Endings and beginnings

Let me just say that for the record, Andrew's first grade teacher is a genius. The kids had 2 1/2 days of school this week. What in the world would you do with that time? Wasted. Not for this teacher. She created a Flag Day performance and spent last week teaching them their lines and patriotic songs and facts about the American Flag. Then she invited parents to come and watch...and had 2 performances so no one would miss. One on Monday and one on Tuesday. Genius. We will miss Mrs. C. Her 32 years of experience teaching will be a hard act to follow next year.

Here's Andrew back on August 30th. The day I locked us out of the house. -sigh-

Here we are on the last day, June 15th. I really wanted a similar shot and pose for the last day of school. But I waited too long to go out and take it, so Andrew ended up missing the bus. -sigh- I really need to get it together.

So today started S____n Summer Camp. Basic structure is less screen time. Positive feedback jars that can earn them cool rewards. More reading, more playing, more crafting, less vegging in front of tv, less fighting, less laziness. That last one is for me.

Day 1 was successful, I'd say. The marble jars were great. Michael got a marble each time he went potty. He didn't wear a diaper all day and even went to Target without one (I forgot). No accidents, AND he asked almost every time. No prompting necessary. The kids earned marbles by cleaning up, by playing nicely together, and by random acts of kindness to each other throughout the day. No marbles are given if a child asks for one. No marbles are ever taken out of the jar. Prizes include getting a treat from the ice cream truck, staying up an hour later, going to AC Moore and picking out a craft, $2 to spend at the grocery store on anything they want, etc. Ideas are welcome, peanut gallery.

One of our first activities was to make puppets out of their faces. Each kid posed for 3 shots of just their head, trying to show different emotions. Samples:

I printed them out on white computer paper, cut out their heads, and glued them on the end of Popsicle sticks. We took turns putting on plays with their head puppets. A huge hit. I'm sure we'll do it again as the summer goes on. We'll probably get Jeff and my heads involved and maybe even Shadow.

We went outside to paint our toilet paper tubes/future safari binoculars. I kid you not...it was fun! We have passed some kind of a threshold in the house where painting is fun. Everyone sat and painted and shared colors and no one freaked out about getting paint on their skin and they kept the correct paintbrush in the correct color and I don't think I yelled or started sweating or anything. Miracles. After we painted our toilet paper tubes, it was going so well that the kids just continued painting masterpieces:

Once finished we let them dry. They had blown all over the yard, and we lost one of Michael's initially. Andrew being the amazing big brother he is, quickly traded with Michael and took the monocle for himself. (5 marbles for that one...) I stapled the tubes together and added string and Voila! Safari binoculars. We went on a little safari in our backyard, and the kids had a blast! And no one got a tick! Success! I of course forgot the camera for that part, so the kids posed for me in the family room later:

While we were painting, Michael suddenly had to pee and asked if he could go in the grass. I don't know where he got the idea, but perhaps it is deep in the DNA of the male that it is cool to pee outside? Anyway, he was all excited about his act of maleness and Lily speaks up from the picnic table where she is painting, "Great. You peed in the grass...like SHADOW DOES." Ha! You tell those icky boys, Lil'!

It was a nice day. I am TIRED. The kids don't miss tv...yet. Andrew and Lily played for the entire time Michael was napping. They played pretend for 2 hours. Heaven. And in the morning they were totally absorbed with a board game. The only problem is...Michael. He wants to play with them DESPERATELY...but he's not very good at it yet. He gets too rough and has a short attention span and is, you know, three. So our challenge this summer is going to be to include Michael but not let him ruin the older two's fun. Should've had 4 kids...that's the hidden answer. ;)

Tomorrow we have a playgroup in the morning, and I have to pack for out trip to see Thomas this weekend. At some point I should go and get some food for when my parents come back with us from Thomas. And everyone will be re-learning how to shop together. It's been a while since I've done food shopping with 3 kids in tow. Yippee!