"Little School"

For about 3 years now I've been saying I wanted to run my summers like a mini-preschool. Then the reality of summer hits and I enjoy the freedom of sleeping in and doing things as the mood strikes us. Finally, though, we hit upon "little school". About every other day the kids gather around the kitchen table to hear a couple of Bible stories and learn a little. Drew's teacher gave him a rather ginormous packet of summer work (all optional, but worth a special lunch with her upon his return if completed). He's nearly done with it now. Erin has been working out of a cheapo Wal-Mart-type phonics book and is really getting the concept of initial consonants and the sounds they make. She'll likely be reading before kindergarten if she keeps it up, though we're in no real rush. To keep it interesting for them, we've thrown in the occasional science experiment, encyclopedia usage, locating on a globe, and google searching. A few weeks ago we did the quintessential volcano.

Here is Erin adding the red dye to the vinegar:


Drew gets the honors of pouring the solution:


Here we go! I know that the volcano is pretty lame (a water bottle with potting soil). The kids didn't care.

Success! Drew was stoked for a good 30 minutes afterward. He loooooves science.

Drew's baseball

For having all this time off I'm very derelict in my bloggin duties. Andrew was on the Richland Township Rockets this year. They were mostly young but improved a lot over the season. They also proved to be "comeback kids". After only winning one game during regulation, they went on to win a few tourney games and place 3rd overall!

Here is Erin with her friend Nola (whose brother was also a Rocket). I spent most of the games pushing them on swings and buying them snacks ;>p

I never got a group shot but here are two of Drew at bat. Last year it was coach-pitch; this year they graduated to a combo of team pitchers and the pitching machine. Huge difference.

The other day, as I was trying to tidy the house, I groused, "Is there anything around here I DON'T have to straighten up?"

To which Drew replied: "Yes. Your act."

Four down!

Andrew lost his fourth tooth last week. All 4 teeth have come from the bottom. I get so excited to think about the top teeth coming out soon. (The top left one has been loose for ages.) It will change his looks so dramatically!

The tooth fairy apparently ran out of presidential dollars and left 4 quarters instead. Perhaps the tooth fairy knows how much he likes to raid SEFE's snack machine after school.

If I've told you once, I've told you 59 times.

59 seems to be the magic number for Erin. She's told me 59 times she needed a glass of milk. She has 59 papers she needs to color. There are at least 59 toys blocking her way to the bed. How she has arrived at this number, no one knows.

School's in for Webkinz

Erin is really getting into playing school these days. I'm her favorite pupil. (Sample questions: "How would you feel if Jesus died? Sad? That's right! Goooooooood. Now, how would you feel if your mommy made you go to bed early?") She found a little dowel rod and uses it as her "teaching stick" all the time. Usually she wants to be Miss Shelby (her gymnastics teacher) but she also enjoys being "your teacher but also your mom."

I suggested she use Webkinz as teaching subjects since they're not as busy as this pupil. She really cottoned onto that and now she regularly holds sessions with 10-15 furry critters on my La-Z Boy recliner. Drew wanted to get involved one day as well and it was a hoot to watch them divvy up the animals and get to work. He had a batch of them on the bean bag while she was busy teaching her recliner group. I asked what subject he was teaching. He then informed me that he was in charge of the nursery for the day.

I'll try to get a picture of them when school reconvenes.

Only Drew...

Tonight we were at Overpass Pizza and the waitress came to get our drink orders. After much hemming and hawing, Andrew says, "Well, guess I'll just have the fresh brewed iced tea."

He's always doing that with menus and such. It's never, "Mom, can we play that cool game with the light-up spinner?" It's: "Mom, can we please play the Phonological Awareness Fun Park Game with electronic spinner?"