Frame A Day '12: Week 33--8/12-18

August 12--Wedding Channel Next Generation--I met a friend 10 years ago online, when we were both planning our October 13th weddings. In the ensuing years, we have probably managed to see one another a half dozen times, despite living very many miles apart. In August, she often travels nearby for a work conference. When she has done this in past years, we have tried to get together on her way back home if our schedules can mesh up. This year, she brought her 7 year old daughter for the first time. After a brunch at our house, the girls had fun presenting a fashion show, doing a craft, and playing the Wii.

 August 13--Skating Friends--This summer, Trust and her friend were the only two skaters in the gamma/delta class at the ice rink.  We joked that it was almost like having a private lesson.  The girls enjoyed seeing one another every week and skating together.  I really wanted a picture of the two girls skating during the lesson.  I should not have waited until the last night, as they were down a teacher (the teacher in the photo is not their regular teacher) and tonight was the test.  I was stuck shooting behind the scratched glass (hence the dark line going through Trust's friend and the reflections across all of their midsections).  Ah, well.

 August 14--Taking the Plunge--Imp and I went to my cousin's house today to swim in the pool.  Imp was itching to try out the diving board, and right before we left, he had his chance.  For better or worse, my kid has no fear.

August 15--Drive My Car--The kids have recently rediscovered the Wii. Although Mario Kart was difficult for Imp a few months ago, he has quickly gotten the hang of it.

 August 16--The Future Imp--These photos appear to me maybe once every few years, where my kid's expression just seems older than their current years.  In something as simple as painting, I can catch a glimpse of a Imp-to-be, one that is well past four years old.

August 17--Lend Me Your Ears--Another free Friday night at the museum. Trust had fun being heard in the recording studio.

 August 18--Swing Your Partners--With the rainy weather for most of the day, the kids had a few dance parties.  Before bed, they had a few more rounds.  This was the big finale to "Drive By", one of Earnest's favorite songs.

Frame A Day '12: Week 32--8/5-8/11

August 5--Keeping Cool...-...in our own backyard.  We had a relatively quiet Sunday, where we stayed put and the kids had fun with the inflatable pool with built-in sprinkler.

August 6--Puppet Master--Imp and I went to the library today for a few short movies.  This library has a castle-shaped puppet theater, which Imp enjoyed immensely as well.

 August 7--Guess Who--Meet Batman, Rainbow Girl and Tiger.  We all went to the library's End of Summer (?) ice cream celebration, where we had ice cream with rainbow and chocolate sprinkles and were transformed into the trio pictured here.

 August 8--Alien Invasion--Earnest has rediscovered these snap cubes and has had fun making things like this alien.

 August 9--Twinkle, Twinkle--...reading star.  At the library, the kids get to write their name on a star for every five books they read during the summer.  Although we read every day, today was the first time that Imp added his name to the stars in the "sky".

 August 10--Happy Birthday, Nana--Today would have been my grandmother's 92nd birthday.  This hydrangea was from the basket of flowers we sent for her funeral.  I was given some of the flowers and plants to take home.  It has grown quite a bit in the five years since we planted it, and I love that it's always blooming quite beautifully around her birthday.  Since it's right on the path which leads into our house, I notice it every time we come and go.

 August 11--B-10--Every once in awhile, the kids pull out the Bingo game.  They don't necessarily play the game, but have fun calling out the numbers.

Frame A Day '12: Week 31--7/29-8/4

July 29--Five Hour Roller Coaster--Earnest drew us his rendition of a "five hour roller coaster" today. It was quite twisty and turny and the thought of it really being a coaster put butterflies in my stomach.

 July 30--This is not the actual photo for the day, but this is one taken of Trust on a Mom and Daughter day out to a place that really interested Trust.  Conveniently, it was also a place I had always wanted to visit but never had.  This photo was taken around noon, so not the best light.

July 31--Bubble Blast--I took the kids to see this bubble master, who created marvelous bubbles to entertain and amaze us for an hour.

*August 1--A Day out with a Cousin--My sister and I took the kids (sans my nephew) for a quick little hike and then out for lunch.  It was fun for the kids to see their cousin, as it has been awhile.  The summer is flying by!

 August 2--Summertime Stories--The library had a pajama story time tonight.  The theme was 'summer fun'.  Clad in PJs, my kids went and danced with maracas, shook their sillies out, listened to many stories about the beach, and did a craft.  There was a small group, so Trust and Earnest were both feeling brave. Trust  volunteered to read one of the stories, and even Earnest read a few lines of one of the books to the group.

August 3--A Day Out with a Friend--The kids and I had lunch with a friend of mine from work.  She does not have kids of her own, so she is always so nice to mine.  After lunch, we made an unplanned stop at a sprayground, where the kids played in the water and had tons of fun, despite not having bathing suits.

 August 4--Two Wheelin'--Look who learned how to ride sans training wheels yesterday!  Chretien took Earnest over to the track at the middle school and in no time at all, he was good to go.  Earnest was so excited about this accomplishment that he could not wait to try it again today, even in the 90 degree heat.

Best Photo for July

It's that time again! The Best Photo for July contest over at "I Clicked it Up a Notch" is here.

I missed the June contest, since I was away for the last two weeks of June.  Not only was I away, but I didn't have internet connection for a big chunk of that time.  I have to say, it was nice to have a break for a few days...just like 'olden' days.  ;-)

Anyway, my photo for July is this one of my younger son:

Frame A Day '12: Week 30--7/22-7/28

Week 30!  Wow!

July 22--I can't show the photo from today, in the interest of anonymity.

July 23--Stop!  Don't Shoot!!--It's always fun to cool off on a hot summer afternoon with a water fight.

 July 24--Twenty-fourth of July Fireworks--Earnest did this project at camp back around Independence Day, but he just brought it home this week.  We wanted a picture before it got "recycled", although after I took it he then decided he wanted to hang it in his room for awhile.

July 25--Summer Interns--This summer hasn't been all fun and games for me.  For the first time, we are allowing students to take their biotech internships for credit over the summer.  This week, I visited all six of them at their various labs in the area.  Here I am with one of our students and her supervisor.

 July 26--Jeopardy!--At Earnest's camp this summer, the kids have been working on social behaviors with the Superflex system--a host of characters which help young kids develop social thinking and skills.  Today was their play.  The kids were given scenarios where one of the Unthinkables were interfering with positive interactions and the kids described what they should do.  For bonus points, they tossed a basketball into a hoop.

 July 27--Vacation Bible School-Sky--Trust attended Vacation Bible School this week.  This year, her friend was there with her, so she enjoyed it even more than last year.  Like last year, the week ended with the participants singing a few songs for family and friends.

 July 28--After--Trust had her cracked front teeth bonded on Thursday.  I have to say it makes all of us happy to have her pretty smile restored.

Frame a Day '12: Week 29: 7/15-21

July 15--Putting on the Brakes--While we were on vacation, Chretien had to replace one of the rear brake pads.  Today, under less urgent conditions, he replaced the other one.  Earnest was taking notes.  Although he probably can't change brakes (yet), he did learn the names and uses of some of the wrenches.

 July 16--Statue of Liberty, Lego Style--Our library had a Lego contest tonight.  The kids were given a bag of assorted Legos and were instructed to construct a building.  Trust was very resourceful and traded some of the Legos that she didn't need or want to get ones to create her entry, the Statue of Liberty.  Earnest did not really compete and he and I just built different structures from his bag.

 July 17--Let the Games Begin!--Imp and I went to the library today for some Olympic crafts.  He made the laurel wreath, a torch (which he was calling "his campfire"), a bookmark and a swimmer/gymnast on a stick which you could put in either the pool or a balance beam and slide the stick so they could compete.  We're ready over here!

 July 18--Truck Day--It was a dream come true for the boy who loves to push buttons, pull levers and turn knobs...Truck Day!

 July 19--Hot (?) Summer Nights--This child just makes me laugh and wonder.  Even with the cooling thunderstorms we had yesterday, it still gets very warm in my kids' rooms.  Imp insists that we cover him up with his angel blanket every night.  I suppose it could be worse.  During the cooler weather, he wants both his angel blanket and his ducky blanket.  I suppose it's not a huge surprise, as his daddy always wants a blanket as well, even during the warmest summer nights.

I have never come so close to missing a day before.  It's not that I didn't have photos, but for some reason, my cell phone was acting up and they are all ghosty, blurry and unusable.  I am so glad I sat down about 40 minutes ago to look at them and didn't wait until tomorrow to retrieve them, because then I would have been out of luck.  The photo for today should have been one of Trust and Earnest painting suncatchers at the library.  Oh, well.

 July 20--Chips off the Old Block--Trust tripped and did a face plant on the playground at camp.  Unfortunately, her two front teeth were the biggest casualties of the fall.  We managed to get an emergency dental visit late in the afternoon, and thankfully, there appears to be no nerve damage.  As luck would have it, she has a regular cleaning appointment next week, so they will take a better look at that time and figure out how to proceed.

 July 21--Sisters?--Trust's friend came over for a sleepover.  They had planned many fun activities, including water games, movies, reading books and creating new T shirts with fabric markers.  I was amused at the color coordination of the girls here.  I almost think they could pass for sisters.

Frame A Day '12: Week 28--7/8-7/14

July 8--Sunday Skype--It's Sunday night, and that means it's time to Skype with Gran and Gramps.

 July 9--Dump!--The kids have created a new game called "Dump".  Judging by the equipment used, the dirty area, and the resultant looks of the participants, I'd say the name is very appropriate.

July 10--Kale for Trust--Trust and I attended a Young Scientists program at the library tonight.  It was presented by Whole Foods, so of course the talk included free samples of a yummy smoothie with strawberries, blueberries, oranges, plums, pomegranate juice and kale.  Can I say that I love that Trust was excited to hear about the science and is looking forward to the next program?

 July 11--Going Up and Down--Imp and I had fun riding the teeter totter today.

In the interest of anonymity, I cannot post the picture from July 12.

July 13--Still Summer--We bought a hanging basket of flowers from Home Depot last week on sale.  So funny, because I still think we have a lot of summer yet, but all types of stores will beg to differ with me.

July 14--Since we learned about the broadcast of the newest American Girl movie tonight, Trust had been looking forward to watching it.  It turned into a big time viewing, with blankets and brothers and dolls.  I am very amused at Imp's American Girl Doll, Bullseye (and his penguin "Woody" is almost out of the frame.)  The boys only lasted until the first commercial break, but Trust watched the entire movie with interest, although having to wait through commercial interruptions was novel.