Practicing Bike Riding

Today we practiced bike riding in the driveway.  Alex has been having trouble balancing and pedaling at the same time.  I read a trick online that I tought might help.  Parents had noted that the balancing is the harder part of that equation to learn, and recommended removing the pedals.  They were easy to remove and now Alex practices by pusing himself along like a scooter.  He can put his feet down for balance whenever he wants, but tries to go farther each time.  I'm hoping this is his year.



Aaron outgrew the trike that they grew up with and can pedal around on Alex old bike with training wheels.  You have to push him to get him started, but he can keep up the momentum, steer, and brake fairly well.  Both boys need more practice, so we'll be out again this summer.

Spiky Reader

Some hair gel, a good book, and a comfy couch. And, as Alex just noticed, an "S" on the wall which stands for Spiky.

Hovercraft Fun

Chris pulled out a fun device that he built - a hovercraft. Seriously. I can't replicate it, but I think I got the general idea.  It is a piece of plywood that he covered in a blue tarp and used measured cuts and duct tape to shape the lower section into a skirt with an opening smaller than the base.  He cut a hole in the board and stuck the output end of an electric leaf blower into it.



When you turn it on it pushes air under the board and out the hole in the tarp, providing lift.  He push the boys around the driveway for a while.  He assured me that it would hold me and so I took a trip down the driveway as well, when I discover a serious design flaw - no brakes.  Chris chased me down and stopped me with a broomstick, that I realized he has used for this purpose before.  I don't think I'll try this at home, but it was cool to ride.

Cincy Zoo and Slip-n-Slide

Yesterday we drove to Cincinnati to spend the weekend with our friends from medical school - Dawn, Chris, and their kids Rachel and Ben. We got up today and decided to go to the Cincinnati Zoo.  They are revamping some of it, but we got to see most of it including a great exhibit of male white lions.  They were pretty and at one point they roared a roar that would make you evacuate your insides if you were out on the savannah.  Some of our favorite moments of the day didn't involve animals.  We rode on the zoo train which the kids loved.



The kids gravitated toward the playground which included a big spider net jungle gym.  We thought we might catch a live bird show that was on the schedule.  It wasn't until we got to the outdoor ampitheater that we realized that the schedule we were given when we entered was for the next day and there was no bird show.



Instead, we were treated to a free concert by Roger Day.  He's a children's music singer/songwriter and we had a great time for this hour-long concert in the zoo.  He got the kids to help him act out some of his favorites, like "Mosquito Burrito" (those are mosquito finger puppets that Aaron is waggling above), "Dream Big", "It's a No No to Kiss a Rhino", and "Ready to Fly".



We did get the three boys to capture and then pose on a stray crocodile before we left.  He wasn't moving very fast, so it was easier than we thought.



To cool off that afternoon, they set up a slip-n-slide up on a hill in their yard.  It was great because of that hill - gravity pulled you so you didn't have to worry about timing the run with the fall on the face.  You could just start out on your face if you wanted. 



We ate grilled meats, helped Dawn with a puzzle she was working on, had fried ice cream-flavored ice cream for dessert.  After we put the kids down, we played Guitar Hero III on their Wii late into the night.  Dawn schooled us by playing "Slow Ride" by Foghat on Expert.  I guess we'll have to get out own and practice.

Sea Turtle Eating a Jellyfish

I asked Aaron what he called this piece displayed as part of the Preschool Spring Concert and Art Show. His answer: "Sea Turtle Eating a Jellyfish".

Blue & Gold Banquet 2008

After his soccer game today, we ran home and Alex changed into his full Cub Scout uniform, including the patch vest that Becky had put together for him, using all of the extra patches that he had accumulated.  Then we all piled in the van and drove to the Pack 90 Blue & Gold Banquet.  Traditionally this is the award ceremony for Scouts that have earned their advancement badges, and is usually done in February or March.  We had been working hard on everyone's achievements and had started a little late in the year with our meetings in October; so this year's Banquet got pushed into May to give everyone time to complete the requirements for their badges. 



The banquet was held at the house of one of the Bear Scout's parents. After the playtime on their massive jungle gym and pizza for the banquet part of the night, we all assembled in the rec room in the basement for the ceremony.  Alex had completed the achievements for the Wolf badge a month ago, but he'd been waiting until tonight.to receive it. Becky went through all of the extra awards the boys had earned first, including Sports and Academics belt loops and pins.  Then Alex received his Wolf badge and the 4 elective arrow points from her and looked very proud.  The other boys got their badges, and then we all got to eat cake.  Not bad for our first awards banquet. 

Defending the Castle

Alex made this for art class, and it also was featured on the back of the Spring Concert program. Alex says it is a "picture of the good guys jumping out of the castle onto the bad guys to sneak up on them." The background sky is watercolor and the rest is crayon.

Alex's Spring Concert

Alex took a larger role in this year's Lower School Spring Concert.  He'd been telling us about a part playing one of the seven dwarves for over a month, but we just found out recently that he had a secret role.



Early in the fairy tale themed concert, several princesses were struggling with what they were looking for in a good man.  Alex came out with a crown and proclaimed that he was a prince and therefore the man of their dreams.  They turned up their noses at him (in song, of course) and he stomped off for a quick costume change.



Soon thereafter he came out as Happy the dwarf.  They had their own song, and the chorus had been echoing through our heads for weeks from impromptu practice sessions at home: (To the tune of Heigh Ho) "Don't mock, Take stock. It's true, we really rock. We're Bashful, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Doc."

Alex promised us that having his shirt half-tucked into his pants was an intentional choice, important to the motivation of his character's personality.

February 2008 Posts

As regular readers of this blog (Hi, Mom!) already know, I am way behind again after just getting caught up. The usual excuses about being very busy and or tired can be inserted here, but it is something I want to catch up on. It's already mid-May which puts me a solid 2 1/2 months behind. My fingers are cramping in anticipation of the typing that I know is coming. As you can imagine, my other blogs (listed somewhere over on the right) are being neglected a bit also. I am pretty caught up on my 101 in 1001 blog. I am still planning on working on the My Disaster Kit blog and there should be a new post up there soon describing a small, personal-sized disaster kit that can be thrown into the bottom of a bag. One thing that has stalled me there is a new blog that I found from someone who took the lessons he learned after fleeing post-Katrina New Orleans and applied them to a new plan to protect him, his family, and his future livelihood (if a devastating catastrophe made us suddenly flee Ohio, could I prove to another state that I am a trained, board-accredited, and licensed physician?). This blog made me change some of the ideas that I have had and will lead to a re-tooling of our disaster preparedness plans and subsequently the blog. One of the key points of that blog is that "Survival is not a kit". He's right, of course, so I've got to make kit building a small part of our preparation plans, and focus on the process. How quickly can we get out of the house in case of fire? What would we grab if we had 1 hour to evacuate? How can we prove who we are if we have to leave quickly? Can we carry and use the kit contents?
Keep an eye on that blog for answers to these questions and in the meantime, enjoy these February posts.

Spring Sensations Cake

For a cake walk at the school carnival, Becky made this Spring Sensations cake.  The inside is a confetti cake with internal sprinkles.  She then frosted it and covered it liberally with more sprinkles and candy flowers.  We hated to give it away.

Recycled T-Rex Puppet

Alex had to make a puppet for class out of found or recycled materials.  The body of this T-Rex is a paper towel tube. The fingernails are, you guessed it, pistachio shells.

Happy Birthday Becky!

Our plans today didn't originally include cake, but we knew the kids would be disappointed. So, Becky got herself a chocolate cake, you know, for the kids. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Pack 90

This is Alex's Cub Scout Pack from Maumee Valley. Becky has been working with the 3 in the front row, Nicolai, Alex and Cole in the Wolf Den. The 3 in the back row - Jacob, Devin, and another Alex - were in the Bear Den. They are meeting once a week as a group for flag ceremonies and snacks. They separate (usually) in between to work on achievements for their specific badges.

Home Depot Day - Fake Flower Pot

Today was one of the odder crafts.  Here, Aaron is hammering away at a flower pot.  You'd think that perhaps you might fill it with dirt and plant some flowers. You'd be close, but you'd be wrong.



Instead, they made 3 flowers from dowels, tinkertoy-like spools, and wooden petals.



Because of all the details, it was a lot of work compared to other projects.  Maybe they can keep pencils in there also.