Week 2

Sorry I didn't get these posted yesterday. The boys had a hurricane day. We are all ok. No problems here, especially not like NYC. Thank goodness.

So without further delay. Week 2.

I put up a travel wall in our mudroom. Seems fitting since that's where we leave from. And it was the only place to put it :) 

I will post more details about the pictures later. And yes I know one of them still needs a mat.

On Wednesday I worked on our map. It used to be in the boys playroom but when we switched the playroom and family room this map stayed. 

I took pictures of all the places we have traveled and connected a pin in the location with a piece of string to the pictures. 

More details on the map later....

On Wednesday the task of the day was weeding. Took me an hour to clear just this small one. I have much more work ahead of me this coming weekend.

Once a week I go to help in the library at the Elementary school. I always go on Aiden's library day so I can sneak in a cuddle :)

Zach was asked to join the Demo team (Demonstration team) for karate. He is super excited. Saturday was the first practice and he spent about 30 minutes after practice working on the form he learned.

Blogger won't let me rotate this picture. ug.

Anyway, on Sunday I put together some shadow boxes and this was one of the pictures I used. It is of my Grandma Smith (dad's mom) and my Grandpa, whom I never met unfortunately he died when my dad was only 13. 

I love looking at old pictures like this. Makes me wish I could have known them then.

I like to try to clean out the fridge before I go grocery shopping on Monday. It doesn't happen often but this Monday I was able to get it done before Aiden got on the bus. Yippee!

Chris and I

While the boys were having fun this summer Chris and I were working. I shuttled the boys around to appointments, classes, bus stop, etc. Chris worked at work :)

In July it became obvious that we needed to defrost our garage freezer. So for two weeks we worked on eating the food in there. Then after it was defrosted I had to fill it back up. So for about 3 days I worked on making meals to fill the freezer back up. I made shrimp linguine, mexican shells, best chicken ever, stroganoff, hamburgers, spaghetti sauce, and I separated and froze chicken breasts. It was a huge undertaking but it was so nice to be able to know that on busy nights I can pull a meal from the freezer.

One of the other things I made was tofu curry. I don't like tofu but Chris does so I make a big batch and freeze them in individual portions for him to take to work for lunch. Win-win.

Another kitchen adventure was making freezer jam. Chris likes to use it for strawberry lemonade. I use it on bread. The boys don't touch it. But I refuse to buy jelly from the store while we have a bunch of jelly in the freezer so for the time being they are on a PB&J strike.

One of the exciting things of the summer was the purchase of my new to me van. I love it!!!! Love, love, love! I have no idea how I went so long without it.

Every chance we got we made trips out to the beach. I love it there. I mostly spend my time digging for beach glass. I'm going to miss the lake when we move.

Chris didn't have much downtime but when he did, he was a pillow for Royal Queen Allie.

He built a shed that was just a touch too small. Not his fault, it was a manufacturer problem....we are working to remedy it before it starts to snow.

Both boys enjoy chess. Chris does as well. I'm learning to enjoy it.

Remember how I got a new van. A few weeks later Chris got a new car. 

We are now a two Toyota family. 

That was our summer, except for vacation which I will post next week. 

Have a great weekend!

Zach's summer

Blogger is being picky about my pictures again. Grrrr.

This top picture is from Zach's Blue belt test. He's the one kicking. 

The sparring is the hardest for me to watch. All sort of horrible thoughts go through my head, but it is Zach's favorite part of karate and so I cheer him on and am so excited when he does well--even if inside I am shaking. All moms do that, though, don't we? Put aside the desire to wrap our kids in bubble wrap and keep them in their rooms, instead letting them go out and experience life and the world so they can find their place and their passion.

The bottom picture is at home after the test.

Last day of school. I don't like this shirt. It's not his personality at all. But I'm letting go, even though I want to hold on. 

More karate. This was the test for his red belt. He was able to take 2 weeks of karate camp and go to 5 classes a week this summer and that helped him progress a bit. This time he's sparring with one of the black belts-an instructor. (His favorite instructor :) See Zach's foot position? Perfection. 

Accepting congrats and his new belt. Going over what he will learn as a red belt. 

Look how sweaty he is!

The other camp Zach did was a College for kids class. I kept telling him to sign up early but he didn't-I think he was hoping I would change my mind about making him take a class. By the time he signed up all the ones he really wanted like Robotics and Mythbusters were already full so he took a Piñata class. :) He had fun even if there was only one other boy in the class.

Breaking the piñata. Because that's what you're supposed to do.

Our birthday gift to him. Drums. He plays percussion in the band and was so thrilled when he saw his gift. He doesn't play much though. I know he would play more if we paid for lessons but with karate and Aiden's tutoring there just isn't the money right now. 

Chris, however, sneaks up there and plays every chance he can. Although once he starts playing he loses the sneaky factor :)

Zach's party. A sleepover. 6 boys total. Zach and another boy stayed up all night. I'm not sure I will let him have that many boys over again anytime soon. But the boys were all sweet kids. No problems. Other than than not sleeping part.

I can't believe he's 11.

Although Zach went to various camps and ran errands with me and was required to read everyday and went to karate at least once, sometimes twice a day this is how he spent much of his summer. 

Playing video games. 

Sigh.

 I let him because he works hard all school year and it is summer after all. School year we have instituted strict limits on electronic time. But summer is summer.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to write about all Chris and I accomplished over the summer. Next week I want to post about our vacation, and some room changes we've been making.

Aiden's summer

First, Jenny asked what Chris made for me for my birthday meal....steak, velveeta mac and cheese, and baked potatoes. Chocolate cake for dessert (no icing) and moose tracks ice cream. The mac and cheese is a total comfort food and something I NEVER have (we usually get Annie's brand) but when it's your birthday the calories and gross chemicals don't count :)

So I promised a summer run down. First up is Aiden's summer.

Before Zach's band concert at the Elementary school playground. This boy lives life to it's fullest. 

Blogger is being annoying about my pictures....grrrr.

The one below is from Aiden's field day. He didn't even notice I was there... too busy having fun!

Taken after he got off the bus on the last day of school. Look at all that hair!!!

And then he discovered a lot of hair is HOT! So we did a buzz cut, with the dog trimmers. All was good.

 Just about 10 days after school let out Aiden started STP camp. (Summer Treatment Program). The camp is for ADHD kids and they spend 8 weeks from 8:30-3:30 learning to control themselves. The camp uses sports as an outlet for them. The did 2-3 "recs" a day. Twice a week it was swimming. They also had art and computer everyday. You earned and lost points based upon your behavior. The points earned you a Friday field trip and other great stuff. Aiden's first week he needed 6700 points to earn his field trip. The last week he needed over 10,000! He did such an awesome job, even getting to be junior counselor (they could give points to other kids but couldn't take them away). It was a fabulous program for Aiden and he learned so much. There was so much more to it that would take me forever to go into. His behavior has improved so much since then and I will be forever grateful that he had this opportunity. 

The picture is the bus he rode.

Enjoying a treat.

Like the mohawk? It was crazy hair day at camp :)

Those long days sure tired him out and for the first time in a VERY long time he fell asleep in the car. 

Here Aiden is on stage at Graduation with the other junior counselors. There were over 100 kids in the camp. Only 17 made it to junior counselor. (I know there aren't 17 kids in the picture-just trust me on this). So very, very proud of him.

Before leaving graduation. A close up of my guy.

Every child won an award (Aiden's group was the Turtle Pirates). Here's the story behind Aiden's award:

Camp was held in a local school. In that local school there was also a cheerleading camp. One day said cheerleaders were in the hallway, upon seeing them Aiden leaned against the doorframe and said "Hello ladies" 

HA! 

What am I going to do with this boy?????

Tomorrow I hope to post about Zach's summer, we will have to see how the day goes :)

First week of my 35th year

So I know it’s been awhile but my friend Jenny keeps reminding me to stop procrastinating and just start now. With....whatever....for me it’s this blog :)

I owe everyone house pictures, summer recap, and tales from our lives but I’m going to start with a recap of the last 7 days.

Last year on my birthday my in laws gave me an Amazon gift card which I used to purchase the Project Life kit by Becky Higgins but at the time of my purchase Amazon was all out of the page protectors. Expected restock.... February. Well that wouldn’t work for me so I ordered other page protectors and January came and went and I kept forgetting to take pictures. So instead of beating myself up I decided to do a Project Life album on my 35th year. So I started last week. 

Now for your enjoyment, a recap of the first week of my 35th year.

My birthday. It was a crazy afternoon. And we had to attend a Title 1 meeting for Aiden that night so we didn't do much. Chris did make me dinner and cake the next night, though. 

The view from my front porch at 8am. Zach gets on the bus at 7:30 and Aiden at 8:20 so I went out to check what kind of coat Aiden should wear and the sun coming through the trees was so pretty I just had to take a picture but the picture doesn't do it justice.

On Thursday we had our ducts cleaned out. The heater guys that did it thought it was the first time. Ever. Our house was built in the late 60s. Yuck. 

My messy office. This room becomes a dumping zone for everyone. Always. I'm working on it though. Lots of purging, completion of projects, etc.

 

Chris. In our garage. Working on our new kitchen floor (!) The garage is always a disaster when we are working on a project. Or ten. Hoping to work and purge in here this weekend or next. Chris needs to build a workbench first though.......Like I said, one project or ten there is always something to go on.

Sunday Chris put in the last piece of floor. This is the bathroom. Obviously. And not the kitchen. Better pictures that do not include the wonderful sights of this one to come later :)

Monday is my errand day. Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that self checkout has found it's way to Erie. Yippee!

One week down 51 to go.

I am trying to do better. No procrastinating for me.