Reading

 I love that he has started reading on his own finally. Both of my kids just didn't want to, until they were ready... and now he is!!! love it!!! lying in bed at night, a good book..... yay!!!

Emmett's party

All he has wanted is laser tag. He has been planning this birthday party for... oh, about 10 months.... he has held steadfast for laser tag ever since he went with a friend to play it.

So, we sucked it up and bought into it for him. I must say, it was a fabulously fun party!! The kids got to play three rounds. The grown-ups went in and were on a team for each round. the moms all were on a team together for round 2. We had sooo much fun!
the kids all had a blast, and we walked away trying to figure out if we should be opening a laser tag place near us, since there isn't one nearby! I am thinking we don't although I am also hoping that someone else does!

mom to boys

why is it they can't just smile for a photo? they seem to need to be gross too. I had to take about 15 photos to get one of them smiling!

Glad I am a "boy mom" though... not sure if I'd be as good a "girl mom". I can handle all of their 'boy-ness' and things they do better than I think I would deal with girls being catty, and also glad our house isn't overrun with dolls and stuff. Doesn't really matter though. I am a mom to two boys. It is what it is, and I like it... most of the time. :)

best friends

I am sad that Emmett will not be going back to his school next year. His best friend of the last three years will be sad too, but he doesn't know yet. His mom doesn't want to tell him yet, as she knows he will be devastated. They have been best friends for the last three years, and in their short lives, that is half of their time here, and most of their memories.

Emmett knows he will be going to the public school nearby, but I don't think it has occurred to him the impact that it will have of being away from his hard and fast bonds he has. He is also not happy about the prospect of having homework next year. I agree. First grade should not have homework. He needs time to be a child. He will get home at 4pm, and he heads up to start his bedtime routine (stories, etc) by about 6:30. That is not much time to play and just be a kid.

I have enough issues with the amount of homework that is given to his brother in 5th grade. I certainly have issues with homework in 1st grade! I think the whole schooling system in this country is not focused well, and there is far too much teaching to the testing. I don't really have any alternative where we live, so it is off to public school for my kids. I often hear people say, "oh, you have such good schools in your town"... I always respond with "what does 'good schools 'mean?... the test scores are good?" so what. Does that really mean that we have fully educated our kids? It doesn't mean the kids are well rounded or confident or able to express themselves on different levels. it just means that they have had certain things drilled into their heads, and can spit it back.
I also have issues with the fact that our school district teaches the "everyday math" program, which has been shown to be detrimental in the long run, as the kids don't really learn the breakdown of how and why they are doing things. And the other thing I have an issue with is that they have to learn cursive. To me this is archaic. As my older one said... "why do we need to learn a different font?" hmmm... doesn't that just sum it up a bit? More on that some other time.
In the meantime, I am glad that both of my boys got the good base in their early years. I am sad that it will no longer be part of their day. Things will change now on many levels.

birthday morning for emmett

in our house, I like to have my boys wake up to a party.....
(and apparently when you are only turning 6, it starts just after 6am)
and yes, we have cake for breakfast!


emmett is so cute in the morning
(but my hair at that hour- yikes! a bit big looking in this photo!- it looks way cooler than this usually)
more Star Wars LEGO stuff!!!!
and even more! this was... "this is what I've been wanting!)
Eli helped emmett figure out how to use his "PokeBall" for Pokemon....

just a little excited......

and the next morning, they are working hard first thing in the morning before school!

visiting camp

Emmett and I drove up to visit Eli at camp. We got there just in time to see him send off his rocket that he had been working on in Rocketry. Then we were able to go with him to see him play steel drums. He helped emmett do it too. The boys seemed like they even had missed each other!

Eli seemed to be very comfortable in his environment there which I loved seeing. It is a beautiful setting and a great place for spending a few weeks. I can see the growth in him already!


Emmett and I stayed in the "Bungalow" which is a big, old-time summer lodge. Beautiful.

Around the great room, is a balcony above encircling it, which opens to about 6 bedrooms, and several bathrooms. We stayed in a small room with windows on 3 sides, letting in the cool evening air. Heavenly to sleep in. Emmett loves playing the piano in the great room.

new digs for Eli

Eli in his cabin

Eli is now at camp for the next 3 weeks. We helped him settle in yesterday, and left him on the porch playing fussball with a boy from his unit who was there last year.

We can see photos of camp on a website, but can't talk to him until visiting day in 2 weeks! They take photos and post them every day or 2, and he might be in one or two of them. We can send him emails which get handed out at mail call. He needs to write home twice a week to be able to get a candy bar on Mondays and Thursdays, so we might get mail a few times :)

in the car on the way there... my view looking back..... lots of orange!

his cabin... each cabin is named after a castle in England
....the same cabin Adam was in for his first summer at camp!

the waterfront that Eli gets to enjoy for the next 3 weeks. lucky boy.

this is how we left him....
happily playing fussball with another boy from his unit.

packing Eli

okay, so I am totally into being prepared and organized when it comes to packing and going away. some people seem to think I am over the top about things, but I also know that once there, it becomes so much easier to function, and have things easily available.

so, as I am getting Eli ready to go away to 3 weeks of overnight camp, I am really into making it easy for him to function while there. He has a trunk, as all kids do. (and yes, he chose bright orange)


So... I created a new system for the trunk to use otherwise wasted space: the lid.
I used pockets that are made for 3 ring binders, attached velcro to the backs, and mounted them inside the lid. I also used one bigger file folder, so that he has a place to stash mail that he receives while at camp. I think it is pretty cool, and will help him be able to store stuff and find things easier too.

I had ordered the organizer thing that is supposed to go with it, but it isn't so great. It is supposed to kind of line the inside of the bottom part of the trunk by going around it and making little pockets. BUT..... if you have plenty of big clothes in the bottom, like pants, sweatshirts, etc. the 'pockets' all become squished against the sides and you can't really use them.
I like my new system, and Eli said he does too. I made enough for him to keep some stuff in them, and an empty one too, so he can use it however he wants at camp. who knows what he will need to stash!

a little 'naked chef'

I do love Jamie Oliver....
and I know of others who cook in less clothing (no shirt, etc....) .....

but my 5 year old gives a more interesting take on being the "naked chef"

he was making brownies........
(and sometimes he makes mac 'n cheese this way too)

had to remove this photo... too many people looking at it.... weirdos!!!!

Mowed

I bought myself Bocce the other day. Been wanting it for years, as I much prefer it to croquet. But then we couldn't play it since the grass was so long. So I pulled out the old reel mower. I love using it for several reasons... including good exercise, easy, quieter than the power one, and earth friendly not using up resources.


I started to use it, then Emmett took over, and soon we were doing lawn mowing, not bocce. But we did get around to playing, and it was great. quick games, and easy, and I took turns playing with each of the boys. Glad I got the bocce. It is far simpler than croquet, and we will have to find something to make it more challenging for Eli than how we did it so far.
and glad to be mowing with a reel/real mower!

summer already!

It has been hot all of a sudden! Emmett has been dying to use his kickboard and go to the lake, despite me telling him that the water is still so cold. But... since it was about 85° yesterday, we went down the road to our little beach*.
He waded in with his Spongebob kickboard in tow, and kept pleading, "c'mon Mommy, come in the water. it's nice." So I waded in a few inches next to him, but.... damn! It was cold! I didn't venture past my ankles, but Emmett was persistant, and was soon in up to his knees. He told me it was not so cold when you stood in it for a few minutes.
Then he eagerly lay down on his kickboard. The water flooded around his little body, and the chill hit him quickly. He stood back up, and announced, "it's kind of cold. I think it will be better tomorrow." and that was that.

He then got busy digging and creating a sand castle. He was loving being at the edge of the water and digging in the sand.


*this is 75% of our little beach:

soccer again...

Eli hasn't played on a team since last spring. And even then, it was hockey, so it wasn't running around on a field for an hour, it was skating- totally different.
He had his first game today, and he was tired. Way more running than he is used to! It was good for him. They lost, but it didn't bother him as much as it usually does. yeah! and it is so good for him to be part of a team. He has needed that for a while. I feel like he is in a much better place now- both mentally and physically. So glad we pulled him out of the magnet school and put him back int o the local public school. on so many levels.

And Emmett had his soccer, which he loved! He was smiley and happy and had a great time. It is his first organized sport, and the first thing we are doing for him, as opposed to having him schlepped along to something for Eli. Not that skiing wasn't, but it is just different. We were on the sidelines cheering for him! a nice change.

It was good to get out, and see the throngs of parents that are all on the soccer fields on the weekends, and to be a part of that.

no vegetables

I saw these beautiful artichokes at Trader Joe's yesterday. HAD to buy them. Love eating them and have since I was quite young. These ones were big and fresh and glorious. I cooked them for supper, assuming the boys would eat the pizza I had made.

much to my surprise, when I offered a bite to Emmett, he was intrigued, and accepted... then proceeded to eat tons of my artichoke! what!?! The child who says "I don't like fruits or vegetables" ... has now declared that he "LOVES" artichokes!

half birthday

(for some reason I can't rotate this great photo... will work on it)
emmett saw this post and said "ew, I don't EAT sideways..."

I tried to say something to Emmett the other day about how he is 5 1/2 now. Silly me. forgot to do his 1/2 birthday! He was adamant that he wasn't 5 1/2 until we did that.... so we picked out what kind of cake and frosting to make 1/2 of... and Eli did the trick candle for him, which he loved. He chose a red balloon which he wanted to pop as soon as we were done with the mini celebration. He did so incredibly gleefully! funny kid. now he is 5 1/2.....

Emmett and Chloe:
his favorite...... (he says he is going to marry her)

minivan. I liked!?!

okay, I admit. I liked it. I didn't want to though. it's a minivan. My car was in being fixed (from the wrecked part a few weeks ago). They gave me a minivan to use while my Pilot was in the shop for 4 days. So it was long enough to really get a feel for having this vehicle.

A friend of mine, a while back, told me of an article that described people who owned minivans versus those who had SUVs. The sociologist in me was intrigued by this, but insisted on loving my SUV. and mine isn't a huge-a-mundo one. I do love it, for many reasons. One is that it looks like a car, and I don't feel like I am "mommy " all the time driving it. I can feel like "Lindsey" when I am without my kids, which is something I really need right now.

But..... I did really like using the minivan, even though I didn't want to like it. It fit all of the ski gear so easily, and same with the groceries. My Pilot fits it all too, but this one had a low and cavernous area for it all. And each of the kids had their own bucket seat, their own automatic closing door, etc. They loved it. Lots of little conveniences. Emmett wants to have it back, now that we have my car back from the shop, and all fixed. Oh well.

Eli is ten!?

how did that happen? time seems to go so fast and yet so slow at the same time. He is so grown up, and so young at the same time. So wonderfully smart and sensitive and funny, and intriguing and infuriating and fun to be with. all rolled into one. How can a parent love their child so much?
I feel like I know him so well, yet he is growing older and I do seem to know less now than I used to. But I still love lying down with him at night, as he lets me into his world by talking with me in the darkness. It is then that I am told and questioned about so much. We both love that time together. Somehow it is a safe time to talk.... with no distractions from anything or anyone else. just us. I love my ten year old. immensely.

change for Eli

things have been a bit crazed around here lately- mostly due to the fact that we have had to pull Eli out of the magnet school and have him re-enrolled in the public school nearby. He was being verbally bullied at his old school, and not much was being done about it. He was hating school and suffering emotionally, and feeling as if he had no friends (which he really didn't).

So now he has finished his first week at the new school, and things are good. I am feeling really good about the change as is Eli. We are also now finding that he is academically behind, so I am glad we pulled him when we did! He has been in much better spirits, and seems back to being much more light-hearted and even funny, as he was at the end of the summer.

I have been incredibly busy just trying to get him steady on his feet there, his records transfered, meeting with his new teacher, trying to get the work he needs to get caught up, and fit in the regular ski lessons, grocery shopping, food cooked, laundry done, etc.
overall.... good decision.
we are all happy about it.

pre thanksgiving

Went to both kids schools today to pick the kids up. They each got out half day, and I was able to arrive early for each. I knew at emmett's school, I could sneak in to the assembly and hear/see what he was experiencing for the holiday. I was happy to see all the kids (several hundred) sitting on the floor in the auditorium, watching the 2nd and 3rd graders.


They were dressed as pilgims and indians, and had a whole presentation singing, and reciting all sorts of things that helped the kids understand the history of the holiday, and to show how the school does good deeds and gives back to the community to show how important it is to give.

When they were dismissed, I joined in the line just behind emmett and placed my hand on his head. He turned and saw me, smiled and hugged my arm. "How did you get here so fast mommy?" So cute.

We drove to Eli's school to pick him up, and I figured we were early enough to catch whatever assembly they would have too. We walked into the school 1/2 hour before dismissal to find nothing going on. strange. We waited in the entry, and picked him up as usual.

I must say, I was disappointed. Why wouldn't they do something to acknowledge this widespread non-denominational american holiday? what's up with that?

Emmett's school has each child write down what they are thankful for- participate in or attend the inclusive assembly, and bring in food items to donate to those less fortunate. The kindergarteners have a wonderful tradition of making sandwiches (usually around 800 of them) that they donate to a local shelter to distribute as the homeless are leaving from Thanksgiving dinner- so they have something for the next meal. Commendable and wonderful for the kids to participate in and learn from.

Wish more schools were like this. I guess it is wishful thinking to expect public schools to be ... hmmm.... a good and comprehensive learning environment. I guess it is "no child left behind" and teaching to the testing. And learning compassion and thoughtfulness is not in that agenda. What a disservice this country is doing to our society.

playing outside

My kids are awesome outside. While we live in a suburban area, and we do have access to some great spaces... kicking my kids outside doesn't always work. There isn't really anywhere for them to just mess around and explore. Our old house at HillStead was like that though (yes I still miss it in so many ways).
A pond, just a 1 minute walk down the driveway, provided hours of fodder for play. Throwing sticks into the stream and watching them float under the bridge, waiting for them to show up on the other side.... throwing rocks way into the center and seeing the ripples... watching the ducks who came every year to lay their eggs.... messing around in the dam at the far end of the pond.. and more.
Trails to walk on were always beckoning. And then there was always just a good place to sit and watch the trees blowing in the breeze, or the deer grazing, or go and pick some daffodils that grew all over the hill in the spring.

Yesterday, we were about an hour early to a birthday party. The parent who told us the wrong time, was later so apologetic. I thanked him though instead, as we had a wonderful hour of smiles. It was a gift. Eli doesn't smile that much. But in his element of being a smart creative kid, he does. (in the straight jacket of traditional schooling... he doesn't).

So, the boys and I ended up walking along a rails to trails path and discovering a little oasis of a treefort. Okay, it wasn't really a tree fort- it was a platform that someone had built about 6 feet up in between a bunch of trees. There was a rope hanging down and the boys were swinging on that. Emmett was gleefully howling "I'm Tarzan!!!!" as he was swinging wildly. Eli was exploring, climbing, and figuring out how to shake a fallen tree to get it all moving with his body... then helping emmett learn to do the same.

The sun was glistening, and the boys and I were happy. It was a really good way for all of us to spend the hour. We need a new space to be...... I love it when they are like that.

Hockey mom... again

I am now officially back to being a hockey mom for another season.... (this is our fifth, and he is only 9!)

It has been a season of lugging a hockey bag around, but that has now changed as Eli now has a new bigger bag (needed, as his stuff is getting bigger, as is he!) and the new bag has WHEELS.... yeah!!!hockey aftermath...

So last night, Eli wheeled his own bag into the rink. and carried his stick too. Progress. Now if he could only get all of his own gear on... someday..... for now we will just focus on his skating.
Emmett is happy to hang out in the stands and plays with other little siblings. The highlight for him is to watch the Zamboni at the end though.
This season, I will be knitting in the stands though. I have one sweater that I am dying to finish, that I started last spring. One that is for myself, finally! I also have been commissioned to knit a few rollneck sweaters out of beautiful cashmere.... will be a wonderful project! Can hardly wait to go pick out the yarn.

and luckily this winter, Emmett wants to learn to ski.... a child after my own heart.....
So, I guess I will be going to the ski slope nearby after school with Emm, then going to pick up Eli from his bus, then going to the rink after. maybe I can schedule them on alternate days so I am not drivng like a madwoman.