A New Tradition?

I'm not sure if we have started a new tradition or not, but the other day I realized that we've been in Iowa during the end of August and beginning of September for the last two years.  Last year, the kids and I were in Iowa for 2 weeks (and Minnesota for 1 week) while Jon was in Australia on a business trip.  We did all kinds of fun stuff with Jon's parents last year such as going to the Iowa state fair, swimming at a local water park on it's last day open for the season, fishing, golfing, and just doing fun "stuff" with Oma and Opa.

So far this trip, we have gone to the local water park on it's last day open for the season, gone fishing, gone golfing, gone to a science museum, and added a motor to a go cart they built last summer.  Tonight we are going to a local farm where the kids are going to be able to drive their own mini John Deere tractors.  Early this morning Jon left for another business trip (this time 4 days to Texas).  It sure is nice to have others around when Jon is on his business trips.  It makes the time go by more quickly and gives me adult conversation as well.

I'm not sure we'll do this again next summer but it has been nice being able to let the kids spend some quality time with Oma and Opa.  I remember such trips to visit my grandparent's fondly and I'm sure my kids will too.

Family Fun

I have not been a fan of fishing for many years.  I used to fish with my grandparents whenever we would visit them, but I would NEVER touch the worm or the fish.  What ultimately turned me off of fishing (and eating fish for many years after) was watching my grandfather clean a fish that was pregnant.

I still don't like to fish (again touching worms and squirmy fish does not appeal).  I also don't like the idea of fishing for sport.  It seems cruel to hook a fish knowing you will be immediately releasing them (not to mention the poor worms).

Well, last night the golf course community where my in-laws live had a "Fishing Derby."  The goal was to catch the largest fish (we didn't).  They also had a contest to see who could catch the largest frog (again we didn't, but there were some HUGE ones caught).  Then all the frogs that were caught were raced against each other to see whose would win (not us again).

I've already stated my opinion on catching fish for the sake of catching fish.  But I think the poor frogs had it even worse.  They were also caught with hooks (interesting how well it worked I must admit).  But that was not the worst part.  Some of the kids were really rough with their frogs.  I watched kids throw them high into the air toward the finish line (rather than coax them to jump that direction).

I am happy to say that my kids were very gentle with their frogs.  Unfortunately, they both had frogs that once put at the starting line just sat there stunned.  They did eventually move back into the pond but it involved picking them up and moving them to the edge of the water.

As barbaric as this exercise seemed to me (and hubby too), the kids had a great time.  Their fish and frogs did seem fine when we let them go back into the water, so I guess it was a good night.

Revamp or Give Up?

We have been visiting my in-laws and today they were out of the house so I decided it was a good opportunity for the kids to do some school.  The goal was to do a basic review and just get them both used to the idea that school will be starting in-force soon.
My daughter was excited.  She wants to start reading and doing math like her big brother.

Her big brother on the other hand, wanted (and wants) nothing to do with school.  He cried and whined about how much he hates school.  He told me he hates reading and writing and the only thing he likes is math and doing crafts.  I was able to get him to read a little and write even less, but it was like pulling teeth.

I've been reading around and getting advice from different people and I've heard the following:

• Bribe him (paying him something like $.01 a page or a larger amount like $100 if he does it every day till ____).
• Force him to do school.
• Send him to school so someone else is forcing him to do school.
• Send him to a Montessori school so it's at least a little less formal.
• Leave him alone.  He'll get with the program when he's ready. 

I have so many things running through my head right now that I just don't know what to do.  Jon was a reluctant learner till he was about 9 (so I have 1.5 more years).  I want to leave him alone and see if he will come around on his own, but I also don't want to get in trouble with the school system.

Any new suggestions our there?

Up Close and Personal

Jon has been friends with T for 20 years.  They have traveled long distances together and even lived together for multiple summers.  It's safe to say that they know each other pretty well.  But it's amazing what you learn about people when you help them pack.

For example, among other things we learned:

• Their friends LOVE giving gift cards.  We found them all over the house.  Some had been partially used and some had not.  
• We already knew that they had a love of books, but you don't realize just how much till you have to pack them and lug them around.
• Their dog is the sheddingist dog I've ever seen.  I mean, it's impossible to keep up with the hair he produces.  I would sweep a room after it had been cleaned of all their luggage and stuff and then someone else would come in behind me and they thought I hadn't done anything.  I do not envy the sweeping that will have to happen in Qatar (where the lows don't go below the 70's - ever).
• Only offer to help with laundry if you are OK with seeing all their dainties.
• People change as they get closer and closer to a deadline and there was no exception in this case either.  It's amazing to see how attitudes and priorities change when they realize time is running out and they HAVE to get certain things done in a very short time.

I've helped people move boxes before and in those situations you just learn how much stuff they have.  When you actually help people box up their lives for storage or shipment you really do learn a lot about them.  Be warned.  Only offer to do this if you know you are OK with learning new things about them, because you may find some interesting and strange stuff that could change your opinions about them (for the better or worse). 

Good news T & K... we still love you and would do it again if necessary.

A New Addition

Guess what?  We have a new addition to our household.  We have a "new" cat.  Our friends who just moved to Qatar have been trying to find her a new home for a while.  She's 11 year old and declawed.  We know how hard it can be to find an older cat a home (we did it a year ago).  It's even harder because they want the option of taking her back when they come back stateside.

We have taken care of this cat before.  In fact, she and Jon ended up with a bit of a love-hate relationship from that time together.  You see, while she was with us, we had her declawed (upon the request of her owner).  After I took off her pain patch early one morning, she promptly found Jon and treated him poorly (I won't go into specifics.  Let's just say it was not pretty.). 

Since then, she has been known to run away, vomit, and hiss whenever she sees him.  This time though she has mellowed a bit.  There was no vomiting or hissing and she even lets him hold her.  We realize we have a ways to go before she is comfortable, but at least we are making progress.  And her "owner" is happy that she's with someone who loves cats and has children which will keep her acclimated to such things (since they have a 16 mo old).

Unfortunately, all this change has affected the cat in some less than desirable ways. We have traveled with her before and she did very well that time.  In fact, she curled up in our laps or on our sholders in the car and slept most of the way.

The two days we just finished traveling were very different.  She pooped in the truck minutes after refusing to use the litter box (luckily we had vinyl down to protect the seats from the kids), meowed most of the way, and every time she got nervous she would climb into my lap and invariably scratch me.  I think all of this has determined that while traveling she will be in the camper rather than the truck.  We did that for the last part of the trip yesterday and it seemed to work better for not only us but her as well.

We're excited about our new addition, but can't wait to be in a house so that she can settle into her new life.

Score One for Me

While helping our friends pack to move overseas, we learned something very important.  We learned that it's very expensive to take care of a horse.  We've always known that horses were not cheap, but what we really learned was that it can cost upwards of $20,000 once the horse has been "retired."  What is retired?  That means the horse cannot be ridden anymore. 

One of the things drawing Jon to Texas was land so that we can have a horse or two.  I think the discovery of how much it could cost to care for a horse after it can no longer be ridden has officially deterred Jon from wanting to own a horse now.  That is now one less thing that makes Texas so appealing.  Score one for me and my desire to stay in Florida! 

The Joy in Her Eyes

Today was a good day.  Nope.  Today was a great day!  After 10 days of helping our friends pack we decided not to get back on the road just yet so we had a day of leisure... the kids and I actually got to use the pool at the campground.  Boy was it an expensive swim.  But it was SO worth it. 

You see, today my daughter overcame her fear and she put her face in the water.  Not only that, but she completely submerged her whole body under the water.  And then she swam about 10 feet before inhaling water.  But you know what?  That didn't deter her and she tried again.  She still has a long way to go, but today was the turning point.  Today she overcame her fear and there will be no stopping her.

The shear joy in her face as she shivered her way back to the camper to tell Daddy that she could swim was a sight to behold.  Days like today make all the rough days as a mom worth it.