Legos

For some reason, people seem convinced that the thing a five year old needs most is Legos. let me assure you, that is not the case. I am the only one able to interpret the instructions to build anything like the picture on the box. Even Samantha, our very bright nine year old, was having a hard time interpreting the pictures. Joshua does love to play with the end result, an off road vehicle tweaked by Samantha to have a computer to drive when chasing invading aliens, and she also created a quite terrifying alien ship and mother ship, Well. Okay. So maybe it does work with 5 and eight year olds and I am just feeling grumpy because we inevitably lose that one piece that is crucial to making the all important all-terrain vehicle, and I get to listen to Joshua scream his head off because he can't play with that toy he has completely forgotten about until I opened my mouth and said I can't make it because I can't find the one piece. So, maybe the lesson here is that I should not talk about these things and instead just quietly retire the set when it is no longer useful. I'm a genius!

I also step on those little tiny things. It hurts, and then I am annoyed at the gift giver, which makes me feel guilty because I am supposed to be grateful for the gift, not annoyed.

Don't get me started with transformers. The person who created those was an evil genius. All children want them. They play with them, completely transforming them, then give incomprehensible directions for putting the device back together. So the child cries because it can't transform. I think toymakers are demons.

On a more pleasant note - and I do apologize for this rant. The children have had two hours of fun play destroying aliens this morning.

Samantha cantered and galloped on Madame Allbright on Saturday. She looks marvelous on the horse, and Ellen, her instructor, says Sam has made huge strides in her skills. Matt has some video of her riding that I will try to nag him into adding when he can. He is traveling again this week, so maybe not anytime soon.

Josh's fifth birthday

I have no pictures. He had a party at home with twenty young children and 8 parents. Matt was working, of course, because it was Wednesday. What had I been thinking? He was around at noon to help me track down the pizza delivery guy, thank goodness. Samantha wrote out the schedule for the party, decided on the piñata and how to decorate it, chose the theme, picked the decorations, reminded me to buy the cake and what to say. She did a great job designing the party. But during the party she stayed in her room with Oliver the whole time. The parents were wonderful, very helpful and just pitched in to get things done and make sure everyone had a good time. It was really fun, in the end. And I have wonderful memories of Joshua seeing his scooter for the first time. He took to it like a duck to water. He is very good about wearing his helmet and pads. He just wants to use it everywhere, in the malls, restaurants, sidewalks, dentist. he is very cute.

Josh had his annual physical, and his dental cleaning on Friday. He looks great, and Dr. Pangburn says, "Perfect" I love Dr. Pangburn. He knows how to manage all of our family quirks and give our children such good care. A superhuman feat and he seems to have fun while he does it.

Samantha spent Friday with Marie and Marie's daughter, Ashley, at Canobie Lake Park. She went on every ride, and only didn't love the Corkscrew. Yes, the corkscrew, which seems to be exactly what it sounds like, straight up, then twist really fast down. Can I turn green now? She informed me quite proudly that she ate dinner then went right on a roller coaster and 'DID NOT' throw up. Good for you dear, and great for everyone around you. :-) Ashley is 21 and a sweetheart of a lady who loves the fast rides as much as Samantha and happy to join in the fun. I was glad to see Sam be able to take a break from her family and just be silly for a bit. Marie said she was a great guest, except for the never wanting to go home part. Marie, with my permission, stayed until the park closed, 10:30 pm. I think Marie is an angel.

The other day Josh and I had lunch at Dunkin Donuts. Josh loves the egg and cheese wraps. Mine are not as good, he loudly tells me every time I offer to make him some. We walk in, Joshua perks up at the sight of the two young children at a table with their mom. He walks over to say hello while I order. I turn around to see the whole table entranced as Josh sings his current favorite song, Beetles and the bedbugs, eerie meenie mini mo!!!! The mom was laughing. What am I going to do with him?

Sam starts school next week. Kesher starts on Tuesday, 6th, and Stratton and Kesher on Thursday. Cheerleading is on Wed. and Friday. Stratton is hosting three grades from Thompson this year, so I expect some disarray in the beginning, but it will be fine. The Stratton building got a pretty facelift this summer, and all new paint on the inside, as well as infrastructure repairs, like new windows, hot water heat instead of steam and each room is its own heating zone. The building looks beautiful! Mr. Brown retired last fall, so Samantha will have an interim principal for the next two years. She seems great.

Happy fall everyone.