Pool Parties and No-Slumber Parties

The kids started their week hanging out in their couch fort.  Benson enjoyed this one as well.  He joined them inside for a while and when all three kids were in it, he stood (laid) guard.  They had an air conditioning system - a fan positioned to blow in from the top.  After playing with this fort, the kids gave themselves a challenge.  They could only stay in one room for the rest of the day (or until someone broke the pact).  Henry got the dining room and worked on his puzzle.  Josiah got the living room and rested in the fort.  Caroline got the breakfast room.  There was a common area that they were all allowed to enter - part of the kitchen for provisions.  They continuously argued over the border of the common area, so the challenge did not last long.  

Henry finished two puzzles this week.  As soon as he finishes, he takes a quick picture, and promptly destroys it to go on to the next.  

They did two couch forts this week as well.  The second was dubbed Shanty Town.  

School has continued on, mostly just math.  Caroline has decided she does not like improper fractions.  The staunchness of her stance was evident when it took her ten hours to do one math lesson.  She finally hunkered down at 8 p.m. one night and completed her work.  It was then that she noted, Oh, it's not as hard as I thought.  Yeah...I think that is what I was trying to tell you...

Despite her revelation the night before, the next morning she was still strongly opposed to improper fractions.  She threw out the classic, When will I ever need this?  And wouldn't you know it, we doubled our rice recipe for dinner that night using improper fractions.  3/4 cups + 3/4 cups = 6/4 = 1 1/2 cups.  

In his free time, Josiah worked on many stop motion videos using his Legos.  Most had a Star Wars theme with Yoda as the hero, however he did have a Star Wars meets The Beatles as well as Michael Jackson.  He does a really good job with them - he is very creative.  The amount of concentration it takes to film one is amazing.  He had one that was 576 frames which equaled a minute and a half playing time.  When he wasn't doing that, he was practicing his drums for a few Beatles concerts this week.  He attempted to sing and play the drums at the same time.  The best song this evening was when he sang Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band and his voice kept cracking.  John sounds a little different from his album.

The kids were able to do some night swimming at the neighbor's house early in the week.  At the end of the week, Josiah's class had a pool party.  Families were invited much to Josiah's chagrin.  He did not want his family to cramp his style.  But come we did.  It was a friend of a friend's house way out in the country.  The kids stayed in the water for nearly the entire 4 hours.  They came out only to enjoy the potluck and the ice cream bar.  

Caroline enjoyed the water chairs.

There were piggy back races.  Whenever Henry was on someone's back, he said he pushed them along to win.  Literally pushed them.  

Caroline had her second sleepover this weekend.  This was for a friend who lives even further out in the country than the pool party house.  When we arrived, three big dogs greeted us at our car.  Big outdoor country dogs.  It was a nervous introduction for Caroline.  Inside, however, they had three tiny dogs which she really enjoyed.  This family has cats and goats as well.  Lots of animals!  Caroline only knew the birthday girl at this party, so I was praying she would have fun with the others.  At 10:30 a.m. the next morning, I was standing over a sleeping Caroline trying to wake her up to come home.  She was not happy to see me.  I later learned it was because she didn't want to miss the birthday breakfast.  We also later learned that they had stayed up until 7:00 a.m.!  So, more party than slumber.  Cranky McCrankerton resided with us the rest of the day.    

It is really hard to believe that May is coming to an end.  May is usually our easy month, finishing up school, putting away the old and taking out the new, organizing, enjoying the calm.  That was not this May.  It was filled to the brim and I have a feeling the summer is going to feel much the same way.