Five Little Pumpkins

The boys put together this little Halloween program. Here are the lyrics in case it isn't clear. Enjoy!!

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.

The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late."

The second one said, "There are witches in the air."

The third one said, "But we don't care."

The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run."

The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"

Oooo went the wind and out went the light,

And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!

Atlantis Shuttle Launch, Kennedy Space Center

With NASA's Space Shuttle program coming to a close, we decided we should see one of the last launches. We picked the mid-May 2010 launch of Atlantis. We weren't lucky enough to score tickets to watch from the Kennedy Space Center, so we found a spot along Highway 1 on the other side of the river. Rob estimated it was about 5 miles from the launch pad, so we were happy.

The Long, Sweaty Wait

Rob and I were really excited for the coutdown to begin.  The first shuttle launch took place in 1981, when we were 10 years old, so we grew up with the shuttle program.We both remember watching the Challenger explosion in school in 1986. Viewing Atlantis's last launch with the crowd along the riverbank felt like watching a historical era end.

The boys were less enthusiastic since it was a long wait on a hot, sunny, sweaty day. After a couple hours of waiting outside, we let them sit in the car with the air conditioner and a video.

When the launch finally began, we got to hear the actual countdown on someone's radio. At the beginning, huge clouds of smoke billowed from the launch pad. Then we saw the engine fire and the shuttle began to rise. The blast was so powerful that the ground shook and we could feel the rumbling in our bones. As it rose higher, we could see the rocket boosters fall.  It really was an awesome sight, despite the long wait for abut five minutes of excitement.

Here's footage from closer range.

The Kennedy Space Center wasn't open on launch weekend, so we returned in November. It was amazing to crawl inside the actual spacecrafts that carried astronauts. We couldn't believe how small the pods were. Imagine the astronauts with all their gear and suits crammed into that space.

We were also amazed by the Saturn V rocket on display.

A retired astronaut who had flown on shuttles and Saturn rockets gave a talk and had a Q&A session. He was the man in ground control communicating directly to the astronauts in Apollo 13!  His experience was fascinating. Rob asked a question about how anything in the rest of your life could compare with going in space. He really liked the question and said a lot of astronauts have issues because no other achievements are as big.

Another highlight was a bus tour of the entire complex. We'd seen so many of the buildings and sites in movies and the news that it was neat to see them in person. We also watched  some really well made movies about the space program.

The Center made a great family vacation. We all enjoyed every part of it and will definitely return. It will be interesting to see how it changes as the shuttle programs winds down.

Our Cub Scout

One of the best parts of first grade, Cole will tell you, is Cub Scouts.

At the beginning of the school year, the pack leader spoke to the first-grade classes about becoming a scout. He must have been a talented recruiter because Cole begged to join. "We get to make race cars, and go camping, and shoot bb guns!"

It's a big time committment: weekly den or pack meetings, some weekend activities, plus things to do at home. We wanted to be certain he was serious before signing up. We quickly discovered he was very serious.

A campaign similar to the one for Geotrax ensued. Cole pestered us until Rob agreed to take him to the informational meeting. When they returned, Cole was signed up and Rob was the den leader! (The disorganization of the meeting drove Rob crazy and he decided if he had to attend the meetings, he needed to run them.)

The experience has been wonderful. There hasn't been any shooting so far, but the Pinewood Derby and camping trips lived up to the expectations. The boys like camping so much we even went once as a family.

I had no idea that the Pinewood Derby was such a big deal. There are very specific requirements for the size and weight of the cars; otherwise, anything goes. We googled and found pictures of some amazing models. Ours was a typical first-year attempt (in Lane 5 with the red smudge [stripes] on top). Even though the paint hadn't dried, Cole's still came in first in one of the heats!

The last event was a sibling car race, which Jay enthusiastically participated in.



Cole has earned a number of belt loops and beads, and he and Rob often study the handbook for the next project. Of course, astronomy was the first loop he earned on his own. He's made new friends and some of the boys even live in our neighborhood. Rob enjoys seeing other kids since he usually misses the playgroups and school functions and, since parents have to attend the meetings, he's also met some other dads.

Poor Jay is quite sad that he has to wait until first grade before he can join. However, he's become an honorary den member. Rob lets him attend some meetings and the weekend events. He's so enthusiastic about it that he could help the pack leader recruit next year!

Jay's First Day of the Last Year of Preschool

This year we decided to move Jay to a different preschool. While the one on Isle of Palms was terrific, the drive to and from was not. For some reason, I didn't realize how long it took to get there. Going back and forth cut a big chunk out of my 3-hours of free time. The new school is only 10 minutes straight down the highway. It's worked out great, not only time-wise, but because Jay has thrived! We send him to a four-days per week class because I wanted another year with my sidekick on Fridays. He would have loved to go all week though and is definitely ready for kindergarten.

The curriculum is more structured than at the previous schools. I now think this is a better approach. While a student-directed method may work well in later grades, kids still need to be taught the basics and at that age, they don't know what they don't know.

 I can tell the biggest difference in phonics and writing. The class has a letter of the week and all the activities revolve around that letter. This week is Mr. W with the Wonderful Wink. They sing a cute "wuh, wuh, W" song and practice writing it. All week Jay comments on words that start with that letter: "Hey, 'word' starts with W. Wuh, wuh, Word!" When I am quizzing Cole on his spelling words, Jay likes to blurt out the first letter (which infuriates Cole).

With all the phonics practice, Jay is learning how to read at lightning speed. I think watching big brother become a bookworm has made him especially eager. And Cole relishes being the teacher. He's patient most of the time, but gets frustrated by certain things, like Jay thinking words rhyme if they start with the same letter. He has given Jay all his sight word books from kindergarten and Jay can read most of them. I wonder if he'll be bored in kindergarten when he receives the same books.

The kids in his class get along incredibly well. If they see each other in the parking lot, they shriek and wave frantically to each other, as if they're long lost friends. Jay flirts with the girls constantly by getting very close and making this loud, i.e. annoying, chirping noise. It seems to work! His favorite, Cecelia, has announced that she is going to marry him. She's a tiny girl, so when they hug he almost squashes her. Her big sister, Isabelle, was in Cole's kindergarten class and he has always liked her too.

Jay's Mating Call

After school Jay and a few kids like to play in a drainage ditch next to the school. They call it the "Secret Spot," although it isn't secret since they talk about it all the time. They chase each other, pile sticks together for a bonfire, and move rocks around. It gives the parents a chance to chat, although sometimes it can be difficult to make the kids leave.

Four kids in the class will go to Belle Hall for kindergarten (including Cecelia). Jay and I would be thrilled if they were all in the same class.

Cole's First Day of First Grade

August brought another milestone for Cole: The first day of first grade! As you can tell by the picture, he was very excited. (I love the missing tooth gap in his smile!)

I know he likes school because of the daily "hour report," how long the 7-hour day actually felt. The best days feel like only half an hour, the longest day so far was four hours. He is quite serious about his evaulation and often spends half the ride home decided exactly how long the day felt.

He felt right at home in the first grade section because outer space murals cover the walls. In January, the class studied space and he brought in some of his vast collection. The model of the planets Aunt Robyn gave him has a quiz component and the teacher told the kids not to try it because it would be too hard. He was so proud that he knew all the answers!

Reading is by far his favorite subject and we are thrilled that he has become a book worm. When he had to write an essay about his favorite day of the week, he chose Friday because it is the day his class visits the library. He likes mysteries the best (I wonder who he gets that from?). He finished the A to Z Mysteries (a series like Sue Grafton's with The Absent Author, The Bald Bandit, etc.) and is now devouring the Encyclopedia Brown series. I discovered that Encyclopedia Brown is available on the Nook, so I may have some competition in using it!

He reads everywhere, even on the way home from school. I used to get impatient waiting for him to get out of the car, but now I just leave him out there. It's not uncommon for him to sit in th car for 20 or 30 minutes. I don't know if he even realizes we're home!

He also likes math and seems to intuitively know the best way to solve problems. He'll often throw out 3-digit addition problems and ask me if his answer is right. While I'm still trying to carry the 2 from the ones column to the tens, he tells me the answer and how he figured it out. I'm hoping I can learn better math skills from him!

While he loves school, homework is a different story. On Monday each week, he gets a few worksheets, spelling words, and sometimes a writing project, like a short essay or book report, that is all due on Friday. It is a struggle to get him to sit down and do it. Inevitably, he saves it until Thursday afternoon. Then after all the whining and pouting, what would have taken 15 minutes drags out to an hour and a half. The funny thing is that he will independently work on his math and phonics workbooks and really enjoy it. Most likely because he choses to do it instead of has to do it.

It's a struggle for me too because I feel the worksheets are just busy work (the spelling words and essays have real value). He does multiple worksheets at school and always does well on them, so I can't blame him for not wanting to do the same thing at home. I understand the goal of discipline, but he's in 1st grade. I don't recall homework until 3rd or 4th grade. I worry it's setting up a resistance to homework that will last.

Anyway, we are so happy that he is happy in school and doing well. I hope he maintains his enthusiasm for learning!

Canadian Vacation

This year we vacationed in Canada almost the entire month of July. It was wonderful to be there longer than usual, especially at the height of summer in the south. As the boys grow older, they are able to appreciate the lake more and more. It is wonderful to watch them enjoy the same things my sisters and I did when we were little.

 

Jay became a fish this trip! He was always the first one in the lake and the last one out. When he wasn't swimming, he was trying to convince us to go. Cole wasn't as comfortable in the water, but he enjoyed floating on the rafts. They played a game where they were drifting on "the high sea." It involved a lot of yelling and splashing. With the way sound carries across the lake, I was afraid a neighbor would think they were really lost at sea and come to rescue them.

 

 

Even the rainy days were fun with forts to build, books to read, games to play, and puzzles to do. Most of the games and books are ones from when I was little, so I always enjoy rediscovering them.  Our old story tapes were were hours of entertainment. (I don't think they had ever seen cassette tapes before.) And how could they be bored when there were drainspouts! With running water, mud, and puddles!!

 

Other highlights of the trip:

• Exploring under the house, on the path to the guest house, and in the garage.
• Jay only wanting to ride in the boats when they went fast.
• One-on-one breakfasts with Grandpa--Jay ate 2 servings of pancakes and Cole ate 2 servings of bacon. Together they make a great team!

After we returned home, Jay said that next summer we need to stay for 51 days!

 

Is your job complicated?

Editors note: Rob placed this post. Heather does not want to be associated with my substandard communication skills.

Rob: "So after elementary school, you'll go to middle school, then high school, then college. And if you really want to learn about more complicated things, then you'll go to graduate school."

Cole: "Did you go to graduate school?"

Rob: "Yes"

Cole: "I don't think that helping people sell boats is so complicated that you needed to go to graduate school"

And we wonder why our grass doesn't grow

Plastic shovel = $3.99.  Water = $3.43/1,000 gal.  
Making a mud pit in the front yard = Priceless.