Getting Ready for Halloween

I've got the bug this year so I started to get the Halloween stuff out early rather than later. The kids really got into it too, telling me what to get out and asking where certain items are in the containers. They had fun putting it all out. Joshua has some issues with a Grim Reaper toy, but he just can't help being near it and pushing the button. Then telling us he's scared....couple minutes later, there he is right back with the reaper. Jacob and Layne like the plasma ball, the plastic ball with the lightning you can touch.

We tried doing lunch together at Chili's, but Joshua was acting horribly, so he and actually left and went home. He was that bad. He seemed to have moments the rest of the day where he just couldn't listen.

Jacob spent the weekend with his friend Connor from school. They went to their cabin in the woods. Sounds like it's a second house they own two hours away. It's got a hottub and big flat screen tv. Jacob had a great time.

Layne had her friend Divya over to spend the night on Saturday. They had an equally fun time even without the hottub. It was so warm we got out the slip-n-slide and they played with that for about an hour. Then some tv and Wii. Divya said it was the best sleepover ever.

September 21

blah, blah, blah

Monday 20th

Just signing in...

Diorama Sunday

Oh, and Friday and Saturday, too. I know the kids need to do their own homework. But there is no way that a 9 year old 4th grader is going to be able to do a complete diorama without asking a question every minute. Things like, can I use these scissors? Do we have brown paper? How would you make a dog? Aslan is supposed to be chained to a stone tablet - what can I use to do that? Sheesh! But they are done. And they look pretty good. They mostly did their own work - we obviously supplied quite a bit of the materials. I hope next time they pick something easier for "me" to complete.

Here is Layne's:


And here is Jacob's:


I know it looks like Jacob did not do as much as Layne. But he chose a difficult scene from his book to portray. He read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. His scene is where Aslan has been killed and is chained to the stone tablet and Lucy and Susan are walking away crying as they believe he is dead. It is a bleak scene and therefore not a lot of detail to provide. Although - Lucy has a real leather bow and arrow slung over her shoulder and they both have tears. But Layne's looks awesome and she had a plan and knew exactly how she wanted it to look and I think she was successful.

Made it to church this morning. Kind of glad I did as I was told by our minister that "the body is weakened" when you do not attend church. Joshua had a great time with Miss Pavan and Mr. Robert.

Came home after church and started right in on the Dioramas. Just finally completed them with 30 minutes to spare before Jacob had to go sell Boy Scout Popcorn. I need to get a picture of him in his new uniform. All the Boy Scout stuff is new. I don't even know what kind of popcorn they sell. Maybe Matthew will get us some (but probably not - probably wouldn't even think about it - LOL). Jacob and Matthew will be at the Douglas Road Kroger from 4:30 to 6:00 selling popcorn. Matthew went over the sales pitch with Jacob - #1 "Hello, would you like to buy some popcorn?" and if they say NO he says "Would you like to make a donation to the Boy Scouts of America?" and then if they say NO he says "Thank you very much".

Joshua is tired and cranky - but it took 2 parents to help with 2 separate Dioramas - so he would not go by himself and lay down for a nap. Hopefully we can get to bed soon. He has been playing with his baby doll again. Today he had Susan's former ID Badge around his neck as that stated (according to Joshua) that he was "the official babysitter". Hope he can earn some money soon.



Still hot in Atlanta - over 90 degrees and sunny again today. I am looking forward to some 80 degree temps soon - hopefully later this week.

Soccer Saturday

Our first games of the season, overall, pretty good. Layne's team, the "Soccerbolts" did great. Layne played goalie for most of the first half and stopped any potential shots on goal. She played mid field most of the second half. She had a fantastic kick from midfield to one of her teammates who turned and shot and scored a goal. We all cheered for Layne who couldn't help but smile all the way back to her position.
Joshua's very first game went well the first half. His team is the "Lions", kick the ball at the goal with the lion. He got out there, ran around, chased the cluster of kids, participated and had fun. When several players would fall, well, he just had to fall too. Josh did get to kick the ball on the kick off and for a goal kick. The second half didn't go as well, he was tired and didn't want to play any more. He'd try and hang with us on the sideline instead of with his team. I'd walk him back over and try and get him to go back out on the field, but it just wasn't going to happen. We've got the first game under his belt and we should progress the rest of the year. His coaches did a great job trying to get him out there too, but not overdoing it. But, as you can see, he did have a good time.

Dioramas Started

Started on the diorama homework, will post more.

Life is Hectic

Thought we'd been busy before, but this fall is really pushing it. Layne has soccer and Juniors (advanced brownies), Joshua has soccer, and Jacob has scouts and swimming, plus school and we've got to work too. Ya have to make time to breathe. Today Jennifer took Layne to Juniors, and I took Jacob to swimming lessons, when he was done we drove to Jack and Judy's to pick up Joshua and take him to soccer practice...shoooo. The kids are all having a great time with it all though, so we'll keep figuring it out.

Layne taught her troop how to make friendship bracelets and did a magnificent job, she's a natural. Jennifer was very helpful last night in getting all the prep work done so Layne could be magnificent, but she was very excited that she got to show all her friends how to make the bracelets and be the teacher for an hour.

Jacob did great with swimming lessons. It was a tough call on which class to put him in, but he enjoyed himself today and learned how to do the backstroke, well some form of the backstroke. He was very grown up and independent with the lessons today.

Joshua had fun at soccer practice, he was a tad out of it though, a bit of independence on the field. All the kids were running and kicking the ball, Joshua would stand in the middle of the field and watch, or run to the goal and play goalie, but he had a good time.

Changing gears a bit, Jennifer gave Jacob and Layne some extra money for the book fair. They each got a $20 bill, but were only to spend $10, and then give Jennifer the change, I'm sure you can see where this is going. I didn't know about this deal, so when we get home from all the practices Jacob gives me a dollar and says "Here's Mom's change...". I just put the money, the single dollar bill, in my pocket and didn't think anything about it. Then when we're all home and Jennifer asks for her change and I hear what the deal was and how they really took advantage, we were not happy. Jennifer explained how it was like stealing. I think they got it, but then Jacob has the gall to ask for more money because there is still one book he really wants, uh..maybe they didn't get it. After explaining it again, it hits home with Jacob and he leaves the kitchen balling and goes up to his room. You could hear the sobs from downstairs. He was sad because he couldn't get the book he really wanted. Hello! Didn't you just spend $20 on some other books, why didn't you get this book that was causing all the tears? He really wanted all three books.

We've got it worked out, and he will be working on the garage to make some extra money to pay for the book and neither of them will get an allowance until October to pay for the extra $10 they each took.

First Day of Swim Lessons for Jacob

We went to the YMCA today for swim lessons for Jacob. We got there. He wanted to go in the Men's/Boy's dressing room all by himself and not the Family Dressing Room. I let him. It was hard though to not be with him in a new place, though.

Then he came out to find me and he was crying. He couldn't find his goggles, he didn't want to take swimming, why does he have to take swimming. It is so hard when they cry like that.

So this time he sat at the edge of the pool and watched the lesson and what they have to do. He did really well and was okay with me leaving the pool area and he sat by himself. There are 2 of the same level classes at the same time. So the coordinator let him pick which instructor he wanted to be with for his lessons. He, of course, picked the young, cute blond, Whitney.

He was fine watching and he was fine leaving and he says he is fine swimming on Thursday. I assured him he knew all that they would be doing in that swim class and after these first 8 lessons then he could move up to a challenging class, but that we wanted him to be comfortable.

Outside of school (where Layne goes) and Cub Scouts (where he goes to everything with a parent) Jacob has not had to do anything by himself yet. This is new for him and I really didn't realize that until yesterday.

But this is good for him.

And Thursday we will not forget the goggles.

Here are our silly, clean children. Can't believe how fast they are growing. I also think Joshua had placed a whole sheet of stickers on his PJ's at this point. He does have his own idiosyncrasies, too.

Webelos

Jacob had his first Den Meeting this past Sunday. He is even more an official Webelo. You can see his new hat, belt and scarf in the picture above. The card on the right is his completion of 1 year of Cub Scouts.

The important part to note is the Belt Loops in the picture. He has proudly obtained a Belt Loop or 1) Computers 2) Video Games 3) and Art. One of the other 2 is for Kickball and Writing. At least he gets to do the things he is already interested in, right?

He is in year 2 of the "I don't want to go to Cub Scouts" and then after he has been "that was a lot of fun". It took 2 years for Layne in Girl Scouts - he is right on track in my opinion.

Jacob is having a great year so far. Only one day of TAG (Talented and Gifted) but that afternoon he was the most talkative about school since Kindergarten. He even was responsible with making sure over the weekend that he had all of the items he needed ready for today for TAG.

So thankful for Ms. Alvarez last year helping Jacob find Fun in School again.