Oh the irony: Jonathan's school bus number is the area code we came from! Poor kid (and mom), it's going to be an early morning for him! We will start practicing tomorrow.
It rained for most of today, so we knocked off the school supply list shopping spree today. Hard to believe that for 1st and pre-school, I spent over $100 and had to go to 2 stores. Now the fun begins of sorting all the bags.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
2013_07_30 Tuesday
It took forever to get up and moving today...I mean like 11am!! Not sure why, as we didn't do anything different last night than the previous nights.
We joined Fernbank Museum of Natural History today. We spent the better part of the afternoon exploring it. They have some huge dinosaurs, so Jonathan was pretty excited. I enjoyed the "native to Georgia" displays. And, at 1pm, they gave out free popcicles! what a joy. They have a NatureQuest area for the kids to explore; that was the most fun.
We joined Fernbank Museum of Natural History today. We spent the better part of the afternoon exploring it. They have some huge dinosaurs, so Jonathan was pretty excited. I enjoyed the "native to Georgia" displays. And, at 1pm, they gave out free popcicles! what a joy. They have a NatureQuest area for the kids to explore; that was the most fun.
Monday, July 29, 2013
2013_07_29 Monday
I took the kids to Centennial Olympic Park this morning. What fun they had running through the Olympic rings' water park...and it's free. Elise didn't love the unpredictability of the water jets, but Jonathan got a hang of them pretty quickly. He was soaked! Elise ended up putting her derrière in the water. Later, we shared a bucket of fries, and then, at 12:30, there was a free water show: choreographed water and music. Neat to watch. By then, it was getting hot, so we packed up and left.
Jonathan had a playdate at 2 with a new 1st grader at the park down the street. It was my first time walking there, and the kids were happy to give me directions. We stayed for about an hour before the friend got tired and went home.
Now, I'm waiting for two more box pick-ups and doing some work while Elise R-E-S-Ts and Jonathan explores his room.
Jonathan had a playdate at 2 with a new 1st grader at the park down the street. It was my first time walking there, and the kids were happy to give me directions. We stayed for about an hour before the friend got tired and went home.
Now, I'm waiting for two more box pick-ups and doing some work while Elise R-E-S-Ts and Jonathan explores his room.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
2013_07_28 Sunday
We have been at work getting rid of boxes. I've already had three people come to take some away, and they didn't make a dent in the pile. We still have "some" boxes in the basement that are less important, but I'd still like to snoop through them soon. And, so far, only one champagne flute died.
We've spent the late evenings at our friends' pool burning off any residual energy...and having some grown-up brews. The kids love it. Friends came over today to help hang the TV, and Dave got all the wires connected.
I've now been grocery shopping -- we have Publix here -- and to Bed Bath and Beyond., and, of course, I've joined the local Freecycle group and gotten a couple of plants.
I love all the crepe myrtles here. They line most streets and are in full bloom. We've got a lot of gardening to do. Everything is quite overgrown. I've got to find my gardening tools first, though.
I've also met another neighbor (one house down) who has (6) grandkids about our kids' ages.
We've spent the late evenings at our friends' pool burning off any residual energy...and having some grown-up brews. The kids love it. Friends came over today to help hang the TV, and Dave got all the wires connected.
I've now been grocery shopping -- we have Publix here -- and to Bed Bath and Beyond., and, of course, I've joined the local Freecycle group and gotten a couple of plants.
I love all the crepe myrtles here. They line most streets and are in full bloom. We've got a lot of gardening to do. Everything is quite overgrown. I've got to find my gardening tools first, though.
I've also met another neighbor (one house down) who has (6) grandkids about our kids' ages.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
2013_07_25 Thursday
The kids slept late today...past 9am! wahoo, we're back on Hardwick sleep schedules!
Once we were up and running, we drove over to Jonathan's school to register him FINALLY. The kids kept taunting each other, making the process a bit more stressful than it needed to be. And, Elise had to pee, so we got to run through the school to the nearest kids' bathroom. Cute school! We had to get one document notarized, so we had to go to the bank (good first visit there too) and return the paper. He is officially registered, though, so that's huge. I've also gotten a note from the bus captain, so that process is rolling forward too. Looks like it's either a 7:10 or 7:30 pick up since we are between stops. going to opt for the second if we can!!!
Then we attended our first playdate! I thought it was for newcomers, but some of the girls have been here for 5 yrs, so I'm a little confused. And, they are are relatively new moms (maybe I screwed that up again, just like in NJ!), so poor Jonathan was sorely disappointed. Elise loved all the little 'babies' to show around. The kids were the oldest there by far. Either way, they got to get out of the house and run around for about two hours.
I've developed quite a headache -- migraine style! -- over today. Ended up laying down for about an hour after dinner. Dave took the kids to another playground that is super close by, and Jonathan cut his finger (although I can't even see the cut).
Once we were up and running, we drove over to Jonathan's school to register him FINALLY. The kids kept taunting each other, making the process a bit more stressful than it needed to be. And, Elise had to pee, so we got to run through the school to the nearest kids' bathroom. Cute school! We had to get one document notarized, so we had to go to the bank (good first visit there too) and return the paper. He is officially registered, though, so that's huge. I've also gotten a note from the bus captain, so that process is rolling forward too. Looks like it's either a 7:10 or 7:30 pick up since we are between stops. going to opt for the second if we can!!!
Then we attended our first playdate! I thought it was for newcomers, but some of the girls have been here for 5 yrs, so I'm a little confused. And, they are are relatively new moms (maybe I screwed that up again, just like in NJ!), so poor Jonathan was sorely disappointed. Elise loved all the little 'babies' to show around. The kids were the oldest there by far. Either way, they got to get out of the house and run around for about two hours.
I've developed quite a headache -- migraine style! -- over today. Ended up laying down for about an hour after dinner. Dave took the kids to another playground that is super close by, and Jonathan cut his finger (although I can't even see the cut).
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
2013_07_24 Wednesday
We landed safe and sound in the lovely, hot state of Georgia in mid-afternoon! The drive from PA was as painless as could be expected. The kids really were terrific. We stayed at a hotel just inside North Carolina to break up the drive. The kids freaked out that it had an indoor pool; and it had a cookie happy hour; and we watched some TV...in bed; and they got to pick their own breakfasts out in the morning! What could be better!?
Jonathan was dying to see his pond, so went to the back before even going inside. I met our neighbors and young kids, so that was nice. I managed to unpack a lot of boxes, mostly in the kids' rooms. I felt like they needed to feel settled and see their toys again. Then I worked on the kitchen. Yikes, that's an undertaking. It's so big that I'm not sure where to put things!
We had dinner at Moe & Joe's, which is a dive-ish bar, but I didn't want burgers or pizza and it was the first place I saw. We sat outside and had quesadillas and a beer.
Nicole/Doug stopped by to welcome us in. She said that you should always make a wish on your first night in a new house; Jonathan really took that seriously and pondered what his wish should be (didn't come up with one). Bedtime was remarkably easy, probably because they were surrounded was familiar things, even if the space was new. While the kids didn't really 'exercise' much today, it was emotionally draining, I think. They were pooped.
Jonathan was dying to see his pond, so went to the back before even going inside. I met our neighbors and young kids, so that was nice. I managed to unpack a lot of boxes, mostly in the kids' rooms. I felt like they needed to feel settled and see their toys again. Then I worked on the kitchen. Yikes, that's an undertaking. It's so big that I'm not sure where to put things!
We had dinner at Moe & Joe's, which is a dive-ish bar, but I didn't want burgers or pizza and it was the first place I saw. We sat outside and had quesadillas and a beer.
Nicole/Doug stopped by to welcome us in. She said that you should always make a wish on your first night in a new house; Jonathan really took that seriously and pondered what his wish should be (didn't come up with one). Bedtime was remarkably easy, probably because they were surrounded was familiar things, even if the space was new. While the kids didn't really 'exercise' much today, it was emotionally draining, I think. They were pooped.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
2013_07_22 Monday
While we haven't arrived in Georgia quite yet, this entry will chronologue our trip to get there, starting with a protracted visit to Oma/Opa.
July 22
We were on our own for the day; Opa had a class to teach and Oma had to "work." We had a slow morning and then visited the town library, which is incredible. Oma met us for a bit, had to go back to work, and then met us for a very late lunch (quazi-linner). The kiddy library activities -- not even the books -- kept them completely busy.
I've packed up the car for the second time. No more false starts. We leave in the AM for real....
July 21
We made a short -- ie 2.5 hr -- jaunt into MD today to see one of Oma's bffs, Madame. I think it meant a lot to her to visit, and we had fun exploring a new-ish place too. After having lunch, a short shopping trip (the kids picked out four coathangers of things), and a quick run around the playground, we went off on our own to a city park that was having a mass storytime. The storyteller was a bit...dramatic...for me, but the kids seemed completely engaged and responded enthusiastically at every chance. They got to experience a merry-go-round for the first time, as they are surely a dying breed, and we goofed around at a natural spring/duck pond that was so cold it was actually fogging over. When we got back Oma and Madame hadn't left their spot (well, it appeared that way; they actually returned there so we could find them), so we got icy drinks from DQ to cool down before the drive home. Elise chose to need to pee during a colossal downpour so we found a bypass to stop under. Opa had a lovely dinner waiting.
July 20
Today, we went to a butterfly event/garden. The kids, armed with a 'passport,' went to a bunch of stations that had activities (like making butterflies from coffee filters) and got stamps. Elise wore her butterfly wings from Aunt Shannon that were a huge hit. Jonathan answered a ton of 'trivia' questions about butterflies! Good for him; he's absorbing the Barony and our old Nature Center. While it was warm and sunny out, they had a great time, and it was fun to collect the stamps. The one station we didn't get to was making a bug net out of a pillowcase, which is actually quite a terrible idea. So, we modified it at home. Still too hard to catch bugs, but the kids had fun trying. Elise isn't afraid of bugs at all; she's picked up wormies and grasshoppers with no hesitation! too cute.
July 19
A massive change in plans!! We had planned to leave today, but after lengthy discussions, we decided to prolong our stay in PA!!!! I took Opa to see Red 2 this evening: good, funny, action flick. Before we left, we took a nice walk on the Shannon Curl and collected leaves; Jonathan, then, drew and labeled them all by himself. It was pretty cool! On the way back from our hike, I spotted the 5-foot rat snake below the blueberry bushes. oh joy.
July 18
Today, our last day in PA, we went to a motel, restaurant, pool combo. Oh what fun! So long as you order from the restaurant, you can use the pool from 10am-10pm! Elise had a blast floating around and getting the hang of kicking and doggy-paddling. She seemed to enjoy having goggles on too: maybe to shade from the sun or maybe to keep the ultra-chlorination out. Jonathan preferred to float on the rafts and noodles with an occasional dip, but no real "swimming." I had mild heart attacks, which was completely unnecessary, trying to make sure neither went under water. Oma and Opa played around too. I got to chat with GG for awhile too; that was a very nice surprise. The kids enjoyed one more night of watermelon slurping in the backyard.
July 17
I took the kids to a marsh/wetlands for a kiddy event this morning. Since we aren't used to getting up "early," we only had about 30 mins to get up and fed. They learned all about plant parts (which Jonathan already knew, the smarty!); then they read a book on the lifecycle of a dandelion; then went on a short walk through the marsh's boardwalk to hunt for plants (all invasives!); and then planted geraniums (J) and bachelor's buttons (E) to take home. After a nutella and peanut butter sandwich, E has been RESTING and J is going stircrazy.
We visited Oma/Opa's friend who raises turtles tonight for a semi-weekly fish feeding frenzy. It was super; the fish were jumping out of the water for the pellets. The kids were just stunned. By the end of the visit, both kids were dunking their toes into the pond to attract the coy, which were enormous, and rainbow trout. We also also got to play with one turtle, 6 dogs, and 4 horses. What neat friends to have!!
July 16
We just can't seem to get our mornings going, but after "the diner's oatmeal," which is multiple bowls so Jonathan can mix it up himself, and egg with bacon for Elise, we did manage to get ourselves presentable...at least for a few Uno games on the living room rug. After Elise's quite unsuccessful REST, we went off spelunking. It was the kids' first time in a cave, so I was excited to see how they'd do. Gosh, it was actually cold inside (good thing Opa brought sweatshirts!). Neither particularly cared for experiencing complete darkness, but they seemed to enjoy the 1 hr/1 mile walking tour. Getting dripped on by the stalactites was pretty neat. The guide was good and engaged Jonathan, in particular, throughout. On the way home, we stopped at our favorite orchard/farmer's market for some ice cream and a few minutes in the corn (not sand) box. Elise took me to the blueberry bushes to collect some snacks, and we visited Mr Frog on the way; she actually held him this time. Then, she took a NAP and was a stinker well into dinner (may have been hungry b/c it seemed to get a lot better as the food shoveled in). Jonathan made corn on the cob for dinner (to complement Opa's "enhanced" pizza), and we concluded the night with a slurping contest of watermelon on the back porch! Bed time is sort of torture right now, since both kids seem to giggle and chat, and Elise wants to pee every 15 minutes. But, once they're out, they are out. And, now the grown-ups are working on 3L of tawny port. YES!
July 15
Another lazy day at the Barony. We went on a nice walk in the forest and picked some blueberries for lunch. After Elise's rest and Jonathan's tractor drive, we headed up for a dip in the lake. The kids had a great time and got a lot of energy out. Gosh, I could get used to life at this speed. There was some crashing --general snottiness -- at dinner time. At bed time, Elise wanted me to read "At the End of the Bridge," which is really known as "Where the Sidewalk Ends." As an evening treat, Opa shot a rabbit and Jonathan got to see from a distance how the dogs retrieve it; what a very cool peek at nature. Fits in so nicely with Oma's reading of "My Side of the Mountain" too. Jonathan seemed really interested in the process and certainly saw the dead bunny; didn't seem too traumatized...we'll see at 3am....
July 14
Jonathan is getting so good at Uno; we don't even try to loose; he wins on his own. Today we went to play putt putt. Jonathan really likes to play; Elise likes it because her brother does. They had ice pops afterward, which made the whole thing even more enjoyable. We caught a little (smaller than a quarter) frog in Opa's porchulaca flowers. Jonathan was very brave to finally agree to hold it. We rounded out the night with Dilly Pops on the back yard porch, where some honeybees have made a nest! great. I finally figured out that Elise needs to R-E-S-T (which entails building a nest and keeping your eyes closed but not sleeping and only for about an hour) not N-A-P (which is a bona fide sleep) so she can go to bed at a reasonable time.
July 13
We did absolutely nothing. It was wonderful. I just love that the kids can go frolic in the meadow and forest with relatively little oversight; I'm a little more gun-shy since the sting (and the reports of 6' snakes), but we take deep breaths and let them go. Jonathan also tried artichokes for the first time and liked them. It makes me so proud that both kids will try something new and keep an open mind about it.
July 12
We went into Boalsburg to see Opa turning wood and to enjoy the local art festival there. They had a nice kids section, so we goofed around with magnets and centripetal forces. The kids got faces painted (an evil pirate for J and butterflies for E). We rounded out the day with a ride on the golf cart back to the car (rather than the $$ train ride).
July 11
To get Jonathan's 6th year off to a roar, he got stung by at least one bald-faced hornet today! What a joy of free range parenting. He vacillated between an ice pack and swirling it in baking soda water. Neither made him particularly happy. Later, we visited the PSU art fair and ate at the Deli. Enjoyed a Monk's beer.
July 22
We were on our own for the day; Opa had a class to teach and Oma had to "work." We had a slow morning and then visited the town library, which is incredible. Oma met us for a bit, had to go back to work, and then met us for a very late lunch (quazi-linner). The kiddy library activities -- not even the books -- kept them completely busy.
I've packed up the car for the second time. No more false starts. We leave in the AM for real....
July 21
We made a short -- ie 2.5 hr -- jaunt into MD today to see one of Oma's bffs, Madame. I think it meant a lot to her to visit, and we had fun exploring a new-ish place too. After having lunch, a short shopping trip (the kids picked out four coathangers of things), and a quick run around the playground, we went off on our own to a city park that was having a mass storytime. The storyteller was a bit...dramatic...for me, but the kids seemed completely engaged and responded enthusiastically at every chance. They got to experience a merry-go-round for the first time, as they are surely a dying breed, and we goofed around at a natural spring/duck pond that was so cold it was actually fogging over. When we got back Oma and Madame hadn't left their spot (well, it appeared that way; they actually returned there so we could find them), so we got icy drinks from DQ to cool down before the drive home. Elise chose to need to pee during a colossal downpour so we found a bypass to stop under. Opa had a lovely dinner waiting.
July 20
Today, we went to a butterfly event/garden. The kids, armed with a 'passport,' went to a bunch of stations that had activities (like making butterflies from coffee filters) and got stamps. Elise wore her butterfly wings from Aunt Shannon that were a huge hit. Jonathan answered a ton of 'trivia' questions about butterflies! Good for him; he's absorbing the Barony and our old Nature Center. While it was warm and sunny out, they had a great time, and it was fun to collect the stamps. The one station we didn't get to was making a bug net out of a pillowcase, which is actually quite a terrible idea. So, we modified it at home. Still too hard to catch bugs, but the kids had fun trying. Elise isn't afraid of bugs at all; she's picked up wormies and grasshoppers with no hesitation! too cute.
July 19
A massive change in plans!! We had planned to leave today, but after lengthy discussions, we decided to prolong our stay in PA!!!! I took Opa to see Red 2 this evening: good, funny, action flick. Before we left, we took a nice walk on the Shannon Curl and collected leaves; Jonathan, then, drew and labeled them all by himself. It was pretty cool! On the way back from our hike, I spotted the 5-foot rat snake below the blueberry bushes. oh joy.
July 18
Today, our last day in PA, we went to a motel, restaurant, pool combo. Oh what fun! So long as you order from the restaurant, you can use the pool from 10am-10pm! Elise had a blast floating around and getting the hang of kicking and doggy-paddling. She seemed to enjoy having goggles on too: maybe to shade from the sun or maybe to keep the ultra-chlorination out. Jonathan preferred to float on the rafts and noodles with an occasional dip, but no real "swimming." I had mild heart attacks, which was completely unnecessary, trying to make sure neither went under water. Oma and Opa played around too. I got to chat with GG for awhile too; that was a very nice surprise. The kids enjoyed one more night of watermelon slurping in the backyard.
July 17
I took the kids to a marsh/wetlands for a kiddy event this morning. Since we aren't used to getting up "early," we only had about 30 mins to get up and fed. They learned all about plant parts (which Jonathan already knew, the smarty!); then they read a book on the lifecycle of a dandelion; then went on a short walk through the marsh's boardwalk to hunt for plants (all invasives!); and then planted geraniums (J) and bachelor's buttons (E) to take home. After a nutella and peanut butter sandwich, E has been RESTING and J is going stircrazy.
We visited Oma/Opa's friend who raises turtles tonight for a semi-weekly fish feeding frenzy. It was super; the fish were jumping out of the water for the pellets. The kids were just stunned. By the end of the visit, both kids were dunking their toes into the pond to attract the coy, which were enormous, and rainbow trout. We also also got to play with one turtle, 6 dogs, and 4 horses. What neat friends to have!!
July 16
We just can't seem to get our mornings going, but after "the diner's oatmeal," which is multiple bowls so Jonathan can mix it up himself, and egg with bacon for Elise, we did manage to get ourselves presentable...at least for a few Uno games on the living room rug. After Elise's quite unsuccessful REST, we went off spelunking. It was the kids' first time in a cave, so I was excited to see how they'd do. Gosh, it was actually cold inside (good thing Opa brought sweatshirts!). Neither particularly cared for experiencing complete darkness, but they seemed to enjoy the 1 hr/1 mile walking tour. Getting dripped on by the stalactites was pretty neat. The guide was good and engaged Jonathan, in particular, throughout. On the way home, we stopped at our favorite orchard/farmer's market for some ice cream and a few minutes in the corn (not sand) box. Elise took me to the blueberry bushes to collect some snacks, and we visited Mr Frog on the way; she actually held him this time. Then, she took a NAP and was a stinker well into dinner (may have been hungry b/c it seemed to get a lot better as the food shoveled in). Jonathan made corn on the cob for dinner (to complement Opa's "enhanced" pizza), and we concluded the night with a slurping contest of watermelon on the back porch! Bed time is sort of torture right now, since both kids seem to giggle and chat, and Elise wants to pee every 15 minutes. But, once they're out, they are out. And, now the grown-ups are working on 3L of tawny port. YES!
July 15
Another lazy day at the Barony. We went on a nice walk in the forest and picked some blueberries for lunch. After Elise's rest and Jonathan's tractor drive, we headed up for a dip in the lake. The kids had a great time and got a lot of energy out. Gosh, I could get used to life at this speed. There was some crashing --general snottiness -- at dinner time. At bed time, Elise wanted me to read "At the End of the Bridge," which is really known as "Where the Sidewalk Ends." As an evening treat, Opa shot a rabbit and Jonathan got to see from a distance how the dogs retrieve it; what a very cool peek at nature. Fits in so nicely with Oma's reading of "My Side of the Mountain" too. Jonathan seemed really interested in the process and certainly saw the dead bunny; didn't seem too traumatized...we'll see at 3am....
July 14
Jonathan is getting so good at Uno; we don't even try to loose; he wins on his own. Today we went to play putt putt. Jonathan really likes to play; Elise likes it because her brother does. They had ice pops afterward, which made the whole thing even more enjoyable. We caught a little (smaller than a quarter) frog in Opa's porchulaca flowers. Jonathan was very brave to finally agree to hold it. We rounded out the night with Dilly Pops on the back yard porch, where some honeybees have made a nest! great. I finally figured out that Elise needs to R-E-S-T (which entails building a nest and keeping your eyes closed but not sleeping and only for about an hour) not N-A-P (which is a bona fide sleep) so she can go to bed at a reasonable time.
July 13
We did absolutely nothing. It was wonderful. I just love that the kids can go frolic in the meadow and forest with relatively little oversight; I'm a little more gun-shy since the sting (and the reports of 6' snakes), but we take deep breaths and let them go. Jonathan also tried artichokes for the first time and liked them. It makes me so proud that both kids will try something new and keep an open mind about it.
July 12
We went into Boalsburg to see Opa turning wood and to enjoy the local art festival there. They had a nice kids section, so we goofed around with magnets and centripetal forces. The kids got faces painted (an evil pirate for J and butterflies for E). We rounded out the day with a ride on the golf cart back to the car (rather than the $$ train ride).
July 11
To get Jonathan's 6th year off to a roar, he got stung by at least one bald-faced hornet today! What a joy of free range parenting. He vacillated between an ice pack and swirling it in baking soda water. Neither made him particularly happy. Later, we visited the PSU art fair and ate at the Deli. Enjoyed a Monk's beer.
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