Bowling

We went bowling today as a "Plan B" activity for a ski/snow-tubing day that got inclement-weathered-out. We don't often visit a bowling alley, even though the kids seem to like it just fine, so this was a fun alternative to the originally scheduled activity -- and for me personally, just maybe a better one as I'm not all that partial to snow and hours out in the cold.

We went with other families who also had been planning to be on PA slopes and we all had a really nice time. Josie bowled a lane over from ours with the teenagers, and apparently won his first two games, and then tanked the last :-) 

I think he's practicing his Rico Suave pose in this photo...

Craig and I bowled with another couple while their children and Johngideon and Montgomery shared the lane adjoining ours. (I will not elaborate on the fact that Montgomery's first trip to the line ended up with her ball bouncing down a lane next to the one on which she was bowling.)

The scoreboard further above shows the amazing final score for Craig, who has not bowled in at least two years, and then probably not for at least two years prior to that, and then the same pattern for at least a decade back. Five strikes and two spares!?! What?

Here's the final outcome of that game.  I am the score at the top :~/ ...

I told Craig afterwards that I'm going to have to choose to sit out competitive games when we're going simply for the social joy of fellowshipping with other families...I'm just too competitive in my heart. I'd much rather simply enjoy chatting and getting to know everyone better, but competitive games really bring out the tiger in me (even if I possess the self control to beat it back from public view).  Craig was not really surprised, as he's always the slightly embarrassed spouse when we've gone to our kids' (well, middle school ages and over) sporting events.  I'm that yelling cheering parent -- loudly proclaiming "encouragement" to hang in there and fight to the end! (But, in my defense, I am never the crazy referee-threatening-obscenity-yelling-parent...I am not THAT guy.) Anyway, I don't like that competitive tiger that rises up on the inside when we're supposedly just having fun, so I think in the future I'll just sit out participation in games played in settings like that.

One of the reasons Craig was so excited about his score was that my mother is an 81-year-old senior citizen bowling aficionado, who has always beaten Craig in every game we've bowled in the nearly two decades we've been married. And even though it's not been that many games, I think it still bruises his pride a little (smile). And it doesn't help that she has, on rare occasion, been known to mail him the paper scorecard from her best games in her senior league (big smile). So, needless to say, he's really looking forward to making sure she sees the scoreboard above sometime in the near future!

I forgot to get a photo before the other teenagers left, so Josie joined in this one for me.

Here's another family we were bowling next to -- I love how these outings let all ages enjoy hanging out together.

We all ate way too much bowling alley fried and greasy foods (french fried, mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, pizza, hamburgers...) and spent way too many quarters on the junky toy and trinket vending machines (of which there were many), but we all had a good time and left looking forward to the next time at the lanes.  My mother's heart just hopes the college kids are in town for that one.

Much love. Take care.

"Joysiah"

Wouldn't a face this cheerful getting into your car every afternoon

brighten even the gloomiest day?

I love how Josiah just radiates joy.

I've heard that 8th graders can be moody and sullen sometimes...

...somebody forgot to tell Josie!

Take Care. Much Love.

  

Our Trombonist POP

Josiah and his trusty trombone. 

A POP (Post of Previosity) from December 2007.

The year he first learned to play.

The joy of discovery, and the hand-in-hand joy of musical camaraderie.

What a gift for all the seasons of his life.

Much Love. Take Care.

Billiard Boys

Josiah went to play pool today with his buddy Emmett...in a real pool hall.

Emmett's been wanting to play for awhile and his mom Karen scoped out a nearby non-seedy, non-smoky, non-early-afternoon-drinking, and non-other-undesirable-stuff establishment to which to take the boys.

They had a great time and want to play again soon.

Karen sent me this photo she snapped on the fly with her camera phone.

Can you almost feel the years melt away right through the photo image, 

and see these guys enjoying a friendly round of pool in their young adulthood?

I can...and it makes me happy...and just a little bit sad...all at the same time.

Much Love. Take Care.

 

Feet Seat POP

I love this photo of Josiah,
a POP (Post of Previosity) from mid-October 2006.

He was playing outside at our old house, still in his school uniform,

barefoot, and fresh from a round on the tire swing. 

I think it just captures his cheerful essence so well.

Much Love. Take Care.

 

August Swimming...Lessons?

The kids and I headed to the pool again this morning, for Montgomery and Johngideon's swimming lessons. It was nice that everyone "wanted" to go...or at least they did by the time they got there.  ;o)  While Montgomery had her lesson, Maia continued with her water exercises, and the boys threw each other around in the shallow end, or rather the youngers attacked Job and he delightedly threw them around. I got to sit and chat with a friend I'd been trying to connect with for a couple of weeks, but we'd been delayed by things like life and the stuff of schedules.

After Gommy's lesson was over, it was Johngideon's turn. I think because it's August, a good number of families are on vacation, so Johngideon's lessons this week have so far worked out to be private affairs. Which would be a delight for a family of seven, such as ours, on a reasonable budget, such as ours, to have paid for group lessons yet wound up with private ones, except that Johngideon decided today (as he'd done Friday) that it was too chilly for swimming lessons, so spent quite a lot of time on the side of the pool, huddled into himself, while his two -- yes, I did say TWO -- instructors stood over him trying to cajole him back into the pool. (Needless to say, his mother was not amused.)

See, there he is above, the small bundle of red miserableness at the far end of the pool, between the two -- yes, I did say TWO -- instructors standing on either side, promising him all manner of things if he'll just get back in the water. (Meanwhile Maia is peacefully and thankfully obliviously swimming her laps.)

And again, hunkered down into a small ball this time (to the left of the lifeguard this time...who is watching this scene in amused disbelief), having brought one of his instructors to her knees (I think the poor girl just gave up!) (oh, for a better zoom camera to capture the expressions on their faces!)...

True, there was a bit of a wind today, but it hadn't seemed to bother him too much thirty minutes earlier when he was joyfully and shriekedly being thrown all over the water WWF-SmackDown-style by his big brothers. Hmmmm.....

While Johngideon was causing his instructors to think it would probably be easier to have a class full of twelve kids instead, Montgomery was snuggling under a big towel on a lounger by her other brothers, enjoying a little sun-warming time while they tossed a wet towel at each other.

When Johngideon finally had endured the full-length of the excruciating 30-minute(!) (really?!) lesson, he dragged himself (shivering violently for effect) back to a lounger and "thawed out" in the sun...which was exactly what his older brothers were up to by now. Isn't it funny how the boys' feet hang through the threads on the loungers...

Job was actually just trying to stay on the thing, I think, because he seems to have grown longer than it! Montgomery, meanwhile, had headed off to the kiddie pool to play with some new friends.

Speaking of Montgomery, Craig has been teaching her to swim all summer long, and wow, has she learned! She went from a kid just walking around in the shallow end, to a bonefide deep water dogpaddler! Last week in South Carolina, she was sliding down the slide all by herself and "swimming" to the ladder. And late last week at swim class (her first professionally taught lessons in months), she jumped off the diving board for the first time in her life!...

and "swam" to the side...in 11-feet-deep water!!...
(Maia was a super-smiling big sister watching from the water, you know, just in case.  :o)

and then Gommy lined up (chilly but proud) to do it all over again, and again, and again, and again...

(even though she was completely submerged with each jump)

until after the lesson ended...and again...and again...until we had to practically force her from the deep end!

I love it!

Take Care. Much Love.

 

Early Morning Collaboration

I awoke to a beautiful sight early one morning last week. The boys were all up and already outside, working on the treehouse together.

Job had a work-related activity to attend that evening and wasn't going to be able to work on the project after he got home from his camp counsellors job, so they had gotten up early, like 6:00 a.m.(!!) to try and finish the look-out platform's base.

It warmed my heart to see them cooperating and valuing each other's input...and even hearing the youngers so cheerfully following Job's instructions. Everyone had a job to do and was eager to do it. Brotherly love abounded.

In the lulls where there was nothing readily available for an 8-yr-old to do, Johngideon would take a swing break.

Then he'd be right back in business when there was a job for him.

Just awesome.

Take Care. Much Love.

 

 



Penny Power

Johngideon discovered a new fun activity recently...counting and stacking coins, well pennies to be exact. Craig and I are very encouraging of this new found interest for him, as Craig is an intentional end-of-the-day pocket dumper and we usually have jars of change in several spots throughout the house. However, we're not frequent coin rollers and only tend to get around to it a couple of times a year.

As Josiah was preparing to make an errand for a promised all time favorite meatball marinara sub, I realized I didn't have any cash in the house to give him, and I didn't at all feel like running to a bank. Then I thought... aha, the change! So I quickly rolled up some quarters and off he went! However, change rolling, I've come to find, is rather addictive, and I found myself in the study for nearly an hour, stacking and rolling coins of all denominations.

Maia joined me for awhile, as did Josiah prior to his errand. But, the one that really found the activity irresistible was Johngideon, and after we'd ploughed through all of the "silvery" coins he went on for hours counting and stacking the seemingly endless quantities of pennies. I made him stop at some point to eat, and then he was right back at it. I'll tell you, that kid is a penny-stacking virtuoso! When he moved from floor stacking to table stacking, I knew we were nearing the end, which was a good thing because he didn't seem able to stop himself until all of the pennies ended up in neat stacks  and rows.

He was very proud of his effort, as were we! Such diligence and perseverance!

It took Craig and I a few days before we got the gumption to get all of those wonderful stacks and rows in to rollers, but they eventually all made it (mostly because we needed the table space in the study...and, because the stacks became too tempting for Montgomery's destructo nature to resist!).

Now we know who to call for help when the coins start overflowing their containers...Johngideon to the rescue!!

Take care. Much love.

Learning How to Fry Chicken

Job wanted to learn to fry chicken.

So Craig taught him...

...outside on the back deck...

Mmmm....yummy!

Take Care. Much Love.

(By the way...all photos compliments of Josiah...Go Josie!)

Homophones...Such Funny Funnies

One night Josiah asked for help with a language arts school assignment ...homophones.

Once he explained what they were, and gave a few samples to get the mind juices moving, we just went to town homophoning...and I mean for hours...while I cooked dinner...while he did his math homework...while I got the littles ready for bed (and I must confess...for days afterwards!). We laughed uproariously and quite uncontrollably as we racked our brains thinking of more and more and more. We tried them out on all household members...they came from all corners of the house wanting to know just what was sooooo funny. Then they either joined in, also laughing hysterically, or walked away shaking their heads at just how ridiculously silly we were getting!

Maybe its just us -- no, maybe its just me (because I have always loved words so much...voracious childhood reader...journalism major in college here), but they tickle us so. I'm grinning just thinking about them right now. Earlier today I was laughing out loud in my car as I remember several of them.

So, just what are homophones? Here are a few...(by the way...feel free to share any you come up with as well). They absolutely delight me and Josiah! Matter of fact, if you try these out in your house or on your friends, they are guaranteed to be contagious......well, maybe at least to one other person...and of course, that would be the one with the best sense of humor!  ;o)

Here we go...

1)  What do you call a naked forest animal?

2)  What do you call a man who exchanges basements for money?

3)  What to you call an untrustworthy feline?

4) What does a vegetarian do when she's fallen off the wagon?

Another giggly (and blurrrryyy) photo to keep the answers at bay for a moment...

Answers:

1)  A bare bear!

2) A cellar seller!

3) A lyin' lion!

4) Meet meat!

Hahahahahahahahahhaha...hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...whoooo hooooooo (catching my breath) hahahahahahahahahahaha...hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

I just love homophones...but not as much as I love Josiah! Thanks for the laughs Josie!

Much Love. Take Care.

A HodgePodge Kind of Day

Today was a little bit of everything...for everyone.

Maia didn't teach dance this morning, but instead got up early, ate a hearty breakfast (vegetarian...yes, she's still going strong)...

and hobbled off to take the SAT for the first time.

She and Job had spent some time working on test taking tips the night before, since he's pretty fresh from that experience, and she'd also done several rounds of practice tests with Craig throughout the week. When Craig picked her up later, she said she felt really good about the experience...so, we'll now just have to wait and see...agonizing.

Josiah went to his morning music lessons and Johngideon headed off to his awesome art class. (Look at the photos Craig took of what he did today - I'm not sure how the little man gets in and out - I'll have to ask JG for an explanation.)

I ran Gommy over to her "dancie-girl class" then hustled back to make Josiah's spring trombone recital at the Baltimore School for the Arts.

He did great, but I must admit I am usually holding my breath until he's finished, because although this child is musically gifted, he does not particularly care for the whole practice bit. So even though I'd heard him practicing for this recital lately, I wasn't sure it was enough...but it was...his sound was so smooth and mellow...just beautiful to listen to.

Both his BSA TWIGS trombone instructor, Milton Aldana, and his school band teacher, Danni Schmitt, were present, and it was great to get a shot of Josie with both of these wonderful music educators who have taught him so much.

Right after the recital, I ran back to grab Gommy from dance class, where she was in great spirits, while Craig picked up Maia from the SAT site, and then took Josie to his lacrosse practice.

I spent some relaxing time on the couch (with the sun streaming in on me through the deck doors...I absolutely love the greenhouse effect!) with Maia, watching the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Miserables (which was wonderful). Maia is still on crutches (this is like week nine), but we think we see light at the end of the tunnel, with a new foot and ankle specialist, who has prescribed additional Calcium, Vitamin D and chamomile...and, an interesting little device we'd never heard of called a bone stimulator, which is proven to help broken bones heal up to 68 days quicker.

So Maia pleasantly pulls it out twice a day and spends the 20 minutes necessary to stimulate her bones to draw more of the necessary healing internals to her foot area to help along the bone building and mending. She has been a real trouper throughout this ordeal, and somehow manages to keep her spirits up even as her movement is so limited.

The Gommy girl finally convinced me to head outside with her, and I peaked into the guest bedroom on my way to find shoes and found Job and Johngideon engaged in a brotherly instructional chess game.

Gommy was wearing one of her delightful clothing ensembles that only real "princesses" can put together, and spent time on the swings, and practicing running up the slide (something she learned how to do very recently after much effort), and then scootering on the sidewalk.

In the brisk fresh air, I felt motivated to clean out the garden bed of the daylillies...who are beginning to make their annual appearance!

Can't wait! And, I even was motivated to clear out the petunias' strip of earth by the sidewalk. Maia came outside and encouraged Gommy to hopscotch, and insisted on joining her (on crutches!), Craig arrived home with take-out dinner and groceries, and after the boys all trouped out to help carry them in, they all returned outside to just enjoy the cool-but-pleasant-near-dusk air. Craig pulled out the leaf-blower (he calls my hand rake archaic.  :-)  So the boys scootered, and rode bikes, and chased each other with lacrosse sticks, while Maia watched from the porch steps and I suddenly realized that we were all home together on a Saturday evening...and it felt great!

When it got too dark to see, we all headed inside for clean-ups and "Chinese chicken" and tofu and vegetables, and watched Disney movies and sports and it was wonderful to have everyone under one roof.

And then Job left to go celebrate a friend's birthday, and Maia lay down for a "nap" (she's still "napping" ;o)  and the kiddies eventually went up to bed. And all is well. And I am grateful for the simple joys of home.

Take Care. Much Love.