Happy Canada Day!

book mania!

Ever since the librarian told them they could each check out 25 books at once with their new library cards, they have been begging to do so.  So, we set up a plan.  Book Mania 2014!!!  We warned the librarians we'd be in today to take out 50 of their books.  I made up a list for them to jot down what titles they chose.  I required 10 chapter books, 3 non-fiction and 12 free choice books.  The librarian asked if he could chose 1 book for each child based on what he knows about them.  Our plan is to have all of the books read before they are due back on July 11th.

2 kids.  50 books.  3 weeks.  1 spreadsheet.

I thought summer was for relaxing

We just finished a crazy busy week.    Last Friday was the last day of school.  We had a pool party with friends - and lightning and thunder - right after school.  We had to skip Carl's summer camp at the college for the party.  Even with the amount of time they had to stay out of the water, they really had fun playing with all their classmates one last time before summer vacation.

 Then, Saturday, we opted not to do a couple things (bug kids' music festival and a building workshop at Lowe's ) we thought we might have wanted to do because we had Carl's summer camp from 11 - 2 as a Family Fun Day.  It was outside and HOT!  But, the kids enjoyed using the parachute, playing t-ball, lacrosse with water balloons, other water balloon games, playing frisbee and other fun outdoor games as well as  painting craft project.  One instructor made homemade pizza with tomatoes on it - and Carl loved it!  They enjoyed grapes, watermelon and apples, too.  This group usually meets on Saturdays and they do some kind of juicing for the participants to try.

Then, we left there and headed to our favorite toy store for a Frozen party!  They had Anna and Elsa there as well as crafts and snacks.  TCBY donated a great "frozen treat for everyone as well.  Carl was not so into the sing-along, but he enjoyed the snowman snack and the frozen yogurt!

Sunday was Father's Day!

Then, we started our busy week!  Swimming lessons in the mornings, then on Monday and Tuesday - the college camp.  By now, they were including Gretchen in all the events as well as the other siblings.  They started each day with an hour of swimming!  Then, down to the gym for some tennis with wiffle balls, calisthenics, riding the big tricycle, and some basketball.  Then, off to do a craft!  We had to leave early, though - because at 3:00 we had to be down to the library for stop motion camp.  That was fun.  They had 8 kids signed up and split into groups of 2, but Carl and his buddy Wesley really wanted to work together.  No problem except Wesley's little brother didn't want to work with Gretchen.  So, she and I paired up.  The 3 boys did their Pokemon movie while Gretchen and I got to do whatever we wanted.  We set up a Farmer's Market for our story.

So, today is Thursday and everything is done for the week.  In between swimming lessons and Stop Motion camp, we grabbed burgers at a great local joint on our way to the aquarium for a quick look at he photography exhibit there right now.  My camera club has an exhibit there of local landmarks that runs all summer.  I have 2 images on display.

So, we finished up our movie and got to watch the other groups' as well.  Tomorrow we have nothing on our calendar!  Swimming lessons go next Mon - Thursday as well, but the other camps are done.

So - a few pictures.....
here's a shot Gretchen took underwater of her bff swimming after the last day of school...

lacrosse with water balloons (someone told me Gretchen had a great throw and she should play...  so, whaddya think, Rodney?)  About half of them broke when people tossed them.  Some of her other shots made the target.  

the Frozen party...  craft time

 Carl's favorite - the snacking!  You could make a cute snowman with toothpicks to hold him together and icing to hold on the face things, but he just wanted to eat.  Gretchen asked, "Why is there a bowl of pills here?"  Guess she had never seen tic tacs before.  Ha ha!

 picture after the sing along!

and finally - the 2 stop motion movies.  They had 8 kids in this camp and wanted 4 groups of 2, but Carl and his bff insisted that they be together.  Then, his little brother wouldn't work with Gretchen.  So, those boys were a group of 3 and Gretchen & I got to work by ourselves!  We were psyched!  She was the only girl in the group and based on the amount of killing, ninjas, fire and fighting that went on in the other 3 movies... that was quite obvious.

Gretchen's movie:  The Farmer's Market


Carl, Wes and Logan's movie:  Pokemon Z A battles

low key Father's Day

The only thing we did all day was go to the water park.  We kept asking Lew what he wanted to do (and we started asking a week or two early) and he never answered.  So, ....   guess he had nothing planned.  Besides, isn't every day Father's Day?

We did bring our little toy underwater video camera.

Happy Father's Day!!

the shirt tradition

Here you are.... 2014 shirt photos!!!

tried a couple shots with a different processing treatment...

 Guess I better do a few of Carl's the same way.

 Love his toes in this shot!

 Then we added cats to the mix.

 Cats are hilarious, you know.

 Really nice natural Carl smile!

 The flash did not go off for this one - so I tried to lighten it in Photoshop - you can see it isn't great, but the smiles sure are!!!

shirt archives.....  it should get bigger for you if you click on it...

Daddy and the twins!

 I do not know why he is trying to smoosh them.

 remote control family selfies.....  Gretchen gives this one 1 thumb up!

More smooshing!

 My mother said I look older in black and white... so I left them in color even though I hate all the mismatched shirts.  We weren't planning on taking any group pictures.  That should go without saying, I think.

Hello, Summer!

Today was the last day of 2nd grade!   It was a half day and we had a pool party with friends after.  It thundered for 2 of the 3 hours, but the kids got to swim for about an hour in the middle of the party.

 pretty light commute on the way in

Time for summer vacation!  Then, on to 3rd grade!

photo Friday - library edition

We've met a new furry friend this week.  Here we are reading books to Sam.  He is 2.5 and Gretchen has deemed him to be the most attentive service dog she has ever read to.  I have liked all the dogs and their owners so far.  My guess is that you do not go through the process of training your dog to participate in this program if you are not willing to help kids learn to read.  All the owners have been good reading coaches, but yesterday's owner was especially good at it in my opinion.  She kept Carl focused and reading clearly and she helped them not only with words they couldn't pronounce, but also with some they did say correctly, but she suspected they didn't know the meaning.  She had to define "tabloid" and "gossip" for Gretchen who was reading from a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book.  Her definitions were clear and very age appropriate.  I highly recommend this program to all young readers.  My kids are very strong readers, but they still benefit from this.  We bring books that are challenging and have fun getting to hang out with a doggie for 20 minutes, too.  It's fun to listen to them read so expressively to the dogs.

 He's listening, really he is!  Just every time I got too close, he wanted to come see me and my camera.

One blooper!  Cracks me up that both of them look bad!

The reading was our second trip to the library just this week.  On Monday, we went after school and the kids got their own library cards!  Carl showed everyone he came into contact with at the library and then carried it around all night at home, too.

The very first time you use your library card, you can take home 2 books.  So they did.  But... after that... each time, you can have up to 25 books!  Gretchen has already planned for Book Mania!  Once school lets out, we will go and get 25 books each.  You get 3 weeks when you check out books, so the goal will be to read all 25 in 3 weeks!  Or more likely, in her case... 3 hours.

 This is either sign language for "I love books" or "books rock"!

We'll be visiting the library a lot this summer.  We got 2 coveted spots in the Stop Animation camp and we've signed up for Water Play Day as well... so far.  We might try for the Movie Making Camp, too.  Gotta check the calendar.  Summer is crazy busy already!  Camps, swim lessons, scouts, .....
When we walk in now, the librarian yells, "Hey!  Carl and Gretchen Zoe!"   It doesn't get much cool er than that!