CHROMEBOOK KIDS

We decided that James needed his own computer for 5th grade assignments this year (lots of Google Docs and Google Slides due each week, and with his ADD, he doesn't get everything done in the classroom), and because we buy everything in twos for our family, Cora got one too. We went with ChromeBooks because 1) that's what the kids are used to and 2) school accounts can be used to log-in (so the same safety features used on campus also apply at home, and they can then save progress on assignments from home). So far, so good. Weird to be parents of computer-aged kids already... My high school didn't even get a computer lab until my senior year (and it was rarely used). Times sure have changed...

BUILDERS AND CHANGERS

The kids put together new visitor chairs for my office:

Then they had a lesson on changing tires (Jay blew a tire on the way home due to debris on the road from the recent storms):

LEADER STATUS

James made it onto the Leadership Wall! at school this quarter His pride was shining through that smile when he told us his classmates had voted for him and we're so excited for him!!

BOYS VS GIRLS

Cora's U10 Girls Rec team played against James' U10 Boys Rec team for the first time ever tonight!

I had so much fun watching the kids play against each other! They both played hard, went head to head a few times, and had a great time! The girls gave the boys a run for their money and were ahead at one point, but the boys pulled ahead in the second half and took home a win. I cheered for everyone and loved the camaraderie clearly evident both within and between the two teams - it was such a fun night!

NAUGHTY NEIGHBORS

Our kids were naughty neighbors today... I came home from my 18 mile run to find Jay working hard replacing ceiling fans in the carport while the kids played with the neighbor boy (Henry) and his cousin (Lane). As I was finishing chores and about to head to the shower to get ready for Oktoberfest, I see our across the street neighbor walking down our driveway with a very sad looking Henry... Turns out Henry had spray painted one of our buckets. No big deal. The problem was, where did the spray paint come from? Apparently the 4 kids thought it was a great idea to built their new fort at Miss Linda's house (next door to Henry's house). While it's bad enough that they were playing on her property without her permission, as all us parents walked over to assess the damage (and pray that nothing else was spray painted, like the neighbor's RV), we found the kids had cut limbs out of her bushes (to better conceal themselves within the "fort"), stolen spray paint and tiny flower pots from her carport, spray painted not only the bucket, but also some of her trees and the bushes, dragged a bunch of trash out of the ravine behind her house, and generally made a giant mess that was somewhat concealed from her driveway... Because she was out of town, we had the kids write her letters of apology and pay for the paint and pots they took.

(We were later able to stop by and talk to Miss Linda, who had a hard time keeping a straight face while we explained the situation and was not mad, but played along nicely for us so that the kids would learn a lesson. She let the kids keep their money, but I promised her she could call on them for yard-work help any time she wants.)

SOLO SUNDAY KIDS

The kids were gone for HOURS today. (Not GONE, but not at the house or well supervised by us, other than a couple bike rides down the driveway and a lunch break.) They spent the afternoon with our across the street neighbor and his siblings and cousins, running through yards, building forts, riding bikes, and all the fun kid stuff I remember doing when I had hours of (mainly) unsupervised freedom back in the day. They stayed within ear shot, and since we've exchanged phone numbers and Facebook pages with our neighbors, we were able to keep track of them without actually interfering in their play. It was cool to see them do so well with the freedom, and nice to see them SO HAPPY (and exhausted) when they came home for dinner. (We made them hose themselves off outside first, since they'd been playing in the mud, post rain storm.)

READING MACHINE

Scholastic book orders came in mid-week and it has resulted in James finishing 5 chapter books in two short days. He's had a book in his hand to and from school, through dance class, while grocery shopping, and more. He has plans to hit the Millionaire's Club again this year and we don't doubt he'll get there, since he's at about 200,000 words already (after just 5 weeks in school).

He brought this home today too and was very proud to tell me that he had excellent behavior in STEM yesterday and that his team had won a competition. Tests have been hit or miss so far this year (for both of them, really), but he loves his teacher and most of his classmates (he has one kid that continues to bully him - same kid as last year), is enjoying all his special area classes (especially GATES and STEM), and has been reading more and more each week (though he's about to have a lot less time now that soccer has started).

LABOR DAY LAZIES

We had planned to camp down at Fontainbleau State Park this weekend (we camped there once before during an ice storm and declined to stay a second freezing night, so we've been itching to go back ever since), but the pouring rain and potential for flooded campsites kept us home. We tried to keep the kids outside as much as possible anyway (despite a good bit of rain at home too) and they ended up spending almost an entire day playing with our across the street neighbor, so that was cool. Lots of yardwork, bike riding (both solo, with the neighbor kid, and following mama and/or daddy while we ran), and Lego play.

(Making homemade shower bombs with the new essential oils Jay ordered)

(Lazy Lego play...)

(Skyping with Grambot and PawPaw)

(Putting up the Ninjaline slackline)

(Trimming small trees and bushes that were in the way of the new swing)

(Showing us how strong she is)

(Riding bikes at work while mama and daddy ran, just after a storm blew through)

(Posing for mama after riding up and down the driveway a million times, then bravely riding around the neighborhood - well, to the stop sign - all by themselves!)

LAKE DAY ADVENTURE

We were invited and graciously hosted by the Rice family out at Eagle Lake today, where the kids (and we adults) went tubing for the first time (James was very nervous his first time or two out, but then he relaxed and warmed up to the idea of zig-zags and faster turns), and the kids also learned to kneeboard. We were so proud of them both for being brave and trying new things. They both figured out kneeboarding immediately (especially James, who learned to lean side to side and control the board), which really surprised us. We had so much fun and hope we get a chance to go out with them again sometime!

Asher, Autumn, Cora, James, and Abram (yes, the Rice family is the A team):

Just the boys while the girls enjoyed the boat ride:

Dabbing on the tube (that's bravery - no hands!):

Then just the girls while the boys hung out in the boat (we switched out a few times):

Jay and I took turns going out too, and I opted to ride with Sarah since I knew she knew what she was doing and could give me some pointers (and safety tips). I screamed louder than any of the kids, but it was only partially scary - I was mostly yelling for the fun of it!

After Abram (he's only 3 years old) showed them how to kneeboard (and Asher took a turn on the wake board), James jumped right up and took a turn, followed by Cora (who was a little less controlled and confident on the kneeboard, but said she loved it):

Finally, the kids took turns "riding double". First James and Asher, then Autumn and Cora.

They were completely exhausted after a few hours on the water, but we had a skate party to get to! Thankfully it was a 40 minute drive back to town, so they had time for power naps

(We had no phone memory left to take pictures at the skate rink, but they would have been blurry anyway. We promise we had fun there too!)

CUB SCOUT SUMMER ACTIVITY

James' Pack had a summer get together / party at Excalibur today. Despite being tired and still needing to pack for camp, we joined the fun and drove over to Monroe for the afternoon. The kids had a blast and finally got to use all those tickets and tokens they had leftover from James' birthday party there a couple years ago.

James was SO PLEASED to be tall enough to drive a cart by himself!

Cora was just a half inch or so too short, but she didn't mind riding with me. She knows mama is the fastest and craziest driver out there! (Thank goodness my skirts are all skorts or this would have been very awkward...)

They each bargained for one more activity ticket. Cora climbed the rock wall while James took another spin around the track.

Money well spent, right? I mean come on, look at these amazing prizes!