, of Spanish with no English allowed.

 

[HollyTyler]

OK folks...I've got to tear myself away from DISing for a while...got to go get ready for the doctor appointment. cya later. chat alot, I want a lot to read when I get back!

I hope all goes well with the doc!

I'm out of here for a bit too. Have to go get a prescription refilled and then rush back home to wait for the water heater installers.

 

[granmaz]

No, it wasn't filled with parents. He's actually afternoon kindergarten and in the morning goes to something called Kindergarten Activities Program (K.A.P.) in a different room, which is a free program for all students that basically just extends the day to full-day kindergarten. After K.A.P., that teacher escorts the kids to lunch, then after lunch, escorts the kids to their kindergarten room. Sort of confusing, but the teachers say the kids catch on to the routine by the end of the first week. The morning part isn't part of the required schooling, just is a convenience for parents who work all day or want their kids to have a full-day experience because they do still learn kindergarten stuff in the optional morning part. But if we oversleep or something, he's not marked absent if he doesn't go because of the mornings being optional. Strange, but very handy!

We were the only ones in his real kindergarten room because his teacher set up a private little tour for him because he missed orientation. She's very sweet and made him feel right at home!

That is a really good system Holly.

How lovely of Tyler's teacher to give him a private tour. She is obviously very thoughtful.

Remember that at least half of the time you'll be wearing a bathing suit, even if it's under other clothing....maybe a cover up at the pool and hot tub and shorts or a sundress on an excursion....I never use all the undies I bring (I usually bring at least one per day plus and extra half dozen or so) and I always have new ones leftover when I get home. I bring a lot of bathing suits and wear them just about every day...then rinse them out when I take them off and put them on the terrace to dry.

Hanging bathing suits out is much more acceptable than all the undies!

OK folks...I've got to tear myself away from DISing for a while...got to go get ready for the doctor appointment. cya later. chat alot, I want a lot to read when I get back!

Hope all goes well Deb and you bring us good news.

I guess I should clarify my full immersion Spanish comment. In Kindergarten, it's on 25 minutes a day with no English. Then it's gradually increased until by 8th grade, the kids have a full day, once a week, of Spanish with no English allowed.

I was going to ask about this after the first post. Is Spanish a regular subject over there?

 

[lillygator]

that's pretty interesting K setup. Florida voted in a Pre-K program for 4 year olds which is a 1/2 day, morning or afternoon. Really geared towards kids who have not had any schooling or social interaction.
The K is a full day here but more like 8:30 to 2 or so. Samantha will have to be in before and after care I am sure. I think the YMCA sponsers it at the schools. I just want to get her into a school with uniforms, we had an awful time this morning getting dressed.

 

[lillygator]

I think Spanish is becoming more and more the language taught in schools. I took 5 years of French, when I really should have taken Spanish. Many of the toys and children's programming are incorporating Spanish into the shows. Samantha knows quite a bit of the everyday words and a lot of John's staff speaks almost only Spanish so he uses the words a lot around the house with her.

 

[HollyTyler]

I was going to ask about this after the first post. Is Spanish a regular subject over there?

It is, but schools keep teaching it earlier and earlier because it's such a prevalent language here. Even when I was in high school in the late 80s, it was pushed quite heavily. I took 4 years of Spanish in school and even a bit in college, but don't use it enough to do much with it. Quite a few pre-school tv shows have been created to teach kids Spanish too.

 

[HollyTyler]

that's pretty interesting K setup. Florida voted in a Pre-K program for 4 year olds which is a 1/2 day, morning or afternoon. Really geared towards kids who have not had any schooling or social interaction.
The K is a full day here but more like 8:30 to 2 or so. Samantha will have to be in before and after care I am sure. I think the YMCA sponsers it at the schools. I just want to get her into a school with uniforms, we had an awful time this morning getting dressed.

We have pre-k programs here, but it's not mandatory. I couldn't do one for Tyler because they're only about 2 1/2 hours every day and there's no way I could get him from there to his day care and get myself back to work easily. The program is great for stay-at-home moms though.

Schools with uniforms would be great! So much easier!