READING UNDER THE STARS

Jia has her monkey wallet with money from Nona and Grandpa
she is going to hit the book fair

Jia found many things with Anna's help at the book fair

Dad and Jia checking in for the box lunches

Jia and Mom "rock on"

Parker's competition: Devin

The Reading Girls

Checking on Katie

Anna doing some homework
Drew's idea of reading

Mom's favorite thing-READING!

Jia finishing her Deli Dinner

Sweet picture: Anna reading to her little sister

Jia's school sponsored "Reading Under the Stars" the other night. They have done this since Katie and Anna were in elementary school. It is a really neat idea. You sign up for box lunches from a fantastic local deli, go to the book fair, and then everyone goes out to the blacktop, sits on blankets and have a box lunch while you are reading to your child.

Katie decided to sit this one out, but the rest of the family went and a good time was had by all!

Katie's Awesome Project!!!

KATIE IS THE CHILD YOU SEE THE LEAST IN THIS BLOG. SHE IS SHY AND HATES TO BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. BUT IF YOU KNOW KATIE YOU KNOW SHE IS AN AWESOME PERSON WHO ALWAYS PUTS OTHERS BEFORE HERSELF. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS WHAT I AM WRITING ABOUT TONIGHT.

KATIE GOT AN EMAIL FROM DOSOMETHING.ORG WHICH IS A WEBSITE FOR TEEN VOLUNTEERS. SHE FOUND A PROJECT SPONSORED BY AEROPOSTALE STORES. IT IS CALLED TEENS FOR JEANS. IT IS A NATIONAL COMPETITION AMONG TEENAGERS IN THEIR SCHOOLS TO COLLECT THE MOST JEANS FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE.

KATIE THOUGHT THIS WAS A WORTHWHILE PROJECT AND WENT TO HER NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY SPONSOR TO GET PERMISSION TO DO THIS AT SCHOOL.

WHEN SHE WAS APPROVED KATIE MADE BEAUTIFUL SIGNS, WENT TO THE JANITORS FOR COLLECTION BOXES, WHICH SHE THEN DECORATED, HAD ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE AT SCHOOL AND DID PICKUPS EVERYDAY. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A HONOR SOCIETY PROJECT, KATIE RAN THIS PROJECT 99% BY HERSELF, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM ANNA AND THEIR FRIEND YUNSOO.

KATIE WAS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO GET 100 PAIRS OF JEANS---WHEN HER DRIVE WAS OVER SHE HAD COLLECTED 408 PAIRS OF JEANS!!!!!!!!!!KATIE WAS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED, AS WERE HER PROUD MOM AND DAD.

KATIE LIKES TO STAY IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT SHE WAS GLOWING ABOUT THIS PROJECT. I KEPT ASKING HER TO POST ON THIS BLOG, BUT SHE DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TELLING ABOUT HERSELF.

WHILE I AM WRITING ABOUT HOW PROUD WE ARE OF KATIE, LET ME ADD THAT SHE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THESE OTHER PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS: INVISIBLE CHILDREN, THE ASIAN AMERICAN CLUB, STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD (ONLY TWO STUDENTS WERE CHOSEN) AND IS JOINING AN INTERNATIONAL PEN PAL CLUB THAT HER FRIEND RABIA JUST STARTED.

KATIE IS ALSO CONTEMPLATING DUAL ENROLLMENT NEXT YEAR. IF SHE DOES THIS SHE WILL ATTEND SOME OF HER CLASSES AT SCHOOL AND OTHERS AT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR FREE. SHE IS STILL PERSUADING DREW AND I ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT HER TO MISS OUT ON ANY OF HER SENIOR YEAR ACTIVITIES. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT LATER.....

SOOOOO, HUGE AMOUNTS OF LOVE AND PRIDE TO KATIE! IF SHE WEREN'T MY CHILD I WOULD HOPE SHE WOULD BE MY FRIEND.

Jia's Valentines Breakfast

Nervous-Getting ready to sing

Funny faces with Daddy

Mommy and Jia

Great Picture of Daddy and Jia

Jia's teacher-Mrs. Zelonka
She loves Jia and works very hard with her

This was the only picture I could get from my spot of Jia in the back row

Jia's school had a first grade Valentines Breakfast. It was very cute and she was excited. They all sang a song called "Love in Many Languages" and used sign language.There was also a slide show that showed each child with their parents. They wrote letters to their parents about their favorite family activities. Jia wrote about the present exchange game on Christmas night...lol. We didn't have much luck with pictures, for some reason, Jia accidentally got stuck in the back row and she is such a little one we couldn't get a picture. Usually I am pretty aggressive, but the Mommy picture brigade was tough for this one. Next up on Jia's busy agenda: Reading Under the Stars night" A local deli caters the food and the whole family comes and reads together.

As for the big girls, Katie is so busy but she promises me she will blog about her Jeans Project. We are so proud of her.

Katie is in the Asian American Club at school and on Friday night the whole family will be going to their show. Katie is not in the show, but the girls best friend, Yun Soo will be singing.
Busy week!

Back To School

Tonight the whole family went to a meeting at Anna and Katie's school. The top 20% were invited, and I am so blessed that our girls are actually top 10%. I was really looking forward to the meeting, which discussed grants, loans and scholarship options. I have to be honest and admit that I was having a panic attack by the time we left. So much stuff! The statistics on University of Florida (where Anna has her heart set on going) were horrifying, can't remember the numbers right now, but it is even more competitive than I thought. I was totally overwhelmed, as usual, everyone else took it in stride...

Pretty In Pink

Get Well Soon Grandpa
We Love You!

Jia is wearing the pink hat that she chose all by herself. She bought it with some of the money that Nona and Grandpa gave her for Valentines Day, the rest is tucked safely in her purse. She felt very grown up, she paid all by herself and then carefully put her change in her wallet.

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

A HAPPY YEAR OF THE RABBIT, FILLED WITH PEACE AND TRANQUILITY. FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS.

Today Drew taught Jia's class. I bought lanterns, children's fortune cookies, red envelopes with chocolate money, and coloring pages.

Last night Anna and I made Drew a power point that included pictures and a script so he was good to go. Unfortunately we don't have any pictures, but the kids were cute and Jia was so happy that she got to help pass everything out.

I thank Drew so much for picking up this project in the end and keeping me out of school...with the induction last night that would have been two school days in a row...

Please don't forget to check Anna and Katie's National Honor Society Induction right below this.

Our Girls

The Parnham Family NHS Induction 2011

Stage in the Library

Daddy and his "G"

Anna Accepting her certificate

Katie accepting her certificate

Our Girls

Anna's Certificate of Induction

Katie's Certificate of Induction

Anna and Katie with their Best friend Yunsoo

All of the Parnham Women

Katrina and Anna

Rabia, Katrina and Anna

Anna, Olivia (friend since 7th grade), Yunsoo, Katie

The Parnham Girls

Tonight Katie and Anna were inducted into the Flanagan High School Honor Society. They have been going to meetings since November but tonight was the formal ceremony. Katie is already the Chairperson of a huge project that the Honor Society is sponsoring and it was her idea. I am going to let her post about that herself. Thought you might enjoy these pictures of the evening's festivities.