Mommathon

A friend and I took our kids to a barn dance tonight. It was exactly what you probably have pictured in your mind…a caller (old and stooped but a very good square dance teacher), a couple of fiddlers, twinkling lights hung from the rafters and lots of people clapping, stomping and doh si dohing their partners.

The boys were reluctant at first, but they had learned how to square dance in music class a couple of years ago (Thank you, Mrs. Phillips!) so they just jumped right in and did a fantastic job.

I would say they both did at least three dances before calling it quits for the night. We spent the rest of the night wandering through the apple orchard on the property, exploring the 1860’s kitchen garden and exploring one of the biking trails with their friends.

School is just around the corner…

Colm doesn’t understand why he has to use his allowance money to buy a new chair when he went through all the trouble to fix it with packing tape.

About four or five years ago Colm got a science kit for his birthday from someone. It sat around for a year or two, it made it’s move to Portland with us unopened, and then one day we discovered it in some cabinets…tucked away and forgotten. Now that we’ve rediscovered this little science treasure, it makes a debut every once in a while. Today we made volcanoes.

Usually by this time of the year we are drowning in tomatoes, but so far this year this is our only tomato and it took FOREVER to turn red. Our tomato plants have really taken off now (lots of little green tomatoes), so hopefully we will have much more before it gets too cold and rainy for them all to turn red.

Liam had his first soccer practice of the season tonight. He really likes his new coach and his team. All I have to say is, man those sixth graders are big! They definitely aren’t little boys any more.

We haven’t been to the zoo all summer! We have a great zoo and a zoo membership and the weather was perfect, so off we went. This picture is in one of my most favorite spots in the whole zoo.

I have wanted to take the boys to this since we first moved here, but we’d never been able to go. This year our calendar was free so off we went to the Adult Soapbox Derby at Mt. Tabor. It was just as Portlandish as you might imagine. There were people who were serious about it and had very streamlined cars and then there was Santa, Three Men in a Tub, The Scooby Doo Mystery Van and a car full of presidents. We only stayed for about an hour (it lasts all day), but we got a feel for what it’s all about. Next year we might bring a picnic and stay longer.

Today was our 4th Annual Lemonade/Popsicle stand to benefit The Oregon Food Bank. They boys did a great job making the signs and they earned over $50 in two hours as well as collected some canned goods. (Colm is behind one of the signs and the other kiddo is our neighbor who was a huge asset to our efforts today…boundless energy.) 🙂

The boys have spent the past two days at the pool having jumping contests with various friends. Liam wins the cannonball contest every time. I think in this one they are working on their can opener skills.