Baby, It's Hot Hot Hot!!

We hit 101 degrees in our backyard yesterday. Today we are supposed to be 104 however recent information says it may get even hotter than that. UGH! These are the days I am so very, very thankful for getting the heat pump three years ago. We stay nice and cool in the summer. I spent several years dreading summer in this house and sweating buckets upon buckets. Let me just say again; air condition is GOOD! :)

Today was Kelton last day at his most recent day camp through the community center and while it wasn't the experience I had hoped it would be, all told, he still had a good time. Mostly though because, as he put it "The teachers are hot!" Oh yes, my son has already been bitten by the "cute girl" bug. And he always, always, always goes for the older girls. I can't for sure say he hasn't always been like this but he has certainly ramped it up lately. Just call him Romeo. He even tried to tell me that he was going to date one of the girls. I broke the news that he would be *at least* 16 before he dated anyone to which he said "Well ok - but don't tell them, ok?" Oh dear.

Back to today though.....being the last day, the parents and younger siblings were invited back an hour before the ending of camp to play in the spray park. We've never before played in the spray park so both kids have been eagerly anticipating today - and they were not disappointed. It was so hot outside that the cold spray (and blasts) were a welcome activity.

Brenda (her kids were in the camp, too) and I decided to cool down at one point and ran through the spray, too. We were soaked! No worries though, I was almost completely dry in less than 15 minutes. Did I mention it is hot here?

Check out the fun!

Kelton waving.

The spray park just waiting for the kids.

Kelton and Kaylen playing.

Squinting in the bright sunshine.

And because it's going to be so hot here for the next few days, we decided to run away to the coast where it is predicted to be in the 70's. Perfect! Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Day Camp, Take Two

Kelton started his second day camp of the summer. This time around it's only a three hour program through the community center and those who have sent their children through there have been happy. Day number one did not impress me all that much but I am hopeful that even though I am not thrilled thus far, Kelton is having a good time.

For starters, we arrived about 10 minutes before the official start time (along with a couple other moms and kids) and the door to the room was opened for us by a girl who was certainly still in high school. I was asked to sign Kelton in and she took my paperwork. Then she disappeared and came back and few minutes later and said rather rudely, "We aren't ready. Come back at 9." Ummm...ok. So we all went and stood in the hallway for about 8 minutes.

After we successfully signed Kelton in and said goodbye Kaylen and I took off for a while. When we returned to pick him up at noon he appeared with his clothing seemingly covered in red paint and various chalk colors. No biggie - I assumed it was washable paint and would come out. (Umm...did you catch that "I assumed" part. Hmmm...the jury is still out and the clothes are on their second washing/stain removal cycle. **NOTE: I got the stains out! Yay me! So I’d list it as “kinda washable”. ) But then the really interesting part happened: Kelton starts talking about ghost stories and body bags dripping blood from the “killed people inside”. Talk about puppets that come to life to kill people and people chasing other people with chainsaws to kill them.

WTF???????

After hearing it completely through for the second time (because I wanted to be sure of what he was telling me) I said “Wow – that wasn’t at all appropriate to talk about with a group of 4-6 year olds.” Kelton said, “Oh it was just the six year olds.”

Yeah – no better, thanks. Especially now that my three year old heard it all. Lovely.

I picked up the phone and dialed the number for the camp director. She picked up and I explained who I was and why I was calling. I gave her the name of the counselor who had told these stories to my six-year-old child. She seemed concerned enough and assured me she would look into it.

I then called my friend Brenda whose children are enrolled in the same day camp session and asked her what her six year old was saying and reported that I had placed a call. Brenda, after talking with her son, did the same an hour or so later (giving time on purpose for the director to talk with her staff member). She was told that the staff had been talked to and it was certainly NOT part of the activities for day camp (umm…yeah – kinda figured that since they are four, five and six year old!!!). She assured her it would not happen again and apologized.

So – that part has been taken care of but now my child has the images in his head. He doesn’t seem particularly stressed out (and in fact says he liked hearing it all. Which doesn’t thrill me either.) but seriously? Who in their freaking right mind would tell stories like that to six year olds? Dakota and I have been very careful about filtering this kind of thing and it bothers me immensely that a teenager has taken all our work and flushed it down the toilet. Yeah yeah – the most influential people in a child’s life are their parents, I get that and yet…this….this was just so wrong on so, so, so many levels.

A big part of me is furious that the reckless action of a teenager has taken away my child’s innocence in this arena. He now knows what a body bag is and he has an image of blood dripping from it. Perfect. Just what I wanted for him. NOT!!!!!

I get that she is a teenage and certainly not versed in the ways of childhood development but seriously. SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, she has been talked to and yet, that doesn’t do a damn thing for erasing it from my child’s psyche.

Apparently, next year, instead of saving up money to send Kelton to day camp, we should just take one of the many Vegas vacations available. I mean, by then he'd by seven. What's a showgirl or two after stories of bloody body bags and chainsaw massacres? *sigh*
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Last Day of VBS

Kelton has spent the week going to vacation bible school and he has loved it! He really wishes it would go on and on and on and you know, I do to. Not because he was gone all day - far from that because I missed that little guy - but because he loved it and I found it to be a nice way to start and end a day.

Yesterday when I picked him up he looked like this:


All the kids look similar. They painted their faces to reflect the fact they are all in a tribe together. The tribe of God and the tribe of the world. Unity. A sense of belonging. Always good things.

We returned to the church later for an ice cream social and a little program of singing and being together. It was really nice and, as Dakota mentioned, way nicer than anything put on my Kelton's school this year. :)

Kelton didn't want to get up and sing with the rest of the campers but that didn't stop him from singing' he just sang from his seat. :)




It's been a really great experience and it's been a great jumping off place for some good (and sometimes intense and thought provoking) conversations at home. Kelton can't wait for next summer and neither can Kaylen. She decided that she doesn't want to be left out next year so she already put in her request to attend. (To be fair, she was given the option this year. She opted to stay with me instead.)

Tuesday

"Stay at Home Mom" my hiney!

It's been a busy here, there and everywhere day and I am wiped out. Kelton had vacation bible school day camp at 9am so we left about 8:45 to get him there and settled in. After that, Kaylen and I stopped by the vet's office to pick up hairball medication for the cat and then came home. After about 40 minutes we headed out to a dentist appointment for me which was clear on the other side of town. Thankfully we were early enough that the horrible road construction projects between here and there didn't make us late.

The appointment did not go as planned so now I have to return in three weeks for another fitting for a dental appliance. Not that I'm counting (HA!) but this makes six months of trying to get this appliance made and fit correctly. I'm trying not to come unglued over it but seriously - I've had a dentist appointment of one sort of another at least every three weeks for six months! (Thankfully we have an HMO-type dental plan so I'm not being charged an office visit for each and every appointment.) Just getting there though is no easy feat what with schedules and needing to find someone to watch and/or pick up kids ( I can take Kaylen with me but two is too much). I am really hoping that this next visit will be it otherwise, I just may blow a gasket. It's no ones fault, blah blah blah but still. I'm done with it.

So anyway - we left there and stopped at Supercuts on the way home to get little missy's hair trimmed. Or....was that cut completely off? I'm unclear as to what the stylist heard. It's short. Much too short but the good thing about hair is that it grows. I'm sure it will be fine in two.....three weeks. :) I'm really not sure what she was thinking about the bangs. WOW! I thought eyebrow length was the norm but they are way, way shorter than that. Oh well.

The bad part about that is I have been promising Kaylen that I will take her in for a photo of her in her ballet outfit this week (she wants to do it without Kelton there). Ever since she saw her friend, Katie, have her photo taken in her ballet costume, Kaylen has been really itching to have her photo taken in hers. I'm so ok with that because this is a stage that I will want to remember long after she has given it up. So...we'll make the best of it and if they don't turn out well, it isn't costing me anything but time and patience (thank you Picture People free coupons!). I'll just have to make a return visit with another coupon for another day when her hair is a little longer. :)

We came home for lunch but it wasn't too long before Kaylen was begging to go to the park (or "the park-ee" as she took to calling it today). We had to stop by the shoe store to pick up another pair of ballet shoes (she has worn out her second pair already) anyway and there is a park across the street so off we went!

Before I knew it it was time to go get Kelton. We got there in time to see and hear him singing songs with everyone (so darn adorable!) but before long it was over and we were headed out the door. Kelton quickly melted down into a puddle of way too tiredness when he saw that Kaylen was given a cheesy two page coloring book at the vet this morning (it's really a clever little ad for Advantage Flea products). Good heavens would would have though she had been given the key to the castle and he was being sent to live off the land somewhere. The tantrum that rang out loud and clear was unbelievable. On one hand, I get that it's hard to be left out of things (heck- as an adult I still struggle with that) but seriously...it was a crappy coloring book and the kicker was, Kaylen said she would share hers with him and he could have it (she colored one little section) but he was having no part of it. It was U-G-L-Y.

Finally he got himself together (you know, after mommy lost her cool and all *sigh*) and when I asked if he was proud of his behavior he looked at my with huge eyes and quietly said "No. I'm not."

SCORE! I think that was the first time he has ever had that reaction. It usually is met with a defiant look and a million reasons why he was right in his behavior. And then, get this - he apologized to me with no prompting. YES YES YES!!! The event was ugly but the aftermath proves that we are finally getting somewhere.

Kelton came home and promptly crawled into my bed and barely moved for about two hours. Not asleep but not really "of this world" either. This all day day camp stuff is kicking him hard.

While the kids vegged, I ran around like a wild woman trying to put order to the house. I was still running when Dakota arrived home from work.

What a crazy, wild day. Certainly no "staying at home" for me today. :)

A Quick Back-Track Over the Weekend

When I last spoke of the weekend it was Friday and the kids were making s'mores and getting ready for bed. They did indeed fall asleep in the tent which made both Dakota and I pretty excited that maybe, just maybe, this would be the night when we all could camp out together (she's had a few camping nights with Kelton in years gone by and I had one with Kaylen the weekend before last but never have we all been out there at the same time). As they slept, we plugged in the laptop and watched a movie (hmmm...which one? Oh right "Definitely. Maybe." It was a very long two hours - I'll just leave it at that. :)

Once the movie was over, we headed instead to get ready for bed. We were quickly followed by Kelton who was crying and complaining that he was cold (he was....we were cold out there watching the movie. It was, after all 56 degrees). No matter how we tried to assure him that we would snuggle him up with more blankets (and Dakota) so he would be warm, he held firm to wanting to sleep in his own bed.

With a heavy sigh, we agreed and then went out to bring Kaylen in as well. She stayed asleep and I'll tell you what - she was very unhappy to find herself in her bed in the morning.

In the morning, we all went back out to the tent to enjoy some time in the sleeping bags while we made plans for the day. Dakota had learned that Blockbuster was having a customer appreciation day with carnival-like games and a bounce-house style slide. It wasn't until 1pm though so we all got ready and headed out to a park for a while to burn off some kid energy. We ended up in the attached dog park where the kids were delighted to make new puppy friends. There was even a pup named Jaxon (spelled the same way as our Jaxon). It made us all happy and sad but it's hard to be too sad around all that puppy energy. :)

Soon it was time to head to the carnival thing. Oh the joy that was had!! Kaylen would yell "MORE MORE!" every time she came down the huge slide and Kelton cleaned up with prizes. His best was the dart throw to pop balloons. They were in heaven!













After that we headed home and just hung out. We made a second attempt at sleeping outside and lo and behold - IT WORKED! All four of us made it through the entire night! I thought Kaylen and I were done around 5am when she woke up in a puddle (which is so completely out of character for her) and I had to take her in the house, clean her up and get new jammies on her. I suggested we climb into her bed (it's a queen sized bed) which was met with crocodile tears. She wanted to go back to the tent! So, armed with waterproof coverings and towels, we headed out and she promptly fell back to sleep.



Sunday morning found us playing with Kelton's Martian Matter and making gooey aliens galore. It must be a tent-related activity because both weekends Kaylen has specifically requested that activity. Funny.

It was a quick slide to Grandma arriving to play with the kids while Dakota and I went out to a movie. I finally got to see Sex in the City which I really liked (I never saw that actual show but I liked the movie a lot anyway but let me say - some of those clothes had me rolling on the floor. Seriously?? Wow!). Dakota liked it ok but she did say "Well - it wasn't Indiana Jones, that's for sure." Still - it was very, very sweet of her to take me to it (she arranged everything - Thank you, honey!).

We arrived home, sent Grandma on her way, gathered the kids and put them in the car and headed over to meet Grandma, Grandpa, an aunt and an uncle at the new retirement community that Dakota's mom and step-father are moving into. We had the grand tour and saw their new place. It's quite nice but it's all a little strange and it's moving quite fast. We only learned of the plan to move last Monday. They are excited and that's what matters.

We made a grocery store run after that to buy lunch items to pack in Kelton's lunch for the week because today he started his week long Vacation Bible School Day Camp. It runs from 9:00-3:00 and it was a HUGE hit. Huge huge huge hit! Oh my gosh - he was so happy and animated and incredibly exhausted when I picked him up. After resting a bit this afternoon he started singing silly, fun songs and sharing bits and pieces of his day. He made a wish tonight that he could go to day camp "forever and ever". I'm so glad he is enjoying it and as a bonus, not only is he there with Carson, a friend since babyhood, but as it turns out, one of the boys from his day camp last summer is there as well. I could not get over how much this little boy had changed and grown. Wow. I'm sure Kelton has done the same but I just don't see it with him.

Kaylen and I spent our day running some errands, going on a bike ride (I walked), getting work done around the house, Kaylen got some Kelton-free computer time and watched a couple favorite shows. It was all so weird and quiet. But good. A really good day.

End of Day Camp, End of the Summer

"Mom, I miss my day camp."

Those were the words that my son said as we walked to the car this afternoon after I picked him up. We had only left the building a mere 20 seconds before and he has said that line about 50 times since then.

You know what? I miss day camp, too. I actually had grown accustomed to seeing the teachers, kids and other parents in the past three weeks and I'm really going to miss it. I loved knowing that Kelton was having a great time - and learning so much. And I admit it, Kelton might not have gotten all misty eyed when the teachers were handing out the certificates and saying their final goodbyes to everyone but *I* sure did.

Kelton was so funny though - he managed to get addresses, emails and phone numbers for the three teachers and he has already dictated emails to two of them. That's my boy - ever the social one. Ms. Emily has a teenage daughter (Kelton's crush of the week) who loves to babysit and I was invited to call on her if I ever wanted. You know what? I just might take her up on it. I've never had a babysitter (excuse me - Kelton will scream if he knows I wrote "baby"sitter. KIDsitter) before except for Dakota's mom and our adult neighbor across the street (who stayed with the kids twice) and it might be nice to be able to get out of the house every now and again.

So here we are - the end of day camp. The end of summer. Dakota starts classes Monday and Kelton starts the following Tuesday. How in the world is it the end of summer already? It feels like we've only been back from our 5 week stay in Seattle for about a month which would make it what? The end of June? Yeah - that's what it should be....June. Anyone else want a "do over"?

Day Camp

I think Kelton is going to have trouble with the end of day camp tomorrow. This week I have noticed that pick up time is getting more and more complicated. In days gone by, he would run right over to me when it was over but today it took us 40 minutes to leave. The counselors keep the kids busy singing songs until their parents arrive and even though I was standing right there in plain sight, Kelton ran back over to the singing group to sing songs. I didn't mind - I enjoy watching him having fun and singing silly songs. But then, the kids thinned out and my son was still chatting up the staff and making himself at home.

"It's time to go, hon. Grab your stuff and let's go!"
"In a minute, mom."

I finally get him out the door only to have him turn around and run back to hug one of the teachers.

I'm so happy that he has had a great experience with day camp (especially considering how his stint in preschool went. So not good.). I'm so proud of him and how he has handled it and I know this child of mine is going to excel when he starts school in 11 days. The teachers/counselors all rave about him and what a terrific camper/student he is and how much fun he is to be around. I will never, ever tire of hearing that.

I have an amazing kid!!

That said though - I think tomorrow is going to be difficult for him. He is going to miss his friends and teachers (though one of his friends mom already has asked for our address/phone number because her son wants Kelton to come to his birthday party so at least Kelton knows he will see his "best friend" again soon). I wish there was some way I could let his teachers know how much they have enhanced my child's life. For the first time ever, I get the whole "I want to get the teacher something special" thing. When you have someone touch your child's life in such a positive and lasting way, makes you so very grateful.

Nothing to Say

I have nothing really to say tonight. I'm tired and whipped and glad the day is over. I had the great joy of having a not all that much fun medical test this afternoon and for the 24 hours proceeding it I was on a clear liquid diet. I don't feel all that well when I don't have real food in 24 hours. Not to mention that test, while billed as "you may experience some discomfort during the procedure" was actually quite painful. Thank God nothing of any significance showed up because you won't see me running to join the sign up line for that again anytime soon.

On a slightly happier note; Kelton is loving day camp and again was very, very sad that the week is ending. So what's a mom to do? I signed him up for the final week. I really hadn't planned to do it thinking I wanted him all to myself for the two weeks before school starts but he is having so much fun and is so happy that I felt it was the right thing to do for him. I love sneaking in early and watching him with the group - he seems so big now, a real kid who can listen and follow directions and interact with people all without me standing by him. When did my baby grow up to be this amazing person?

I talked quickly with his group teacher today to see how things are going and again, I received a beaming report. In my head I do this little happy dance and song that goes sort of like this: "I have a great kid! I have a great kid!" I know it's shallow and all but it makes me feel so darn proud of him and well...honestly, of myself. It makes me feel like I'm a good parent after all...and sometimes that is hard to remember. Outside validation is always nice. :)

Day Camp

Gues who loves his day camp so much that he begged me to sign him up for another session? :)

He wanted to go next week but he would have ended up missing the last day because of a trip we have planned to see my family so he settled for the week after next. The theme for that session is "Mystery All Around". He is very excited!

A Big Week for Kelton

It's been a big week for my boy. School supply lists were available on Saturday so we went school supply shopping. It was fun to pick out all his stuff (even though it's not really "his stuff" everything goes into big containers and is basically "communal" which I go back and forth on having an issue with but - it is what it is.) There is something so intoxicating about school supplies - Dakota feels it, I feel it and I'm proud to say, my kids feel it. :) New crayons and paints and scissors. Pencils, pens and erasers. Fun!


He ended up with a Spider Man backpack (which is no surprise to me) and Transformer tennis shoes. I am still going to get him a new pair of Crocs since really those are his main footwear. I found really great ones that I am going to save up for. I think they will make him (and me) happy. They are Crocs with Mickey shaped holes. I think they are so incredibly fun.

And as a PSA (public service announcement) let me share with all of you parents of not-yet-school-aged-kids that the back to school rows are a gold mine of art supplies. Elmers glue for $0.20 a bottle, Crayola 24 count crayons for $0.20 a box. Paints, papers, scissors, binders, etc all cheaper than you will find them the entire rest of the year. Since Kelton was one year old Dakota and I have hit the back to school sales and restocked every art supply known to man. It just makes sense so check out those rows and if you see things your little one (or you) will use during the year, or you think you may use during the year, - stock up! Just a handy mommy tip for you. :)

Kelton's day camp is going really well. He woke me up at 6:05AM asking if it was time to go yet. I took that as a very good sign. He learned a couple new games yesterday so the kids and I spent a few hours in the yard playing - it was really fun. Today he came home with a silly song that Kaylen and I picked up right away and have been singing ever since. So, so much fun!

He had a project to do at home this week for sharing time on Friday. He was to make a poster of his favorite pet (oh which one to choose?) and then tell his group all about the pet at sharing time. He picked Jordan, our dalmatian. I took some pictures of him with Jordy yesterday and then this afternoon we took a trip to the craft store to buy poster board and various scrap book supplies (I'm sure it surprises no one who knows me in real life that the "due at the end of the week" project is done by the second day. *grin*). Except for wanting help with gluing the pictures onto the board, he did it all himself (well - I helped him spell Jordan's name but he handled getting the stickers and putting them on the board). He was so darn cute sitting at the table working on his "homework". Kaylen, of course, had to get into it too so at the store I bought her some duck related stickers and pink cat ribbon (she loves all things duck and pink). Their projects are so cute. :)