Reading with Clare - 2

"Mama, is that word Mother or Monster?"

My little path

My little path is so much fun to follow.

 It's like this sidewalk was made just for me.

 Back and forth I go again and again!



You Decide

Homework helper or hindrance?....You be the judge.  Clare definitely has her own opinion.

The Cure for the Carpool Line

At every school we've been to there is always a carpool line.  The "dreaded" carpool line in my opinion.

It seems no matter how early or late I get there one has to wait at least 30 minutes to pick up a child.  And to be in the front 1/3 of the line you have to get there about 40 minutes before school lets out.

Thomas and Gregory are not that fond of sitting for so long, therefore neither am I.  I was so happy to find a solution.

There is a park right across the street from the school.  If I get to the school 45 minutes before the kids are dismissed, I can get a spot right in the front of the line.  Then the boys and I walk over to the park.  There are even super nice crossing guards to stop traffic for us.

The boys work out some energy and everyone is happier.

I know you say, 'Instead of getting there so early, why not show up 10 minutes late when the line has already mostly dispersed?'  Well that's because there's actually 2 dismissals and if you're late to the first you have to wait through the later one too.

Toasty Socks

Cooler weather means socks, and someone is more that intrigued. 

Thomas keeps pulling out socks and bringing them to me.  He begs me to put them on his feet, or hands. 

Then after 5 minutes he pulls them off and finds another pair.

In a Flash

That's how fast the last month seems to have gone by.

I've felt so busy that I haven't posted anything about soccer games, school, toddler antics, books, friends, or anything else.

I hope to focus on the blog a bit more in the near future, and apologize to family members who faithfully check in when I haven't posted anything for a few weeks.

Bite Marks

Either we have a possum living in our garage, who comes into our kitchen, scavenges for apples after opening the fridge fruit drawer and then nibbles on them

OR

Thomas has been sneaking snacks again.

Climbing the Walls

Gregory and Clare are literally climbing the walls.

For the record Gregory figured out how to do it first, and was very proud of himself.

And someone small dreams of copying his siblings.

Climbing Up

They're getting big and climbing up all by themselves onto

his big boy bed

and his beloved pony.

He can get down all by himself too, luckily for him!

Too Smart

Daddy:  Gregory don't bite my toe!

Gregory (Pointing to John's other foot):  I didn't bite that toe.

Me:  See, he's as smart as Clare. (I meant verbally, since Clare is our queen of distinctions and loop holes.)

Clare:  He's not that smart!

Real Estate Tycoon

Clare played her first game of Monopoly today.

She lost that one and then rallied in a second game to beat her dad.

She took to it immediately.

In a freak of monopoly luck she owned a monopoly within 1 full trip around the board.

By another stroke of luck she had a second before John had even one.

Then she cleaned her father out.

Gregory rolled the dice, moved a car, and collected a dollar for every turn.

That was enough to keep him happy.

And nothing could keep Thomas happy, whose desires to consume hotels, houses, and pawns were routinely denied.

Sunday Donuts

Some of us are having donuts this fine Sunday morning.

"It's almost not Sunday without one!" says Thomas.

For those of us trying to lose weight - there are chocolate pumpkin muffins.

These beauties are made with a box of cake mix and a can of pumpkin and that's all.

They have the consistency of a cake donut and with only 4 (or 3 depending on where you look) WW points a muffin are great.

(Next time, I'll make them with a spice cake mix, and am guessing that they'll taste like pumpkin bread.)

And some of us are having both - well Thomas is anyway.