Happy Friday!!

Winter Walk in the Woods (Monticello Trail)

Climbing the ancient tulip poplar felled at Monticello...
... and Sam created an art installation of sticks...

Update for Jan. 24, 2015

"Sam, are you picking your nose and eating your boogers?" - Lisa
"Well... it IS dinnertime!" - Sam

"I love that cabinet," said Sam, about Lisa's grandmother's cabinet. "It looks like a museum."
"Oh," said Amy. "A big museum?"
"Yes," said Sam. "A little museum."


Sam told us last night, "I feel like I'm a man-boy."

Lisa: Why is that? "Because I watch the news, and I listen. I like it."




He then showed us his "secret whistle" - blowing the air between his missing teeth.


Sam was teasing Jo about a younger boy's crushes on her, and I asked if she liked him back. "Not like that," she said. "But I probably will name a child after him." Why is that? I asked. "Because he's just so cute!"

Girl Scout Cookie Time!

Jo is even learning to iron her own patches. Lisa has walked her through her sales pitch.

Jo and Amy having a mother-daughter date.

Basketball is going great! Our video skills... are improving.

On the Nature of Friends

The way Sam looks at the world is quite specific and rather lovely. He finds unexpected metaphors and connections that always stop me and challenge the boundaries of my imagination.

Example, the other day we went to Adventure Central, an indoor play place at our gym; another parent complimented Jo and Sam for being such good, kind kids who played so well with hers that she was actually allowed a break. As we were leaving, Sam said, "You know, I have a lot of friends. But a lot of them are one-time friends. I only know them once, like here, or like at camp. And then I never see them again."

He thought for a second, and then added, "But it's nice, it's a good thing. It's like a Monopoly game I have that's made out of chocolate. You can play with it, but once you eat the pieces, you can't ever play again. That's what the One-Time Friends are like."

Friends are tricky. There's definitely kids with whom Jo and Sam clash. And ones they don't get to see as much as they would like. Jo struggles with girls who are just as bossy and strong-minded (her words!) as she is. Sam dislikes boys who get mean and act crazy and hit people on the head.

In other news, Sam played his first basketball game on Saturday and scored TWO GOALS IN A ROW! He dubbed it "the second best day ever," after Christmas.

Cookie (aka crack) Time!

Look at this adorable Brownie!!!

She started selling today... if you are too far away to enjoy the cookies yourself, consider buying a box for someone in the military!

Proceeds go to the SPCA, where the troop will be volunteering, as well. And for their annual camping trip.

And yes, Lisa was on the phone with Girl Scout headquarters this morning to ensure the correct badge placement on Jo's sash.