Last Week of Summer

Caroline had a good start to the week.  After 144 classes, she finally earned her solid grey belt.  New belts include flips by Professor Mike.  Since they take so long to earn, she got to pick out a slightly better treat.  The Bubble Waffle Shoppe was chosen and she enjoyed a Smore's waffle cone.  The boys were happy to celebrate with her.

The next class Caroline attended, the women's coach watched her spar and invited her to the women's competition class.  Caroline seemed keen to try it, but when the time came, she said she wanted to be better at jiu-jitsu before she went to the class.  I told her that was what the class was for - to increase her skills.  Maybe someday she'll try it.  It's a mixed class of kids and adults, but, obviously, all women.  

Later in the week, Henry went to the no gi class (just street clothes) and a different coach said he needed to move up to the adult class.  Although it was a compliment to his skill, we did ask if there were any kids his size in the adult class.  There are a few and the other adults could work with him.  He may check it out this week to see if it is feasible.  It would give him better training and there would be less inclination to chat with his neighbor, especially if that neighbor was a grown man.  

Mid-week we went bowling.  Todd joined us because he was dealing with pink eye (but 24 hours on eye drops, so not contagious).  We just watched the kids play anyway, but it looked fun, so we'll probably join them next time.  We used our Kids Bowl Free coupons so we only had to pay for shoe rental.  The man at the desk was extra helpful getting our lane ready - he inputted each of the kids names so when we got to our lane, it was ready to go.  Seeing the size of our kids, however, he did not anticipate that one kid was not keen on bowling without bumpers.  After two bowls, said child had their brother go up and ask for bumpers to be added under her name.  Once her score started going in the right direction, she was happy again.  Josiah was there for the game and played no matter his score.  Henry tends to express his frustrations with everyone until his score goes in the right direction.  He was also quick to remind us that Caroline's score was higher because she had bumpers.  Yes, dear, we know.  

Josiah

Henry

The heat is always a constant.  The foundation needed to be watered, so the kids enjoyed the watering with Benson.  

At their Bible study later in the week, the boys played sardine hide and seek.  Once you find somebody, you squeeze in and hide with them until eventually everyone is squeezed in and one person is left seeking.  They are also going through the book of 1 John.  A little Bible, a little fun and games.  They have really enjoyed their time.  The following morning, the boys went to their first disc golf game with the same youth pastor.  All the kids were at or around Josiah & Henry's ages.  Our boys could only play half the game because Josiah had Latin class, but they had fun nonetheless.  They came back to the car dripping in sweat and ready to try it again.  

And Latin started back up again.  The summer is really over.  Henry's Latin class starts early next week.  Then CC starts towards the end of the week.  They have to come to class with everything completed, so Monday is Day 1 of school.  9th and 7th grades here we come!  Ready or not...

We did close out the summer enjoying National Chicken Finger Day.  We couldn't let that pass by knowing Josiah's love of chicken fingers.  We ate the classic Cane's.  

This weekend, Todd and I were driving home from a store and passed some cowboys on horses.  Just riding along the same road as us.  Not the first time we've seen that in Texas.  (The other cowboy's horse ran up the grassy hill on the left, eager to get to the McDonald's on the other side.)

Besides the yardwork and cleaning the cars, Todd got Caroline's new blinds installed this weekend.  Hers had been broken for some time, but they were zip-tied in a position that provided a good 90% coverage.  She is now enjoying being able to open and close them, as well as their full coverage.  

And we have skunks in the neighborhood.  We've always had skunks, but now we have baby skunks.  Early this week, Todd took Benson out for his morning ritual and he immediately tensed up and started barking.  Across the street was a baby skunk.  They walked to the side of our house to avoid said skunk, and found another baby skunk.  They've been around all week, so now, when Todd takes him out, he has to look out for both babies.  Who knows where the mother is as well.  Sundays are my day to get Benson in the morning.  5:00 a.m. we went out and immediately spotted the skunk in the driveway across the street.  Benson just stood and stared.  I wasn't about to stand and stare at a skunk all morning, so I kept encouraging Benson to find a spot and do his business.  Find a spot.  FIND A SPOT!  Find. A. Spot.  The skunk did not help at all.  It just skittered all over the neighbor's yard, crossed the street and skittered all over three different yards all within perfect visibility of our front yard and Benson's curious eyes.  Just walking around at it's own baby skunk pace with no cares given.  I never spotted the second one either, so I was just as alert, scanning the yards.  

We're praying for a good school year, for diligence, focus, responsibility, self-discipline, and a desire to do one's best.  I've had many conversations with Josiah that it all counts now.  It's high school.  We watched the clip from the Cosby Show when Theo told Cliff he didn't want to go to college.  He wanted to be a 'regular person.'  Then Cliff game him Monopoly money and proceeded to incrementally take it all back for rent, food, car, etc.  After we watched it, Josiah said he still wanted to be a regular person.  Even regular people need to have a high school education, especially ones who like to eat out as much as Josiah does.  Here we go!

Arthur Murray & Typhoon Texas

The boys started their week attending their CC Challenge Orientations.  Henry's was more of an introduction to the challenge years, what to expect, etc.  Josiah's was filled with kids who are going into their third year, so it was a bit more relaxed.  They did go over all the projects for the year.  Josiah's reading schedule is quite intense.  He has a book a week for the better part of both semesters.  The focus is American Literature.  To keep the theme consistent, he's also doing American Government and Economics.  I think my most favorite project of the year is second semester - they have to do a cost-of-living analysis.  How far does your dollar go?

The next evening, the kids attended dancing lessons.  One of the moms in our homeschool group started taking Arthur Murray dancing lessons with her husband.  She set up a one-time class for our group with the idea of starting a homeschool group if there was interest.  Caroline was very excited to go.  I thought Josiah would be interested, but when I asked him, he said he already knew how to dance.  Even still, I signed him up.  Henry was a firm no until he went to his orientation and discovered who had signed up for the class.  Then, he was all-in.  In fact, he was the first one ready.  They learned bits of different dances - two-step, swing, and salsa.   They were lined up, danced for a minute, then rotated partners.  The instructors were very good at explaining what to do.

It was much harder than they expected, but they put in a good effort.  We talked about it the whole drive home.  Caroline thought it was going to be dancing without a partner.  That would have been her preference.  One child said they were glad it wasn't 'hip dancing.'  I asked, "Do you mean hip hop dancing?"  No.  Hip dancing - where you have to put your hands on their hips.  Henry can be a bit of a germophobe, so he had to go wash his hands afterwards - too many hands were touched.  Josiah thought it was merely okay.  

The day after dance, we headed to a water park, Typhoon Texas, with Josiah's Challenge 1 group.  Siblings were invited.  Since we found a shaded table by the wave pool, that's where the kids started out.  The wave pool was more pool than wave, so they quickly moved on to the Snake Pit - the slides behind them in the picture.  Then I didn't see them for a good 90 minutes.  They traveled together to the bigger slides.  Hungry bellies were what finally brought them back to our table.  Shockingly, Josiah ordered chicken fingers.  He was pleased by the quality of chicken.  Caroline, too, enjoyed the chicken, while Henry opted for a cheeseburger.  Soon after the food was eaten, Henry said he felt sick.  It was likely due to too much sun and dehydration.  He, however, blamed it on the American cheese on his burger.  I have taught him that American cheese is fake cheese, so Henry said it was because he ate the plastic cheese.  He hung around the table for well over an hour while the big kids went to more slides. 

Meanwhile, Caroline went with a friend to the lazy river and they checked out the little kid area.  It took Henry a while to recuperate.  He really wanted to go home, but we paid good money for the tickets, so he just hung out in the shade.  For the remaining three hours, he only stepped in the lazy river.  He and I did it together and it was pretty fun because it had a faster-than-expected current.  The big kids disappeared for the entire afternoon.  Caroline was hoping to do the drop slide with them, but she had to settle for me.  We walked the four flights up and then I walked back down to be her videographer.  She said she got nervous and let a few people go in front of her.  I was trying to keep track of her from a distance, so I was happy I captured her slide.  Once she got off, she got right back in line again.  On our way back to our table, she tried the one slide she hadn't tried earlier in the Snake Pit.  After a long six hours at the park, we finally went home.  Josiah and Caroline were fans of the park.  Henry gave it a, Meh... He wants to go back to Great Wolf Lodge because it is indoors and no suntan lotion required.  They were beat by the time we made it back home.  Showers, food, and bed were the name of the game.  

The next morning the boys had their Bible study.  Afterwards, Josiah spoke with the leader, Chris, and came back to the car saying he had set up an interview.  He wants to volunteer to be a Core Group Leader on Sunday mornings in the fall.  Basically they are table leaders who facilitate the discussion and keep it on topic.  So, that afternoon, Josiah went in for his first interview.  He originally came downstairs dressed in his Beatles shirt.  And then he was sent back upstairs.  Chris was the leader doing the interview and Josiah has been friends with him since joining the KSM in 6th grade, so there was a familiarity from the start.  Although, he was still nervous not knowing what would be asked.  He was up there for about half an hour and came back with an application.  He said all went well, but had a hard time remembering specific questions that were asked.  

Henry and I finished the week attending Day 2 of our Latin Workshop.  They had Around the World with Latin vocabulary and Henry made it back to his seat first, so he won.  He was given a post-it note trophy which he cherished immensely.  It was a very helpful workshop, but long.  Six hours of Latin.  Henry had mentally checked out by lunch. 

Henry was up early Saturday morning, so he joined us on our trip to get mulch.  He's a good helper and wanted to do all the heavy lifting.  Our new shrubs appreciate the shield from the heat.  

It could be said that the Norman Rockwell moments have been on the decline now that the kids are tweens and teens, but walking downstairs and seeing Caroline reading made my heart happy.  Just a perfect summer picture.  

We are ten days out from the start of school.  It's getting very real!

Water Fun

Josiah started his week out at the orthodontist.  He has received his final upper wire and it was reiterated again that he's still at the finish line.  It'll be three years of braces in September.  This has been the longest finish line known to man.  Henry is next in line for braces.  He has been resistant to them up until a few weeks ago.  Now he wants them on in case it takes him three years to reach his finish line.

Henry had fun mid-week with his MARCH friends from church.  This is a group of 5 guys whose first initials spell out MARCH.  The plan was to go bowling.  They lucked out because they had to kill a little time until the 5th friend arrived, so they got to play in the arcade.  Bowling was quite interesting with five 12-year old boys.  They played two games.  They started out normally - throwing the ball down the lane.  Then they decided to see how slowly they could roll the ball while still getting it all the way down the lane.  Sometimes they laid on their stomachs at the foot fault line and pushed it ever so gently with their hands.  (They had the bumpers up, so the gutter wasn't a problem.)  Needless to say, their games lasted quite a while because of that.  At least once it got stuck midway down, but that only elicited cheers. 

After bowling, they got to play one game of laser tag before we all had to go.  It was fun to see Henry with his friends.  They really enjoyed hanging out!      

Henry has also decided he wants to purchase a Lego kit.  Said kit is $350 dollars so he needs to earn some bank.  Do I have the job for you!  Henry and I have different techniques when mowing.  Whenever I mow the backyard, I am gingerly putting my foot down with each step, looking for Benson's business.  Not Henry.  He didn't look once and walked as if there wasn't anything but grass beneath his feet.  

After the grass was cut, we headed to the pool.  Josiah didn't want to join us this time.  

Later that same day, Henry and Caroline went to their neighbor friend's pool.  They are wearing balls that have been cut open and made into hats.  

The boys spent the night at this same friend's house this weekend.  I gave them one rule - please do not stay up until two or three in the morning.  And when did they go to bed?  2:30 a.m.  Todd had to deal with the grumpy crankiness the next day, because I had an orientation all day.  Caroline was mad the boys always get to spend the night, so she and I stayed up late and watched Nanny McPhee.  

Henry and I attended Part 1 of a Latin Workshop.  He starts Latin this year, so this was designed to teach him good study skills.  Some of the kids helping with the workshop were Josiah's classmates so I got a glimpse into how they complete their work.  And later, Josiah and I had a conversation about changing up his study habits!    

Mid-week we got an Amber Alert style notification on our phone with two words.  'Gas Leak.'  Nothing else.  No information as to where it was.  Nothing.  So, one child, who shall remain nameless, decided to flick on our lighter to light our gas stove to see if we had the leak.  Do you want to meet Jesus?  Because that's how you do it in a gas leak situation.  A bit later we were given more information as to the location of the gas leak.  We were safe.  Clearly.  

This summer, we've been working on a diamond art project.  We have to place tiny beads on the sticky background.  It's like color by number, but with beads.  All the kids have helped with it.  It's like doing a puzzle - a time to zone out on everything else and just have fun with it.  

The weather is just so hot.  There is no rain in sight, so we have to break out the sprinklers to keep the ground from cracking horribly.  Benson is a fan and it is hilarious to watch him play with the sprinkler.  

Benson is always being photographed by Caroline.

This week coming up is filled with more orientations and workshops, plus a few fun activities with friends.  That and lots of school reading on my part!

Mission Houston

The boys had a quick turn around from last week's vacation.  They headed out on their mission trip Monday morning.  When we dropped them off at church, Henry quickly found his group of friends from his LifeGroup and they were eagerly seeing who was rooming together and which van they were assigned to.  He was pretty happy to learn they were all on the same van/team.  They roomed in the University of Houston dorms.  It was four kids to a suite, within each suite was two bedrooms.  Henry was a little horrified to learn the suite only had one toilet and one shower, but that's college baby.  We were so happy to learn the boys had both good roommates and suitemates.  None of the crazy shenanigans that happened last year.  It was pretty quiet all week because they did not have their phones on them.  On Thursday, one of the leaders texted me a picture of Josiah.  I appreciated the proof of life shot!

Caroline had a good week at home as an only child.  Todd was off for the 4th of July, so the two of them went out for lunch and then they looked around At Home.  It is good they have each other because they both like to browse.  I'm a bit more of a get-what-I-need-and-get-out kind of shopper.  Caroline found many things she liked.  She's a big fan of signs and full-length mirrors.    

During the remainder of the week, she spent many hours on the phone with her friends.  She broke out the TSA-inspected sand.  She wanted us to try the blind drawing game.  She had a piece of paper on my back.  She would draw lines and I would have to interpret what I felt and draw it on my own paper.  It was a lot harder than I thought and nothing came out even remotely similar.  We did learn you had to press hard, because sometimes I could hear the marker moving, but didn't feel it.  

The boys came back Thursday evening.  

Henry opened his mouth to say hello and he was as hoarse as could be.  We asked him what happened and he said he yelled in the van, yelled in the dorms, he was just yelling all the time.  Then he backed it up, It was good yelling.  God bless that van driver!  Henry's group of 6th grade boys spent part of every day at Mission Centers of Houston.  One aspect of their mission is food assistance.  They had to sort the food that came in - throw away expired food, and then stick the remaining items on a conveyer belt.  The good food got sorted.  Another section boxed up food to be distributed.  Then the food was distributed there at the facility.  Henry was the "recycler" one of the days.  At first he didn't think it was a good job and went to see what the other kids were doing, but soon realized his job wasn't too shabby and kept at it.  

Another day, the Mission Centers of Houston hosted senior citizens.  The kids were assigned different snacks/beverages to hand out.  Henry and two other boys were the coffee servers.  They had to fill the mugs to a specific height, and then they had to deal with the sugar.  It came in a myriad of different choices - yellow and pink, blue and white.  Henry, Why?  Just why?  

One day he helped out with the VBS.  Our church has partnered with another church in the 4th Ward and groups have gone every summer to help with VBS.  Henry said that they played Sharks and Minnows with the kids, seaweed version.  The Sharks tag the Minnows.  If you're tagged, you have to sit down, but you can use your arms (seaweed) and get people out.  Henry relayed that he could have totally knocked a kid over, but he was being nice "for the kids."  

Meals were served at the University of Houston dining hall.  Our boys opinions on the food were quite different.  Henry was not as positive about his reviews, except for one night.  He got Spanish rice and Beef Stroganoff.  Apparently this odd combination was quite good.  He made sure to say that he took the warm vegetables that they served.    

Overall, Henry had a very good time.  It was a great experience.  

Josiah's mission trip went equally as well, but he did different things than Henry.  Josiah was assigned to do VBS all week with Pastor Elmo from the church in the 4th Ward.  Josiah said all the helpers (8th graders) piled into a van with Pastor Elmo, who then drove around the neighborhood honking his horn and yelling, "Fun, Fun, Fun for all the kids!  Vacation Bible School!  Vacation Bible School!"  Josiah said he was trying so hard not to laugh.  For the first day they just had a few kids show up, but by the end of the week they had 25-30 kids there.  As part of the VBS, a few kids volunteered to teach the Bible story each day. Josiah volunteered for the last day.  The story he was given was about Paul and Silas in jail.  (Acts 16:22-31)  Basically, Paul and Silas were stripped and beaten.  They were thrown into prison and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  So they were put in the inner cell and their feet put in stocks.  At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing while the other prisoners were listening to them.  A violent earthquake struck and the prison was shaken.  The doors flew open, the chains were loosed.  The (Roman) jailer woke up and saw the chains and doors and knew it was his life if any of them escaped.  He was about to fall on his sword before Paul spoke up that all the prisoners were still there.  The jailer was relieved and asked, "What must I do to be saved?"  They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household."  

Josiah said he preached when he got up in front of the kids.  He said he told the story and would ask the kids questions along the way.  Other adults have since told us that Josiah gave a lot of details and did a really good job.  Afterwards, Pastor Elmo asked the kids if any of them wanted to be saved, to follow Jesus, and twelve kids came forward.  Josiah was elated.  It was awesome!  Pastor Elmo spoke to Josiah and said he was living up to his name.  Josiah means Fire of the Lord.  So, Josiah's experience ended quite well.

And in keeping with events last year, Josiah did make it to the Food Bank.  He helped out in the mornings before VBS.  He went right back to his old job of sorting oranges.  They had a rule that if you threw a moldy orange into the trash can and missed, you had to run a lap around the facility (inside).  Josiah had a friend who got quite the workout.  (Our proof of life picture.)

As for the food, Josiah was a fan of U of H.  Staying consistent, he had chicken fingers every night and a "light salad."  He never said a salad, always a light salad.  Caroline asked him if that meant two leaves of lettuce.  Josiah corrected her.  No. It was more like four or five.  

The boys had a one day break and then partied all weekend.  On Saturday, all three kids went to a birthday party at a miniature golf place.  It was fancier than most - people actually brought their own clubs to play.  There was a restaurant in it, so they enjoyed burgers and chicken fingers.  

On Sunday, Josiah jetted out to a pool party.  The VBS crew from the mission trip forged a friendship and had a pool party at one girl's house.  When Josiah got home this evening, they were already planning their next event - a movie theater get-together.  Josiah has also commissioned himself to draw three more portraits.  He brought a finished portrait to the pool party and three more ladies requested theirs be drawn as well.  

Benson's week went well as he got a new rope toy.  We only break it out every now and then so it keeps his interest.  

We are now three weeks away from the start of CC so there is going to be a lot of prepping this coming week.  It is all coming too soon!