Those rude boys...

When I picked Ben & Maggie up from Adventure Club yesterday, I ran into the younger sister of one of Ben's friends (she is 7 or 8). She said "Mrs Sylar, when I sit down, you can see my underwear and the boys keeping looking and that is rude". I looked down at her (she's quite a character & I really like her) and she is wearing a skirt the size of a scarf-no wonder that you can see her underwear when she sits down. I had to breathe deeply for a few seconds so that I didn't laugh. I said "well, if you have to wear a tarty little skirt like that, then what do you expect? You should be wearing pants like I am. But you are right, it is rude and I will tell Ben not to do it". She went away quite happy & I laughed all the way home. Ben told me that her brother kept looking under the table and laughing, but of course he wasn't doing it. I told him that he shouldn't do it as it wasn't nice. I think Ben really likes this girl & she is a lot of fun so I am not surprised they are messing with her when they can.

Walking to lose weight-the big lie?

SLU started a walking program this Summer. I got a team together & we started keeping track of the number of steps we did each week. I thought this would be a great incentive to get me to walk more & I was hoping I'd lose weight in the process. We started a month ago and I resisted weighing myself until 4 weeks had gone by. In the past 4 week, I have used every opportunity to walk, have walked over 390,000 steps (about 190 miles) and I was hoping for great things. I got on the scale this morning & I have GAINED 1 lb over what I was at the start. I am inclined to sit at my desk all day and eat Ted Drewes ice cream!!!! I'm trying to convince myself that the extra pound is due to all the muscle that I have built up on my legs!!!!!

Scout meeting at Circus Flora

Circus Flora had a scout day on Saturday. After the show, the scouts could ask questions and do a tour of the backlot. They all had a great time.

The past week

Ben & Maggie watched Pirates of the Caribbean again this week. It prompted Ben to get his old Davy Jones costume out again.

Ben made this plate for Sam's Father's Day present at Paint Me Pottery.

Maggie had several milestones this week. This was the first trip to the pool with Summer School. I was hoping that she'd be able to dress herself in a timely manner and bring her suit & towel home-she managed to do both. We got a call that she scraped her face on the pool side when she went down the slide. It was way worse than I thought it was going to be, but it doesn't seem to bother her too much.

We went to the pool on Sunday and I let Maggie try jumping off the diving board in the deep end. She did really well and spent hours just jumping off the board, getting out & lining up again!!!! She also had a wobbly tooth that she pulled out herself after we got home from the pool. At least the tooth fairy got this one!!!

The playground tree

The tree at the school playground that provided shelter for the parents while the kids were playing was struck by lightening last week. Unfortunately, it had been struck by lightening years ago and they were not able to save it after this time. It was cut down and hauled away within a couple of days and so I took the kids over to the school to see what it looked like without it. It is amazing how huge the trunk was, the whole center of the tree was hollow so it was probably just a matter of time before its demise. Luckily, it did not fall down when the kids were out there.

Enterprise family day

This event has become one of our regulars and is a huge hit with the kids. There is so much to do & it is all free. Unfortunately, it was another hot & humid day and most of the events are on the parking lot, so we were pretty much done for by the end of it!!! We did start off in a relatively shady spot where the kids were going through an inflatable obstacle course and Ben got his arm painted with a Cardinal. The kids love the fact that all the soda is free and they can have an (almost) unlimited amount

The Clydesdale horses are always there and Maggie had to pet this one-she really loves all animals

They loved going around on this little car

Maggie had a go at this thing, Ben wasn't having anything to do with it, even though he went on it last year. Lately, he has been very timid about trying anything.

Maggie had great fun jumping up and down on this and went on it twice. Unfortunately, there is always a long line to get on it

After 3 attempts, Ben finally decided he was ready to try riding the mechanical bull. Once he had done it, you couldn't keep him off it!!!!

What child can resist legitimately being able to hit their sibling with something huge???!!!!

Ben was the winner, but Maggie gave him a run for his money & she actually knocked him off the first time!!!!

Hit of the day-making wax moulds of your hands!!! First, you had to immerse your hand in ice water (not a pleasant experience)

then, dip your hand into a vat of molten wax for times. After each time, they check for bubbles and make sure your hand is completely covered

After they have dipped your hand 4 times, they cut around the wax and pull it off your hand

Lastly, they dip it in whatever colour you want. Ben got his done in the Ukrainian colours

10th percentile

Ben had his 4 month visit for his growth last Thursday. Recently, several people have commented that he seems to be getting taller, I think it's more that he seems to be getting thinner. He had grown another 2.8 cm since last time, so I think that puts him at close to 50 inches tall & he weighs 54 lbs. He has climbed up to the 10th percentile on the charts now, but he is leveling out from what he was when he first started growth hormone. The doctor increased his growth hormone dose. She did point out that his bone age is 2 years behind, so he still has plenty of growing left to do