Gavin goes downstairs to be with Marissa while I got to get Tiffany from swim this morning. Marissa is still sleeping on her bed when he climbs up to be with her. For graduation her grandparents, aunts and uncles have gone in on purchasing a laptop for her future college studies.
"It is time to get up Marissa and play with me." Calls out Gavin.
Marissa rouses from sleep to discover Gavin climbing over her computer to snuggle next to her. Afraid he might step on it she says "Gavin be careful of my new computer."
Gavin looks at her and says "Marissa, do you value our friendship more that your computer?"
Saturday, June 02, 2012
Friday, June 01, 2012
The Sunny First of June 2012
My grandmother Althea Ashby Kimball loved poetry and reading. I believe I was only 4 when she passed away so I only have 2 memories of my own with her. The first is her bending, with her arms wide open for me to run into as I entered the kitchen and ran across the floor to her. The second was a drawer, I believe in her kitchen, that held fascinating toys and kitchen utensils that I could play freely with near her side, as she worked in the kitchen.
Whenever I hear poetry recited I think of her and her love of the cadence and meaning of words.
As is tradition on the first day of June with my mother and me-- as it was with her mother and her, I share this poem.
"The Sunny First of June."
Put the books and slates away,
Today is the sunny first of June,
and we will go this afternoon,
Over the hills and far away
Hurray! We'll have a holiday
And through the wood and up the glade,
We'll go in sunshine, and in the shade,
Over the hills and far away
The wild rose blooms on every spray,
In all the sky is not a cloud
and merry birds are singing aloud,
Over the hills and far away.
Not one of us behind must stay,
But little ones and all shall go,
Where summer breezes gently blow
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Two Angry Old Men
A couple years ago we had a neighbor that dog-sat occasionally for a family member. It was not often enough that our dogs got used to the other dog, and both Midnight and Oreo would bark like crazy whenever they happened to be in the adjacent yards simultaneously.
Because our house has a walk-out basement, the dogs would be a level beneath the main floor when this occurred and made it cumbersome to stop what you were doing and make the trek downstairs and out the back door to stop the barking. Alternatively Shawn discovered that if he banged on the upstairs window and yelled down to our dogs they would quit barking and come back inside.
I didn't think much about it until one day I walked in from shopping to find him in this particular scenario. It was blatantly obvious that the neighbor kids probably consider Shawn "the scary, angry old man who bangs on the window". After this epiphany I fondly began calling him "angry old man". :)
Last night we hear some banging, and find Gavin pounding on his bedroom window and yelling to someone who was most likely just walking by on the side walk. I don't know the scenario but I just can't stop laughing. Shawn goes into the room to see what is going on, as I hear Gavin say though the glass "Are you friends with Tiffany or Marissa? If you're not you need to get off our grass." Oh how sweet....two angry old men.
Because our house has a walk-out basement, the dogs would be a level beneath the main floor when this occurred and made it cumbersome to stop what you were doing and make the trek downstairs and out the back door to stop the barking. Alternatively Shawn discovered that if he banged on the upstairs window and yelled down to our dogs they would quit barking and come back inside.
I didn't think much about it until one day I walked in from shopping to find him in this particular scenario. It was blatantly obvious that the neighbor kids probably consider Shawn "the scary, angry old man who bangs on the window". After this epiphany I fondly began calling him "angry old man". :)
Last night we hear some banging, and find Gavin pounding on his bedroom window and yelling to someone who was most likely just walking by on the side walk. I don't know the scenario but I just can't stop laughing. Shawn goes into the room to see what is going on, as I hear Gavin say though the glass "Are you friends with Tiffany or Marissa? If you're not you need to get off our grass." Oh how sweet....two angry old men.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Big Five
This past week I have been formulating a summer calendar and daily schedule so that the kids don't spend their days in front of the TV, or telling me they are bored. This involves getting a daily routine, and planning out the camps, Lake Powell trip, and other events of the summer so everyone can see what is coming up, as well as putting together a reading program/incentive.
Last year I had a chance to stay at Matt and Kristi's house and get an up close view of the productivity and effortlessness of "the big five" morning routine. Instead of having to say "Did you have breakfast?, Did you make your bed? Did you brush your teeth?" you simply say "Did you do your big five?"
This morning I bring Gavin into my office and ask him if he can remember what Andrew, Mandy and Alex's Big 5 are. He assures me that he can remember and create an outline of his hand. Next, I ask him to write in the five things that are the "Big Five" on each finger and then bring it back to me so we can talk about it. He is gone from the room for a couple minutes and then returns with this.
From right to left identifying the bionically engineered 7-fingered hand: dressed, open blinds, clean room, bed made, brush teeth, prayers, breakfast lunch and dinner. Perhaps a name alteration is in order as well. What do you think of the "Bionicle Seven"?
Last year I had a chance to stay at Matt and Kristi's house and get an up close view of the productivity and effortlessness of "the big five" morning routine. Instead of having to say "Did you have breakfast?, Did you make your bed? Did you brush your teeth?" you simply say "Did you do your big five?"
This morning I bring Gavin into my office and ask him if he can remember what Andrew, Mandy and Alex's Big 5 are. He assures me that he can remember and create an outline of his hand. Next, I ask him to write in the five things that are the "Big Five" on each finger and then bring it back to me so we can talk about it. He is gone from the room for a couple minutes and then returns with this.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Memorial Day Flag
Last night Shawn and I are watching a Grimm episode when we hear the front door open and shut. We look at each other knowing that Marissa and Tiffany are out with friends and that can only mean one thing--Gavin has left the building.
Shawn moves towards the front door and hears some yelling. He sees Gavin with the boy scouts near our flag--which they put out on patriotic holidays. Gavin has a death grip on the pole, and is yelling at the scout who is trying to retrieve it. "This is our flag. Go get your own!"
Shawn moves towards the front door and hears some yelling. He sees Gavin with the boy scouts near our flag--which they put out on patriotic holidays. Gavin has a death grip on the pole, and is yelling at the scout who is trying to retrieve it. "This is our flag. Go get your own!"
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