Junior High Retreat

At the beginning of the week, when I was still staying isolated, Josiah was outside creating a fort with sticks and sheets.  Then he walked around the backyard with a brick hanging on the top of a stick, looking a bit like Thor.  Todd told him that he better not get injured because I had covid and couldn't take him to the ER.  Todd and I have a deal going.  I do all the kids' ER visits.  He does all the dog ER visits.  

Because we had to quarantine for so long, we missed CC again this week.  It was actually an off-week for Josiah, but his class still met to have a pizza and ice cream party and play games all day.  Josiah was pretty sad to miss it, so I let him pick out lunch (as long as it was a drive-thru).  He picked the favorite restaurant of all American children.  The Golden Arches.  

He also spent time decorating his walls with new Super Mario Bros decals.  

On Friday, we tested Josiah for covid.  His results came back negative, which wasn't too surprising.  We had to verify his status because he was scheduled to go on a junior high retreat with our church this weekend.  Todd dropped him off Friday evening.  They drove in vans to the camp.  We had an itinerary of what he was doing each day - there were many late nights and early mornings.  The theme was to grow in their relationship with God.  They also had fun and games planned.  Saturday night they were scheduled to eat Smores at 10:00 p.m.!  Then they were up at 7:30 each morning.  

On Sunday, when Josiah came home from the retreat, we listened to his retelling of his days.  He spoke the most about what they ate.  After hearing about "syrup on every table" for breakfast, I asked him if he had brushed his teeth while he was there.  

Josiah, with a bit of teenage attitude - What??!!  I haven't unpacked yet.  

Me - Did you brush your teeth at all?  

J - I said I didn't unpack yet.  

M - So, that would be a 'no.'  Did you shower?  

J - I showered five times.  

In 2 days?  

He showered upon waking, before going to bed at night, and, apparently, once more mid-day.  Yet he didn't quite get the toothbrush out of his bag.  After the retreat picture:

While Josiah was gone, Todd took Henry and Caroline to a sushi restaurant.  It was the one that had the conveyer belt of sushi rotating around.  When you saw what you wanted, you had to open the door to get it off the belt.  Caroline had never been and she was really excited to be there.  Each plate was about $3, which didn't seem too bad.  The three of them ate 17 plates.  It was worth it though, because after they polished off their 15th plate, they got a prize - a free keychain.  Henry thought they should trick the plate counter into thinking they ate more than they did so they could collect all the keychains.  Thankfully, Todd schooled him about the fallacy of that logic.  Henry did try octopus this visit.  When asked how it tasted he said, "Chewy."  

Octopus

$50 keychain

We had family game nights this weekend.  We played Sorry on Friday and Pictionary on Saturday.  Henry and Caroline played hair salon with my hair.  

Henry slept on Caroline's floor while Josiah was at his retreat.  Benson kept guard.

This week the kids have taught Benson all sorts of bad habits.  The boys were letting him jump on their beds.  They've let him jump up on a trunk in our playroom so he can look out the window.  I think they regretted that one, because he's not supposed to be in the playroom.  For a few days, Benson kept venturing back in the playroom.  We could hear the door squeak open.  He'd be in there for a minute and then run downstairs.  The running let us know that he had found something to chew on.  

They also got Benson to go under Caroline's bed.  She's been vehemently opposed to having him in her room, so we'll see how this plays out if he thinks her room is free game now.  He'd crawl under the bed, but he didn't like to be there alone.  He'd bark until Caroline or Henry would crawl under with him.  

We finally have a normal week coming up.  Henry tested negative for covid, too, so we can resume all our regularly scheduled programming.  I need to test Caroline to have an official result, but we keep forgetting to do it.  It is hard to believe we are already at the end of October.  

Lastly, a meme that makes me laugh every time I read it.