Summer So Far

I knew this summer was going to be good when I picked Kai up on the last day of school and he asked, "Mom, I have stuff left over from class and I want to bring it all home, but my teacher said I have to ask your permission first. So can I run back in and get the rest of my stuff?"  How I didn't realize that question was vague and loaded is beyond me. It was begging for follow up, but I was in a hurry so I told him to go get it and hustle his little butt back to the car. It turns out the "rest of his stuff" was a small food container (the kind you buy potato salad in at the deli counter) with a Darkling beetle inside.

Kai's New Pet

He named his beetle Tunnel because he likes to dig tunnels, obviously.  As disgusted by the idea as I was, I have to admit he's really not a bad pet. For starters, he'll only live for about 3 months (short term pets are good pets). We rarely even see him because he spends the majority of the day hiding under the oats and soil in his small Tupperware box. Really the only draw back to the beetle is trying to explain why you have a box containing  dirt, oats, and an apple slice on your shelf.

However, I do have one word of caution to those of you who are now thinking about ordering one of these little babies (you can get them at Amazon.com btw). If you were to say...leave town for a week and leave your beetle in grandma and grandpa's care. Make sure they tell the house keeper to leave the weird dirt and oat filled box on the counter alone.  Otherwise grandma and grandpa may spent the better part of an afternoon trying to figure out where she "put it away." Though I have to think that day and a half Tunnel spent in my parents dark pantry were probably some of the best days of his short little life.

First Week of Summer 2013

Today was Madison's last day of school. Tomorrow is Davis' last day.  Chase and Kai have a few hours on Thursday--just enough time for a party (but don't tell Chase, if he hears the p-word he won't go).

Aside from a trip to Oregon to visit Michael's family we don't many summer plans.  Madison and Kai will be taking a couple of classes over the summer and Chase will be helping me keep an eye on the garden. Other than that we are hoping for some lazy summer days hopefully involving bike rides, family movies, and maybe even the occasional hike.

The Grotto

We try to hike The Grotto at least once a year. It is the perfect hike for kids. In fact Davis walked the whole way with out complaint. Not only is it a short hike, it is shaded most of the way, and has amazing scenery.

Summer Time

This summer has been completely nuts.  Between Mike's Summer Activity List, baseball games, track meets, swimming lessons, orchestra, garden club, and trips to the library, I feel more like a taxi service than a mother.
Although we've been busy we're having a good time.

And to top it all off, this summer Kai has become an avid reader.  I've been lucky to have kids who love to read, but up until recently it was hard to convince the boy to read something besides Magic Tree House.  He worships the author, Mary Pope Osborne, in fact I think she is on his list of people he wishes he could marry (along with others like Crystal Bowersox and our friend's daughter).  The Magic Tree House series are great books that he finds entertaining but he can read one from cover to cover in about 30 minutes.  I thought he should start reading something more challenging, so when someone suggested he start reading The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games) I checked out the first book. He devoured it.  Then he read the second and is almost done with the third.

Last week he took one of them to Davis' well check appointment.  When the doctor asked him what he was reading he said, "Its a Gregor book.  They are so good that I made a goal this morning that all I would do today is eat and read."  I'm pretty sure that's all he did too.  When we were grocery shopping I had to put him in the cart because he kept running into walls, doors, and cereal displays.  Apparently reading while walking requires more coordination than his little body currently holds.  But you can't say he didn't give it his very best effort.

This is Summer

The boy is out for the summer. Madison still has two weeks of school which she is not very happy about. She's going to be even less happy when she hears that Chase's last day of preschool is tomorrow. I can hear it now, "Everyone is out BUT ME?!"

Because Chase has school this morning I figured Davis and I could spend some quality time with the boy. We started by going to the library. As I was pushing the stroller down the ramp I was stopped by an older woman who, in a very thick Russian accent, said "Both boys? Congratulations! You strong mother. Boys good." Nothing like starting the day with a strange compliment.

While at the library I was hoping to find a book that would encourage Kai to read this summer. I showed him, "The Diary of a Killer Cat." It had animals and death in the title, how could I go wrong? "Um okay, but do you think I could get a book about multiplication?"

After we checked out our books I handed him one to read in the car. It was called, "First Grade Stinks." "Mom, the thing is, I don't really think first grade stinks, so could I just read the book about multiplication?" The whole way home I listened to, "Hey! Did you know 10 times 12 is 120?" and "1 times 1 is 1? What! I thought it was 2 . . . no wait, that adding."

I'm going to have to contact the hospital, no way is that child mine.