Popcorn!

Popcorn! Popcorn! Popcorn! Our scout troop and pack are selling popcorn. You'll likely see scouts all around town. This is a great way to support scouting. The popcorn is yummy too! I can tell you how to order online, place an order with one of my boys, or when and where to buy it in person. You also have the option of donating popcorn to our military troops. Give it some thought, and let me know!

Tommy Turns Two!

Tyler decorated the cake.

I think he did a great job!

They grow up too fast.

Celebrating!

Blowing out the candles.

Last Day of Summer Break

It has been a busy week, since I last wrote. I collected my boys Friday afternoon, and when we got home we made pizza. On Saturday, Scott and his crew came over. Amanda and I went to Costco, and Jeff tossed some burgers and chicken on the grill in the evening. On Sunday I subbed in the nursery for a missing volunteer, there was only one other child in there besides Tommy. Labor Day weekend had many of our regulars out of town.

Jeff went to work Sunday evening. The boys and I rented a couple movies and threw a frozen casserole in the oven. It wasn't fancy, but it did the trick.

Yesterday Jeff's mom, Scott, Amanda, and Josh were all here. I was totally anti-social and spent most of the time typing up last week's Committee meeting minutes and prepping for the nursery volunteers meeting at the church. I was nervous, but didn't need to be. The idea of running a meeting with a room full of people was intimidating, but when I realized that each of those people is a person I am comfortable with one-on-one it made it a whole lot easier.

This afternoon we went to Lowes to get a mailbox to replace the rusted out mailbox out front (the door fell off a couple weeks ago). Yes, most of our mail goes to our PO Box, but I would like to get the grocery store ads. The mailman said he won't deliver to the old mailbox, it was in sad shape…and it housed a bees nest earlier this year and spiders today.

The boys are looking forward to school starting tomorrow, they even told me so. There's some excitement about the science….we'll see how it goes. To wrap up our last day of summer break we went for a walk this evening. We needed to return the movies we'd rented from Red Box, and I wanted to check the mail. We made it a loop, almost a 3-mile loop. The boys did great. These hills over here are hard to push a stroller up though. I know if we keep at it we will build endurance.

Half-way down the hill as we left our house we ran into a friend who used to go to our church. That was nice, to stop and visit with her. She threw Tommy's baby shower two years ago, and left the church shortly after. It turns out she lives right down the hill from us, small world. She said she thought she'd seen Travis the other day. At the post office we took the time to open a few items of mail before continuing on. We stopped at Red Apple for drinks before finishing our route home. It was a nice walk.

Rainbow, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to call you back tonight. Tomorrow I have a Cub Scout meeting at 6:00 in Port Orchard. Hopefully I will have time after school but before the meeting to call you. If not, I'll try when I get home from the meeting. Mom, are you reading this? Can you babysit at 5:30?

Good Night Everybody!

Committee Meeting Tonight…

…and I'm losing another kid. Travis is off to spend a night in Port Orchard with friends. When I get home, it'll be just Tommy and me. I'll drop Travis off on the way to my meeting. In the meantime, I'm busy printing out the information we're going to review tonight, and putting the agenda into a format that is more minutes-friendly for me.

Tyler went to lunch camp with his friend, and will go again tomorrow. I'm interested in hearing his take on it, I've heard all about it from the friend's family.

Jeff just left for work, and Tommy is starting to settle down, headed up to nap time. Maybe some peace and quiet for mom?

Last Week of Summer Break

I realize that many people around the country have started school already, but I just can't bring myself to start before Labor Day. We've decided to do what SK is doing, and start on the 9^th, the first Wednesday after Labor Day weekend. Tyler has gone to spend the next two nights with a buddy in Port Orchard, and Travis has a friend coming here for the night tonight.

Bremerton schools started today, so I imagine we may get a few odd looks from the neighbors…but that comes with the territory. It struck me today that we are the weird new neighbors. Ah well….I filled out my declaration of intent to homeschool and will mail it tomorrow. It's due by the 15^th.

The family that Tyler is staying with schooled through the summer. I sent a 4^th grade workbook with him, pages marked, so he can participate and not be a distraction while they school. It'll be a good warm-up for him. I need to go to storage this weekend to pull out the parts of our curriculum that aren't here. I did get our science curriculum in the mail on Monday. I'm looking forward to doing it, it looks fun.