Love, love, love is sunshine

The story goes: I was about 3 and misquoted my mom's frequent phrase "the joys of motherhood" as "the mothers of joyhood" - this picture made me feel that way. It's funny how special a little welcome can make you feel - thanx, sweet baby Jack!

JT's Shower The People

But poison ivy, Lord'll make you itch!!

I took a picture, but it made me itch even more, so I'll spare you. I look like a leper, have tried everything anyone has suggested, but still it spreads. If this part on my eyelid gets into my eye, I'm getting a cortisone shot. Never had it before, don't want it again :(

Happy non-itchy weekend!

On a happier note, some recent love notes for Dean and me

Jack and Harry snuck special notes into Dean's bags for his recent trip

Their cards for my Mother's Day were so them ;-)

Harry's still working on the jokes - while his timing and inflection are great, he's not a writer at the moment.....but his heart's in it, don't ya think?!

Jack loves Star Wars, and me :-)

The Coaster's Poison Ivy

Philosophy is the talk on a cereal box

The boys' Book Club is finishing up their third book, Pippi Longstocking, a classic that I remember well. My friend Lisa Weaver and I went to see the movie the week that I moved from SC to VA when I was twelve years old..yikes, what a blast from the past!

Their culminating project is a Cereal Box Book Report, which turned out to be a really fun way to incorporate some of their favorite scenes. The front included identifying information and a picture of their favorite scene from the story, the first side had a list of characters with descriptions, the second side described the setting/s, and the back included a game that related to the story in some way. They are to include a surprise inside that is something real and reflects something about the story.

Here is Harry showing off his box and 'surprise' (this is probably the best shot I've gotten of his three missing teeth, bonus!)
He drew a picture of his favorite scene, the silly one from Chapter 1 where Pippi cracks an egg on her head - he did a great job with the yolk and it falling over her nose

His 'cast of characters' highlights Pippi, her two friends Tommy and Annika, and her monkey Mr. Nilsen

He drew a picture of Pippi jumping from drain cover to drain cover during a game they play, and noted that most of the story took place outside, but a few scenes were inside, including Pippi's 'berthday' (her spelling) party

His favorite part was the back, where he created a maze to get Tommy and Annika to Pippi's birthday party, including obstacles that were birthday-themed: hats, cakes, balloons, and noise makers. He even put a few directions for the non-maze types ;-)

Jack proudly displaying his cereal box before soccer practice

His front cover depicted the scene where Pippi whomps up on two bullies, who end up in a tree. He was really proud of his 'dots, like teachers make on their letters'

He described the same characters, the kids and Pippi's monkey

He mentioned the town and a neighbor's house, where they had a tea party as settings

Jack's back cover had a Differences game, and he took great care with the details of her clothes and shoes that were discussed in the book and her expression.

They had a lot of fun with the project, and since Pippi is such a funny girl, there were a lot of laughs at our house.

Edie Brickell's What I Am

Draw Me A Map - random stuff

The boys had assignments in each of their classes to draw a map of their bedroom....funny how the same room can look so different - Harry's is on top and very proportionally correct...Jack's is on bottom and more of a perspective thing...he was focused on toys and the books left on the floor ;-)



During Jack's conference, he was helping the teacher by passing out his class's KidPins - his teacher thought of this and says it's really helped streamline choices. The students just mark their choices for things like lunch .... trying to figure out how we can use it at home to reduce chaos here as well ;-)

They both attended their friend's birthday party last weekend, and Jack couldn't wait for her to have a chance in the Ticket Blaster....he also used his map-making legend skills to explain the picture to her

I found this book while volunteering at the library - picked it up because it was an author they've enjoyed in the past, but it turned out to be one of the truest things Jack has ever read...right down to the alfalfa hair

Dierks Bentley

Signs, signs, everywhere signs

I took a nap the other day, and the boys found a set of paper stick-ups...still getting the sticky off, but not as much damage as it was fun for them and sweet for us ;-) Harry's were mostly pix, but Jack was all about helpful signs
Jack's Ode To Bullet

And his hawking of our fridge fare

and bedroom boasts

and cooking songs (can't remember if he drew this before or after I cut my hair) He even sang it for me ;-)

And the sweetest of all - he said he wanted this to be the last thing Dean and I saw before we left the house so we'd leave full of love :wub:

Tesla (originally 5 Man Electrical Band)

On a piece of paper I can show it to you

A great big THANX to Harry's coach for going the extra mile to use Harry's love of maps and drawing to make the game of soccer a bit clearer....the boys had a great time kicking the ball around the "field" :-)

Bare Naked Ladies' Drawing

The Boys Are Back In SCHOOL

It was Back-To-School Nite tonite, and there were a lot of proud kids, and one big kid who kept trying to cause trouble - love ya, babe!

They changed the schedule this year so that parents with kids in more than one class could actually go together. First up, Jack:

He's been totally digging their Social Studies unit on American symbols, proudly showing off his story and picture of The Lady!

You can probably make it out if you click on the picture, but here's the decipher:

The SoL is special because it is our American symbol. The SoL is as tall as a skyscraper. The SoL is greenish in color (thank you to my -ish friend, Tracy...I still pepper it into daily conversation...see how you live on!). The SoL is holding a book in one hand and a torch in the other. The SoL is made of copper. The SoL is....BIG! I love the SoL.

I noticed she looks like quite the warrior in most of the boys' drawings ;-)

Harry could NOT wait to get us to his room, where he showed off some of his work and his teacher bragged on him. He earned his second kindness card today, so he's hoping he may win the drawing tomorrow. Here he is showing Daddy his book "All about me" - he drew pix of his old and new houses, his family, and a few other things....nary a map in site!

It's shaping up to be a great year - can't wait to see how they grow :-)

Thin Lizzy's Boys Are Back In Town

A big ol' pile of SCHOOLwork

The boys brought home gobs of schoolwork today - tomorrow nite is BTS nite, so it's hard to imagine what will be on display!

Harry earned an award for creativity in art but couldn't explain a whole lot about it...something about his orange diamonds group...will be interesting to decipher it tomorrow!

And have I mentioned that he does NOT like to color in the lines....I think this is about the order that he completed these...notice he ends up completely doing his own thing by the end ;) The one with the axe shows him chopping down the door because the house is on fire - thank you, Rescue Heroes! And a sincere Thank You to the ever-patient Mrs. W!

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Jack came home with a whole lot of writing, but was most proud of these....us, too!



You may remember his great love for the Statue of Liberty, so you can imagine there was a whole story about this drawing, Lady Liberty at sunset....he says he didn't have time to draw all the skyscrapers that we'll see when we go to NYC :-)

George Strait and Kenny Chesney's Shiftwork

Draw Me A Map

Jack's teacher uses a green, yellow, red behavior system. She colored the day for them and showed them how to do it themselves today...unfortunately, Jack was talking too much with his friend, Dylan. Hopefully, this will be the last yellow we see. After spending some time in his room, Jack wrote her an apology: 'Sorry, Mrs. C but Dylan and I get really excited when we see each other. Sorry again. It won't happen again.'

Harry's homework was a little autobiography. They are both moving from stick figures into some version of a body....at least I feel better about his Mother's Day drawing of me ;-) He thought it was hilarious to make his eyebrows blue. Silly boy!

Dierks Bentley

Ring, ring goes the bell

What a great day everyone seems to have had! The boy got home from school via one of their favorite friend's moms - thanx Ms. Angela :-)
Jack playing it all cool...."1st grade is AWESOME!" Thanx, Mrs. C :-)

Harry looks a little, well, harried! I guess he miscalculated the time he had to pack his things back into his backpack....the boy loves that agenda, has been reading Jack's all weekend. Thank you, Mrs. W., for giving him his very own :-)

Jack has decreed that "1st graders walk up the driveway!"

Who knows why, but they both love to walk like old men lately, and this is Jack about half-way up the drive

And this is so Dean!

Harry took pity on Jack and ran back down to try and go with him...there was actual hugging involved. It's good to be apart for hours at a time ;-)

This was one of their activities today. The writing prompt was 'last nite I felt...'

Harry didn't bring his writing home, but I'd be willing to bet money this is a pretty accurate depiction of some portion of his bus ride from today ;-)

Chuck Berry's School Days

That's my window on the world

I learned to write on this desk. Our children love to play school (how appropriate!) with it. Harry has been in a window-drawing kick....if the eyes are a window into the soul, what are the 20-odd differently shaped windows here? I hate that his 'crooked' window didn't end up on this version....it's been fun watching his windows evolve

JB's Window On The World