Thoughts

If I had a nickel for each time Joel Husband has said: "Don't pee on your brother!"  I would have some money.  Needless to say, James went to bed without a book tonight...

Food Fight, Kids

The boys can get glued to Food Tv.  For obvious reasons, they love Giada deLaurentis.  But really, any cooking show and they are hooked.  The other day they were watching what was left on - and called it Food Fight.  It really was an elimination designed food show - four start cooking an appetizer, then one is voted off, then three cook and entree, etc, etc.  My boys call these shows "food fight."

So, last week with Joel Husband was in Canada, I saw that there is a new Rachael Ray show with kids - and I put it on.  Over the course of three days, we caught up on 5 1-hour episodes and LOVED IT.  Naturally, they refer to it as Food Fight Kids.  It is the kids first foray into reality TV competition (getting them warmed up for A-Race).  And, it was all around good family time.

While they were watching we talked about the kids cooking, trying new foods, how they shouldn't get too upset - because then they make a mistake.  All good conversations.  Then, I made a dinner with lots of ingredients (pasta, and a lot of things cut up) - and I let them create their own dinners.  I know, no cooking involved, but they got to put all the flavors they wanted onto their own dish and eat and test it.

I felt pretty freaking awesome.  It was a good night.  Now, because we binge watched we have to wait a bit more before we can watch the next episode!

Golfers

Joel Andrew started Golf yesterday - lessons at The First Tee in North Hampton, NH.  I am really not sure why more parents do not do this program with their kids.  I tried to get a ton of the parents to do this in town - maybe it sells up quickly?  Here is the immediate educational deal - it doesn't really teach golf (well it does, by default) - but the main lessons are honesty, integrity, respect, responsibility... you can read all about their core values here. They "promote life skills and leadership using golf."  It is a skill building all around program.

Sounds good?

All of this is amazing, just what I want my little guy to be doing.  But, the kicker is that although this is a main reason why I am happy to have Joel take part, there is also a huge other reason why I am loving this after school activity for him:  the activity and fun for the rest of us while he is in class.  Sounds strange?  Well...

Ever wait in a small, boring, smelly locker room or dance hall space with a fidgety younger sibling while the older is in a class?  How about try to get work done while kids are screaming in Karate?  How many bug bites did you get at junior's game last weekend, and how about missing weekend event after weekend event because your little one just has to "show up for his team."  What about showing up for his family?  He is 6.  His team does not yet care.  Talk to me when it is a serious game or competition.  You can't have a game every week and say it is important they be there, when they are 6.

Anyway, you can guess where I am going with this.  Well - not really...  Because here it is.  While Joel was learning about taking turns hitting the golf ball, high fiving his team mates as they went towards a common goal...  James and I were playing mini-golf.  And then James was having a snack (from the snack bar, no whining cause mommy forgot!).  And then Mommy was reading a book.  If I came without James, I could have gone to the driving range.  His Dad could go to the driving range!

A kicker here, I don't even like golf!  My cousin was an amazing golf player and she taught kids the game (I am guessing it was in a similar set-up, if not the exact same non profit, just elsewhere.)  She is smiling down on my Joelly, hopefully giving him some good wishes to have the patience for this game.

Why did I do this?  I didn't know about the full family fun that awaited me.  The true reason why I signed Joelly up is that he is a lucky kid, he is growing up in this extremely privileged community and an awesome environment.  With trips to Hilton Head and (hopefully) fancy schools down the line.  He needs these sports, the ones that actually will bring you somewhere.

Why does everyone keep pushing the football or the soccer?  You have heard my mantra about not wanting to be apart of that schedule monopolizing, aggression pushing sports.  I have never once heard any of my peers tell me that football got them far.  It was what they learned from the sport, if they had a good coach, that got them where they are.  Not the sport itself.

You know what sports do get you far?  Running.  Ha!  It's a joke.  Well not really, running is a good way to challenge oneself.  But I digress.

So, what sports really do get you far?  Tennis, Golf, Squash.  Maybe running or cycling falls into this category too.  These are the sports people do in business.  They go out together (for the latter two it seems relays are really catching on!), and real things happen if you can do them.  People respect you more if you ski.  I learned this first hand.  Unless your in the NFL, no one cares if you once played football or soccer. But, you play tennis?  Let's meet sometime!  Ski?  I have a condo at such and such mountain, come up we will ski.  You play golf?  Let's meet for a four hour round where important work conversations are sure to come up.  Phil can't join us though, he plays football. That's ok.  I'll take your work and Phil can wait until next year!

So, I am sticking with the golf, the tennis, and the other activities that build the life skills as long as Joelly will have them.  Daddy can take Joelly to all of the other "games" that ruin our weekend schedules.  Hopefully I will win, but for some reason these kids are just so obsessed with football and the organized sports here.

End to Summer

Each year we spend many summer weekends at the lake, and each lake season is a different one.  Some years we focus on going up the river; others partying with friends, and yet others walking the circle.  This one was as usual, different.  We had different past times - different trends.  I list them below.  This will forever be known as the summer of:

• Visiting babies.  We had Mike & Martha, and Cristel & Doug, first time parents with their little littles.  Not to mention our own Lucie just two doors down.  There was also preggos too.  We loved having our boys interact with the little ones; and we spent a lot of time inside, in the shade, and not on the boat.  Still, lots of epic fun was had.
• Running (for mommy).  I worked all season, and towards the end I made it to the end of Cape Road and back (11.1 miles!).  I ran with friends, learned a lot about distances and the lake, and had a great time. Joelly and I even ran the loop once.  I wonder if I will ever enjoy that as much again?
• Not so much Keg, and not so much wine corks in the ceiling.  Our kegerator had issues towards the beginning of the summer, and last we checked there was still a ton of beer in that keg up there (don't worry, we will be back in a few weeks).  I certainly drank a ton of wine, but between having preggos visit, screw caps, and a new rule "wine must be enjoyed on the porch" - we didn't stick as many caps on the ceiling as we normally do.
• Joel husband made a lot of blueberry mojitos.
• Floating, this summer - in front of the docks.  Lots of it.  Love that.  Can't get enough.
• Boys swimming, with and without life jackets, in front of the docks, to the float dock.  And, the dive that is more like a protracted belly flop.  That happened a lot too.
• Grilled pizza.  Got better each time. 
• Papa Red!  He visited twice.  Good times, and a Polish night to boot!

It was not a summer of:

• reading.  Still working on my second book.
• Canoeing or Kayaking.  Didn't make it out ONCE!  Argh!  Maybe next year!  Joelly, on the other hand, took his kayak all around our docks constantly.  Next year for sure.
• Company.  We had a lot of alone, family weekends which was nice, and we had for the first time ever - cancellations!  I guess it is a sign of the times!

Till next year.  Its a lot of work (first world problems) but good memory making for our boys.  Just one weekend left for me.  Later this fall.  Forcing myself to make it up there to see the leaves change, and kinda excited about it!

James' New School

You may remember from my previous posts all of my sadness of James' change in school.  He does miss his old friends, and his old teachers, but he is loving school.  Today I came to pick him up and I saw tons of kids running around and one kid in a gray costume through the front vestibule window - you cannot make out who is who, it is so far away, and all I kept thinking was - "that's my kid, in a costume."  I got inside, and sure enough.  There was that same wonderful smile, and that happy, yet whispered: "mommy!" excitement when he sees that I have arrived to pick him up, and this time, in an elephant costume.  On a 96+ degree day, the only one in his class in dress up.  Having an absolute ball.  He did not want to leave.

Each morning so far we have parked at the Folsom Tavern parking lot, and walked together, holding hands, to his school.  Today he helped me disarm the Tavern, and get it ready for the public, before we went.  I never want this to end.  Happiest 10 minutes of my day are he and I walking back and forth together.  Will this still stand in the winter time?