Practicing

So, after Nikon School my motto is "No Auto". Easy to say. Hard to do. But I did get these two lovely shots today.

Tied Up With A Bow

This past Wednesday was Connor's school Thanksgiving event. It was insane, packed, crazy, and loud. I could barely stand it. But Connor was truly impressive and made it all worthwhile.

His class recited a little ditty on the "ABC's of the First Thanksgiving" (this is a rerun of first grade but with no cute indian headdresses). Connor's letter was "X" which included something interesting about how the Pilgrims were eXcited about something (not having smallpox or scurvy, I'd say). Connor also had responsibility for the conclusion and thank you speech, which I knew because he'd been rehearsing it...

C: Mom, want to hear my thank you speech for the "ABC of the First Thanksgiving"? I'm in charge of them you know.

D: Sure.

C: Okay. Watch. I stand like this. (puts his hands to his sides as soldier) And then I say..THANK YOU FOR COMING TO OUR CLASS PRESENTATION OF THE ABC'S OF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING. WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW. HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON. (takes a deep bow like a low level Japanese auto executive would when meeting Mr. Toyota)

D: Wow! That's awesome.

C: Did you like the bow?

D: Yes, I loved it.

C: Well, don't you think the other kids should bow too? Isn't that what you do at a show?

D: Sure.

C: Well, they won't. Only Evan will. I've told them that we should do a bow. But those kids mom, most of them, they stand there when it is over like they're on line to buy a hot dog.

This last comment, of course, cracks me up and sends me into hysterics which only serves to frustrate him further and we spend the next 5 or so minutes discussing why the other kids in his class won't bow. And, of course, practicing a real stage bow with hands clasped, swung high, and then brought down in a dramatic swoosh.

At the performance about 10 kids do the bow. Afterward his teacher tells me the following:

1. There was no conclusion/wrapup/thank you in the text of the presentation. But Connor ABSOLUTELY put his foot down about and she said since he felt so strongly she let him write it himself and was very impressed that he used the word "presentation" .

2. Did I notice the bow? (Of course-see above) Well, the bow was very important to him and he was very upset that the whole class would not bow--even though she explained to him many times that the kids are not all like him and many of them are shy and can barely get through their little piece, nevermind a flamboyant, physical demonstration such as a stage bow. Regardless, though, she said that he had been working the classroom like a politician for the past week-desk to desk-to try to convince them all to bow.

What does this say about my first-born? Many things, I think. But I'll let you decide. One thing I know for sure is that I am having the best time watching him grow and become the man he will be.

An Ode To Prunes-By Sir Eat-A-Lot (Palmer)

I like...smooshed prunes and I can-not lie.
No other baby can deny.
When my mom walks in with that itty bitty bowl,
There's a happiness in my soul.
Arms get flung,
Wanna pull up tough,
But I notice that bowl is stuffed.
So deep and glaring,
I'm hooked and I can't stop staring.

The Scout

I haven't had time to post too much this fall--we've been really busy and honestly, with a baby, I try to use all my spare time for sleeping. That's why I haven't gotten around to this topic: we have a Boy Scout in the house. A really handsome one!

He's in a new Den with only two other boys. There was some big controversy at the beginning of the school year where they had totally overloaded one Scout Master with too many kids. So, they broke up the group into three and we're in the smallest. Connor has been working on learning the "Bobcat Trail" and he's doing fairly well. I really need to sit down with him this week as his "Akela" and get him through the last few pieces of memorization. His Pack meeting is in a few weeks and he needs to be ready.

One of the reasons I wanted Connor to be involved in scouting is that it is a good framework for learning that the world does not revolve around you. Since we don't go to church, we need an environment for our kids that helps us to foster their sense of place in the world--and in service to others.

Today we collected groceries for a local food bank. We started "Scouting For Food" last week by dropping off empty grocery bags at about 200 houses. That's him up there running back to the car after hooking a bag on someone's front railing. It took us 1 hour and 45 minutes to drop off the bags and he was a sweaty mess.

Today we went back to pick them up. It took half the time to pickup. I'd say we got about a 15% hit rate. I think that's pretty typical, but really, that's pretty sad. All these people in half million dollar houses. They can't cough up a bag of canned goods? Really? I was STUNNED by the number of houses where the bag we hung on their railing was still in the same place a week later.

Regardless, our car was full of food that other people need. And I'm proud of my scout for giving his time to help other people. Nice job!

Good Job Connor!

Here's the text of an e-mail I just sent to my big boy's school principal.

Paul-

Sorry to send this to you in an e-mail, but I'm in an all day offsite meeting today and don't want to be trying to make you listen to me on a cell phone. :)

Sometime after dinner last night Connor casually mentioned to us that he had to get a ride back to school yesterday afternoon because he didn't go to his after school activity (Krazy Kickball) and took the bus home. Clearly, the manner in which he told us (and the fact that he thought we were absolutely nuts to think it was an issue) indicates that he handled the situation as planned--that is--we have an emergency plan that we review with him constantly about what to do if he gets off the bus and neither one of us are there. That part is delightful.

The part that's not delightful to us as working parents is that this is one of our worst fears. Our 7 year old alone roaming the neighborhood. Things went fine yesterday, but on another day he could have just as easily fallen into tears and sat on the corner weeping. We're dealing with Connor here, but I can only imagine if this happened to a less self-sufficient child or one without parents who have reviewed an emergency plan.

He tells me that the mixup occurred because he had a substitute teacher yesterday and "it was just confusing". When I tried to get him to narrow it down for me he said that normally Ms. Reed has the after school activity kids sit in certain spots so that they know not to line up for the bus and that this teacher didn't do that. She called for the bus kids and he got in line.

Maybe he wasn't paying attention--certainly that's a possibility. But ultimately, I can't let him shoulder ANY of the blame. We rely on the school to make sure he's attended to and gets to where he needs to be and we're fairly concerned that something like this happened.

Thanks for all you do and thanks for taking care of this as I know you will.

Regards,

Dianna Tate

Morning Glory

These pics were taken in our condo in Florida on the second morning of our whirlwind weekend. The boys were waking up quietly. I had plopped down Palmer next to his sleeping brother and the were snuggling and cooing at each other quietly. Quietly hardly ever happens. I'm glad I got it on film.

BOO To You!

Palmer made his first plane ride to Florida over Halloween weekend. He was a trooper on the plane. Our plans were for a quick 3 full days of fun and we made it happen.

We'd planned to go to Universal but decided at the last minute to enjoy a more low-key day at Typhoon Lagoon instead. Good choice. The weather was SPECTACULAR, the water temperatures were PERFECT, and there NO LINES. Really, it couldn't have been better.

The boys enjoyed a rapid snorkel across the shark tank since Connor doesn't quite get the concept of enjoying the scenery as you snorkel. Its more of a race with breathing gear. The next day we went to EPCOT. We hadn't been there in a few years and it was during the Food and Wine Festival so we figured it would be fun--and it was.

Connor's favorite experience of the whole weekend (according to him) was Spaceship Earth. He loves the ride and the history. He was particularly enthralled with the Phonecians and their invention of the alphabet AND with the girl in the computer lab's rockin' afro.

Here I am enjoying a dessert trio from France and a glass of Moet & Chandon rose champagne.

Here's Connor enjoying several international Coke products. For quite awhile. It was a great day. We had lunch in Mexico and ate our way around the International side. We had crepes, beef short ribs, sushi, pierogies, kielbasa, TONS of caramel from the new caramel store at Germany, and a delicious strawberry balsamic champagne slurpee. And again, the weather was just great.

On Halloween itself we went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom. As a family of vampires with an infant baby bat--we totally rocked Main Street USA.

And we may have scared a few folks, too! Overall, it was frighteningly close to the best Disney trip we've ever had.