Happenings

We've started out the summer with a pretty busy schedule and plans to do more fun things in the next couple of months. We're anticipating a vacation to the Gulf Coast depending on what happens with the oil spill. We had to cancel some plans in May, so we are hoping that Matt can take a day off work and we'll have a Family Fun Day where we can enjoy some fun activities and spend the day together. I am also trying to figure out what to do with our "fun room" downstairs. It will probably become our school room so I would like to paint and update the furniture down there. And add in some storage for homeschool books and desks or a table to work on.

We are continuing to work on potty training with Aaron. I have been doing lots of laundry, and between potty accidents, swimming lessons, and playing in the pool there are wet clothes everywhere. Aaron is wearing big boy underwear during the day, and I've already had to raid Elliott's underwear drawer to find more dry underwear.

Aaron is talking really well now. I can understand almost everything he says, but occasionally ask for a translation from Elliott. The boys are playing together much better now which is really nice. I even got dinner started tonight while they were playing happily downstairs. Yay!

Aaron is very expressive and gets in your face when he's trying to tell you something. His excitement is contagious and you can't help but smile.

Elliott's soccer season was canceled after the flood, so he only got to play 3 games. He is taking swimming lessons now though and is very comfortable in the water. We are almost finished with the Five in a Row curriculum that we have been using. I have all of our books for Kindergarten and just need to go through and make our plans and get some school supplies. Elliott has just finished reading a collection of "Dick and Jane" stories. We celebrated with an ice cream treat tonight. By the end of the book, he was reading more comfortably and with more expression. It is amazing to watch the progress that he is making. He is eager to learn and I think will be fun to teach.

Most of the time, Elliott can be found playing Legos or Star Wars. His tools are gathering dust in his workshop, but he continues to choose toys that involve building and when asked says that he wants to be a "worker" when he grows up.

He also has his first loose tooth. I am not ready for that at all. But he has had these teeth since he was 4 months old, so I guess it's time for them to come out. It just seems like something that should only happen to "big boys," and it's hard to believe that my baby can be big enough to lose his teeth. And I remember some traumatic tooth-pulling episodes from my childhood and do not look forward to actually pulling his teeth.

I think that's all the news I have for now. If I ever get our fun room cleaned up, painted, and organized, maybe I will post some pictures. Don't hold your breath waiting for that post!

Elliott enjoying his ice cream sundae after reading 193 pages of "Dick and Jane."