The Day is Long

Raking leaves.
Hauling brush.
Bagging leaves.
Using screw guns.
Raking more leaves.
Using the leaf blower.
Playing on a new rope swing.
Climbing trees.
Earning milkshakes for all that hard work!
Watching a movie and reading books by the fire.
Going to the library book sale for new books.
Playing StoryCubes by the fire.
Having friends over to make songs and fairy houses.

A busy weekend - "work hard, play hard, same thing," said Sam.
He also said: "The longer you talk, the more it makes the day longer."
Adding "man" in his new twang. Where did he get that?!

A Little Bit of Josephine

What a week!
The pictures above:
Josephine studying (did we mention she's reading at a 7th grade level?).

She and her two best friends made up a song about manners to the Frozen song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" called "Do You Want to Have Respect?" for their after-school program.

And she finished her acting class at the local theater, performing her (sort of) memorized poem.

Next week, both kids will be performing a dance with their grade-level at the annual Sock Hop. Stay tuned!

Ok. I had to add in a picture of Sam cuddling with Titan!

College? For What?

At dinner last night.

"I'm going to college at Virginia Tech," Jo announced. "I'm going to be a vet."

Sam shrugged. "I'm not going to college," he said.

"WHAT? What do you mean? Why not!" Jo was horrified.

"I don't know," said Sam. "I mean, what IS college?"

"Well," I said, in my most Gently Guiding My Child Not to Screw Up His Life voice, "College is where you go to learn about things you really love."

"Oh, well, then I really don't need to go to college," said Sam. "I already know everything about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

"NO, Sam, you have to go to college," said Jo, exasperated. "What are you going to be when you grow up?"

"I just want to be a Normal Person," said Sam.

"What does THAT mean? A "normal person"?"

"You know, like YOU, Mama. A normal person. You know - you go to work and you come home. Like that!"

"All Mama does is boring computer work all day," said Jo, shaking her head. "You don't want to do that."

"Computers like video games?" asked Sam, excited.

"No, BORING," said Jo.

"Well goodness, it's not that bad," I said. "I get to write stories sometimes."

"About what?" asked Jo.

"About doctors and medical treatments."

"Yeah, boring," she said. "Sam, you could grow up and write stories, like novels, be a story teller. Or a teacher. You'd be good at that."

"Yeah, a teacher!" said Sam. "I like math. I'm really good at it. It's fun. I really like it. Watch: What's 9 + 7? 16. See? I did that in my head. And I always get 100%. Not like 2%, or 4%, but 100%."

----
I love these conversations. Actually, Sam IS apparently good at math - he's being taught by the Quest teacher (gifted) for math, and apparently has a great mind for it.

We met with their teachers the other day and they are both doing great. Sam is a great citizen in class and reading where he should be.

And Jo? She's finally getting organized and learning not to fidget in class. She's completing her work. And she's reading at a 7th grade level and excelling in every area of academics. And of course is happy and has lots of friends. AND, she is great at helping out others in her class who aren't at her level, apparently doing so in a very teacher-like manner that her teacher greatly appreciates.

Very proud of both of them. Whatever they grow up and become.

All I Want for Christmas is... EVERYTHING IN THE WHOLE STORE

We took a tour of Michael's and Toys R Us to get a feel for what the kids were wanting for Christmas. Not sure how helpful this was. Seeing how much fun they have playing with the milk cartons out of the recycling bin, as well as all the witty art they did on a large cardboard box recently, maybe we'll just let them play at the local recycling center for a few hours.

Seriously, though, we do have a list we're putting together. Clearly, they NEED nothing. Josephine helped me put together some hygiene kits for the inmates of our local women's prison, so the more we can think about giving to others - maybe clearing out some old toys? - the better.

Though donating second-hand toys can be problematic. Esp. after the local homeless shelter refused free sandwiches from a nice restaurant in town because the shelter ONLY takes organic, locally-sourced food.

!!!

Halloween 2014

After-Church Brunch

Sam Plays With My Phone