It’s a rite of passage to go to Cub Camp. Age 8 seems younger and younger with each child, though. I got to attend one day of camp with Mark and it was a delight to watch him during the skits and songs and see what he chose to purchase from the shop. Many boys bought $5 Indiana Jones whips. Thankfully, Mark only had $3 with him, so it wasn’t a temptation. Mark’s favorite activity of the day was the obstacle course. I took video of him climbing, swinging on a rope, doing somersaults, jumping, and running through tires. I could watch that for a long time.
Category: Adventurous kids
Daniel’s High Adventure Trip
Daniel and Richard went on a High Adventure trip last week. They visited Zion National Park and hiked Angel’s Landing and walked some of the Narrows. They spent a day outside of the park rappelling and went boating in the evenings. Saturday night I sat up late and watched the videos that Richard took of the trip so I could see the fun. The footage that Richard took at Angel’s Landing made my stomach flip and my feet go numb. I also saw some spectacular rappelling by the boys and leaders. I am thankful for a great group of boys and leaders in our ward. I am glad that Richard was there, too.
Paint Day
Paige and Timothy are off to paint a mural at a local Christian church today. It’s supposed to be a big Narnia castle and ocean scene. Timothy’s coach is a youth pastor and the mastermind behind the project and he invited Paige to help. Mark and I will paint Daniel’s bathroom door since he’s away on a high adventure trip. In fact, he’s not too far from these hills in Southern Utah.
Paige at Girls Camp
I got to see Paige go canoeing and we prepared a dutch oven dinner together. Good times!
Spending time with these girls today
I’m off to a day of Girls’ Camp. Did these girls freeze last night in their tents? Is there still snow on the ground? Will I be able to find the camp? What surprise should I pack to take to them? Paige is there. It’s her last year of camp. How did this happen so quickly?
Summer Reading
The kids and I are working hard to limit our screen time each day. This is why I haven’t been blogging much. We have been cleaning out flower beds and planting flowers. The big boys mow lawns for our house and a neighbor. We painted the basement. Wow, that was a big job. And then there is summer reading. We love to read!
The little boys spend the day reading old National Geographic Kids magazines. We have probably 12 years worth of those dog-eared fact menageries. Mark is loving The Series of Unfortunate Events books and Calvin and Hobbes. We purchased our first water damaged library book this week: a Calvin and Hobbes book that was left in the hammock and doused by the neighbors’ sprinklers. The librarian said that the positive part about having to buy a library book is that you get to keep it. That’s true, and Mark is happy to have it.
Timothy is reading The Edge Chronicles. Daniel is reading Ranger’s Apprentice books again. And Shakespeare. And anything he can get his hands on. Paige loved The Book Thief and has a tall stack of library books in her room.
Summer reading is one of my best childhood memories. I hope it will be the same for our kids.
A Parade and a new Cub Scout
Mark is our new Cub Scout. He couldn’t be cuter.
Summer events are coming fast. We had a parade in our neighborhood on Saturday. The boys rode motorized scooters and Richard rode his Honda 110. The scooters were decorated with streamers which trailed behind in the wind. Paige and I rode in a borrowed golf cart. Richard was one of the people in charge of inviting people to show classic cars in the parade. Paige and I trailed behind the cars and enjoyed the view of the green mountains, flag-lined streets, and happy people.
I’ve been helping a young woman in the ward prepare crafts for Girls Camp. I now have all kinds of new skills.
We are painting these rooms today! New door handles, wall plates, switches, and outlets are coming. Goodbye yellow-green paint.
I hope you are enjoying your summer break as much as we are.
Let’s Dance
It’s the last day of school today. Paige is at “Senior Sunrise” this morning on the football field of her high school with friends to commemorate their first day as seniors.
The radio played the song, It’s a Beautiful Day as I looked up at the sunrise after saying goodbye. Yes, it’s a beautiful day for her. She was sustained as Laurel class president on Sunday at church. She has many exciting things to look forward to this summer and next year.
The little boys performed in a dance festival. The memory of all of those those kids dancing on that grassy stage keeps me smiling. Chivalrous Timothy delivered the umbrella from his backpack to me unexpectedly and this saved me from the intense sun. His teacher pulled me aside at the fifth grade party and told me that Timothy is a real gentleman.
The teacher gifts are wrapped. I chose jewelry this year because the teachers were extra special. We had a thank you note clinic at the kitchen table. So many people have been good to us.
I made the last lunches yesterday and I am ready to throw away the lunch totes. They are gross. Timothy’s shoes have so many holes that we may begin to receive donations from strangers on the street for our welfare.
The fifth grade slideshow is finished. Daniel helped me with it. Hooray for that helpful, smart kid. He was voted the Einstein of Class 2018 by his classmates.
We had fun hearing Daniel play in the year end concert. He played cello in the orchestra and the piano in the jazz band.
I am reading lots of fun writing from Mark. His teacher compiled a year’s worth of his weekend news. Mark wrote each Monday about the events of the weekend. Cousins, parties, ski trips, and any ice cream served were items he felt were important. The illustrations! They are brilliant!
Paige brought home her art projects from the year. What a treat it was to go through them! It will be a summer of painting for her as she works on her AP art portfolio.
Timothy’s best friend leaves today for a year long trip around the world. Tim and I have a date this afternoon to the Lego store. It’s a tender time.
I have been a volunteer in the classroom, driven carpool, chaperoned field trips and kept track of reading minutes. Richard has been Paige’s math teacher with many late night math sessions. We have all worked hard.
Now it’s time to dance and take a break.
5th Grade Field trip
Memories:
1. Tim asked me to come.
2. We spent just as much time in the gift shop as the exhibits. Tim hoped to talk me into buying an electronic bug that could climb upwards through a tunnel.
3. The boys have discovered food. They kept going back for more. After three orders of fast food I realized that we were running late to get to the fountains before the busses arrived.
4. They weigh 89, 79, and 69 pounds on earth. On a neutron star, they would each weigh about 400 billion pounds. On the moon they would weigh in the teens.
5. Girls flirted with Timothy. Help us.
6. These boys were good company, polite, and obedient.
7. Tim said thank you as I walked away and that made it all worth it…even the motion sickness from the IMAX movie.
8. Timothy’s knees, elbow, and hands are scabby from a bad fall on a scout hike last night. I asked one of the boys if they had seen Tim’s wounds and he said, “Unfortunately, yes.”
Timothy has a unique way of turning my heart. Can I ever explore all the reasons I love this boy?
Photographer
I’ve taken on the role of photographer and videographer for the year-end slideshow. This means that I get to focus my lenses on the life of fifth graders.
I’ve observed many things. I am NOT a fan of the new curriculum with evidence-based grading, no great literature or history, endless testing, grouping children only according to their vintage, and classrooms without windows.
I AM a fan of Timothy and his friends who are resilient and kind. I am a fan of teachers who care more than they need to. I am a fan of times like today when they get to spend the day outside. I am a fan of good friends that we wouldn’t have met outside of school.