We had a Media-Free Monday. The kids definitely needed a break from it. For the most part it was great - they played board games, made-up games, they colored and read. Josiah even invented a board game. The object of the game was to draw a super hero as you went around the board. One space would say, "Draw a cape." or "Draw a big nose." It was based off of Captain Underpants. While the three kids made there way around the board, I got stuck in a cycle of "Go back two spaces." which lead me to "Draw a cape." My person ended up with a big nose, a face mask, and five capes. I was impressed that all the kids played the game so well. Josiah needs to use a ruler the next time he draws a game board, though, because the spaces for our Lego people to stand on got smaller and smaller as the game wound around.
The kids finally got their End of School Year gifts. I had bought them weeks ago, but the last day of school had been filled with lots of whining and complaining, so I had no desire to hand them out that day. Josiah got a big box of sidewalk chalk. Henry got a basketball. Actually two basketballs because I figured if we went to shoot hoops, I'd want one of my own to play with. Caroline got new-to-her roller blades which we had bought from a friend. Josiah's used his chalk quite a bit. He's drawn George, Harold, and Captain Underpants. If you've never seen the book, he did a pretty good job of their likenesses. He has some chalk drawing skills. They have all enjoyed Caroline's roller blades. We have to go out early in the morning while we still have shade on our driveway and they go the width of the driveway, back and forth, from grass to grass. They've gotten better as the week's gone on, but they also have quite a few skinned knees.
Todd took Henry out one night to get him a baseball glove so they could play catch together. Todd wrapped up a ball in the glove to help break it in. The intention was to keep it wrapped for a while, but the next morning, Henry was on a loop, "Is it broke? Is it broke? I think it's broke." All day long he was checking it and he was convinced that it was
broke. Todd and I have both spent some time tossing the ball. I always loved tossing the baseball with my dad in the backyard, so it's been an enjoyable thing. Although now I'm slightly paranoid about him hitting a window - ours or anyone else's.
Caroline earned her trophy from the summer reading program at the library. You need to read 20 books to get the trophy and we had read many more than that while we were in Virginia. The boys did not exactly congratulate her on the accomplishment. "She didn't read them. You read them to her."
Yes, just like I read to you when you were her age. It did motivate Henry though. He stepped up his game and read 15 books this week. He's divided them between Captain Underpants and Scholastic books about animals. Josiah's list is nearly all Captain Underpants. I'm not a fan of the potty humor. I just have to remind myself that I make him read "real" books as part of school.
It's been a
really hot week here. The kids have gone outside on a few occasions to play with water guns. When they first asked me if they could do water guns, they were holding these tiny, rinky dink water guns that would barely get your shirt wet with the spray. So, that was an easy
yes. When they came back inside, they were completely drenched. Someone had found a soaker gun from a birthday party they went to this past year. Another day they asked to do the water guns and I told them to fill up a Lowe's bucket with water so they didn't have to keep the hose on. When I went out to check on them, Josiah was sitting in the bucket. The hose did not get turned off either as they needed to constantly replenish the buckets...
Swim lessons started back up this week. The boys have totally stepped up their game since the last swim session. They weren't promoted to the next level last session due to endurance issues - they knew the strokes, but would tire out too quickly when they did swim. This time the boys are crushing the distance requirement. Josiah's got a pretty smooth freestyle. Henry's could best be described as "rustic." But it gets him across the pool. Their only complaint this week was that the water was too warm and they didn't like to swim in warm water. It was only when we went to our neighborhood pool that I truly understood what they meant by
warm. The water was quite warm. In fact it was a little gross how warm the water was - like you're swimming in bathwater with 20 of your closest neighbors. Not exactly the most refreshing. I'm praying for rain just to cool off the pool waters.
This week was Chick-fil-a's Cow Day where if you dress like a cow you get a free kid's meal/entree. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, Henry was embarrassed to wear the mask that he had made. But at the same time we had pulled in, another car pulled in right next to us. In it were parents and two teenagers who proudly wore their paper plate cow masks, which I pointed out to Henry. He put his on. As the kids have gotten older it is clear that Henry and Caroline are far more self-conscious than Josiah. I am appreciating his "I don't care what people think" mentality more and more.
Caroline has started to give me a very clear indication of where I stand with her. One day she wrote "I love you" on our weekly meal planner whiteboard. Then she got mad and the first thing she did was erase the "I love you." Now all I have to do is check the board to see if she's happy or mad with me.
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