...in this carnival world

It's fall festival season around here, and we had the chance to visit one of our favorites recently. The boys participated in a summer reading program that led to treats....

....and certificates

silly faces with their friend Darius

They make the big trek on their own these days....

and even give me an occasional pose

I caught them on the Dragon Wagon

And setting up for darts

water gun races.....

....led to some loot!

If you feel like a trip down Memory Lane, check out last year's trip, ending with comparisons from years past

Jimmy Buffett's Carnival World

A porcelain throne and an aluminum sink

Our favorite plumber told him a few years ago that they have an apprentice program....he only has to wait 9 more years, but that hasn't stopped him from carrying this book around ever since he found it at the library a few weeks ago...

He even toted it into the doc's office the other day. The boy loves his plumbing!
JB's This Hotel Room

To see just what went on in our own backyard

Harry hanging out at Jack's soccer practice recently
Jack finally got lucky and won $20 from a dollar scratcher....so far, he doesn't seem to need GA, but he hasn't cashed it yet

JB's Comin' Down Slow

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

The vista I see now is changing

It was a busy weekend, but a good one. The boys played with a lot of old toys in new ways, and Jack was full of imagination, and this was his favorite creation: Long Arm Guy
While volunteering in the library last week, I found out that Harry has been going with his friends who have trouble reading the AR quizzes and reading the questions/answers to them. What a good little helper he's being for his teacher and classmates :-) He hasn't taken any this year, but I just spent an hour listening to him read this book for an Accelerated Reader quiz tomorrow. It was a crazy long book, almost 40 pages, and still worth only .5 points. Who knows what will be on the quiz, how he'll do, or whether the librarian will think we're crazy for letting him try a 4th grade book, but....it's the most motivated I've ever seen him. I learned a lot and he was able to answer all the comprehension questions I asked him...except when he was joking around :rolleyes: He insisted on reading the entire thing in one sitting, so best of luck in the morning, little man!

Jack is reading this "In the wild" series, and this is the dolphin version. They are early 3rd grade, about 25 pages, and also worth .5 points. The librarian gives them a party at the end of each month if they earn a total of at least 3 points.

It's hard to believe how life has changed in the last couple of years - hang on, cause I doubt it will slow!

REM's Accelerate

when the big report card comes

Harry read his report card to Dean this morning.....

Here's how it looked when he got his first note from his teacher back in August. Did I mention what a great experience Kindergarten was for our youngest? Great teacher, great learning and growing...just a real pleasure for him and us!

Jack read his report card to Dean, too....

and here's what he looked like back in the fall, reading his teacher's welcome poem. He also had a great experience, with a very kind and creative teacher whose love of animals was a great fit for Jack.

JB's Summerzcool

manly men men men!

I had to laugh when I was straightening the family room the other day and ran across this tableau...
Of course, this was also the week when they had a playdate with some of their favorite girls ;-)

I have a feeling he's going to be that 'typical man' when he's sick - they are both on meds for strep, but Jack is really working the chills side....silly boy!

Two And A Half Men theme

So you read it in a magazine

The birthday magazine subscriptions have started rolling in - thanx Mom! They dig them and they dig mail :-)

Jack and his Sports Illustrated, just like Daddy!
Harry and his big kid puzzle book - it has all the goods of PuzzleBuzz but a lot more fun thinking games. Jack 'borrowed' it today

Steel Train's A Magazine

So let it rain down and wash everything away

Pollen, much? Sure, I could have swept it before today, but look what my procrastination did...pretty pollen patterns
It was chilly and rainy when I started this, soup really does work miracles since the sun came out for a while

It was pretty yummy

Love

Creed's Rain

...you opened up a world I would have missed

Aaron Lines' What Beautiful Is

THEY treat THEIR bodIES like a temple, I treat MINE like a tent

Sure, this one's a stretch but it was a prefect Spring day today and we were jamming to JB on the way to the bus stop...random pix of my favorite fruitcakes

Pretzel boy Harry

Jack still likes to squeeze into cozy spots, and especially loves to read under this desk

JB's Fruitcakes

I hears some idioM ask if someone's inside

Can you tell what they are studying in class?
And at home, it's been all about the idioms. I got this poster ages ago - it's pretty dark, but I dig trying to figure out all the pix.

Jack actually sat down and started looking at it a few days ago, and recently found a favorite:He completely digs this carrot eating itself and will tell anyone who asks that 'it probably was a person, but he ate carrots so he turned into one....get it, you are what you eat.'

So, I've always thought Tedd Arnold's Parts looked good. The other day, I found Even More Parts at the library, and they both LOVE it. I've now put the others in the series on hold, and Jack insists on taking it to a friend's house for a playdate next week because it's just SO FUNNY!
He's pointing to his favorite ;-)

And demonstrating "I love my head"

It's a great intro into idioms involving body parts, and we can't wait to dig into the rest of the series.

Barenaked Ladies' Tonite Is The Nite I Fell Asleep At The Wheel