"Lazy" Chess

Chess is big at our house.  All those with Y chromosomes love it.  Those without?  Not so much.  I don't think we have any up and coming world champions, but the guys do all like to get together and play.  Joseph, Steven, and Ryan have all participated in the Chess Club held at the elementary school on Wednesday mornings.  Greg usually helps run it, so he and our elementary aged children have some fun together each week.  Last Wednesday was the last day of the club.  Friday of this week will be the tournament during school.  Then Chess Club is done until next year.  (Can you believe we're down to just a few weeks of school left?!)

As there was no chess club this Wednesday, Ryan and Greg had some extra time before leaving for school and work.  Greg offered to play a little chess with Ryan if Ryan would go downstairs and get the game.  Ryan got out the game pieces and timer, but not the board.  "Too lazy" he said to go back downstairs for the board, Ryan set up the game on the tiles of our dining room table.  It's 8 tiles long (just right), but only 4 wide (half right).  The benches each are 2 tiles wide, but only 6 long.  So, the "board" was set up with the two rows on each side being lower than the middle.  The four end squares on each lower section were made by dividing a regular chair into 4 sections with rulers and a tie.  They gave up using the timer because without black and white squares and with a two-level board, it was taking too long to figure out which square a piece moved to.

They ran out of time to finish before Ryan had to leave for school, so no body won.  But, they had fun and got a good mental spatial orientation workout to boot.  It even seemed to still be more worth it to Ryan than a quick trip downstairs for a real board!

Cute Faces

See this cute face?



If you have a good imagination and can picture it with open eyes and cut and combed hair, it would look just like the picture on my sidebar labeled "Ryan". (Not to give out names, or anything.)

See this cute face?


It does not have a name, but also belongs to the child named Ryan. You don't really need a good imagination to visualize it, but pretend you noticed it on the wall next to the bed of the cute face above one night as he was going to bed and asked him about it. He might give you the same answer he gave me. Isn't that cool?! I made it by scratching off the paint."

Got that all imagined in your mind? Question. What would your face look like?

Good thing Ryan has such a cute face on his head that I love a lot because his cute face on the wall was not giving me feelings that made me have a cute face at all for a second, I'm sure. I think the whole thing is a bit funny, now, but don't tell Ryan because I'm not rewarding this behavior, I'm just documenting it. (That's why all the pictures were taken after he went to sleep and you have to imagine him awake.)

Anyone want to come help him paint?

Monday

It's 1:30 (in the p.m.) and I should be taking a shower, but I'm allowing myself to be slightly distracted for a little bit.

My day started out just fine. I even got up a little early to read my scriptures before everyone else was up and the noise level increased. The idea was that when I got back from walking my boys to school and getting some exercise I could come right in the house and get busy cleaning my bathrooms. Today was my day to do a complete Houseblessing. (If you've never heard of a Houseblessing, click here and scroll down to "Basic Weekly Plan".)

I was thwarted. Trying to be a cool mom and remember what it's like to be 16 with a freshly minted drivers license, I finally agreed to let Erica drive the van to school. Her Auto class will even wash it and change the oil for practice today. (Good deal, if no one dies and nothing gets munched in the parking lot. I've driven in that lot and others like it and am not totally sold on the idea.) The idea being that Erica can drive and I have to be home with my house blessing because I can't let a little errand- like that stamp I need- distract me.

I left the house with my boys right on time. We walked down to our friends and were just leaving their house when Ryan informs me he forgot his backpack. Not a big deal, except that it's a bit of a walk back up to our house and would require running all of the 3/4 of a mile to school to be on time. I'm all for exercise, but not so much for killing myself. I contemplated making him go to school without it and dealing with the consequences but today is "Penguin Parade Day". I had to get up at 7:30 (the only day to sleep in last week, mind you) on Saturday morning to help my 3rd grader make "clothes" for a paper penguin out of material scraps. I'll be darned if they don't get to parade! I didn't have a car to make the clothing run later or to drive Ryan to school. I probably should have just made him run and/or be late.

Deborah, my friend and hero of the day, offers to drive me back home, then to take the kids to school. (She's the best, by the way.) I thought I'd go for the drive so we could visit a little bit. Still trying to make Ryan somewhat responsible for his actions, I gave him the house key and sent him in to get the backpack. He did just that and very obediently locked the door with my keys still sitting inside on the chair. AHHHH!! Deborah added "Drive Shannon to Greg to get a key" to her list of things to do today and even managed to not laugh at me too much. Greg did, though.

Deborah and I visited for a while- longer than we would have on our walk- which was way more fun than cleaning bathrooms. I grabbed a midmorning snack and got going on the bathrooms. I got 1-3/4 done. The second just needs a floor job. I did get the floor in the laundry room washed, too. That's amazing in and of itself. The third bathroom will just have to wait. The rest of the houseblessing? Maybe next week, or later this week if the stars align.

So, here I sit with dry skin on my hands and the rest of me in desperate need of a shower. I need to leave in an hour to get the kids so that I can have at least a little exerecise today. My to-do list was hardly scratched today, but I'm thinking the following. It's sunny and almost 40 outside. If I don't look up, I can even ignore the terrible air quality from the inversion. The cleanliness of the house is a notch above what it was this morning. I have a family who fills it with love (and sometimes other stuff!) whenever they're here. They all love to be home and have their friends here. I have friends who are willing to help out at a moments notice and like me even if I haven't showered. I am blessed and wouldn't have it any other way. I'll clean the bathrooms and whatever else when I get to it. Someday my days and house will be quiet and empty much longer than the current school day. For now, I'm happy and in 30 minutes I'll be clean. What more can I ask for?

Right

I should be doing dishes, but I don't feel like it. I want to write something, but haven't figured how to put what I want to say into words. Rock and a hard place. Tough one.

For those that don't know, we've had a pretty amazing weekend. The kids had Fall Break beginning last Wednesday. It happened to coincide with the first available time at the Mesa Temple for my one-year-ago baptized brother-in-law to take my sister and their sweet family to the Mesa temple to be sealed for eternity. Greg, his dad (Tom), and I were able to spend part of an afternoon in the Mesa temple with three of our children doing baptisms and confirmations. Another brother was able to schedule his 8-year-old daughter's baptism for the same weekend. All of my siblings, most of their spouses, both of my parents, my father-in-law, and my grandmother were able to be together for a few days. I love my family, all of it, both sides, and I love every minute we get to spend together.

The kids picked up perfectly timed cases of gatroenteritis on the drive home. Even this turned out to have several silver linings. Since all 5 were all sick at the same time they kind of watched out for each other. Sunday morning found them all on the floor in the living room with blankets and bowls, keeping each other company. That sight continued while Greg, Tom, and I went to church that afternoon. We were met there by Greg's brother (Mike) and his wife (Terri) and later my Aunt Nancy. They were all in our ward to be present while Greg was sustained as our bishop that day. All 5 of our kids missed it. I tried calling home on the cell phone so they could at least listen on the speaker phone at home, but the mike on my cell phone wasn't strong enough. The sweetest part came when Tom and I got home after church, though. The kids had really wanted to be there and were bummed when they couldn't hear anything. Since they couldn't hear what was happening and when, they picked a random spot during their meeting and all raised their hands to sustain their dad on their own. I don't know why that meant so much to me. I guess I just felt like that was the end of any issues we'd have with dad being bishop and gone alot. I hope I'm right.

I slept more and better than I had in weeks that night. Probably had nothing at all to do with getting no sleep the night before with kids sick all night. I know it had lots to do with a feeling of peace and that everything was right. Travel was done, we'd had some great family time, and the stress of keeping hushed about the bishop news was over. Everyone keeps asking me how life is going now. All I can say is great so far. Regular life hasn't been affected at all (knock on wood at the end of day three!). The kids are all back on their feet and back to school. I'm coming to grips with the fact that my remaining time in YW is rapidly growing very short. Even the dishes and backlog on the rest of the housework haven't been able to disrupt this feeling that everything is just "right" with the world. I don't know how long this will last, but I'm loving it.

You're Invited!! (Or at least you should have been.)

It's August. At our house that means lots of things are going on. This year the list looks something like this so far: the end of youth conference, Shan's birthday, a little Nelson reunion, Greg's birthday, Steven's birthday, friends visiting for BYU Education Week, the start of school, the start of soccer, the start of school again, the start of soccer for a second time, and our anniversary. I always hope that September brings a little bit of calm, but I'm giving up on that this year. So, bring on the rest of the birthdays and holidays and I'm looking forward to a fabulous nap in January. I've included a few pictures, if I have them, so you can feel a part of our month and all the celebrations, even if I forgot to send an invitation in time.

Shan in Maple Canyon on her birthday and at the end of Youth Conference (It's a "two-fer-one" shot. Facebook has the rest of the Youth Conference pics or email and I'll send you an invitation. The other birthday pics are of me blowing out candles with wet hair. They will not be posted here or on Facebook. Not even if you send me an email.)

Most of the Nelsons in town for our little reunion.
We're on the observation deck at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake trying to not be blown off. Majorly windy day. Others joined us later in the week, but I don't have any pictures.

Happy Birthday to all the Nelsons who have a birthday in August!
(Shan, Terri, Julia, Greg, Steven, Mike, and David)

Happy Birthday, Greg!
(He's holding the wooden knives that Steven carved for him.)

Happy Birthday, Steven!
He's holding the wooden knife Greg carved for him. It was a carving week. He also wanted this picture left just the way it was because, and I quote, "We look AWESOME with red eyes."

It was also an electric week capped with the complete dismantling of an old boom box when Steven got a new one for his birthday (which was still in the box at this point!). And I quote, "This is even better than video games!" So, I guess they really are happier without real presents. It may not be boxes like when they were 1, but old radios seem to make great presents. That should save on money spent at Christmas. (hint! hint!)

I forgot to take any pictures of our the two sweet ladies who stayed with us during Education Week, but they would go right here in our time line if they existed. I would like to make it to Ed. Week at some ppint. Unfortunately, it falls on the first week of school and I kind of feel like a mom ought to be around that first week. Maybe I'm crazy, but Ed. Week will still be there even when I don't have to think about the magical First Day of School.

That brings us to the first First Day of School:

Joseph- 7th grade

Steven- 5th grade

Ryan- 3rd grade (Yes, I TRIED to tell him those shorts didn't really match and couldn't he PLEASE make a better First Day impression and change into jean shorts, but he was quite adamant that black goes with blue and this is what he wanted to wear on his first day. Oh well. Moms worry about that kind of thing too much, I guess.)

The first First Day of school was also the first soccer game for Ryan this season.
(Don't you just LOVE his shorts? He does.)

A small diversion. Greg was working on a video project for the Library this week. This is the Science section at the library on the first First Day of School for us. Notice that it is empty. They have not started school, yet, and for some reason the people at Education Week don't stop down there much. I kept trying to get my friends to go down there for a nap because it's quite and there are soft couches to lay on, but I don't think even they stopped in. Oh well, their loss!

We had two first days of school because the middle school and high school use the first First Day of School as an orientation for the incoming 7th and 9th graders respectively. So, Joseph, Steven, and Ryan went on the first First Day. Erica and Spencer went on the second First Day.

Erica- 11th grade
(Yes, she catches the bus at "Sun-rise O'clock"- at least for now. Later in the fall and winter she catches it pre-dawn.)

Spencer- 8th grade

If we had a kindergartner we would have a third First Day, but that's not until next week and thankfully it won't impact our lives. Whew! Our little friend, Lizzie, is very anxiously counting down the days, though.

The second First Day also happened to fall on our 17th anniversary. It did not even dawn on me to take any pictures. Greg took the following:

because the second First Day and our anniversary also happened to be Steven's first soccer game day. It was also soccer practice for Spencer and Joseph as well as the open house at the middle school. Greg went with Steven while I took Spencer and Joseph. So, in order to have a little celebration, Greg took the day off and we went to the temple and out to lunch at the Sky Room Restaurant at BYU. (There are many, many Ed. Week people that visit the Sky Room. Maybe that's why they're not in the library.)

Well, that's it for now. Greg, Spencer, and Joseph had a scout camp out last night (no pictures, aren't you glad!) and we had a Stake picnic tonight.

As my friend, Lisa, named her- Erica Shortcake

Our friend, Dallas.
And everyone thinks we are boring people. Just look how wild and crazy we can be.

I thought it was nice of the Stake to fix dinner for me to celebrate our second-day-after-our-anniversary. Do you celebrate that day? We usually don't either.

I should probably write...

As the title of this blog is "Everyday Miracles", the idea was to record everyday, or at least close to it. Who knew July 8 was so long ago!

So, what's miraculous about today, or even any of the last 15?

1) The pumpkins have lived and we actually have a pumpkin growing. For some reason, there are currently LOTS of male flowers on the plants, so one is all we have, but it appears there may be a couple more female flowers opening soon.

2) Two days ago I got all the laundry washed, folded, and into the right bedroom. Yesterday was the same, only because I never put any laundry into the laundry room. As a result, the baskets in the laundry room were put away and empty for more than 24 hours.

3) We had a Young Women presidency meeting that only lasted 45 minutes.

4) I found out that even though school is going to be starting a day later than originally announced, all of the extra days off have been canceled- I assume for budgetary reasons. Now we only have days off around actual holidays. I'm happy, Erica is not.

5) Steven and Ryan have somehow kept themselves nicely entertained even though Spencer and Joseph are at scout camp.

6) The heat has reminded me that the person who invented air conditioning deserves a Nobel Peace Prize.

7) Sparkling blueberry frozen yogurt is really yummy. Another wonderful invention.

8) Saw a perfect clear double rainbow right outside the front door.

9) Made tofu spinach dip and people (most of whom were not related to me) actually liked it. Erica was the only real exception, though I'm not sure Greg ever had the chance to try it.

10) Watched Greg run the games for the little kids at the Library picnic and was reminded why he's such a great dad.

11) Joseph told me he likes baby carrots. (About fell down at that announcement.)

12) Ryan said he's beginning to like green beans. (Good thing I was already sitting down at the table. FYI- I don't know what the current "# of times to try before they like it" guide doctors are telling moms these days, but for us it was 8 years, 1 month, and about 2 weeks of having green beans a couple of times a week.)

13) USM didn't raise their tuition for Greg's MLIS program for the fall.

14) After a year of living here, Greg and I fixed the sprinkling system. Now, not only do all the heads spray like they should, not one of them needed to be replaced. They just had dirt, rocks, lint, and grass inside the filters or needed the spray levels adjusted.

15) I hiked up to the "Y" twice in 3 days and had fun doing so.

16) Saw the chewed piece of gum that some passerby thought would be funny to stick on the black car door handle in the hot sun before I put my thumb in it when opening the door after shopping and had a piece of paper handy to remove it.

So, what little miracles have happened for you today?

A Baptism, A Birthday, and Forever

Ryan turned 8 last Saturday.

That means that today, being Stake Baptism Day, he got to be baptized.

It was great to have Greg's dad here to participate. 7-1/2 years ago, Erica was our first to reach the baptism milestone. The possibility of the then 6-month-old Ryan ever being old enough to be baptized was a blurry dot somewhere in the far distant future. Well, 7-1/2 years, 3 other child baptisms, 2 states, and 5 moves later, the day has finally come. And, as a little tender mercy, it happened to fall on the birthday of my grandpa, Charles Maurice Woffinden. He would have been 98 today. Someday I will scan in the pictures I have and post one of him. He was a great person who gave me my love of meteorology and family history. Ryan's middle name is Charles, after him. Grandpa died the month before I found out I was pregnant with Ryan. His original due date was June 2, just 4 days before Grandpa's birthday. I had at one time thought it would be neat to have him born on June 6, but things didn't work out that way. Close, but not quite. We'll take this, instead. How grateful I am for Ryan, the choice he made, and the fact that we will be a family forever. I am also so grateful for my parents, grandparents, and those who came before. As another part of my family, their choices and lives played a big part in who and where Ryan is today. And, while Ryan never met Grandpa here on earth, chances are they met before and will do so again after. Thank Heaven for The Plan and that one end is really just another beginning in the great continuum called eternity. Small steps here add up to endless possibilities in the hereafter. Heaven, with my family, will be a great place to be.

"True"

The date will say that this was written on Saturday, but as Spencer was out babysitting until the stroke of Saturday, I am still up writing a post meant for Friday. Normally, I would have gotten to bed, anyway, but at our house the Easter Bunny comes on the Friday night before Easter. This serves several purposes, the most important of which is that we can keep the commercialized Easter and the Real Easter seperated. I like to have all day Sunday to concentrate on the Savior and His Atonement and the significance of life renewed. Saturday candy also helps prevent the sugar high from completely conflicting with our efforts for reverence at church on Sunday. Tonight, it also means that the Easter Bunny couldn't visit until very late because not everyone was tucked into their snug little beds yet. The real irony- I will be up later tonight than I was on Christmas Eve, but only have about 1/50th the work. What's up with that?!

Steven and Ryan have been very excited. Steven's friend, Peter, is too. His family doesn't do candy for Easter. I think he'll be over fairly early in the morning to "celebrate" with our family. We will welcome him as I will be happy to spread some of the sugar wealth around the neighborhood.

Ryan is the reason for this particular post. For the first holiday ever he asked tonight if I was really the Easter Bunny. *Sigh*. I beat around the bush, but I think he very strongly suspects. He flat out said that "the Easter Bunny isn't true". (Guess he hears at least a little bit during Fast and Testimony meetings!) I asked how he knew that and he said that Santa told him last Christmas. Grounded in solid fact, then! Judging from the ensuing conversation, Santa and the Tooth Fairy are "true", just not the Easter Bunny. So, I have hope for a few more magical evenings, but I'm pretty sure they are numbered. Holidays are fun in a different way as the kids grow up, and I don' begrudge them the maturity. This is just one of those days that was always way out on the horizon and it somehow snuck in under my radar. Just beware, all you parents out there, Santa is giving away your secrets.

10 Random Things For Today

I'm in the mood to write, but don't have really anything to say. It's kind of a strange predicament. So, we'll see what we get with a little stream of consciousness exercise.

1) Erica voluntarily sat and watched both sessions of conference today. And took notes. It was cool, but kind of strange. That's definitely a new attitude.

2) The boys only watched the few minutes of conference that we asked them to. That means all 4 watched when the the new member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Neil L. Andersen, was announced and Spencer and Joseph watch when Bro. Neider spoke to the young men and then at the Priesthood session, of course. Otherwise, they didn't interrupt us or fight once during both sessions. It was cool, but kind of strange. That, too, is definitely a new attitude. (We should have General Conference weekend more often!)

3) We watched "The Count of Monte Cristo" with the kids last night. They loved it, especially all the sword fighting and treasure.

4) The General YM Presidency was released today. Bros. Dahlquist and Burgess spoke at the YW Training that I went to earlier this week. Bro. Dahlquist finished his Virtue value three weeks before Sis. Dalton, the General YW President. Yes, that is a YW project, but I think it's great that he did it. I'm getting there, but am not done yet. Consider yourself challenged to complete it as well. Click on the link for more info.

5) We got a piece of junk mail addressed "To The Parents of" Greg today. What?! How did that happen?

6) Our mailman lives down the street. I'd ask him about the junk mail, but he doesn't address it, he just delivers it.

7) We had popcorn and tomato soup, quesadillas, and pears for dinner. Except for one child about the pears, there were no complaints. Miracle. I even heard some "yum"s and "yes!"s while I was serving it up.

8) I love watching the weather move across the valley. Today we had little falling balls of snow. Not ice or hail, snow, and I could see the sun shining farther south.

9) I should be writing a newsletter. I thought this would be faster, though, and then I could go to bed.

10) I think my Stream of Consciousness either dried up or became a Stream of Unconsciousness because that's all that is coming to mind.

Happy Saturday. Hope you have a great weekend!

Not To Be Judgemental, But I Think I've Been Outsmarted

Ryan has been begging me for a new backpack. I've been trying to hold him off until the start of next school year since we only have a couple more months in this one. Over the past couple of years, I've been slowly replacing the kids backpacks with new ones from a certain mail order company based in Maine (I'm trying to avoid any more blatant product endorsements!) as they've needed them. They are really nice ones and have a lifetime guarantee. If anything (anything at all) goes wrong with them or breaks, they will replace it for free. Even if you were to fill with rocks and drag it behind your car while you went on vacation. I am having visions of never buying backpacks again! (Except that time Erica thought hers had been stolen out of her locker. They won't replace it if stolen.) Thing is, they aren't exactly cheap and Ryan isn't exactly Mr. Take Care of Things. He is much better now than he was at the beginning of the year, I must admit.

Two weeks ago, Ryan lost his backpack. He has (he said) looked and looked for it at school, but it has never been found. (In all fairness, I must admit that I never went down to look in lost and found myself.) At the end of last week, I finally broke down and ordered him a back pack. His old one really was getting beat up. It arrived yesterday. Other than its' being black when he swears he asked for green, Ryan is very excited. You see, he's been carrying his papers and lunch in his hands for two weeks. His fingers get kind of cold a cramped by the time we reach school everyday. I looked at it as a natural consequence for losing his back pack and is not wanting to use a grocery bag. I told him he also needed to earn the $1 to cover the cost of a new school folder, as I was told the folders were required and he needed $1 to pay for it. He finally informed me yesterday that he doesn't really have to have one, just a back pack. Of course. I should know better. Fast forward to today. Lo and behold, miracle of miracles, after taking his new backpack to school for the first time, Ryan found his old backpack at school. In the lost and found. With his school folder inside. I think I've been had. At least I will never have to buy another back pack. I might even get a little extra work out of a certain little boy to help cover the cost of the new one!

Post Pre-Birthday Camp Out

This is what I found last night when I went to check on everyone:
(Sorry, but I can't figure out how to turn of the underlining. This must be REALLY important stuff!)

What an amazing amount of rest is going on!


This is the result this morning:

The only thing that got any one out of bed today was the promise of Joseph's presents and donuts and juice. Good thing there was no school today. I thought they'd crash at some point, but they made it all the way through. Bed time was pretty welcome, though!

This One's for Ryan

Ryan has been sick all night and gets to stay home from school today. It's just a fever and a headache. Mom wants to keep an eye on that combo. So far it doesn't hurt him to move his head around, so my tired, middle-of-the-night, paranoid self is beginning to stop worrying about meningitis in light of the sun shining this morning (after 40 hours of snow). The saddest part for Ryan is that today is Chess Club day and he has to miss his favorite activity of the week. So, in honor of chess club and for something fun to do, we're having a chess themed layout for today (or however long it takes me to change it back!). Yes, for those of you who read Twilight, it is a Twilight theme, but for us, today, it's all about chess. Ryan also just informed me that today is PE, too. Bummer. Can't have two layouts, so we'll stick with chess.

Don't Trip With Your Hands in Your Pockets

Ryan had a not-so-fun Friday. He tripped and fell on the way to school. It was a chilly morning and he had his hands in his pockets at the time. As a result, his face took the brunt of his up-close and personal meeting with the sidewalk. It really didn't look too bad at first- just a bleeding scrape on the side of his nose. He cried the most about hitting his head, but he never even got a lump there. We finished the walk to school and I got him cleaned up in the nurses office and off to class with a small bag of ice. By the time I picked him up after school, his whole left cheek was red and scraped. This picture was taken this morning, because I kept forgetting to take one before today. He's looking much better now (except when he has hot chocolate all over his face and then it looks worse!) and can't wait for the scab on his nose to be gone. It bothers him and he keeps picking at it. I'd kind of hoped to try for a Christmas picture this weekend, but I think we'll try again later! I'm just so grateful it wasn't any worse.

Authors, again

I didn't know what I had done with Ryan's story from Pack Meeting when I last posted, but I found it. Yea, me! I figure I can't post one and not the other. So, here goes. Once again, spelling and punctuation are true to the original. Also, each line was written on a different page.

If I hadn't followed that dog...

I would not have gone to the ganck yard and...
I would not have gone to the grave yard and...
I would not have gone to the flower garden and...
I would not have gone to the deep swomp and...
I would not have gone to the swooer in new york sity and...
not have gone to the forest with lions.

Can I just say that I love reading stories the kids make up when they're young. The handwriting, spelling, and pictures (when they have them) are so precious.

Milestones

Ryan and I made cookies this afternoon and I noticed we have reached a milestone in our family. (Drum roll, please.) Every one of our children is now tall enough to help in the kitchen without needing a stool, step-ladder, box, chair, bench, plastic tote, bucket, etc. to stand on in order to see and/or help add ingredients. Neither does anyone need to be sitting on the counter in order to see when a taller someone is already using the stool, step-ladder, box, chair, bench, plastic tote, bucket, etc. The only issue we still have is when Ryan needs to get something out of a top cupboard. But, he is tall enough to just jump up. No more dragging stools, step-ladders, chairs, benches, plastic totes, buckets, etc. into the kitchen to block mom into a 2 square foot space and then leaving them there for her to trip over until she puts them away (because, apparently, it's my fault I mix on the counter instead of the lower table, thus making it my job to put the selected height enhancing apparatus away). What a liberating day!

I suppose I should have noticed this sooner, like when Ryan asked if he could make his own cookies this week and never once asked for help with anything. I'm not sure all the flour made it into the dough, though, because it was pretty runny. He's also not quite past the stage when any sized container counts as a cup. So, I'm thinking the right number of containers was added, but not necessarily the right amount of flour. But, I digress. I was in on the computer and helping other kiddos with homework, so I never got into the kitchen until after the "dough" was made (and mostly eaten!). I just assumed he sat up on the counter and made the dough. I guess he wasn't. He somehow grew taller without my noticing. How does that continue to happen?

Of course, this also means that everyone is now tall enough to reach into the mixer and eat the dough faster than I can actually put cookies on the pan. Oh, the trials we face!

First Day of School, Round 1

The boys all started school today. The junior high and high schools only have the youngest grades (7th and 9th) go the first day for orientation. 8th and 10th-12th start tomorrow. That means Erica got one more day of summer vacation. She and I went up to school and found all her classrooms. It looks like a great school. She's pretty excited to start. The boys were excited, but they won't tell you that.

Spencer's been torn between excited and nervous all weekend. He's finally making the big jump to Jr. high. He told me yesterday morning that he'd dreamed about trying to pick out an outfit to wear the first day. I honestly didn't think boys EVER did that. (By the way, he wore today what he decided on in his dream!) His bus never showed up this morning, so Greg dropped him off. Hopefully he can find the buses (and hopefully it comes this time!) to get home this afternoon. He gets just a half day orientation today. Tomorrow real life begins.

Joseph tried to convince me that he's is guaranteed the right to the pursuit of happiness. Since staying home from school would make him happy, he shouldn't have to go. Too bad! The right to the pursuit of happiness doesn't allow you to break the law, and skipping school is against the law. Besides, I needed him to be out of the house and school's as good a place as, or better than, any.

Steven had the best start to school ever. The first day has always been traumatic for him, but today he just ran to the door waving and yelling "Bye!" as he went. It probably helps that a new family moved in down the street with a boy in his class. I don't care what the reason, I was floored and totally happy to have no tears and actually see a smile as he left.

It's supposed to be 93 today, but Ryan insisted on his favorite long sleeve shirt. If it makes him happy, I really don't care. He was pretty nonplussed all the way to school and on the playground. He was almost even brave enough to walk inside to his classroom by himself, but changed his mind a the last minute. I guess it's nice to be needed just a teeny bit!


So, tomorrow everyone goes and will be there all day. Spencer just called. Apparently the bus broke down this morning and he has no way to get home. Wonder what they'll do with a whole bus full of kids stuck at school. Happy First Day back!