Candy for my Stocking

As a child, I got a LifeSavers Storybook (8 packs of LifeSavers) in my stocking every year. This year, my mother gave me a singular pack of Wild Cherry LifeSavers (my favorite flavor) in my stocking and I could't be happier! I am on the way home from NYC (an awesome trip) but the " NYC blizzard" has made returning home significantly longer than expected. We are on the 'express train' but it is still taking much longer than the regular train normally would. My wild cherry LifeSavers (and the fact that I could still be sitting in Penn Station waiting for a train) are doing a great job at keeping me positive!
~Sharon

Christmas 2010 - TIMES SQUARE

Sharon and I ended up in New York on December 26th during a major snow blizzard. We ran around Times Square and Broadway while 6 Inches of snow blanketed the city!

4th Birthday

Really, It's not that I don't want and need to post about Sybella's 4th birthday but oh my goodness, I just realized that I have been so busy, I haven't posted a thing in December!
So here goes:

On Dec 1st Sybella turned 4 years old. I can't believe it's been 4 years since our only girl, a princess, and a perceived 1st born (both the boys were in school by the time she came along) came into our lives. Amazing.   [Note: I intended to put a photo here from when she was born and I just realized that I haven't transferred them from my other computer...oops]

This year Sybella had a birthday week of fun and adventure.
On her birthday, her preschool went on a field trip to a local Tiny Tots Concert.
Then, after dinner we opened her gifts from our family-- it was a lady bug year as requested by the birthday girl.

On Dec 2nd, I braved Chuck-E-Cheese to host a party with all of Sybella's friends from preschool. She had never been to CEC before but clearly marketing works because she spent months telling us that she wanted to have her party there. (she must have seen a commercial?)

On Dec 3rd, we took fancy cookies to class to celebrate at school. They gave her a crown and she was the center of attention for the day.

Sybella had an awesome birthday week- hope she's not expecting that kind of fan fare every year! :0)

Blogs I Follow

David set up this blog long ago and I slowly but surely I began posting to it; now, I post 80% or more of the items but interestingly, I have never really known anything about design or settings. Today, I finally spent some time exploring and while I am not yet brave enough to change the background, I finally put a "blog roll" in place. There is now a list of many of the blogs I follow on the left side of the homepage. Check it out!

2010 Army 10-Miler

It was another year of fun at the Army 10-Miler (Oct 24, 2010).

Last year I ran by myself. This year- David, my brother Joel, and my sister-in-law Stephanie, all ran too.

It was beautiful weather, which is always a bonus on race day. I also ran much faster than I did last year-- a hard earned accomplishment!

This year I also got the chance to catch up with several folks that I hadn't seen it a while: Todd Little (LTC and TCU grad), Misty Cornett Lever (another fellow Horned Frog), and Jennifer Brown (an Ob-Gyn that I worked with at Madigan).

Here is a shot of the of us after the race:

Frying Pan Park

In late October, we had the chance enjoy a play-date with the St.Clair cousins (all the kids that weren't in school). We visited Frying Pan Park in Herdon, VA.

We saw lots of animals, ate lunch, and played. The kids loved the sheep, pigs, cows, horses, turkeys, ducks, and peacocks. A beautiful sunny day and fun with the family. We couldn't ask for anything more!

Thanksgiving Feast

Every year the elementary school does a 'Thanksgiving Feast.' This year was no different. Sybella, Cooper, and I had the opportunity to go Connor's school and enjoy lunch with him and his friends. Connor loves showing off his younger siblings to the kids in the class and the younger kids love both eating with Connor and all the attention.

We had turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans....along with Pumpkin Ice Cream. Not too bad a fare for cafeteria food!

**Unfortunately, the Middle School does not offer a Thanksgiving Feast so, we didn't get to eat with Colin this year. :0(

Conflict or Harmony

It's interesting, I suspect that people would say of me, "She doesn't mind conflict. In fact, she likes it." That's true but it's also totally not true... What?!

Let me explain. I have an analytical mind, I enjoy a debate (I get that from my dad). I have no problem with conflict in which there can be resolution. And that resolution, does not have to be me being right. I am happy to be wrong (just show me), I am happy to apologize, I am happy to compromise, I am happy to form a different opinion based on sound reasoning or fact.

Conflict in which I feel powerless, meaning: conflict in which there is not transparency, conflict in which there are malicious motives, conflict in which communication isn't present, conflict in which my motives have been assumed, conflict that is riddled with gossip, or conflict in which people assume that I don't get me feelings hurt--- these are the conflicts in which I do not do well with! They grieve me. I use the word 'grieve' in the most serious of connotations, GRIEVE me, they cause me physical ailment. I wrestle with them.

I am desirous of peace, desirous of reconciliation (I get this from my mom).

Where is all this coming from?

I didn't have some crisis in my life, I didn't have some major conflict or falling out yesterday. (Promise.)

I was reading this morning and came across this:

Ps 133:1 (NLT) How wonderful and pleasant it is

when brothers live together in harmony!

or

Ps 133:1 (NIV) How good and pleasant it is

when God’s people live together in unity!

This just struck me... I have lots of people in my life: family, friends, neighbors, associates, organization peers. There is conflict in these situations. Anytime you are in relationship with people for more than a year, there will be conflict (for many, it could take a day). All it takes is enough interactions to get past the superficial.

However, I am in a season of my life where there is peace. (in same cases, it's absence of conflict, in some it's mature relationship where conflict is easily resolved, and in some cases, it's just grace-filled situations paired with forgiveness.) It makes life so smooth. Harmony is wonderful and pleasant. It provides for so much freedom. Freedom to spend my energies elsewhere. Freedom to be creative and explore (which takes focus for me). Freedom to grow, engage, and flourish. Harmony is a gift. A gift that I am Thankful for...

I love the holidays and what I love most about the holidays is having family and friends around. I don't get to have all of my family around like I wish (many of them live FAR away or cost is just too much, or they have other family to visit). But I am so thankful for both our family and friends. And in this season of celebrating Thanksgiving, this passage spoke volumes to me about the blessings of harmony.

(And for all you natural debaters out there, no I don't think absence of conflict is all good or should last forever...I am just grateful for peace in this season of my life.)

Referee Squared

This should, but may not be, an incredibly long post about what a great son I have and how he is following in the footsteps of his dad- we now have Referee Squared at our house.

Here's the story:

My awesome son, Colin, is a Entrepreneur, skilled at soccer, and has a hero in his dad. That all adds up to becoming a soccer referee (and collecting his first paycheck) at age 12!

After years of playing soccer, this year, Colin went thru a 10-hour class, a mentoring session, and a test to become a Grade 9, United States Soccer Federation Soccer Referee.

He serves as a Center Referee for recreational or house games for kids that are at least 2 years younger than he is. He can serve as an Assistant Referee (Linesman) for a more senior referee to kids in the older age groups.

He did a total of 13 games this season and had lots of encouragement and recognition from his dad (who was a National Referee). Colin did a great job! He has a good understanding of the game, of his role, and of the need serve as a teacher to the young kids who are still learning the game. He is planning to ref again in the spring and take the class to upgrade to a Grade 8 referee. (All this, and he made the honor roll in his first quarter at Middle School- 7th grade- while taking 3 Honors classes.)

Can I just say that this kid makes it easy to be a proud mama!

Future FIFA Referee?!

Halloween 2010

Halloween festivities at our house this year included the preschool parade in which the kids dress up and parade around for the parents and sing songs for us. It was entertaining as usual and Sybella loved the fact that she and Kylee chose to be the same thing for Halloween. (Thanks Shauna for remembering your camera!)

Then we dressed up again on Halloween to trick-or-treat in the neighborhood. I usually stay home and pass out candy and dad takes the kids around to get candy. This year our older boys dressed up (for what was likely Colin's LAST year) and went to their friends' house to trick-or-treat. So, unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of them.

Sybella was Tinkerbell this year for Halloween. She loved the costume but particularly enjoyed the 'glitter' hairspray that made the outfit! What a girl! (the lighting is great in this pic, sorry)

Cooper was quite a handsome 'UPS' man...however, nothing was getting delivered; he was eating it all, including this Chocolate Kiss, before it could get anywhere. He has decided he LIKES candy. (I have to change my hiding place several times a week- he sees the older kids get a piece and he waits 'till he thinks no one is looking and tries to get some for himself.)

Giveaway!

The Christmas Spirit of giving is already underway- check out this awesome giveaway and get more information or inspiration about adoption.
Adoption is something that is often on my heart. Many of our friends are parents thru adoption and we even had the blessed opportunity about one year ago to share a trip to Korea as our friends brought home their precious boy. It is as touching to me today as any birth I have attended as a Labor and Delivery nurse!
This past Sunday was Orphan Sunday and I am so proud that churches and organizations all over the country are bringing awareness to the needs of orphans and foster children. In DC alone, there are 4000 orphans.
If you have never thought about adoption or foster care, I would encourage you to think about it in this upcoming holiday season....even if you are not prepared to adopt or foster at this time (or ever), there are things you can do for those in the journey, the kids affected, and the workers who tirelessly serve them. Look for an opportunity to serve or give this year-- the blessing returned to you will be great!

Milkshake Dates

Yes it's 40 degrees outside but Sybella requested a "Milkshake Date" and I'm a sucker for younger women and freckles! Love my little girl...

September Catch-Up

Here are some highlights from September:

Note: Since I was adding several pics, they are smaller than usual but if you click on any picture, you can view a full-size version.

Wedding Shower:

We started off the month of September by hosting a Wedding Shower for Phillip (David's Brother) and his fiancee, Christy. It was a fun evening of food with friends from VA, MD, DC, & NJ. It was a great opportunity for many of their friends to meet and get to know each other a bit before the wedding. We also had the chance to bless them with gifts and prayers as they entered the last month of preparation before their wedding day.

4yo Preschool- 1st Day of School:

Sept 13th was Sybella's 1st day of school (sorry no pictures of the boys...I don't know how I missed that!). She is in a 3-day a week program from 9am-Noon this year. She loves her preschool and we are so blessed that her BFF, Kylee, is in class with her again this year!

Sept 27th Haircut:

I have to admit, I thought that Sybella was past this stage...but, she cut her hair. I was shocked. She loves to use the scissors, she cuts paper almost daily, I just didn't think I would ever have to write another blog about Sybella taking scissors to her hair. I think she had just turned 2yo and I was pregnant with Cooper the first time she did this. This time it was particularly painful to me for several reasons:

1. I was standing RIGHT next to her. Seriously, I was about 12 inches away.

2. I was looking right at her and I couldn't react fast enough.

3. When she was 2, she didn't really know better, now she should.

4. When she was 2, she did very little damage. You couldn't even tell that she had cut it and I didn't do anything to 'fix' it.

5. This time, she had a bob on one side and long hair on the other side--- required a MAJOR hairstyle change. We cut her hair into a bob at the point where she had used the scissors. She ended up losing about 6-8 inches of length.

6. Sybella made her flowergirl debut, 12 days after her haircut, on Oct 9, in her Uncle Phillip & Aunt Christy's wedding (I had envisioned the dress with lots of long curls).

Ok, I wasn't thrilled to have Sybella switching to short hair (especially right before her flowergirl debut) but, I have to admit that this cut is cute!

Cooper's 18-Month Stats

These are the statistics from Cooper's 18-Month Appt:
Weight: 22lbs 15 oz, 20th Percentile
Height: 31 1/2 in, 25th Percentile
Head Circ: 18 1/4in, 15th Percentile

Fat Matt's

What more can I say?

Every year Sharon and I go to Atlanta and we NEVER miss the chance to eat at Fat Matt's. In recent years this joint has become even more famous as it gets mention in movies like "Up In The Air".

Half-Marathon

Pam, Kate, Lauren, Sharon, & Lexi

Thanks Ladies for a Great Race!

In September, I had the opportunity to run a Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) with some gals from our church. Thanks to Lauren for getting us started by sending out an email to see if anyone would like to get together and do some longer runs on Saturday morning. This was a relaxed (show up when you could, with no guilt over missing) way to have some companionship on what is a mentally grueling process of training for a race. The plan to do the 'Half' together didn't come up until later but it was the perfect way to celebrate some of our results at the end of summer. We chose the Wilson Bridge Half-Marathon. It starts at historic Mount Vernon, goes up the George Washington Parkway, across the Wilson Bridge (and the Potomac) and into the new National Harbor Complex in Maryland. (It's a 2 state race.) There was quite a bit up "uphill" running, I am glad I didn't look at the elevation map until the morning of the race. The view was amazing though and made it worth the hills!

I have run one other 'half'...it was 11 years and 3 kids ago. Colin was just 1yo at the time. This was a fun opportunity to prove that I still have 'it,' whatever it is. I didn't tell anyone but my secret goal was to finish this race faster than I did the other one. And honestly, I was convinced I could do it until about a month before the race when I started struggling with runner's knee. So on the morning of the race, I figured I'd give it my best and be happy about however it turned out.

Long story short, I ran the first 6 miles at a GREAT pace which saved me on miles 10-13 where my knee was really hurting. The last mile was absolutely no fun, I couldn't even enjoy the last mile 'high' because we were running on gravel and it made my knee hurt worse. But, I am happy to say, actually I am THRILLED to say that my official time was 36 seconds faster than my time 11 years ago!! Apparently, I still have it. :0)

**For those who are curious, I have deferred the Marathon until next year. I had enough time to train in a perfect world. But as you can guess, with a husband who worked very long hours this summer and 4 kids (one who was teething and not sleeping thru night most of the summer), it is not a perfect world. The marathon is coming up in 2 weeks and I could have done it but I would not have been happy with how much I probably would have needed to walk (vs. run) and I would have risked injuries. Ultimately, I started not to enjoy training b/c I knew I was pushing my physical and mental limits. The pressure of the process by far outweighed the pleasure in the pursuit. So, in a VERY TOUGH decision, especially for a first-born, type-A, who doesn't like to ever quit anything, I decided deferring to next year was best. I am happy with the decision that I made and I hope that the training goes better next year with a few extra months to build distance and prevent injuries.

Army Intelligence Ball

On Sept 18, David and I again had the opportunity to attend the Army Intelligence Ball at the Crystal City Hyatt. It was the 30th Annual Ball and it was a spectacular time. We like the chance to get all dressed up and you can't beat hanging out with a table full of people that you enjoy spending time with! This year I did leave just a tad early, I had a half-marathon to run the next morning-- Staying out 'till midnight in 3 inch heels doesn't match well with getting up at 5am to run 13.1 miles (post coming soon).

He doesn't always smile for pics. :0)

Music Man

OK- It's definitely time to start some catch up blogging. So over the next week I will try to post some new stuff, starting tonight:

Cooper is our "Music Man!" This child has music IN him.

Music moves him, connects with him, and can change his mood in a way that is amazing.

He loves music in a way that has made every person in our house love music more.

There isn't a time when music is on, when Cooper isn't dancing (and of course, everyone in ear shot is encouraging him to dance more).

His favorite toy has become the iPod. He has an iPod? No Way, but there are several iPods and iPhones in the house and Cooper is always trying to find and 'take' one.

Tonight while I was giving one of the kids a spelling test, Cooper snuck off, found an iPod and speakers, dragged them up the stairs, turned them on, and hid under the counter to enjoy his music.

No Wrong Prayers (except maybe this one)

I have always believed that there are no wrong prayers, that really, it's ok to have conversation with God and be straight about what you are feeling. But when I catch myself saying this bedtime prayer with Cooper, I have to wonder, "Is this just Wrong?"

The prayer is:

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord I stay asleep,

If I should wake before the dawn,

I pray my whine don't wake my mom. 

Amen

With Love, 

A Sometimes Tired Mother of 4,

Sharon

Using kids to fight? Really?

I spent the last three days with the real war fighters at Fort Benning, Georgia. It was great to spend time with friends and make new friends. Some of the challenges and stories would shock the average person. I am grateful at I can stay connected and I maintain a clear sense of what is really going on in Afghanistan but the article below is a reflection of the challenges and frustrating.

What is it that I am failing to understand? I just can't see any circumstance that warrants this behavior...

Taliban using kids in Afghan fight: http://usat.me?40088670

Obstacles Welcome...

I enjoyed reading about the career path of such a successful leader in
business.

Ralph de la Vega, a native of Cuba, became President and CEO of AT&T
Mobility and Consumer Markets in October 2008. He is responsible for
all wireline as well as wireless networks. Previously, he had been in
charge at Cingular Wireless and assumed further responsibilities when
AT&T consolidated. Before that, he was the President of Latin America
Operations, and the President of Broadband and Internet Services for
Bellsouth's operations in ten countries.

Hearing the set backs and challenges he faced was really intriguing
given the perspective of being a customer in the wireless market and
watching how it played out in the public spotlight. While he offered
'his' process and steps to success...I think the value came through in
his anecdotes and openness about the resistance he faced and failures
like AT&T's U-Verse Project. His book addressed rumors, gossip, and
drift within an organization as well as how to build a team for a
major project like his solution on on the AT&T and Cingular merger
(that alone was well worth the purchase of this book).

David

Checkmate!!!

Cooper was playing chess this morning with chess pieces that were as big as he is. The boys tried to teach him but he had more fun knocking them over then trying to beat his opponent.

Teaching Connor to Sail...

No words needed!

Vacation, Relaxation, & Expectation

Enjoying our time in Jamaica (kinda).

Like I've always said, I am more about transparency than some touchy feely posting. The first 24 hours was rough. DC left me so hyped and tense that it took all of the first day and most of day two to unwind. So now we are starting to relax...some lazy river, canoeing, and body surfing.

I know some of you think all those activities can't possibly produce relaxation but when your a Simon it's more about distraction and changing the focus of our attention. To prove that point...I read 74 emails during the first day of my vacation (hardly a vacation)...so I unplugged and stopped reading today.

So vacation is going great, the relaxation has begun, but the expectation was skewed (according to Sharon). We left the kids to play and disappeared to the floating river to grab drinks and drift along. Topic: My EXPECTATION of vacation.

See, my expectation of vacation is relaxation...which I accomplish with a whole lot of peace and quiet, several books, and adult beverages. When you have four kids...this isn't going to happen. So I have had to reframe my thinking and expectation of what this vacation would be like.

More to follow this week on being TIRED vs. being RESTED which is what really came out of today.

Bottom line- day two in Jamaica has been wonderful and it was time to get away. Cheers to all my friends.

David

End of the Summer

I took sometime tonight to figure out how I could get back to blogging. 2010 has been a huge disappointment for me in the simple fact that I failed to share my journey with my friends and colleagues.

The pace of DC and business in general has kept me focused but yet distracted. Focused on revenue and support to my clients but distracted from the things that had made me successful. During my vacation over the next two weeks I hope to find that focus and passion again.

Part of my secret to sharing the stories more readily will be the fact that I can now post blogs through email. Since 80% of my life has been consumed by "electronic" mail ....I figured I should figure out how to maximize it to benefit my goals.

Cheers in the remainder of 2010!

David

4 (out of 7) St.Clair Cousins

My brother and his wife moved to the DC area last year and I LOVE it. We have busy lives and we don’t see each other enough (I am sure that all of you who live within 30 minutes of your siblings and have kids understand this). But, having not grown up near any of my extended family (read “grown up as a military brat”), I will never tire of the precious beauty of my kids saying and knowing that they want to see their cousins!

Now, I have highlighted my brother’s family here b/c I have recent pictures of some of the cousins at the playground. But I have to say that my brother-in-law also lives in the area (SCORE! More family to hang with) and he and his fiancé are WONDERFUL about hanging out with us and including the kids in their plans.

Thank you God for the blessings of family!

 

**Disclaimer: I didn’t mention my mom at all, but she lives a block away and has moved to two different states to follow grandkids. Wouldn’t trade that for the world.

Mommy-Daughter Date

Sybella got a chance to go to the “nail place” with me on Aug 5^th. We had a mommy-daughter date. She had a good time, was remarkably still, and was totally doted on by the ladies. She chose a pale pink nail polish for her fingers and toes and then we sat and chatted while the pampering commenced. The polish lasted almost a week which is much longer than it lasts when I do it….and it looked better from the start.  :0) But most importantly, in a house full of guys and with a little brother that needs lots of attention, Sybella got to have one-on-one girl time with mommy!

Awesome New Recipe

Tonight I made this Summer Stir Fry for dinner. It was incredible! Wow, I haven’t had a dish this flavorful and filling (that didn’t have lots of fattening stuff in it) in quite a while.

Disclaimer: Although the name tends to bring Asian cuisine to mind, it’s not a Asian stir fry. Also, I made it with steak strips instead of shrimp since we have a severe shellfish allergy at our house.

A Fun August Challenge

I subscribe to (follow) several blogs; some are blogs of my friends, some are business blogs, some are ministry-related and some are just to get ideas and encouragement about the antics and experiences of being a stay home mom. They aren't always revolutionary everyday, but I find that in general they are great guideposts and mile-markers.
I thought I would share this one for anyone who needs to make some changes in daily life to get revved up for fall and school starting (and doesn't desire to read Proverbs 31 daily):

Enjoy!

Look what I can do...

Now, I can open doors and climb chairs. Do you think Dad'll notice if I borrow his cuff links to teethe on?? How about the leather watch band?

Trying to get a nap...

We parked the car for about 15 minutes last week while waiting to pick Colin up. I was on the phone and when I hung up, I had 3 sleeping kids in the car (apparently, summer can wear you out!).
I HAD to take a picture of Connor napping because as a stomach-sleeper, I have TROUBLE getting comfortable and sleeping anywhere beside my bed. I can absolutely understand that this was the most comfortable position he could find. I felt bad when I had to wake him up before I could drive home. I know vehicle safety has necessarily come a long way but I remember sleeping in the front seat with my head next to the steering wheel as a kid.
Sweet Dreams Connor!

Fusion

Last week Colin attended Fusion (youth group camp). He had a blast! They spent the week doing skits, small group activities, bowling, bar-b-q-ing, sports, water games, hanging at the water park, and going to Six Flags. They also spent a day doing community service.
One of Colin's favorite parts (shown in this picture) was his first funnel cake. Sad he had to go to camp to experience funnel cake?! We dropped the ball on that one. And apparently, they have come a long way...his had caramel and chocolate syrup along with the powdered sugar. What a great summer memory from an awesome camp week.

Field Trip #1- Crime & Punishment Museum

We took our first Summer 2010 Field Trip on Wednesday. We got discounted tickets from Groupon for The National Crime & Punishment Museum. With a 1-yr old that already carries a cap gun around saying “Bam-Dam” and with 2 sons that are in to ALL things guns, battles, wars, etc. (and in fact, one is outside right now playing cops and robbers), this was a perfect field trip. Don’t fret for my poor daughter; Sybella also had a great time- her favorite parts were the interactive stations and the “emergency vehicle driving simulator.”  

I was very impressed with the museum. There are historical facts and tidbits everywhere along with plenty of relics, mementos, and memorabilia. The perspective of criminals, crime-fighters, victims, and the public are all presented in various forms. The displays are at a good height and kid friendly (my kids could read the descriptions on their own and they weren’t scary). The museum is now the studio location for the TV show America’s Most Wanted. And therefore education of children about cyber-bullying, giving out passwords or information, and personal safety are all highlighted throughout the museum using kiosks, multiple choice questions and McGruff the Crime Dog.  

Other activities included: safe cracking, seeing a modern jail cell, riding a police motorcycle, being in an old-west jail, being in stocks, seeing a guillotine, and an entire CSI lab walk thru.  

The older kids also got to pretend they were “SWAT” officers and shoot a 9mm in a gallery style game using a video- they entered a house for an arrest and couldn’t fire their weapons until they had a weapon pointed at them (think Hogan’s Alley game). The boys’ shots were all on target, 80% were lethal, and they never fired before having a weapon drawn on them. As a mom whose 2^nd home is Texas, I am PROUD.  

Age recommendation- 9 and older for maximum benefit   *however, there was plenty of room for my younger kids to wander, touch, and play without breaking things or being in the way of other patrons-- and there were things that were fun for my 3 ½ year old

Content Recommendation- I was thinking as I walked through, this would be a great date night activity.  

Dig those Dinosaurs

Today we went to the Kingstowne Library to see a puppet show. It was a show called Dig those Dinosaurs. The puppets were marionette puppets that danced to music. It was cute and the kids enjoyed the different puppets, all the movements, and the music (even the big kids- although they wouldn’t admit it). We were joined by 3 other families from our church, which we loved- it’s nice to be able to see them and spend more time together. Afterwards, we headed to Red, Hot, and Blue (a good BBQ place) with the Oswalds. It had been too long since our last lunch date.  :0)  

 

Summer Reading

School ended last Thursday, so today officially started our summer reading. Each of the boys will read a book a week (if we can stick to the plan!). They were a little surprised that I had already looked at the Fairfax County recommended reading lists for their grade levels and checked out books from the library for them. **chuckle** Do they think I was born yesterday? I know that if the books aren’t already at the house and ready to go that we will NEVER get on the right track. Since we are now on the right track, I am hoping that we can stay on course—feel free to ask the boys when you see them how the books are and if they are keeping up on their reading.  :0)

We are starting off with Code Talkers: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War II for Colin and Archer’s Quest for Connor.

We also will be taking our first field trip this week. We are visiting the Museum of Crime and Punishment.

 

By: Sharon

We enjoyed time at the pool all weekend. What a great way to spend Memorial Day: pool, family, fun, friends, veterans, and food!