The Anderson's Blog

I’m trying to update flickr photo’s with all the photo’s I can find of Bailey.  If you have some more, please send them to me!  Check out all the cool flicks!  Click on the MORE PHOTOs on the right hand side of the screen.

We had the best valentine’s day. 

We woke up that morning giving Bailey a valentine’s day gift – a new shirt & a Dr. Seuss book for getting her 2nd grade word list.  The Dr. Seuss book was a collection of several books.  It had over 300 pages in it.

Then, we went to class and picked Bailey up from Grandma & Grandpa Knutson’s.  She and Grandpa Rick went there after her basketball game.  Then, we went and watched BCU girls basketball game.  Came home, took down Christmas Decorations.  Had a “valentine’s day party” put on by Bailey.  Then played a few games of wii.

Bailey went to bed and Jason and I curled up on the couch and watched a movie.  Great Valentine’s Day as a family.

This week at our class, we were informed that Woodbury County has no available homes for foster kids starting this week.  This really tugs hard at me becasue there’s 20 of us (approximately 10 homes) in this 10 week class axiously waiting to get our licensed.  Jason and I started this whole process back in September and really wish we would have gotten into the October class.  But, I must believe that things happen for a reason and there is a reason why we were our background checks came in 2 days too late for that class.

My sister’s father-in-law passed away suddenly this past weekend.  No one was ready or knew where anything was.  So, just so everyone knows, we have a safe deposit box and most of the information is in our 2 filing cabinets in our bedroom.

Bailey was the first person in her class to move up to the 2nd grade word list.  She plans to have it mastered by the end of the week.  We’ll see.

Last night was our first home visit with Betty, who is licensing us to become foster parents.  She came over around 6:30 and stayed till a little after 8:00.  She spent a lot of time discussing foster parenting with Bailey.  They went through different scenario’s and how it would make her feel.  About 6 months ago, she fostered a pig and had to give it back to her Aunt Laura’s family.  This really helped her to see how it will be to say goodbye to her “friend” / “Foster sister”.  Other things we talked to her about is that they may not go to her school, which really dissappoints Bailey.  Also, that she will need to ask those coming to live with us if she should call them a friend or a foster sister. 

Betty looked at the room that she will be staying in and says that we could take up to 3 kids, but we are thinking 2 at the most at any one time.  The more I thought about it, our vehicles can only hold 5 people.  Now, we need to work on a floor plan of our home that shows the dimensions of each room, where the doors are located and windows located.  We need to take some interior pictures of our home for the foster children to see and more paperwork :)!

Here’s a funny story that all of you knowing Jason would laugh about….  Last week in class we were talking about the needs of humans.  Everyone was saying Food, Water, Air.  Jason whispered to me sex.  I told him it must not be the case since he’s still alive.  But, then the 2 trainers said that the class forgot sex since it’s needed to continue on the human race.  He then said, “See, I was right”.  So, Jason is the definately the smart one.

Tomorrow is Bailey’s 100th day of school.  Lincoln Elementary makes a HUGE deal of it.  She had to bring 100 of the same items (we counted paper clips).  Also, since she is on Student Council, she gets to have a pizza party for lunch.  Everyday this week she has come home with a sticker everyday like the one today “1 day till 100th day”.  This is picture of her 1st day of school.

Bailey is selling Girl Scout Cookies.  They will be delivered in March and cost $3.50 per box.

Here’s the choices

• Caramel deLites
• Peanut Butter Patties
• Shortbread
• Thin Mints
• Peanut Butter Sandwich
• Thanks-A-Lot
• Lemonades
• Reduced Fat Daisy Go Rounds

Call Bailey to order yours today!

So, who said TV wasn’t educational?  On a Disney Channel show tonight, Bailey learned a brain teaser that stumped Jason and I…

“Today is Friday and our uncle came to stay with us for 3 days and he is leaving on Friday.  How can he do that?”

We were stumped that she knew the answer and we didn’t.  Turns out the he was leaving in 3 days on his horse named Friday.

We got Bailey’s report card for the 2nd 9 weeks of school today, and we were VERY pleased.  They guage children’s reading levels from A (Beginning) to U (Expert).  The expect a Kindergartener at this level to be at a B, and Bailey is at a C level.  She has a 101+ on her Reading Progress Rubic for 2nd Quarter (101 is the top score).  She had +’s in every category other than writing her name.  She needs to work on her Y’s still.  Her teacher said “Bailey has shown growth in all academic areas this nine weeks.  She should continue to practive retelling skills.  Bailey should also practice sounding out words and writing short sentences.

She had 3 hand written notes from the Principal, Dr. Banks.  “Terrific Grades”, “Excellent Attendance!” and “Good school behavior”.

Thank you Bailey!  Because of her good grades, our family went out for supper to Taco Johns!