Frisbee golf

When mark came down for the weekend, after spending all day shooting off rockets in Valley View Park, they decided to go play Frisbee golf. I have never played before and I don’t think Mark had either, but Andy had in California with some of his friends. It turns out that even though we are completely terrible at it, it was actually pretty fun. the kids had fun learning how to throw the Frisbees and chasing after them. Mark and Andy got to spend some brother time together (I secretly think he enjoys his time away from me, though I have never heard him admit to it). I , most importantly, got pictures of my family enjoying themselves doing something fun all together.

The Frisbee golf course, which for time saving sake we will from here on out refer to as Frolf, consisted of 18 ‘holes’ which are actually baskets into which you try to get the Frisbees in with as few throws as possible. Seems easy enough until you realize exactly how hard it is to make a Frisbee go the direction you want.

Like I said, we were completely terrible at it which was made worse by the fact that we were all sharing two Frisbees.

The kids had fun trying to throw it in and even more fun chasing them down when the adults threw them very hard and they veered off course.

I even got the kids to sit still for a moment and pose for me for about two and a half seconds before they were off and running again.

We had a minor mishap of a Frisbee being thrown very high and sheering to the left into a huge growth of ragweed and other such plants. After much fruitless searching and climbing up a tree with the hopes of spotting said lost Frisbee, we gave up and played the rest of the game with one. 

All was not lost, however, and by the end of the Labor Day weekend, Mark produced a new Frisbee with which to play again at some future point in time. Huzzah!

First Day of School

I can hardly believe the day has arrived when both my babies are getting on the bus to go to all day school. I thought it might be a little harder on me than it was, but I am still a little sad to see them go. There is not going to be a time when I get to pretend they are my little babies again. They are only going to get busier and a little more distant from me from this point forward so I will have to learn to take their love when I can get it, give it when I can, and value the time they let me spend with them. How do you stop them from growing up?

Jack is in second grade now and is an old pro at the whole getting on the bus and going to school gig. Even though it takes a bit to get him out of bed, once he’s up and ready to go he really does like going to school. After the fact is when he gets grouchy because he’s tired and in his own words “just want(s) to relax”. Little does he know that the school day has been extended 30 minutes extra this year. Poor thing. He really does put up with a lot for being so small.

He did promise to help his little brother so hopefully that all goes well. Like any good big brother Jack gets a bit defensive of his little brother so I think Alex will be just fine.

This is the beginning of Alex’s public education career and is he ever excited. he has been waiting for this day since the first day he cried when his big brother got on the bus to go to kindergarten. I think being at school for so long may be hard for Alex as he is so used to doing what he wants  when he wants in regards to playing and going outside. I hope he does well. He is a true people person and that will be his saving grace because if for nothing else he will go to school for the friends.

I had my camera ready and Andy on standby with the video camera to capture this historic moment. I told them to not forget to turn around and wave at us as they got on the bus. I can’t believe they both remembered. Perfect!

Same school bus as last year and appears to be the same driver as well. Jack will teach Alex everything he needs to know and then Alex will also have a sixth grade buddy assigned to him to assist him throughout the year, usually someone on the same bus schedule.

This year they had an extra thing where the parents could meet the child at the school when they got off the bus to say good bye and help them to their room, but I decided it is confusing enough and hard enough to start a new school and year without having to see your mom again at school.

On a brighter note, having both children in school gives me almost three hours of uninterrupted time to myself when I get home from work to do the things I need to get done. It also gives Andy the opportunity to go back to sleep once the kids are off to school and hours of time to get things done around the house. Oh the possibilities are endless with what he might accomplish.