The Bubble Family hits the Water!

I don't know about anyone else - but many of our family outings and adventures are much better on paper than in real life. Usually the stress and cost of our outings far out way the enjoyment that's wedged between dealing with cranky children.

Yesterday may have been an exception.

We went to the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center in Grasonville, Maryland - on the Eastern Shore. We had attended their annual "Wade-In Festival" earlier in the month, and ended up getting a year's family membership. The family membership entitled us to unlimited access to their hiking and bike trails - AND free canoe/kayak rentals.

Yesterday we hit the water.

Please understand - we're not the most outdoorsy of families. All of us, including the five year old, prefer to curl up with a good book. So outfitting our pasty white bodies with life vests, sunscreen and bug spray is a major deal.

The grown-ups had experienced canoes before - if 30 year old experiences count. The children were unsure about putting their bodies over water - and trusting their pasty parents. Certainly the first step into the canoes from the floating pier had all of us wobbling uncertainly. It didn't help that we had to split up - the nine year old and I in one canoe, and Dad in another with the two younger ones.

We eventually figured out the paddling techniques needed to propel us away from the pier. There's a relatively large, calm area to explore - and if one is brave enough one can go ashore on one of the reed covered shores and explore. We weren't brave enough. We did see ducks, swans and an eagles nest.

One of the best points - from this family's perspective - the water rarely gets over 2-3 feet deep - so even if we tipped we could simply stand up and step back into the canoe. I'm happy to say that didn't happen.

The current, however, was a challenge. I especially had difficulty getting the canoe to go in the direction I chose - can you say "chicken arms"? After three attempts to return to the pier, only to end up sideways, floating towards Kent Island, my lovely husband came to our rescue, and towed our wimpy butts back to shore. My hero!

All in all - a fun day. I think mostly because it was close to home, and not expensive - and we didn't have outlandish expectations. I should probably note that the children have declared they are NEVER doing it again. But they always react to new experiences like that.

And, as a whole, the family has decided we need something with a motor!

The husband and I would like to try the kayaks - without children. I'm hoping for something a little easier to maneuver!

All in all - a good day - with children! (and really, can you ask for anything more?)

Enjoy!

Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails...

I don't want to shock anyone - but I just can't keep it to myself any longer. Ready? Here goes:

Boys are ....... different. Their brains are apparently just wired differently from the gentler sex. Namely....ME!

Exhibit A: We spent last week with my mother, who was recovering from knee surgery. Now my mother is fastidious at best. Obsessive also comes to mind. She has - and has always had - a very, very clean house. (note how she never managed to pass that knowledge along to me, however. Ah well.)

Anyway....after an exhausting day (everyone, including children, left the house at 6am, my mom had knee surgery, we got prescriptions filled, went back to her house and took care of meals, dogs, laundry, etc.) I had finally collapsed into a chair to stare mindlessly at the television set. (I think it was on - but I'm not really sure). The eldest comes in and whispers in my ear, "Gabe did something really, really bad......he drew on grandma's closet doors."

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!

I ran from the room and yup - there it was. He had labeled the two closets in the spare bedroom. "MEN AND BOYS" and "WOMEN AND GIRLS". All spelled correctly with impeccable printing, I might add.

I think the back of my head came off. Now, it's not like he's permitted to write on walls or furniture at home. I do know people that allow it and don't like to stifle a young one's creativity. Me - I stifle.

He was able to clean off the damage - using elbow grease and a Magic Eraser. (wow, do I LOVE those things!!!) He was later explaining to his grandma that he just wanted to label the closets so that the boys got the good closet with the light. I asked why he hadn't written on a piece of paper and taped it to the door. His eyes got large, his mouth dropped open, and he admitted that would have worked, as well.

I'm with Bill Cosby - they're just brain damaged. Testosterone poisoning, possibly?

Now, Exhibit B: Yesterday I walk into the kitchen, Gabe has just let our small dog into the house, but hasn't unhooked the leash. I bend down to do so and realize that the white dog is now BLACK, soaking wet, dripping, and trembling. Not being stupid, I turned to Gabe, "WHAT DID YOU DO?????"

His answer...."Tee hee hee hee. I got her with the hose!"

Me...."WHY????"

Brain damaged male child: "I HAD too, the cat ran away and hid and I HAD to squirt something!!!!"

Nuff said?

The real question....is this just a phase and life will get better? OR....is this the beginning of the downward spiral into stupid male tricks?????

I'm beginning to understand the blessings of boarding school! Don't boys start them around 6 six years old? Hmmmm......

Yeesh.

Juggling lessons

I am striving to become a better juggler. It seems I have the ability to focus on ONE thing at a time - and all else falls to ruin. I've been working to achieve a more sane balance between parenting, homeschooling, cooking & housekeeping. Work is slow right now, and other obligations are on summer hiatus.

And so....I make lists of reasonable things to accomplish each day...and I do a little at a time. Actually, I make more reasonable lists for the children - I still try to do too much. But I'm learning. I think. The goal being to achieve sanity AND progress.

We went blueberry picking yesterday. Then made blueberry crisp, blueberry & spinach salad & blueberry muffins (which would have been better had I not forgotten the baking powder - oops!)

Now to go re-clean the kitchen, switch the laundry and write out the weekly homeschool assignments.

I guess life is juggling act - and sometimes - you just have to make omelets!

Maryland's Hero: Cal Ripken, Jr.

They say everyone needs a hero. Around these parts (Maryland) that hero is Cal Ripken Jr. The Iron Man himself, thanks to his dedication to persistence, consistency and excellence. Apparently he's never developed the "big head" ego so popular with other stars. I know that well into his famed career he thought to include a favorite teacher in the festivities. I know that he and his wife are devoted to children's literacy issues. I know he's written a book that walks children through his approach to baseball and life.

And now I know something else.

I know that he has funded groups of inner city baseball leagues to enjoy and learn from a five-day stay at the North Bay Adventure Camp, in Northeast, MD. My husband was on hand last night when a group of kids from Kansas City, Missouri arrived. The kids were ecstatic at the facilities, pool, indoor basketball, indoor AND outdoor climbing walls, zip cords into the Chesapeake Bay, and a new baseball uniform and equipment for each child, courtesy of Cal Ripken, Jr. The kids are also scheduled to attend his baseball training camp, and maybe take in an Orioles game!

It's the week of a lifetime for these kids - all thanks to Cal Ripken, Jr.

Thanks, Cal - for showing us the true meaning of the word, HERO!

et tu, Brutus?

We've added Latin to the homeschooling curriculum, it's very exciting. I took a couple of years of Latin in one of my high schools (Fort Hill in Cumberland, MD) and found it quite useful for 1) learning other languages and 2) understanding medical terms in my anatomy & physiology classes. Not to mention, it allows your inner geek to soar!

Lesson #1 was rather limited in vocabulary. Conjugate the verb amo, I love. [amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant (I love, you love, he loves, we love, you all love, they love)] Had three other vocabulary words: et (and), video (I see) and caput (head).

The five year old, who's also learning English grammar, and knows sentences need both a verb and a noun, immediately puts together his first Latin sentence (NOT in the curriculum and NOT taught by ME). His sentence....Amo caput.

My husband has it written on his whiteboard at work, is telling every male he can find, and wants to make t-shirts.

Luckily, this week we're adding many more verbs AND nouns to his vocabulary.

Yeesh.

It's Monday - Please Send Chocolate!

Let's see....my blood pressure is rising, my eyes are burning, I've developed a twitch, and I keep wanting to put my head through the wall. Hmmm...it must be...MONDAY!!!

Monday - when we all try to accomplish some formal learning. Something OTHER than reading books. Monday - when we try to dig out the house from the weekend crazies. Monday - when we realize we are a vile, dirty, disgusting people. Monday - when peanut butter magically appears on the kitchen cabinets, trash multiplies under tables, animals mysteriously knock over everything, and children forget how to a)clean up their messes and b)LISTEN to their MOTHER!

Monday, when the responsibilities of work, homeschooling, housekeeping, mothering, and being a reasonable human being all mesh into some snarling lump of humanity.

Monday, when you realize all those things you DIDN'T get done last week are now perched to bite you on the butt.

Monday, when the socks are all unmatched and the underwear is all dirty.

Monday, when the kids have three settings: hungry, whiny, or screaming.

Monday, the day the chocolate died.

Lions and Tigers and Bears .... oh my!

Ah...there's nothing like family adventure....to make you long for a good book. We took the clan to the National Zoological Park yesterday - otherwise known as the DC Zoo. I was very excited, since this was our first time (in recent memory) of visiting the zoo without heavy strollers or whiny toddlers. And, since the weather has been quite balmy, we were optimistic that the traditional heat wave that always seems to accompany us would be absent.

Um....no. Not so much.

We had no stroller - so we had to carry our bags and water bottles - and pull, threaten and cajole our cranky children. Also...it was...HOT! Very hot. And uphill. I'm not sure how they do it - but the zoo is about 90% UPHILL!

We were all less than impressed with our views of lions and tigers. "See that brown lump waaaay up there, behind the shrub? That's a lion!!!!!" Whoopee. We did, however, have AWESOME views of all three panda's. Dad was busy taking pictures of the animals, I was busy taking pictures of my children, and the 5 year old kept walking away from real animals to read the animal facts on the exhibits. He would have been happier staying home and reading a book about animals. Go figure. (ok, to be fair - that would have worked for me, too!)

At any rate - we're home now, recuperating. Is it just our family that adventures usually fall short - or is this a normal phenomena?