Thursday: gymnastics final

Ready for a picture/video overload?  Joshua stayed with Cheryl so I could watch Isaac better on "Parent Day".  Isaac seemed so grown up.  He wasn't really all that good, but he understood what to do and gave it a good shot.

The time started with stretches.  (He's in the middle of the picture with his back to me.  Black shirt, orange socks.)

Then to the vault.

Next station was uneven bars

The thing I noticed here, although I saw it some at the vault, was that Isaac interacted with this other little boy.  Quite a bit, actually.  This might have been one of my favorite things to see.

Next up, floor and tumbling.  I missed getting the summersault, but then there were log rolls.








And finally the balance beams

Blooper:
Isaac does a dive off the vault.  Too much of Ben in him I guess.

Wednesday: life

Today.  Isaac wanted to play the hop-hop-whee frog game that I took a video of Joshua doing last week.  I told him it would be boring, but he really wanted to.  So we went to the store after gymnastics.  Afterwards he told me it was boring.  We played one other game, but Joshua was ready to leave so it was we had to do it quickly.  We stopped at the bakery for cookies, and then Isaac didn't want to walk back to the car.  He pretty much had a meltdown.  He's never had such a bad one in public before.  But he walked back, possibly with his eyes shut half the way in a pretend sleep.

When we got home the painter had started.  Isaac again watched quite a bit.

We finally made a compost bin.  I just ordered the worms, so we'll see how it goes.  Both boys enjoyed helping me drill holes, and it was a good project because the holes didn't have to be in an exact location and it was easy to make the holes.  I might have to think of more things to drill.

It currently has a few veggies/fruit/egg shells, but it is mainly paper and cardboard right now.  The website recommended getting the stuff in the bin a week or so before getting the worms.

Isaac wanted to squirt the junk mail.  I thought it was hilarious.

Hmm, I didn't say much about Joshua.  He climbed into his high chair while I was washing the tray and almost gave me a heart attack, but did a successful climb.  He enjoyed his bagel for lunch, but then was really hungry at dinner because he had only eaten his bagel.  The boys were helping me make dinner and it was Joshua's turn to add the water.  Joshua flopped it in, barely keeping it in the bowl and Isaac and I both laughed.  He also played a game with me where he would take a puzzle piece, run away and put it down, and come back.  I'd ask, "Where's _(the fire truck)_?" And he'd run and get it and put it in.  Over and over and over.  It was a pretty easy game on my part though, so that was nice.

Tuesday:with pictures

Circuits were a big hit again today.  Fan launches, lights, all sorts of things.  I'm not completely sure why it was moved to the couch, but whatever.  Oh, I forgot to mention yesterday that Isaac noticed the resistors that are in the speaker and was able to accurately identify them!

Joshua was enjoying watching Isaac, but also likes getting his picture taken.

I found this jumble in Isaac's bedroom.  What prompted him to take down all his empty hangers?  Did they make good marble manipulators?  Questions I probably will never find out the answer to.

New bike helmets!  Joshua hasn't actually worn his in a "dangerous" situation, but you never know when a head injury will happen.  We water the neighborhood flowers on Tuesdays, and I signed up partially to get Isaac to ride his bike.  I had to force him to do it, but then he did a great job.

This is the bubble toy Joshua got for Christmas.  I think both boys enjoyed having Isaac use it more, because Joshua can't get as many bubbles out yet.

Monday: Isaac's big news

It was so big, that we made a video to share with Ben.



After this circuit, he proceeded to make several others, learning about short circuits.  It was rather fun.  Then I went to make lunch and he and Joshua made the fan spin off the motor.  We've done this one before, but they were rather excited to discover it themselves.  And yes, Joshua really likes this toy.  He works on his fine motor skills of snapping things together.

I'm feeling better today.  I had a low grade fever this morning, but the meds kicked in and the rest of the day was fine.  Not awesome, but fine.  While Isaac was at gymnastics, Joshua and I went to get some pictures of a quilt.  My map app said there was a park nearby, so we headed over there.  Turns out, it was a cemetery.  While I would be fine with my headstone in a picture, I didn't think it was very appropriate.  So we walked all over the large cemetery until we found the unused portion and got some pictures.  The weather was nice, but windy.

Sunday: Happy Father's Day

Today, instead of celebrating Father's Day in a semi-proper fashion, I helped Ben and Dad live up to their fatherly potential.

I went to church this morning, not feeling all that great but hoping I was just tired.  About twenty minutes into the service I called it quits, packed up the boys, and dropped with off with Ben while I went to bed.  And shivered.  The dumb thermometer wouldn't give me a higher temperature than 97.9F, but there was obviously a fever coming.  I waited about 15 more minutes and took Ibprofin.  My temperature continued to increase, peaking around 101.2 when I added in the Tylenol.  I've been running a low grade temperature since then, continuing with the medicine.

Now here's the thing; Ben's back was in more pain than normal too.  He made it through lunch, we had our house cleaner play with the boys instead of clean, and then my dad came over.  He brought the boys out for ice cream and played with them a bit.

Thanks to the Dads, who come through to help out even on their "special" day.

Last Saturday: mini reunion

Last Saturday the boys and I went to a mini-reunion on my mom's side.  It was a lot of fun.

Both boys got a tractor ride.  Joshua wouldn't let Uncle Dave steer.

I love this picture.  (Aunt C, I ordered a print for you today.)

Isaac loved the tractor ride.  He really wanted a second one, so we'll have to go back some time.

Picture paparazzi

Three of the four girl cousins.  (There are ..10 boy cousins?  This is the first time I remember meeting the girl cousin from Texas, and I just can't remember if there is a boy too.)

...and a delicious lunch.

Saturday: racquetball trivia

Today's biggest news is that a racquetball hit me squarely in the arm, leaving a welt.  In honor of the welt, I've decided to give you some racquetball rule trivia.  Ben and I have wondered these questions for a long time, but finally looked them up.

1. Unintentional carries are allowed.  This is a new rule change.  See 3.13b
2.  A short serve includes balls that bounce on the short line.  See 3.9b
3. A screen serve must pass close to the server's body.  See 3.9i
4. The ball is in play until it bounces twice.  This means that it can be hit by player 1, hit the front wall, hit the back wall, bounce, hit the front wall, and may still be hit by player 2.  See 3.13e

Other things that I didn't know but learned by glancing through the rules...
1. You can call a screen during play.  See Rule 3.14.a4
2. There is a rule modification that may be adapted such that if the ball hits the front wall between one and three feet it may bounce twice instead of once and still be in play.  The lines should be marked on the front wall.  See rule 6.3

Here is the document, in case you have a burning desire to learn about racquetball rules now.