Great Escape

Red Team Embarks for The Great Escape.  Here are this years family members that were able to make it:
                                                          The Red Team

                                 


The Red Team embarked for a grand day in Lake George, New York.  Great Escape was our destination for smiles, laughter, and a good getaway.  Michael learned the days of the week song so that he could count down to our trip.  He would squeeze his eyes shut and jump up and down and say how excited he was to go.

On the morning he was up early and bright eyed.  We went to the rendez-vous with all the other red team members.  There were eighteen this year, two couldn't make it.  Here is Sammy, Brigitte, and Michael.

Here is some of the group.  We all wear red so we can find each other through out the park.  All day long

Michael would spot someone and yell, "Red Team!"

Just about to go into the park.  Here is Michael with Daddy and Mimi and Pa.  Mimi and Pa buy everyone's ticket to get into the park so we can spend a family day all together.  They are pretty remarkable and so fun. Mimi loves the rides and you can always talk her into going on the Scrambler, the Swings,  or the Hot Air Balloons.  Anything that spins and spins.

Pa on the other hand does not like to go on the spinning rides but tempted fate and went onto the Hot Air Balloon Ride with Mimi.  Uh-oh.

Poor Pa.  The others had fun, even Michael.

                                                         They had much more fun than Pa.

The Cars was a fun ride for a lot of the Red Team.  Two by Two clamored into cars and whisked back

to carefree memories of  before when they climbed into these same cars a bit younger.

First Nick and not pictured, Nora took to the road.

                                       Next Jim and Michael revved up with Michael steering the way.

                                           Becky and Bonnie went next, with whoops and giggles.

                                                  Nick and Nora rounded another corner

                                             just as Beth, a non-driver, and Dave along for the ride started out.  Just look
                                          at that gleeful anticipation here!

                                          Michael and Jim turned a corner just as Beth and Dave started out.

                                         The girls raced up the hill, laughing, sharing a twin moment.

Michael exiting the cars, he had so much fun.

Michael and Nora raced to the top of the M&M bridge.  Every step was joyful and light-hearted.

                                     They waited at the top for the rest of the Red Team to meet them.

After a wagon ride the first place to visit was a walk with Cinderella for Michael and Nora.

A father and son moment.

                                                      Sam and his Dad, Chris hanging out.

Some of the Red Team went for rides on the Swan Boats.  

Michael was excited to be in the boat and to see all the sights, the ducks, and the rides we passed.

Nora leaned over on her side and watched the lily pads floating and the ducks swimming.

Mimi and Pa sat behind Sammy and Nick and enjoyed the ride.

Up ahead came another boat filled with Red Team Members.

                                          Michael shouted, "Red Team!"  And we all waved and snapped
                                         pics of each other.

                                                 The original name of the park.

On to the Western Town Michael and Nora decided to play in the coffins out front.

                                             They were trying hard not to laugh as we snapped their pictures.

Uncle Jim got in the action with Nora.

After we all got in line and went on the log ride.  Most of us went on the log ride while some others, Becky, gave the kids, Sam and Nora, money to get us wet while we raced down the steep hill.  Thanks!

The teenagers had all gone off to do what teenagers do...scary rides, flirting, and enjoying the scenery....

so while the teens were off we red-teamed our way to Loony Toon Land so the young'uns could ride

more rides.

There were boat rides,

                                                   shouts of "Red Team!"

                                               And train rides.

                                          Michael really liked the train rides.

After a picnic on a nice green field by our parked cars, another walk  back to the park, and then swimming and playing at the water park, we went on more rides and the girls decided to do some dancing.

Must make a note that the three hours we were at the water park Andrew spent the whole time in a relaxed state of bliss on the Lazy River.  In fact we had to find him to tell him it was actually time to get out for that part of the park wasn't gonna be open much longer.  I think that was his high point of the trip.

Red Team!

                                                       
                                                          Michael and Sammy on the Convoy

                                            Michael ran right up to Scooby-Doo and hugged him.

                                                Michael with me as we waited for some Red Team to finish
                                          their ride on the raging river.

                                              Pa spending a quiet time with Michael.

                                         
                                           Jim and Michael on the airplane.

And Nick and the girls dancing with Mr. Six to the YMCA song while Andy grins and watches.

                                                          Mr. Six

Even Nora and Brigitte got in on the dancing.

We took Nora and Michael through Alice in Wonderland, which will always

be remembered as Beth's special childhood memory.   She always thought

of it as Allison Wonderland.

                                                Pa told Michael the story of the Cheshire Cat

                                          and how it can disappear.

                                           And how Michael's Daddy was Tweedle Dum in a play.

Technology break for Will

                                                          Brothers hanging out, nice pics.

                                                                 
                                                              Bonnie and Joel

                                                   
                                                          Love, Love, Love this one.

                                                          Me and my honey.

                                                     

                                                       
                                          Michael had fun in the little houses, pretending.

                                         

                                          Sammy playing in the houses.

                                            Michael in the pumpkin house.

                                                Nora and Michael and Sammy in the Cobbler's house.

                                                Michael reading Jack and the Beanstalk.

                                            Nora pretending she had thrown the magic beans and
                                          now discovered the beanstalk.  She will do well in Drama.

 Soon after the Red Team left for The Golden Corral and had a final meal together.  Most were spent
from the day but some after the cotton candy and chocolate bar were raring to go again.


Michael spent some time remembering what he did to his Mimi.  And he is still talking about it.

Red Team Day is a special day where family gets together and we can all forget worries and fears, and woes and  live in the moment of make believe and laughter.  Thank you Mimi and Pa, we love spending the time with you.

Sequencing

Ordering of things


Michael has been working a bit on the order of things.  I found a sequence puzzle set for him and he really immersed himself in it.

I find his concentration  amazing as he really gets involved in his work.  He had little problems when looking at the three selections and ordering them properly.

I have been having him make more observations from the pictures in stories to predict what will happen next.  This will help him learn the rhythm of storytelling.  These puzzles here have three images that tell a story of something happening.  They will be good prompts for making up stories this fall.

Our Roots

Thoughts of July

                                                             Happy 4th of July

                                              There is joy on his face as he eagerly awaits,

                                              the planes, the works of fire crackled,

                                                      the freedom of our united States.

                                                 

                                                                    Summer Camp

                                          Upside down and all around there is fun to be found,
                                          jumps to share,  beams to cross, somersaults and smiles,
                                    Michael's joy knows no bounds, his squeals a satisfactory sound.




                                                                LAKE MONSTER GAME

                                              Oh look at me, I rode a bus, and ate so many sweets,
                                           a baseball game, a dance with Champ, an extraordinary day.
                                           The best of times do slowly go, I can no longer stand on feet.
                                           But oh! How fun to spend the time at a baseball game today





                                                             Our Roots

                                         Jim and I went for a hike
                                          while all the boys were gone,
                                         we twisted round the lake through trees
                                          with roots spread out on lawn.
                                       
                                         Our feet kept time to days we've shared,
                                         the circle around the park.
                                         Through  burning heat, and shadows long,
                                         our years in light and dark.

                                         A kindled glow, a weathered branch, 
                                         driftwood entwined to one.
                                         The piled sands, the worried gull,
                                         the hardships lost and won.

                                         With walking sticks for future hikes,
                                          for days repeat we pray,
                                          our steps a unison of our life,
                                          our hands now three, we stay.

                                          Our eyes cast out from Shelburne Bay,
                                          past ships, the trees, the rocky starts.
                                          We see the past, we feel the time,
                                          we hold each other's hearts.

                                          The moments pass yet roots take hold,
                                          our lives are more than two,
                                          For in our wake the ripples stirred
                                          the lives of boys in view.

                                                                     -Jodi
                                         
               

Summer Activities at Home

 Water Transfer Activity:

I gave Michael a pitcher of water, two bowls, and a sponge.  I asked him to pour the water into one bowl and then figure out how to get the water in the other bowl.

He  picked up the sponge and pushed it into the water.  When he lifted the sponge he said it was heavy and drippy.

 I asked what would happen if he squeezed the sponge and he eagerly squeezed it in his fingers.  Water gushed out of it and he placed it over the other bowl.  He watched the water fill the bottom of the bowl and he got that "aha"moment and began transferring the water from one bowl to the other.

I want to have him learn that all science involves asking questions, predicting outcomes, and then experimenting to form conclusions.  He is really curious and eager to explore this way.  This fall we will ask many questions and begin to write down our data as he learns how to write.





Michael has also been acting out many stories with his puppet theater that he got from Mimi and Pa.  He loves to put on shows for me and is even more excited to put on shows with Nora.  Together they put on a fishing show for me.

 The show ended in much giggles, lost poles, and found hugs.  They are so cute.

On a thrifting outing I found this really great chalkboard for just a few dollars.  Michael loves to
be artistic and he spends a lot of time doodling with the chalk. Lately he is interested in lines and circles.  He spends a lot of time rhythmically designing on the board.

 He has a box filled with colored chalk and it looked so interesting with all the colors I had to take a picture.  Don't you just want to pick up a color and draw?

 It is fun to watch him as he contentedly draws.


We also have begun making games for the Muppet Treasure Island Pirate party.  Together we made a magnetic fishing game with poles and fish.  Last night we painted a box blue for the fish to "swim" in.

Nora made this great picture of Fozzy Bear.  I couldn't figure out how to turn the picture so you could see it better but you get the idea.  We will cut out his belly and make it a bean bag toss game.

I think Nora is just as excited as Michael to have the party as we continue to gather and make activities and decorations for the party in August.   She has been greatly appreciate for all her help and ideas for the party.  She is a joy to have with us!

Down by the Beaver Pond

We started our summer adventures by going to visit the beaver pond to see if we could see signs of animal life.  It sounded like there was a party going on down there with lots of bull frogs letting us know they were down there!  A beaver swam under a log and away from the loud croaks.  Birds, butterflies, and the stirrings of reeds and tall grass brought us closer to the nature all around us.

We watched the cattails rustle and red-winged black birds alight on them.  The sun was out and life was all about us.  We sat still, well trying to be still, Michael had so much to comment on it was almost too impossible to not blurt out what he was seeing.  He was so filled with observations and the joy of being out there in the woods with his Nora that he just gushed and gushed.

There were man made bridges to cross, ferns to stand by to calculate how tall we were, blue and pink flowers, and butterflies and moths fluttering everywhere.  A cool breeze in the shade of the trees that arched over the worn path gave instant relief.

We swatted at the bugs, jumped over logs, and even grass-stained our knees as we slipped and stood and hiked through the paths.

The felled beaver trees were covered in a sea of ferns now and we are unable to locate them any longer.  The fiddleheads were now wide open and taller than Michael.

We made our way to the Winooski River and spent moments tossing rocks, watching dragonflies, and beading up with sweat. An impulse to throw myself into the water almost overcame me but I persevered in the heat and made my way back up to the cooler path.

Michael held Nora's hand as they giggled and pointed down the path.  I could hear him, "I love you so Nora."  She squeezed his hand and said, "I love you too Michael."

Nora said maybe next time we could bring our nature journals and draw while we are there.  What a great idea!   Here Nora signed the guest book at the trails.

 We came home and she went right to sketching in her journal while Michael took a much needed rest.

 Here is Michael's journal.  He wrote the title:

The moments are made more dear as we share the world with the kids.  Their fresh way of looking at life is inspiring, their joy and comments wonderful.  I can't wait to fill our days with memories of Natural Vermont.