Teenagers

despondent? 

Angry?

Has something to say. 

Changed her mind. 

I got you. 

Why am I red?  

 

A Birthday!

After getting home from vacation, we dropped the car, picked up the dog and cat, got some milk and prepared for the girls' birthday the next day. 

I'm not going to lie, when Alida showed up wanted to help make her cake, I was relieved. 

We moved and were here 8 months before Covid shut down the world. 

It isn't all bad that they don't have a huge cadre of friends here yet that they are missing now, and one guest for the day was perfectly lovely!

Ben hung the streamers.  It was certainly at the girls height...even if it looked a little like a crime scene.

Happy Birthday Elaine!

(I cannot take credit for that cake, which was beautiful!)

Happy Birthday Alida!

We totally take credit for the soda pop cake with strawberries and cool whip frosting that we call Slawberry cake here.  

And some cute little cupcakes to blow on since we're all being super clean these days. We probably could have moved the cakes some distance away from the blowing while we were at it, but we just get excited sometimes. 

13!

Thirteen years ago today, we were amazed by you, but we were not yet aware how very much we needed you to complete us.  Now, I cannot imagine a day without you.  A warm and happy birthday to you.  You delight us daily.

Summer Camp Arts and Crafts

I hated the ugly "No Diving" stickers we had. 

So Elaine made me a new sign. 

Summer Break Ready

Watermelon and a shirt the color of--we are ready for summer break.  Very, very ready. 

School's Out!

All online learning, video uploads, Zoom meetings complete!  

Onward, to see what happens in August after a little summer break. 

Above Elaine had to teach someone to sing and sign the scales with her, and maybe more importantly agree to be videoed for classroom upload (or maybe also blog sharing...)

Waiting is hard

The dog: Waiting for nothing in particular but looking quite festive due to his surroundings. 

Elaine: Bringing the surroundings to life while she waits. 

In ALL sorts of imaginative ways. 

Determination

And when  Elaine decides, she will leave no room for further debate.  She determined and headed for the check out.  The nice folks did stop her and wondered if we would like the end trimmed perhaps?  Maybe we would like to see it out of the wrap?  She reluctantly handed it over. 

And then she took it the rest of the way once we were to the house.  

We did have to slow things down when she nearly took the television off the wall. 

Elaine Cleans

Having now experienced six houses over the last eight years, we have opinions.  Porcelain-covered gas stovetop covers set in place on a sheet of glass--one we would never, ever choose for ourselves, ever.  Cleaning is a nightmare, until you get out the handheld electric sander with a steel wool attachment and douse it with a cleaning abrasive.  Then you have half a chance. 

The Musical

Opening Night--we wouldn't have missed it.

Elaine joined the crew after cross country was over for the season.  Since she was the only one to volunteer and not be in the play, she was promoted to stage manager pretty much immediately. 

 

Three days and four shows.

Sixth grade, I remember singing the alphabet song for a one-night only showing... school has changed.

 

And we were absolutely without-a-doubt amazed.  They all were wonderful, really.  I couldn't believe they were 6-8th graders.

 

The Napkins--turns out they are back-up singers...

And the theme of the show: manners.  I was delighted.  There was a song about how to set the table; how to be a good guest; how to say thank you.

And gratuitous picture of Elaine, since all we saw during the show was a little peeking out from behind the curtains, so quickly I couldn't get a shot.

Mom. Mom. Mom!

I hear it so often, I often miss what's happening around me when I choose to ignore it.

Mom!  Is this normal?  

 

Well, that is a different sort of question worth looking up at.

 

Elaine, get off my furniture.

And, no.  That's not normal.

Off And Running

This is a pack of 6th and 7th grade kids of one gender or another, taking off at one of the recent cross-country meets.

One and a half miles for the pack to break into stride groups.

 

 

I'm there because I have 3 of 4 who wanted to run this year. 

There is Elaine sort of front of center there, arms swinging. 

 

Ben has an unusually tall friend who talked him into joining this year.  While they don't run together, Ben hangs in there.

 

The crazy tall girl there? Elaine is right behind.

They actually wound up racing each other to the end during this race.

 

And Nicholas.

Of three races so far, he has yet to come in less than number 27 out of the whole pack.

He is determined that he will win.

 

And after each race, there is a collapse.

 

Oh, You're Funny Alright

The waterfall was beautiful, but Elaine pulling her trick on me (hatched surely while I was carrying her canoe on my head all over the place...), reminded me immediately that I should never trust the girl....

 

 

It's Relative

Having long legs for your body, doesn't mean they are always long enough.

 



Elaine's Art Portfolio Fifth Grade

Not a deer.

Chi Wawa. Ears, oddly, stayed put.

 

Self Portrait

And a tree house in the sky

Fifth Grade Culmination

Welcome to Monroe Elementary in August 2017, your 4th and final elementary school.

 

And, good-bye Monroe Elementary June 2018!

(I found out the evening before that dresses were in order...)

Good-bye attempting to make school lunches!

I have already ensured their lunch accounts are all solid with money for next year...

 

And there was a ceremony, and so many events that I am very scared for what high-school graduation looks like these days....

Comments written by their classmates.

 

All good things.

And the boys?

They were glad to come to lunch with us and begin to let the girls know what kind of world they would now be entering in middle school--lockers, locks, changing classrooms.  It turns out the boys did incredibly wonderfully in 6th grade. We have no doubt the 4 will do equally well next year in the school where there are three grade levels and three slots for the registration... argh.  I learned to work around these things long, long ago.

 

The Sloth Habitat

made with much printing, much help from Hobby Lobby, and home-made slime for the pond there.

 

The presentation, I hear it went well. 

Fifth Grade Art Show

Elaine--as a parachutist. 

 

Elaine's tree-house in the sky.

 

Alida learning shadows.

 

Alida on the balance beam.

 

And Ben being a good sport at the show.