A trip to the petting farm

Tee's class went to the petting farm this past Friday. It was required that at least 10 parent chaperones on this field trip. The preschool hired a bus company to take the 3 and 4 year old classes.

Tee has had recurring nightmares about buses. So as you can imagine when I found that they would be taking a bus that I HAD to be able to chaperone this field trip. Luckily, I got my name on the list early enough.

We boarded the bus and Tee was still doing fine. I had one of his friends also. Tee sat next to me on the bus. As we took off, Tee grabbed on to me and didn't let go until we arrived at the farm. But I think he enjoyed the trip.

Tee on the bus, still not sure at this point.

Tee did not want to pet or feed many of the animals. He fed the sheep and that was that. He immediately wanted to wash his hands afterwards. He definitely has issues with clean hands.

I did manage to get him to pet one of the animals brought out.

Once we were done with the animals, we were taken on a hay ride. The kids were able to eat their snack along the way. The hayride dropped us off at a pumpkin patch and each child was able to pick one of their own.

Tee picked out a greenish looking pumpkin and he was very proud of it. We have it displayed on our front stoop.

Golden Shoe

Last week the boys had their Golden shoe race. The race is held by class. The students run a mile and their time and place is recorded as they enter the finish line. Points are somehow assigned (basically you want the kids in your class to come in first) and the class with the least amount of points are allowed to brag and hold onto the golden shoe for the year.

I had the boys practice a little running before the race, but they have so many sports that it was a bit hard to schedule.

It was a little hard to keep track of the kids as they were running. They both ran by me and I didn't realize it until it was too late. But I did manage to get a few pictures.

E came in 13th of the 125 kids in his class. I have to say I was shocked to see how fast he was running. He just kept going and going. I saw him stop once just to catch his breath for a moment.

Jay came in 21st. He did very well also and I believe he only stopped once for a few seconds.

The boys waiting patiently for the results. Neither of the boys' class won, but E's was a close second.

E has really taken to running. On Saturday, he went out for a run with his Dad. Maybe he will keep it up. Maybe I will get him to run a 5K sometime soon. Well, maybe we will wait until the weather warms back up.

Camping at Camp Rodney

This past weekend, the boys had a camping day with the scouts. The camp site was located a little over an hour north of where we live. The husband decided he would camp with the two older boys. Tee and I drove up separately but spent the morning with the boys.


This was the view from the tent that we put up. The site was located on the Chesapeake. Could not ask for a better view, but that wind was blowing up pretty good for the majority of the day.

The den leader took the boys to do a marble game. The marbles were really balls for a pool table. I got there late and could not understand the object of the game. But they all enjoyed playing and they earned a belt loop for it.


After the marble game which took a long time we decided it was time for lunch. Hot dogs and chips! Tee is wearing E's jacket because it was so cold.

Jay

E.

I didn't realize how many different sports they would be able to do at the camp. The boys started off with shooting a BB gun.


Dad had to get in to help!

Jay needing help.


More shooting.

The rest of the pictures are a bit out of order but they got to do so much.


Candle making.

E doing Archery.


Jay doing archery.

E excelled at archery. He looks like a pro.

Jay needed a little help.

E. bouldering.

Jay Bouldering

Jay slingshot.

E. slingshot

Even Tee got to try the slingshot

I was very happy to not be present to see this creature.


Jay and his friend standing near the tent. It is a nice size tent, sleep six.

The boys had to earn the bobcat badge by learning the motto, pledge etc., which we completed prior to this event. The boys were presented with their badge at the campfire with the pack. Unfortunately, the pictures did not turn out well as they are all very dark. My friend got some that I hope she will share with me.

The boys had a great time camping overnight. Jay woke up once during the night and then was up for the morning at 5am. But they can't wait until the next trip.

The boys got home early Sunday morning with enough time to get ready for their baseball game. Needless to say they were exhausted on Sunday.

Just because we don't have enough to do

Last year I asked my boys if they wanted to join the cub scouts and I got a firm no. I asked again this year and got a shrug of the shoulders kind of response. Jay's good friend is in scouts and his Mom heads up one of the dens. She had lost some scouts from her den and had room for them.

The boys and I discussed and we all decided to go for it. The husband and I thought it would be a great experience for them, they would get to do things they wouldn't otherwise and I would hope it would help them get into a little more community volunteering.

It all began with a carnival and campfire in September. The boys had a great time and even participated in a skit with the den.

There are two den meetings a month and then a pack meeting/event once a month.

The boys had to do a little catching up. We successfully accomplished all the steps in order for them to become a Bobcat.

We follow the guide in the book. Some chapters have to be accomplished at home while others are done with the den. For example, earlier this month the boys earned their whittling chip. They learned pocket knife safety as well as whittling.

Last week the boys went on a field trip to the police station. This was a very fun night for the kids but it lasted over 2 hours, on a school night.

The boys standing in front of the station! I think they look darling in their cub scout shirt!

They were able to have their finger prints taken.

E getting fingerprinted.

All the parents stressed how you must make good choices in life so that you don't end up in jail.

I enjoyed the field trip as much as the boys. We found out that in order for you to carry a taser, you must be tased first. This is also the case with carrying mace. The officer giving us the tour said that the taser last 5 seconds but it feels more like 15. As with the mace, he said it was worse than being tased. It would feel ok when you had running water on your eyes but as soon as you stopped the burn sensation came back.

We also were able to talk with a canine officer. Interesting that their dogs live with them in their home. The dogs are very aggressive when out in public but are much different when they are home. This particular officer had small children and the dog has no problem with the kids hanging all over him.

Yes, we have one more to do on our plate but I think this one is worth fitting in. We have lots of fun stuff planned in the coming months.

Where were we.....

Oh yeah, the lack of time to get much done and me just getting more to do. I have a few things that I need and have to get off my plate this week. I am trying to complete the end of one fundraiser as we started another one. The next one should not be as difficult. You either want to order cookie dough or not with nothing to return. I am still missing so many coupon books.

I am running the fundraiser at Tee's preschool but that one won't start until November 10th, so I should have some time to rest.
_______________________________________________________

Seems like bullying is a hot subject these days. I have heard there is a situation in our school of bullying. It doesn't seem like it has been handled correctly from what I understand. Each year our principal holds a coffee and conversation for the parents, which was held earlier this month. We as parents send in questions and she get to answer them. It appears that the 5th grade class this year has been a little difficult to handle. In addition to the above mentioned bullying, it appears there are many who have a lack of respect for authority. The principal made mention of kids blatantly laughing at her while she was talking with them about their behavior. I think the saddest part of it all was when she called a parent at work to discuss their child's behavior and they said don't ever call me at work about this again. You handle it. WOW! It all starts at home doesn't it?

We try to let our kids know as often as we can that they need to be kind and considerate to others and show respect for others. I think that is lacking greatly in current times.

Lots has been going on in the last month....I will update as I can.......

Life.......

Life has just seemed not to slow down since the start of school. I am running a few positions on the PTA which have kept me very busy. Sports have kicked in plus I am having to run Tee back and forth to preschool.

I thought I would have more time but it seems like my time keeps diminishing.

I am co-chairing the fundraising committee for the PTA. We have a coupon book that is out right now and it has bombed. We are kicking ourselves for not backing out of this. The coupons really suck, to say it nicely. This year we have decided to try something different. Instead of hounding people to sell, we are asking for a direct donation. Many school PTA's do this so I am praying that we are successful. However, it would have been nice to be able to sell a good amount of something just in case.

I am also trying to get a website up for the group. Well, I am not creating the website, my FIL's wife is creating. She will then teach me how to update. I am excited about learning something new. But again probably will be a time sucker.

The boys have baseball 4 times a week. They practice 2 times a week for the Spring Travel league and then they practice 1 time a week for the fall league with one game on Sundays. If that wasn't enough, they are in an after school basketball club for the next 4 weeks. I am sure I can add more to their plate, just give me time.

Tee does like going to preschool. He loves ordering his lunch from me in the morning. He especially loves it when he gets a nice little treat.

I am at my time quota off to something different. I do hope to find time to update soon.

All beaches are created equal

I don't think so but all have sand, water and waves. What else do you need?

I LOVED going to the beach as an older teen/young adult. Love is actually an understatement. I didn't know many people who would go to the beach in between college classes. Of course, my college was near the beach. So I spent a lot of time at the beach. Then reality hit and I was a working adult so beach time was restricted to the weekends.

There is something about the beach that is so relaxing. I still love sitting on the beach listening to the breaking waves and running the sand through my toes. I would love to be able to sleep on the beach but it is not relaxing with 3 young boys running around. But the beach is very therapeutic for me.

A move from Florida to North Carolina really dampened the beach time. I was living about 3 plus hours from the coast. We would schedule summer beach vacations, which is how we found Hilton Head.

Really I was (and am) ok without going to the beach so often. My skin is thanking me now because I know I have done a lot of damage but that is another story. The only time I miss the beach is when I am at the beach.

We have lived in Maryland for almost 3 years and have not been to the shore. We have many neighbors who own places at the beach and spend a lot of time here. It was time for this to change.

We bid and won a weekend stay at a town home on Fenwick Island, Delaware from the school auction. The place belongs to one of our neighbors. Since the boys are off once again today, we decided to pull them from school on Friday and take a long weekend at the beach. We arrived late last night. The drive was about 2 1/2 hours and we had to stop to get something to eat.

The weather is beautiful. A little chilly this morning. The morning was spent at the very quiet deserted beach. The beach is a little different. For example, there is not much of a sandy area on the beach. There were so many shells on the beach. I haven't seen such large non broken shells in a long time.

We sat in our chairs swatting at the biting flies that kept landing on us watching the boys play in the sand. Where did the flies come from and why are they on the beach? We saw dolphins out swimming. We played ladder golf, which is a fun outdoor game. I was able to actually read a little bit of a magazine. No swimming for us as the water temperature is a bit too cold for us. We had a great morning.

I am looking forward to enjoying time at the beach. And although this beach is a little different than what I have been to it will work out just fine.

First day of 3 year old preschool

Tee's first day of preschool was today. He is going to our church preschool. The preschool took a year off (due to a location change) and is now up and running again. It is almost like it is new since it is being run by a new director, which from what I understand is a good thing.

Tee spent the morning saying he did not want to go to preschool. He wants to spend the day with me and who can blame him. I am so much fun.

I ran a little late this morning. It seems like I need to give myself a little more time in the morning to get there. It was a bit hectic and I was late. There was one little girl who was crying her eyes out.

Tee was ok when I dropped him off. I thought he might cling a little but he didn't. Before I left in the morning, I did notice that he found a little boy he went to preschool with last year and was playing with him.

I picked him up and again a little bit of chaos. The parents had to enter the room to pick up their child. But some children stay for lunch. So a little awkward. I am hoping they develop a better strategy. If not, I will be in talking to the director.

He did have a great day although he doesn't want to go back.

It is good to know your neighbors

Last night, before 10 pm we heard Tee up in his room wake up from his sleep with a cough that sounded much like a seal (croup) and some other strange noises. We both headed to his room to check on him. He was coughing and having a hard time breathing. Every breath in would lead to a big cry and him telling me it hurt.

I called the pediatrician's office and she asked us to put him in a bathroom with the hot water running to see if the humidity would clear him up. She also said to go ahead and give him a breathing treatment. I sat in the bathroom with him and it was painful to watch. His chest would sink in each and every time he breathed. Phlegm was coming out. He was a little hysterical. I could not calm him down.

While doing his breathing treatment, my husband called the neighbor who just happens to be a pediatrician at our practice. She came over to look and listen. I have to say she is so good at her job. She is such a nice, calm, soft spoken person. She looked at us and told us to take him to the hospital because he was not moving enough air and seemed very tight in his chest. She said a steroid treatment would help him. She left but said she would call the hospital to let them know we were on our way.

Luckily, the trip to the hospital went well. He could not speak loudly and he knew it. I was just happy he had calmed down and was smiling a little. He did say some of the funniest things on the way to the hospital. I think I used the word "hate" for something. He looks at me and says Mom you should not say that word. How right he is because I tell that to my boys all the time.

We checked in and were taken back to the pediatric area of the er. They confirmed croup and also said he had stridor which means that his airway had swollen so much that it would be like breathing through a straw. A breathing treatment and liquid steroid were given to him and then it was sit back and wait. They wanted us there 2 hours to ensure once the medication wore off it would not come back. I guess there is a possibility of it returning a little worse than when it started.

We got home around 1:30 am. And are we all tired today.

I was looking at the paper work I received regarding his condition. I am assuming he had spasmodic croup which is caused by a cold or allergy. He had been fine yesterday with just a little runny nose. So this did catch us a little off guard.

The neighbor called this morning to check on him. She is so sweet. I think I will send them a little thank you gift.

Tee just fell asleep in my bed as I was folding. So off to get housework completed.