Turning 3 opened the door to at least one new adventure for the youngest of the Fearless Foursome. Jake jumped off the diving board for the first time the day after he turned 3, which provided great amusement to the other kids and the lifeguards at the pool.
Fearless Foursome
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Sunday, October 24, 2010
It's A Cake Walk
Spooky Saturday, the big PTA fundraiser for the girls' school, occurs annually on the weekend before Halloween. Among the games, inflatables and events, there is a Cake Walk. Last year, John, Helena and Ellie each tried three times, unsuccessfully, to win a cake. Inconsolable takes on a whole new meaning when two five-year-olds and a four-year-old lose, multiple times, and have to watch as another child takes the cake.
Ellie and Helena had been waiting 365 days to exact revenge for last year's bitter defeat. John opted out of participating this year (probably recognizing that if either of the girls won, he'd get to taste the spoils of victory without paying the price to wage war, so, smartly, he saved his tickets).
The overhead lights dimmed, disco balls spun and Michael Jackson bellowed "Thriller" from the speakers. Ellie and Helena hopped merrily from one numbered-tile to the next for a few minutes. When the music stopped, children scurried to claim their lucky number-tiles. There was an anxious pause while the parent-volunteer reached into her drum to draw the winning number. She called out "Number 15! Is anyone standing on 15?!" Silence. Ellie spotted tile 15, unoccupied, immediately to her right. She stealthily slid one foot, then the next, toward tile 15 and, unsure of the legitimacy of this move, she half-heartedly started to raise her hand. From the shadows, I saw what was unfolding and told her to get back to her original tile. I tried to explain that if tile 15 was vacant, the lady would draw another tile number. I could tell Ellie thought this was a terrible idea. Tile 15 was empty and she was 1 footstep away from claiming it and the coveted cake! Reluctantly, she headed back to her original tile. The parent-volunteer, seemingly oblivious to Ellie's attempt to usurp tile 15, said, "Okay. No one is on 15. Let's try another number. Number 11! Is anyone on 11?" To my left, a little hand rocketed up into the air with might, determination and elation. "I do! I am on 11!" a somewhat incredulous but excited voice shouted out. Victory, alas! Ellie was standing triumphantly on tile 11. She, Helena and John caucused and selected THE cake that came home with us.
Ellie and Helena had been waiting 365 days to exact revenge for last year's bitter defeat. John opted out of participating this year (probably recognizing that if either of the girls won, he'd get to taste the spoils of victory without paying the price to wage war, so, smartly, he saved his tickets).
The overhead lights dimmed, disco balls spun and Michael Jackson bellowed "Thriller" from the speakers. Ellie and Helena hopped merrily from one numbered-tile to the next for a few minutes. When the music stopped, children scurried to claim their lucky number-tiles. There was an anxious pause while the parent-volunteer reached into her drum to draw the winning number. She called out "Number 15! Is anyone standing on 15?!" Silence. Ellie spotted tile 15, unoccupied, immediately to her right. She stealthily slid one foot, then the next, toward tile 15 and, unsure of the legitimacy of this move, she half-heartedly started to raise her hand. From the shadows, I saw what was unfolding and told her to get back to her original tile. I tried to explain that if tile 15 was vacant, the lady would draw another tile number. I could tell Ellie thought this was a terrible idea. Tile 15 was empty and she was 1 footstep away from claiming it and the coveted cake! Reluctantly, she headed back to her original tile. The parent-volunteer, seemingly oblivious to Ellie's attempt to usurp tile 15, said, "Okay. No one is on 15. Let's try another number. Number 11! Is anyone on 11?" To my left, a little hand rocketed up into the air with might, determination and elation. "I do! I am on 11!" a somewhat incredulous but excited voice shouted out. Victory, alas! Ellie was standing triumphantly on tile 11. She, Helena and John caucused and selected THE cake that came home with us.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Scientific Method
As we walked in the front door of the house after school today, John said, "(sniff sniff). Mmmm. What is that I smell?"
Helena exclaimed, "I have a HYPOTHESIS! That smell is from cupcakes."
Helena exclaimed, "I have a HYPOTHESIS! That smell is from cupcakes."
Carter's Mountain
The Fearless Foursome took me apple picking on October 8. Here is a view from the top.
Jake taste-tested the goods along the way; he never met an apple he didn't like. Helena, Ellie & John amassed 15 pounds of delicious Jonagold apples. We did find some worms in our apples though...
At the pumpkin patch, they were trying to figure out how to get this one home
but settled for a picture instead.
After 3 hours, 15 pounds of apples, 1 dozen apple cider donuts, four tired kiddos fell asleep on the way back to Richmond.
Jake taste-tested the goods along the way; he never met an apple he didn't like. Helena, Ellie & John amassed 15 pounds of delicious Jonagold apples. We did find some worms in our apples though...
At the pumpkin patch, they were trying to figure out how to get this one home
but settled for a picture instead.
After 3 hours, 15 pounds of apples, 1 dozen apple cider donuts, four tired kiddos fell asleep on the way back to Richmond.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
All I want is candy
John said, "Mom, what do you want me to have for dessert, mud or candy?"
I replied, "Hmmm. Mud?"
John, astonished, said "No! What do you want...me to get sick? Candy. All I want is candy."
I replied, "Hmmm. Mud?"
John, astonished, said "No! What do you want...me to get sick? Candy. All I want is candy."
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