Questions I Asked My Kids

Kids are fountains of youth and knowledge. I ask mine questions all the time while they still know it all. We leave for a short camping trip with DW’s brother, his wife, and their 4 kids in 6 sleeps. The boys are as excited to see their cousins as they are to sleep in a tent for 3 nights. We’ll be visiting the neighboring province, Prince Edward Island. Home of the fabled Anne of Green Gables, PEI potatoes, Cows Ice Cream, and an alpaca that, four years ago, scared a certain 2 year old for years.

We will try to recreate this image from 4 years ago…

1. What are you most looking forward to doing in PEI?

Crash: Hanging out in the thing… the tent and trading Pokemon with my cousins. And going to Shining Waters
Bang: Roasting marshmallows (he doesn’t eat them, just roasts them)

2. Who is Anne of Green Gables?

Crash: A girl and she was in a bunch of movies but I completely forget who she is
Bang: Pime Minister?

3. How long will it take to get to PEI?

Crash: Probably about 75 minutes
Bang: 18,000 minutes
(It will take 4 hours)

4. What is something we should do while we are in PEI?

Crash: Go to Shining Waters
Bang: Ride our scooters

5. How many S’mores will you eat in 3 days?

Crash: 10+
Bang: Zero because I don’t like them with marshmallows on them

6. What is something you want to learn about while you’re in PEI?

Crash: Who Anne of Green Gables is
Bang: Being safe

7. What is something you remember from last time we were there? (4 years ago)

Crash: That I got my Cows Ice Cream shirt that said “Gangnum Cow”
Bang: I got scared by the alpaca (an alpaca was laying behind a wall and stood suddenly when Bang approached scaring him. For the longest time we kept him out of places (such as basements) by telling him there alpacas in there)

8. What will we do if it rains while we’re camping?

Crash: Me and my cousins will trade Pokemon cards
Bang: Go in the tent

9. What’s your favorite animal?

Crash: Cat because they’re stealthy and cool
Bang: Camel because people can ride on my humps

10. What country would be fun to visit?

Crash: Houston, Texas
Bang: Alberta… no wait, Newfoundland!
(Seems we need some geography lessons)

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This Summer’s Schedule

I love summer.

I love winter, too. But summer is way hotter.

Unfortunately, it’s not conducive to blogging. The kids are home all day. They either need entertaining or forced encouraged to clean something. They magically get along when they’re told to clean. It’s like a miracle.

Then there’s traveling. We don’t go far. Basically, around the block. Though we did make it to the beach yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, we got home a bit late and after a day of sun, sand, surf, and supper, blogging didn’t make the to do list.

Then there’s the later than usual bedtime every night because “It’s still light out!” and “My friends get to stay up until dark!” By the time they’re finally asleep all I have left is to watch as many Game of Thrones episodes we can fit in.

Which is usually one.

There’s also baseball. It’s going to take up more time than a Lord of the Rings extended version trilogy marathon. Actually, that’s about the same length as just one game. This year, however, I have stepped into the role of Coach for Crash’s team. Yes, I’m a Coach Daddy. Except for baseball. I’ve coached soccer and wrestling and golf. This is my first stint at baseball. So far, so good. We haven’t lost! We won one and tied one. We have three games next week. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. So we’ll be spending a good portion of our summer on the field of dreams.

The boys have been begging to go camping. I love camping and used to camp frequently. I’ve never taken along two rambunctious kids. I would love to teach them what I know about camping and the wilderness and the night sky without light pollution and about cheese filled crust pizza (but not while camping). There are a few day trips we’d like to take and trip to visit DW’s brother and sister-in-law. The boys love playing with their cousins.

I’ll be Tweeting, Instagramming and Facebook our adventures so feel free to follow along. What will you be doing this summer?

Sorry, South-of-the-Equatorians, what will you be doing this winter?

The Last Day

Tonight is a school night.

Last night was the last non-school night.

So I read a bit extra to Crash. We’re reading Harry Potter. We’re nearly done the fourth book, now. Just a few chapters left. We’re going to watch the movie once we finish the book. The book doesn’t scare him. He thinks the movie will, though.

That makes tonight a school night. We’ve been getting the kids into a regular routine at bedtime again. We started last week. You know, making sure they’re clean, eat their bedtime snack (which they invariably try to turn into meal), brush teeth and in bed to read and sleep at a decent hour. Here it’s lights out between 7:30 and 8.

Crash is awesome at waking on time to get ready for school. He’s so good he doesn’t need an alarm or to be woken by us. He’s awake between 6 and 6:30. On school days. On weekends. On holidays. Even if he stay up until midnight (like last New Year’s Eve).

Bang, on the other hand, is a different story. He likes his sleep. Some mornings I’ve tried to wake him and he rolls over and tries to go back sleep. Little bugger. He also likes to take his time in the morning. He’s not one to jump out of bed and run downstairs to eat at 7am. He’s one to run downstairs to go play for a bit at 8am.

Today is the last day of summer vacation. We made it to the beach several times. We didn’t get out camping though. Perhaps we can fit that in this fall. I’d love to make it to Cape Breton’s Highland National Park… it’s stunningly beautiful in the fall.

Today is the last day of summer vacation. We made it out kayaking a few times. We can keep going through the fall, too. We just won’t be stopping for a swim any more.

It’s the last day of summer which means the trampoline will be coming down in a month. We store it away for the winter in attempt to make it last longer. Wet, heavy snow on a trampoline doesn’t do good things to it. Mowing should be slowing down, too. Which is a bummer because that’s how I get all my steps in for the day.

Today is the last day of summer vacation which mean Crash will start having homework. He hasn’t had homework in… well never. I know Finland says they never give homework and Finland has the best education system. But I think a bit of homework is necessary. What are your opinions on homework? Necessary evil? Or are there better things to do with their time?

It’s the last day of summer vacation which means tomorrow will be the first day of the school year! Our last child’s first day of school…. I’m nervous excited.

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My Summer Bucket List – In Review

Back in June, before school dismissed for summer vacation, I wrote out my bucket list of what I wanted to do. This list included:

• Hiking and seeing waterfalls
• Geocaching
• A Road trip
• Kayaking
• Relaxing at the cottage by the lake
• Skip rocks
• Grow a vegetable garden
• Watching/playing baseball with Crash

DW returned to work today so there’s clear evidence that summer vacation is just about over for the kids, too. Did I do anything from list?

You betcha. Even better, I was able to complete the list. We made it to a waterfall in Pennsylvania. I didn’t make it to the 100′ North River Falls, but I knew that was a long shot, at best. The one in PA was great because the kids could play in it and there wasn’t a two and half hour hike to get to it.

I found six geocaches. One was on my birthday. It required a little bushwacking through the trees. Then it started raining on our way out. The second and third was on a rails to trails trail. The bugs were so bad we cut the trip short. There are eight more on that trail that we’ll get when the weather is too cold for bugs. Bang and I found two more while DW was visiting a family member in the hospital. Then Bang and I found one while Crash was in the hospital having oral surgery. Great finds!

Our road trip was spectacular. Just find my Traveling posts to read all about our two week vacation to the States.

We have been out kayaking twice now. Once was down a fairly large river. Too big for our liking. We were hoping for a wooded, lazy river, but no such luck. So the kayaks are out at the cottage we’ll just paddle on the lake. Crash had his kayak out and was having a blast (as were his cousins as they all took turns on it).

Speaking of the cottage – we’ve made a few trips there now. It’s so relaxing out there. Especially yesterday when there was only a small breeze and the water was as calm as bathtub water. That made kayaking a lot of fun. 

I’m sure I’ve skipped hundreds of rocks by now. With water this flat, how could I not? I even helped teach nieces and nephews to skip them.

The onions are growing well in the garden. We’ve already harvested the lettuce – 2 one gallon bags worth. The green and jalapeno peppers are coming along. Unfortunately, the broccoli went to seed to quick. The thyme smells delicious!

Crash is great hitter. He’s okay at throwing and his catching is much improved. Unfortunately, he’s only made it to two practices. He had one before we left for vacation, though a couple were rained out before that. Then we were gone for two week, but even those were rained out, too. He made it to a practice (they don’t play games in T-ball here) the week after we returned. But then had surgery the week after so he missed that one, too. Hopefully, the rain will hold off so he can have practice tonight! It’s looking like it’s going to rain!

My bucket list is complete, everything I do from here out is just icing on the cake – yummy, delicious buttercream frosting.

The one thing that hasn’t happened yet is painting. Our hallways are dire need of some new paint. We have it. We just need to get it on the walls. Maybe I’ll just open the paint bucket, give Crash and Bang a paintbrush and let them do it. 🙂

What’s something exciting or relaxing did you do this summer?

I’m not hiding

Dear you,
Hi my loyal loyal readers. Especially those of you who stopped by to read wn old post or leave a comment to let me know you liked something. I feel I’ve let you down this month with so few new posts. I aas hoping to blog our trip beacuse remembering all that has happened is going to be tough. I do have some photographic evidence that I can’t wait to share with you. But you’ll have to wait until we get back. Don’t worry, we won’t be too much longer then it will be back to life as we know it.

We are currently in Maryland and head to Virginia tomorrow for some much needed catch up with some “old” friends. So hang in there and we can play catch up upon my return.

Your blogger
Eric
aka Stomperdad

Checked out

The end is near.

We have two more days. Then it’s all over until September. Two more days of school. Crash is sick of it and ready for summer. Daylight lasts until after 9:00pm and he’s a night hawk. Unfortunately, he’s also a morning bird. The two do not mix very well. Anyway, from a child who normally enjoys school woke up this morning with the phrase “I don’t want to go to school.”

I wanted to tell him neither do his teachers. Instead, I bit my tongue and told him there are only two more days and one of those days is a field trip. A cool science field trip at that. And I get to tag along as a chaperone!

Nevertheless, it’s the end of the school year. The kids think they have no more to learn so they have no desire to be in school. Of course, it tough to be the teacher trying to teach kids who a) think they’re done learning and b) are so ready be home. It’s also tough to be the parent and send your reluctant child to school. Luckily, being teachers, we have the same summer vacation our kids do so there’s no need for day care or baby sitting services. Lucky us.

So the kids have checked out, so to speak. They’re done. No more need of school. Learned all they’re going to learn this year. Unfortunately, there’s still two more days. I will have to kick Crash out the door two more times. Make lunches two more times. But it’s all good. The end is near and then it’s freedom. Free at last! Free at last! Free at last!

My Summer Bucket List

Next week is Crash’s last week of school. I’d say it’s his last full week, but it’s not even that because there is no school Friday. His last official day is the 30th, but he’s only in school long enough to pick up his report card. Then we have two month of summer. I just wish summer like weather would get here so we can start the summer bucket list!