The zoo with Bug's class

Today, I was one of the chaperons for the first and sixth grade field trip to the zoo.  I had 6 boys to watch over, 3 from first grade (6-7 years old) and 3 from sixth grade (11-12 years old).  let's just say my outlook for the future has certainly changed walking around with the boys.  I am not saying more.  But, the boys have been buddied up all year and the purpose of this trip was for each buddy group to pick an animal from the assigned group (my group had mammals), see the animal and then learn one fact.  Once they got back to school, they would have a group project to do together.   I also learned Friday is field trip day at the zoo. I kid you not, there were at least 100 buses in the parking lot.

These are my boys.  Bug is in the light blue hoodie on the right and his buddy is in the great hood with the red backpack on the left. This about the only time the boys were standing next to their buddy. 

One group wanted to see the lions- the girls were out today. The buddies were disappointed, they wanted the male lions.

Another group wanted to see the monkeys, so I took them down "jungle trails" to see all the different varieties of monkeys.  This is an orangutan up on the hill.  The buddies ended up choosing the lemurs instead.

We stopped to see the penguins

and the giraffes

both of them

We saw the brand new baby camel (laying on the ground near Momma).  The baby camel was born on Monday.

The consensus from all 6 boys was 'he is soooooo cute'

the buddies and some other zoo goers, checking out the rhino

The rhino

The boys- hands over their name tags.  This is why all the other pictures are from the back.  They are a good bunch of boys. Lunch was quite the experience with them.  It was a great day for zoo, it started off cool, but by lunch, it warmed enough to take off the hoodies.

I am glad I took the day off to hang out with the boys.

Love and hugs,

Deb

bring a friend day at school and soccer

Today, the 1st-3rd grades had 'bring a friend/special person' to school day.  Bug brought Mam, Pap and me.  It was really a presentation from 1-2:30 pm, so we only visited in the afternoon, but the kids were excited. 

We started in the church for a prayer service and then the kids sang songs from 'The Sound of Music'.  The first graders sang "Do-Re-Mi"

And then at the end, all the classes sang "so long, farewell".  the first graders waved good bye to everyone, but really it was good bye to the church and off to the classrooms.

Bug and Pap, working on some fun activities while Mam and I looked on.  We got to eat some cookies and then take Bug home.

Bug had soccer tonight- this was the second to the last game.  Next week is the last game for the season.  Bug will take the summer off from soccer due to Y camp and swim lessons.  But he will start soccer again in the Fall.

While Bug was on the field, M wanted to go 'sneak on the boys', which is 5 year old speak for spy on the boys.  If we go around the field, we can stand on the bleachers for another field and usually get great pictures of Bug and M's brother Y.

She was eating M&Ms

and trying to make sure I took a picture of her sticking out her tongue.

It was a good night.  Tomorrow, I am chaperoning Bug's class field trip to the zoo.  Wohoo- a day outside with about 50 kids and the zoo- AWESOME!!!

Love and hugs,
Deb

nice things this week

It has been a nice first half to the week.  Yesterday, Bug got his bike out for some riding.  He is getting big for his bike, I am trying to encourage him to loose the training wheels.  I think I have him convinced that he can have the training wheels taken off.  We are just going to have to practice, practice, practice.  but, I think I know what he is getting for his birthday.

In terms of nice things- Bug showed me just the type of man he is growing up to be.  After playing on his bike with the kids next door, they moved to playing Frisbee, soccer and chalk.  While playing, the older child started picking on the younger child and even locked the younger one in the back yard.  Bug stepped in and told the older child that she was being mean and it was not nice.  he defended the younger child, ensuring that he sided with the younger one.  I was so proud of him for protecting the younger child and standing with the the younger child.  I took him to McDonald's for dinner after play time was over.  After he ate, I told him he could have 15 minutes to play in the indoor playground.  While he was playing, a girl about his age started playing with him.  Her much younger sister (maybe 18 months) came to play too.  The older sister basically ignored her younger sister, but Bug shepherded the little one along thru the play area.  He made sure she got up the play structure, helped her down the slide and protected her from other little boys (there was one pushing kids down).  Again, I was so proud. 

He is a compassionate young man, he helps those that are smaller, he challenges behavior that is not kind.  He does the right thing. That's my boy, my precious young man, growing up into a man who does what is right.

I was playing with the settings on the my camera, while looking at the flowers around the yard.  The creeping phlox is almost done.

The front roses are blooming

The geraniums are going strong

The roses on the site of the house are blooming out

The peony in the front (including the yellow spider insect thing) is preparing to bloom

The irises out front are preparing to open

And Bug is practicing for cub scout camp

Love and hugs,

Deb

Swimming pool party and a new look for me

One of our buddies had a birthday party at the YMCA today.  The kids got to swim for an hour, then pizza and cake.  Bug was a hppy boy to go swimming.  I knew he could touch bottom thru the entire pool, so I did not get in at all (I did not even bring my bathing suit- shshhhhh, don't tell Pap).

Bug even went in the walking channel.  Now, I know when we head to Guatemala we are in trouble.  Bug will not be able to touch bottom in the pool and since he has refused swim lessons, he can not swim alone, so I am going to have stay close the entire time we swim.  I do have a swim vest for him and 2 floating rings, but He will still need me close.  I am going to be packing bottles of sun screen and bottles of lotion to cool my skin down after I ended up sunburned.

And, I am going to be packing teeshirts to wear over my bathing suit after I burn too.  Although, Bug is getting better at putting sun screen on me. 

Back to the pool party, the birthday girl is behind Bug.

All dried off and hapily eating pizza.

And this is the new me.  Frizzy hair - it needs another 2 weeks to relax enough and new contacts.

just having a good time together.

Yes, I need a vacation.  6 more weeks!!!!

it was a good day.

Love and hugs,

Deb

catching up yet again

Thursday was soccer day.  Bug has made a new friend, Y and Y's momma and I are becoming friends too.  Y will be joining Bug at YMCA summer camp later this summer, along with Y's little sister M.  She is a cutie.

Bug was put on the Red team this week. he scored a goal and saved a goal from being scored against his team.  He is becoming very confident in his skills.

Just a shot to show that Bug is the tallest on his team.  He is growing again.

Friday was cub scout den meeting. 

Magic

The boys are making terirums and growing marigolds

Saturday, we got a call from Vaca Mom asking if we wanted to meet for dinner.  The boys did not really talk over dinner, but as soon as we headed outside, they were all up for playing checkers.

The parents had a good time watching the boys

Happy boys

Sunday, Bug and I are having a lazy day today.  We got up 3 hours later than normal- it was so nice to sleep in late.  We do have some house cleaning to do, but we should be able to do that quickly.  We have birthday party for another one of our friends this afternoon and then home for some dinner, finishing up homework and getting ready for the week.

Love and hugs,

Deb

shopping at the quilt show

So these are the things we bought this weekend- first 2 bags for scraps when we trim fabric- they also double as pin cushions.  I am planning on Bug eventually doing some sewing- boy scouts need to know how to sew a button on their shirt.  And he wanted the blue bag.

I saw this hand dyed fabric last year.  I a going to use it as the background to the quilt I am working on now (I think).

For the quilt blocks I am working on this month, I needed hexes to make the design- it is paper piecing (which I will likely never do again).  So I spent the money to get the templates so I have a chance to get the design right.  When I got home, I realized I was supposed to get 1.25 (11/4 inch) hexes.  So one design will either be 1 inch or 1.5 inch hexes.  Thankfully, these are just put on the background fabric, so I will not be affecting the size of the square. 

Bug "twisted" my arm and had me buy some fat quarters of fabric.  He wants to start or have his own stash of fabric.  He as for pine cone fabric, baseballs (with flames), horses, and 1st place fabric.  I bought the turtle fabric at the bottom for me.

I think Bug is trying to tell me to get working on his sports quilt.

love and hugs,
Deb

Kite flying with friends- it was a great day!

Today, we headed out to kitefest with Julie and N. 

Bug has never flown a kite and I don't ever remember flying a kite either- a learning experience for us both.  I should have figured we were in trouble when Bug kept saying he wanted the kite low.  Kites are supposed to be high, the wind was great today for flying kites and I figured once Bug saw the kites up high, he would let his go up high.  HAHAHA, I forget my son is on his own agenda.

The wind was wicked low to the ground and Bug was not letting the string out enough.  So frustrating for me, then I let go of the whole idea of controlling the day and things got better.

N, Julie and Bug

N's kite would not fly high at all, so the boys ended up happily flying kites at about chest height.  They were happy, which means the mommas were happy.

Then Bug found that flying the kite by the tail was a good thing- this after N starting flying his kite by the tail.

As we were leaving, we ran into a man with huskies.  I asked if they pulled sleds, he said not really, they pull scooters.  I think I see a way for Pap to get around.

on the shuttle bus back to the car, the boys looked like they were sharing secrets, but they were just butting heads.

The giant manatee ray kite (professional kite flyer)

The giant lizard- again, flown by a professional

We took the boys to BW's for dinner.  The hope was that Uncle Dave would be there, but he was not.  Too bad.

On the way home, Bug was asleep by the time we got off the lateral (Julie knows what this means).   He has a nice nap on the way home.  Tonight, he needs a bath, school clothes laid out, school lunch made, phonetics practice, math facts practice and piano practice.  Lots to do in a short amount of time.  I need to go get him out of the bath now.

Love and hugs,

Deb