September 27: Back to School

Bill and the kids leave the house at 6:30 am every day to catch the bus at 6:45 am.  They get to school about an hour later.  It exhausts all of us and we all try to be to bed by 9:30 at the latest.  We all loved having last week (and Monday) off.  Tuesday came bright and early and, as I was helping the kids load up the car and get ready to go, Griffin ran outside with the camera and took this picture.

September 26: The Beach

All summer was gloomy.  We barely went to the beach AT ALL.  Now, end of September and we are having a heatwave.  Carlsbad, here we come!!!  Sadly, the water was FREEZING.  Seriously!  My extremities were numb!  That didn't keep the boys and Liane from staying the water the whole time, though.

September 26: PANCAKES!!

Bill is a great pancake maker.  Buttermilk, to be exact.  We had a big spread on Sunday to celebrate Aidan's return.  Griffin decided to make a bridge of pancakes and put a Lego guy in it.

September 24: Griffin Entertains Himself

Griffin got a new book in the mail (Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner) and decided to make himself a sort of casbah in the middle of the kitchen.

He really missed Aidan the week that he was gone.  When asked if he missed his brother, he responded, "It's like he never existed!"  He said this to two people...

September 23: College Applications...

Last year, for outdoor education week, the juniors were taken on college tours of the East Coast.  One of the schools Zoey visited was Tufts University and she came home convinced she wanted to apply Early Decision.  The main attraction for her was the dual degree program with the New England Conservatory.  And she said she loved the campus.  We took it with a grain of salt, but she was singing the same tune a year later.  So, the same week Aidan was in Catalina, the seniors had the week off to visit colleges (again) or do other things, like WRITE APPLICATIONS.

I had to work, but took a day off to help Zoey sort herself out and to edit her essays.  She go her essay for the Common Application done and started on the Tufts supplemental essays (all three...)  She also wrote a song about Tufts that she will record and send with her application.  

I was a) concerned about her putting all her eggs in one basket and 2) not really sure she could get in.  So, we also spent some time looking at other school and writing essays for them.  We looked at liberal arts school with conservatories. Like Oberlin College, Northwestern, Amherst, Colgate, Dusquesne and Ithaca.

         

When they are finished, I'll add in her essays.  Wouldn't it be crazy if we could all go back and read our essays???  I only vaguely remember the essay I wrote for Reed when I was a sophomore.  It was about JD Salinger's story, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish."


Click here for a link to the post with the application essays...

September 20: Aidan's Trip to Catalina

At LJCDS, starting in 5th grade, the kids go on an outdoor education trip.  In 5th grade it's for 2 nights, 6th grade 3 nights and now, in 7th grade for 4 nights.  The kids left on a bus for the Long Beach Harbor at 6:30 am on Monday, September 20.

Leaving LJCDS early Monday morning.

After the bus, it was a boat.

Then a hike to the campgrounds.

In the mornings, the kids had the opportunity to do the Polar Bear Plunge first thing in the morning.  Aidan did it once...

Singing on the beach.

Buffalo or Bison?

Doing what Aidan loves best - digging in the sand.

Full moon for the night snorkel!

In wetsuits and ready to kayak.

The dance on the last night of camp.

Group shot - Aidan is in the left behind the girl with crutches.

Aidan says he enjoyed spending time with new people and figure out that others could be annoying.  He loved the food and ate oatmeal in the mornings.  He said that everything was sandy all the time but, being in the top bunk he could shake his things out onto the floor below - which he then swept up.  He came home exhausted and a little under the weather, but tanned and happy, too.   Next year, Sequoia in the winter!

September 19: Second Birthday!

Make a wish!

Since Aidan is going to be spending next week at Outdoor Education Camp on Catalina Island, we celebrated his birthday again, today.  Trying to make up for those picture we didn't take at the beach...

Singing!

Before the singing. Griff took a shower & combed his hair.

Candles are almost out...

Nonnie checking out Indiana Jones Lego on XBox

September 15: Griffin's Birthday Party

So, Aidan's party kind of drained me and, as Griffin just started at a new school and doesn't have new friends yet, we had a mini-party with an old (new) friend.  Johhny and his little sister Pearl have been coming to story time at B&N for over 2 years now.  Something about Johnny just made me think that he'd be a great playmate for Griffin, despite the fact that he is almost a year younger (but taller) than Griff.  The two get on like a house on fire!  Much Playmobil and Lego playing and laughing when they are together.  

After Johnny left, we got busy making the Construction Cake (yes, did it for Aidan when he was 4 or 5.)  Girff really got into it and decorated it beautifully.

BLOWING OUT THE CANDLES!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIBLINGS!

THE HATS WERE FUN!

September 15: BIRTHDAYS and BRACES!

Aidan missed school on Wednesday, September 15 to get his mouth filled with metal.  When I picked him up, two hours later, the nurse wanted to let me know that he was one of the best patients EVER!  I guess he just sat there and didn't react to anything - much like at home!

Sadly, we forgot to take the camera to the beach on Sunday, September  12 when we had Aidan's birthday party at South Cardiff State Beach for the 4th year in a row.  This year, we decided to have pizzas delivered, but the little pizza place we called was really behind so I drove over and picked them up. The boys all had a great time swimming, digging and checking out the creatures in the tide pools, as always.  This year, someone brought a football and they (almost) all started playing on the beach.  That was pretty cool.  Having known these boys for almost 5 years now, it is amazing to see them growing up  and looking more like teenagers and less like the little boys that they have been for so long.

We bought Aidan an XBox for his birthday and all his friends gave him gift cards to buy games and accessories with.  I have now been to GameStop more times in my life than I had planned on.  However, the kids are really enjoying it AND spending time playing together!  Still not sure how I really feel about it, though - not looking forward to setting limits...

Z & A playing FIFA Soccer!