Our letterbox

I got an email from someone a couple of weeks ago telling me that our letterbox was found left out and exposed, and was all damp. We've been so busy (and okay, I actually forgot there for a while) that we didn't get to it till today.

Good news and bad. The good news is that 17 groups had visited our letterbox! And we only placed it at the end of March! It was really exciting to look through the book and see all the stamps and comments. Making a box which is easy to find made it a first try for lots of people!

Bad news: The box is soaking wet. Moldy too. Many of the stamps have run. We took it home though and dried out the pages which got wet. We are going to tape them into a new book when we pick one up within the next few days. And we will be sure to pack up the stuff even more carefully this time. I think we'll hide it a little deeper under the bridge too, so that nobody accidentally finds it, which is what I think may have happened this time.

The bugs out in the woods were quite annoying today. We didn't stroll as we usually do; after picking up our box, we booked out of those woods PDQ.

Wii

I guess I never blogged about his, but a couple of weeks ago R and E were invited to an evening birthday party for a girl friend who turned ten. It was from 5:30 till 11:00 pm, and then the girls who were invited slept over. When we dropped R off E said "it's really hard to not be able to stay without you anywhere". He was extremely disappointed he did not feel brave enough to attend a drop-off party, because RS got a Wii for her birthday, and planned to spend the whole evening playing with it with her friends.

What's the big deal about Wii? Check it out:


Anyhow, R had a great time at a party that E missed. So when RS called us to come over and play with her Wii today, there was no saying no.

E was very excited at beating R and RS at golf a couple of times. And I got to hang out with RS's mom, who I like very much. The visit went too quickly, for all of us.

P.S. NO Grandma, we DON'T want one :-)

One hot weekend

After we checked the weather for Saturday, we decided we'd spend it inside. We spend four hours in a marathon game of Monopoly. I'm floored that E lasted as long as he did. He managed about three hours before he and B pooled resources and worked together. About another 15 minutes went by before it was down to R and I. He beat me, but learned quite a bit about strategy. He will never again give me a free ride on rent when I'm making trades with him.

Sunday we went to New Jersey for B's nephew Neil's 5th birthday. The boys had lots of fun, as they always do in Uncle Matt's in-ground pool. And he and Aunt Kelly always go overboard on the pinata and treat bags.
And I was glad to get a new family photo of the entire B family together. The one on our fridge is over 18 months old, and with kids this little, it makes a big difference.

E's piano skills

“Look Mom,
I can play Mary Had a Little Lamb upside down.”

A new camera!

Today my camera arrived in the mail! I found the same exact camera that I had, used, on ebay, for a very reasonable price. I'm thrilled to have found it, because I can use all the same memory sticks. Plus, I've always just been happy with it. Woo hoo!

Today started with the free movie, Madagascar, at the Waterbury movie theater. We had two friends with us today, whose mom had appointments which were easier to go to without kids. The boys loved having the company, and afterwards we came home and had some fun time together before going to playgroup.
We also received a phone call today from good friends of ours. Seems the plans they had for today fell through, and they needed to get out badly enough to be willing to make the 40 minute drive to join us at our playgroup. What fun! E is always please to have these friends join us.
The kids were playing in the woods behind the park today. There is a cool rope swing back there, which they have played on in the past. Well today, apparently a beehive got disturbed because two kids got two stings each, and two kids got one each. It was pandemonium for a while there. Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment is fantastic stuff. It makes "boo boos" stop hurting pretty quickly. I'm glad I had some on me.

What else? Post office, raw milk pick-up, BJ's.

B and I finished season two of Lost. What a fantastic show. We can't wait till season three comes out on DVD. Too bad it won't be in time for the TV broadcast of season four this fall.

Yesterday we saw our last Kaleidoscope show for the summer. We got there nice and early to score good tickets, and were disappointed to land in row UU. Not too bad though, and during intermission we moved up to AA. Afterwards, since it was the last show of the season, I sprung for lunch "with the characters". The boys couldn't have cared less about meeting them, they just wanted to eat there. It was fun.

Last night my printer bit the dust. My fingers are all black from accidentally breaking the print heads. Argh. It's all under my nails and looks pretty gross. And another thing to shop for! I am blessed that money is not an issue though, and I can afford to get these things as I need them.

Got to keep looking on the bright side :-)

The Fall Schedule

We can't start signing up for everything we'd like to until we know R's soccer schedule. We have E's, but they are taking their time with R's.

Basketball, swimming, skiing, drawing...

Me: R, do you want to continue with the art classes you were taking last year?

R: Yes, I want to take drawing because engineers need to be able to draw.

A going away party

I've only known Ros (pronounced Roz) for about a year, but she is one of the most thought provoking, intelligent women I've ever met.
We have really enjoyed getting to know her and her daughter, Bia (pronounced Bye-ah) and will miss them very much. Tomorrow they are moving to Michigan.

Today though, Ros's parents hosted a fantastic going away party. They have a terrific in ground pool which the boys loved swimming in, and we got to enjoy some excellent live entertainment. I only wish they had played longer.
I had known that Ros plays the fiddle and guitar, and her husband the dulcimer and harmonica, and it was nice to see them in action before they move away. It was so enjoyable to listen to them all.

We had a wonderful visit this afternoon. Like I said, I will miss Ros. She's a terrific person.

Playgroup

This morning we headed to a free move in Waterbury. We had planned to see Flushed Away, which we had already seen, and the boys had really loved, but some friends said they'd come if we saw the other free movie of the day, Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit:

The boys were willing to concede and watch what their friends wanted to, so we'd have some company. We'd already seen that too, but I'm glad it worked out this way, because Wallace and Gromit were hysterical; way funnier than I remember Flushed Away being.

After the movie our friends came over to play for a while, and we all had lunch before heading to playgroup. The boys were happy to be back there - it's been a while since we've all connected, and even now some people were missing. Hopefully we'll settle back into a routine once summer is over.

Family Reunion in Maine

We went to Maine on Thursday, and had an easy going afternoon visiting with Grandma. The trip up was tough since we did not use the DVD player in the car. B has been getting sick of all the complaining about who has to clean it all up when we get back home, so he put the cabash on bringing it this time. R sat in the back row of the van listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (yes, he is starting them all over from the beginning), and E tried to keep busy with the tons of activities I had packed for him. He actually did a great job.

That evening she had to go out, so B and I enjoyed some of Lost, on a DVD we had brought, while the boys slept.

Friday morning we took a tour of Tom's of Maine. The company moved to my mom's town a couple of years ago (which I hadn't heard till now) and gives tours of the factory.
I was really bummed that they wouldn't let us take photos, but here's one I swiped from their website. We couldn't actually go into the room where they were making the toothpaste, but we saw the enormous tubes it was squished through along the ceiling into the room we were allowed in, saw it being squirted into the tubes, and the tubes being crimped shut. Then the machine put them into the boxes.

They make toothpaste every day, but alternate days on their other machine, between mouthwash and deodorant. Unfortunately we got there at break time though, and that machine wasn't on. The factory is so close to my mom's house though, that we will go back and see them make deodorant another time.

Yeah, we got free samples. Toothpaste and floss. We also got to write our names on the wall of their factory tour visitor's room. Definitely a very cool (and free) tour, which we will do again.

After the tour we went to the movies at Smitty's, which is a movie theater and restaurant combined. We had lunch and watched Underdog, which was a riot.

After that we went and did some blueberry picking. Blueberries are just coming into season in Maine, and it was easy pickin's. It started to rain though, so we needed to cut it short.

We spent an easy evening at home, since we knew the next day would be busy. We had a really fun family day. B and I did comment, at one point during the movies, that it was nice to just be doing easy going, enjoyable things, out together as a family.

Saturday was our family reunion. It was at a park nearby my mom's house.
My grandmother likes to remind everyone that she is in her "90th year", I guess so that when she plans something people show up. She is concerned that the family will drift apart (she has eight children, 17 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren) when she dies, so she likes to get us together as often as she can arrange (and pay!) for it.

R and B started their day playing some par 3 golf with Aunt Debbie and Uncle Rob. It meant they'd be late for the reunion, but R really wanted to fit it in. So B took my mom's car and I took my mom and E, and all the people my mom always picks up for things like this. We were one of the first ones there and helped to set up.

I volunteered to provide the music for this gathering, and I have to admit, I did a great job. I got compliments all day. A little something for everyone. I put together six CD's worth of music, and more than one person asked me for copies at the end of the day.

Everyone had a fun time, and the boys didn't want to leave when it was over. Both boys love playing with all of their cousins. R was the first of five boys born into our family in 1997, so there's a lot of fun to be had. They had a wonderful time swimming in the lake and learning to play horseshoes, which E is totally into now.

Sunday we spent some time with Grandma (my mom) and Aunt Debbie before heading home. Grandma treated us to lunch at the Applebees which recently opened in her town (and which was surprisingly very good), gave the boys each their requisite $5 to spend at Dollar Tree, and we did some more blueberry picking.

A very enjoyable weekend!

Lego Engineering Challenge...

Transportation System for the Future (ages 10-14)

Work with your team to design, create, and market a futuristic transportation system, then present your creation to your parents at the end of the day. Please bring a bagged lunch. August 8, 9AM – 3PM (presentation to parents at 2PM)

This was at the New England Air Museum. R was nervous about being dropped off for such a long day. He was also nervous about having to read or write, which he is still not so great at, and also managed to be upset that he didn't have a decent lunch bag to bring, and had to use a paper bag. Luckily we met a friendly homeschooler on the way in, who distracted him until it was time to begin. And in the end, he had a lot of fun, and was glad he went.
The two teams designed their futuristic vehicles, and R was very happy that his team got 13 votes and the other, seven, when the audience was asked which vehicle we might actually want to buy.
I have to admit, that I'm really proud at how comfortable R is in speaking in front of a group. And this was in front of a group of about 20 strangers. No problem. And it turned out that reading and writing wasn't necessary.

On the way home we discussed being an engineer. He has always wanted to be an architect, but now that he realizes the difference, he's changed his mind. He is so blessed to be able to pursue his passions, and know what they are, at such a young age.

I used B's cell phone in case R felt he needed to get in touch with me at any time during the class. He really was nervous! When E and I left him, we drove down to B's office, which was (sort of) on the way home. B was happy to see us, and E was thrilled to have some crappy cereal from his cafeteria.

We came home after that, and spent some time playing games until it was time to go get R. We had a nice afternoon together.

Worm Composting

Today we spent the morning with some friends who we haven't seen in a while. I had only just recently heard that their computer was down and finally called them. Boy, I take this thing for granted.

We had a fun time at our friends' house, and then joined them at the Naugatuck Public Library for a Worm Composting guy.
He actually raffled off his worm box when he was done, but we decided we'd like to make our own. It was very cool. Afterwards we hung out in the library for a little while and another old acquaintance showed up. Our friends were bringing her kids home to babysit, and my kids were just thrilled to be invited back to their house again that afternoon. It was such a relaxing and enjoyable visit that we stayed too late to head to Southington to enjoy the kid's show there. Well worth it. N is a very well grounded person and I always leave our visits feeling so refreshed and at peace. And inspired. I'm looking forward to spending more time with this family. My kids are too.

No, my camera is not fixed. My video camera has a function which allows me to take photos. So I'll still have a few to post here, when I remember to grab it. The photos are only low resolution though; not printing worthy, and plus there is no flash. For now, it's better than nothing though. I've been watching ebay to find myself a replacement for my old one. Send me some positive energy...

My camera is dead. Long live my camera.

I'm lost without it, really. It decided not to focus anymore. Gives me a cute little error message: 61:00 on the LCD display. I've got a lot of memory for it, so I've been looking for a replacement on ebay, but I can't bring myself to dish out $60 for a used camera which might die any minute too. So for now, I'm camera-less.

We've been keeping really busy. We saw Over the Hedge in the Waterbury mall movie theater for free last week. The boys have seen it so many times, but it was only my second, and it really was funny. Adults would enjoy it even without the kids.

We also saw another show at the Oakdale Theater: Cinderella, Too. This time we had lousy seats (row FF instead of just F) but we snuck up to the front for the second half. R was nervous about it, but I assured him we weren't stealing seats from anyone and that if someone did come along with a ticket for the seat, we would of course, vacate it. Both boys were glad we had moved up. The show was fun, but my camera bit the dust during the middle of it.

We spent some time at Lighthouse Point Park with some friends. The boys love playing at the beach.

Lots of games going on around here too; Clue, Stratego, Monopoly, Scrabble Junior, Sunken Treasure Adventure. It's very frustrating that seven is the age when kids love to play games, but also the age when they can't bear to lose, and cry over everything so easily. E has been challenging us all lately. Thank goodness for Your Seven Year-old, one in a series of great books that have really helped me understand, and have more patience with, my boys.

We enjoyed "From Redcoats to Rebels" at Old Sturbridge Village yesterday. From their website:

Over 400 authentically costumed re-enactors camp out, re-creating early American military life in the fields and pastures of OSV. The Village is transformed into a military camp spanning over 150 years in history. Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of camp life by weaving through the tents and chatting with the civilians that accompany the soldiers including doctors, wives, and children as they too live the life of a soldier. Come see what it was really like for those who fought to win – and preserve America’s freedoms. Great fun for the entire family!
Events include:
* Performing fife and drum corps.
* Historic fencing, drilling, firearms, and cannon demonstrations.
* Observe a "mock" battle.
* Attend a military fashion show.
* Enjoy a Parade through History

We had a fun time seeing the Revolutionary War come to life. The battle was lots of fun for the boys to watch. I enjoyed seeing the "fashion show" which presented the different uniforms worn during the war, and we all enjoyed the cannon demonstration. The parade was very cool too, as was talking with the military "doctor" and hearing about how crude medicine was back then. B actually started getting squeamish.

I took two rolls of film. Film - argh. Now I have to go pay to have 52 photos printed and end up wanting probably eight, if I'm lucky.

It was brutally hot, and the humidity incredibly oppressive, so we didn't have the energy we normally would, and we didn't stay as long as we thought we would. We were very happy to collapse into bed when we arrived home. R, however, immediately jumped on the computer and started playing Liberty's Kids; a game based on a PBS program about the Revolutionary War. From the Amazon.com website:

As reporters for the Philadelphia Gazette, students interview soldiers, spies, loyalists, statesmen and townsfolk, gathering facts about seven major historical events like the Boston Tea Party and the writing of The Declaration of Independence. In scavenger hunt fashion, kids collect missing objects to get characters to answer Who, What, Where, Why and How questions. All relevant information (representing various viewpoints on each issue/event) is recorded in a notebook and later pieced together for the front-page story. The history meets scavenger hunt format is refreshing and entertaining. While children learn historical facts and opinions, they get to explore the colorful scenes and meet all sorts of interesting people. Each of the seven events contains its own set of objects to find, people to interview and scenes to explore, and results in a separate newspaper story.

Very cool to find he had been playing that game for the last few days. I remembered he had been complaining that you have to read in order to play it.

A friend lent me her copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Friday. I read some at the beach that day, and stayed up that night after everyone was in bed to read some more. Then yesterday I read it on the way to and from Old Sturbridge Village, and today I woke up and read through the entire day. Yup, finished it up in three days. I haven't ignored the world and read a book through like that since my mom used to drag me up to Maine for the entire summer, back when I was a kid, and I had nothing else to do all day. Boy it felt good. B was great about keeping the boys occupied today, not that R had any trouble giving me room to finish it up. We had an interesting conversation about it when I did.