How much do they make an hour??!

Future construction workers of America:

Future construction workers of American on break:

Growing up...

**spoiler alert for young children!!**

Well, M3 officially no longer believes in the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus. The other night she asked me if the Tooth Fairy was real (not that either my children has ever given up their teeth to the TF), and I asked her what she thought. She thought no. Part of this is because she left a NOTE under her pillow for the TF. Well, HOW is the TF supposed to KNOW there is a note under the pillow when there is NO TOOTH involved?? So the TF didn't write back; hence, the confirmation of M3's suspicion. The question about Santa followed. I explained that the spirit if Santa is a real part of Christmas, but the presents and stuff...well, yeah, that's your parents.

But then she asked if she could still "do" the Tooth Fairy, meaning exchange notes, I guessed. So the TF finally retrieved the note from under M3's pillow and dutifully replied.

Sniff...

Art Camp Finale

Well, the two weeks of morning art camp came to an end last Friday with a performance/art viewing. After a wicked afternoon storm, the skies cleared, and it turned into a beautiful night to visit the art farm. M4 insisted on wearing his tie for this special occasion:You can sort of see the lovely setting from this pic of M3 in the middle of the India-inspired dance she learned (it was a global theme). Yes, she's dancing next to a silo:
M4 decided against the tie after a while. Here he is singing a song in Spanish:
Here they are in front of a wall of masks that the campers made. The variety of masks made from the same materials is really quite amazing! They made a whole lot of really cool stuff!
When I asked M4 afterward if he would be interested in doing art camp again next summer, he took a VERY long pause before finally answering that he would. One small step for some kids, one giant leap for M4.

First trip to the pool this summer...

M4 figured out a good way to keep the sun out of his eyes:

Lemonade stand...

M3 and M4 were very keen on having a lemonade stand Sunday afternoon. I was not too excited...something to do with exposing my children to random strangers passing by, I guess. Way to spoil the childhood fun, Mom! Anyway, Mark helped them set up, and they were very earnest and enthusiastic about shouting "Lemonade for sale!" to any passing car. They had several customers and made a few bucks! M3 also sold some of her drawings. I guess it was an art sale, too. I was so taken by their enthusiasm that I even found myself riding to the store to fetch them some ice with my new bike panniers. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) They were just so cute in this endeavor, I couldn't stand it!! They are not jaded yet....

Fun weekend...

On Saturday while Grandma and Grandpa were here, we went to the Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail and met some of the extended Hale clan for a bike ride. It was a cool and lovely day. M3 rode her bike twelve miles! M4 was on the trail-a-bike, which I don't think was very comfortable, especially because the part of the trail we were on was kind of bumpy. But he hung in there!
Clearly, I am not too good with the photography. No flash needed here. But it's the only pic I got of the action! Much of the trail had nice shade.

Here is a good portion of the clan at PJ's in Panora. The trail was much nicer and smoother south of Panora. After lunch, Grandpa took the kids to a carnival and playground in Grimes. Thanks, Grandpa!!
The kids and I stopped at a playground in a cute little town called Yale. We met a cool woman who has been teaching abroad for years but came back to her hometown, bought an old, decrepit hotel, and is fixing it up as a B & B. Future overnight ride?
More playground time in between riding time...Mark took a major spill and is sporting some nice road rash on his arm and hip. Wouldn't be a bike ride unless someone fell! I'm still sporting a scar from my RAGBRAI fall...

I had fun at Art Camp!

So sayeth my little hurler.

Better day...

After, for all intents and purposes, totally losing his marbles yesterday on the first day of Art Camp, M4 was MUCH better today. I think a good night's sleep helped. The previous nights had been very stormy. I was totally exhausted from being awake those nights, and I think M4 was, too. For those of you I haven't already mentioned this to, he almost made himself throw up when we arrived at art camp yesterday. He was much more chipper this morning, although he did tell me "he didn't feel good" at first. I think the prospect of going home afterwards with a friend he adores helped sweeten the deal today. Plus they are making awesome, cool dragon heads!!! which I will post pictures of later.

P.S. Blogger isn't loading images right now for some reason. Computers...bah.

The stereotypes are ingrained at a young age...

M4 found a pair of Mark's old glasses...needless to say, quite large old glasses in comparison to today's styles. He put them on and was goofing around. I told him he looked like Poindexter (M4 learned this name from a friend and has been mispronouncing it "Poinexter."). I explained that Poindexter was a name associated with geekiness. (Um...yeah...OK, I'm perpetuating the stereotypes.) Then M4 put the glasses on Mark, started giggling, and said, "You look like a scientist!!!"

Lazy Days of Summer?

Today was the first day of no school. I was looking forward to the lazier summer schedule; getting to hang out with the kids. But...that doesn't really work when I have to teach at 8 a.m. Darn that work stuff! It just gets in the way. It will be interesting to see how the kids deal with being dragged to work with me all the time. When their other buddies are there, it's OK, but when they're not...well, we'll see. (Hey, that was all three uses of there/their/they're in one sentence! Probably bad English.)