But Cappy... Don't you have kids?

Well, yes, actually I do have kids. I guess I have been a bit off track lately and not talked about them much. They are still growing, still eating, still breathing and still learning. In many ways, there is not much going on with them and in other ways there is so much going on that it's overwhelming.

Home school has started again in earnest. While the idea of school is never met with hoots and hollers by the kids, they do seem to enjoy learning new things. They're constantly telling me things they read or discovered, without prompting from me. On the other hand, if I ask what they're doing for school the response is "stuff". I think that's about the same response I've given people who've asked what the kids are doing... "stuff".

This child has been exploring her self identity this summer. No crisis - just growth and exploration. Grandma D made her the little pink skull cap and when girl child first saw it, she gave a sort of giggle and asked, "I'm really supposed to wear this?". She was told that, no, she didn't "have to" wear it, but that Grandma D had been thinking of her while making something similar for Uncle T. At the time, girl child had been wearing her hair in a single pony tail set high at the back of her head, so of course the skull cap looked funny. I convinced her to let her hair down (literally and figuratively) and try it again. I told her it made her look like someone out of the 60's. After looking in the mirror, she agreed and didn't take it off until bedtime.

We had her school year photo taken a couple of weeks ago. I'm so tired of the prices and lack of control about the poses, quality, etc. So this year I took her to W@lmart. This was one of the poses showing her sassy side. She was told to "show a little attitude" which had to be corrected into - the body is right but can you act like you're not being hurt? The official pose will be distributed by mail to family and friends - eventually. We're still waiting on boy child's photos to return before I start pasting stamps on envelopes.


She also went back to Nauvoo, Illinois for a visit with the rest of her family. While there, she really got into the fun of dressing up in the period clothes and went head over heels gaga over the boys in "Vocal Point". Ahhh the crushes begin. This trip is beginning to be something of a family tradition but the kids always find a new "favorite part" of their trip. This year for girl child, it was the outdoor stuff (there's that "stuff" again). They had a chance to play games and use toys as well as do chores that would have been a part of daily life in the 1840's.

Boy child also enjoyed the trip to Nauvoo. He was, however, much too "mature" to dress up in period costume. But he sure looks like he could haul water with the best of 'em, eh? Turns out that his favorite part of this year's trip was the weapons museum. He's got all kinds of pictures of various guns. What is it about boys and weapons anyway?

He went to camp for a week. And while he was there he grew up. Who told him he could do that, by the way? On the last night of camp they have a campwide talent show/program. Here is boychild enjoying the show. Where did the innocense go? He spent the week learning to sail small boats, learning more about his beloved archery and completed his swimming merit badge. I have to confess, I tried to talk him out of the swimming - I really didn't think he had the stamina to complete the lengthy swims PROPERLY. I've seen the boy swimming laps at the pool for practice. However, it would seem that my son is just like me... if you tell him he can't, he's going to. Just to prove you wrong. I didn't actually tell him that he couldn't pass the test, I just suggested that perhaps he should work on it a little longer. Mother is greatful to have been wrong and boychild is proud of himself. Next stop is his Star Scout advancement. "Technically" he's completed all of the requirements, but since he was assigned a leadership position and then never provided a chance to fulfill it (Asst Chaplin), we (his Scoutmaster and I) decided it would be better for him to actually fulfill a responsibility instead of just hold a title. He is now the Historian for his patrol. Lots of camping still going on for him - 3 overnight events left before mid-November, including a trip this weekend. He lives for camping and I'm glad he enjoys it so much.

Well that's about it for the updates for now. There's always something but between all of the extra reading I've been doing the last few days, I know a few W@bkinz that have been neglected. Think I'll check in on them and call it a day.