And so it begins.

This week found some of us feeling under the weather.  Ethan stayed home from school yesterday with a sore throat and upset stomach.  I haven't been myself for the last three days.  Someone brought a little ray of sunshine to my door to brighten my spirits.  

Isn't it cute?  Thanks T.  So bright and cheery! 

Laborious Labor Day

'Twas a lovely Labor Day Weekend.   We attended our local high school football game on Friday night.  Ethan and Ben worked on their doodle book most of the game.  Mid way through the first half Ethan says "Are we the white team?"  Needless to say, we weren't.  Where's your school spirit my man?? 

Saturday we loaded up our bikes on our spiffy new bike rack and headed off.  We enjoyed a few laps and then the humidity sent us running back home.  Whew.  Will has finally gotten the hang of a two wheeler.  He just needs to tweak his starts and stops. 

Then we headed to the ridge to swim with friends, eat their delicious food and enjoy conversation as the children watched video.  Here's a picture of Will living it up in the pool.  

He looks pretty happy, doesn't he? 

On Sunday we traveled to Pittsburgh to watch the Pirate game.  We had great seats and I felt like I was a competitor in the pierogie race!  Okay, maybe not.  It is fun to sit in those baseball stadiums and cheer on a team (even if technically you don't really follow them or watch them ever).  

Since today is Labor Day, Kevin and I worked our butts off (mine is still sore from biking!) trying to get the house organized and clean.  Gheez!  House keeping bores me to tears.  However, I am happy to report I can access my sewing machine and hope to work on few projects in the next few days.  

The house is pretty quiet most days as all three boys are in school.  I have spent my days cleaning the carpets, organizing the house and knitting.    I am scheduled to sub my first day in Kindergarten on Friday.  I am still getting the hang of the sub alert system.  I seem not to have a trigger finger quick enough because I hear the alert and check my phone.....and missed it.  Oh well,  I will figure it out in time I suppose.  

Science...It's just fun.

I was too chicken to take college in science.  I thought I didn't have the smarts.  Therefore when I went back to graduate school, it was necessary for me to take undergraduate biology.  Surprise surprise...I loved it! 

Our boys are interested in how things work, so we try to spark their curiosity when possible. 

Last week we did a few science experiments from our summer science kits.

 

Yes, I do have a video.  No, I do not know how to get it to work on the post.  Yes, I do need a tutorial. 

Science.......cool stuff.

List titled "Maxwell Summer 2014"

Kevin presented this at supper the other night of all the activities we did this past summer.  
The list includes, but it not limited to......

2 hotel trips to Dover and cousins
Millersburg Day Trip
Wooster reunion - hotel with Grandma and Grandpa
Basketball camp (Ethan and Ben)
Amos Lee concert (Kevin and Sally)
Lowes Build and Grow (Will)
VBS
Knitting classes (Mommy)
3 Little Lake Theater plays (James and the Giant Peach, Cat in the Hat, Charlotte's Web)
2000 Mile Road Trip
-State College: Cousin Garrett
-NJ:Haiduc Dales swim and play
-PA: James, Colman, Thomas (Ringing Rocks)
-DC: hotel, monuments and museum
-NC: hotel, July 4th party at Uncle's
-NC:Beach
Kindergarten program - (Will )
Lego Camp- (Ethan and Ben)
Swimming Lessons
Nickel Creek concert (Sally and Kevin)
Dinosaur Show
Visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house
E, B, and K Birthdays
Ohio Wolf Creek Lodge and visit friends
Swimming at Martins
Bowling
Drive In Movie


Wow. 

Hopefully some memories were made and a good time was had by all. 

Thanks for the list, Kev-bo!

First Day of School 2014

Today is an important day!

First, it is the 52nd anniversary of my favorite couple, Dick and Rosie, who deserve nothing but happiness and kindness from everyone for today and everyday.  We, Pennsylvania Maxwells, love you! 

Second, it is the first day of school for all 4 of my men.  The tumbleweeds are blowing through the house today.  (Or maybe that is the giant dust bunnies.)

 

 

Here is a picture that Kevin snapped in front of the school this morning.  The hardest part was having to get up at 6:30!  Will asked at breakfast, "Is my school going to start this early again tomorrow?"  Then as I kissed him good bye he said, "I am really excited for kindergarten." 

Ben was up, breakfasted, dressed, brushed, hair combed and ready to go by 7:00.  Hopefully that momentum will continue for the next 179 days.

Ethan had some early morning jitters, but then bounced back due to Kevin's fatherly pep talk.  I am not sure what encouraging words were said, but he was bright eyed and bushy tailed for the rest of the morning.

I had my moments of being teary-eyed because lo and behold my children are growing up right in front of my eyes.  Also these life marking moments make me miss my mom too.

I wouldn't trade my three fellas for all the tea in China. 

Therapy 101

Sometimes I feel totally unequipped to deal with the ugly parts of life....conflict, sadness, anger.  I wonder how to repair the missing steps on the ladder of my emotional development.

Understanding emotions is what you learn as a child, unless your Mom doesn't show much emotion.  I can count on one hand how many times I have seen my Mom cry or really angry.  She pushed it way, way down because that is what she learned from her parents.  If you don't talk about it then it will go away.  Only it doesn't.  So I have been struggling to figure it out on my own as an adult.

You aren't a good girl if you don't accept what others say with a smile.  You are seen as "crazy" and "irrational" and the "one who is itchin' for a fight."  Unfortunately no one will say any of that to you face because we were never taught how to face it head on, no emotion and in a calm manner.  We were only taught to keep it in and push it down until one day we blow up and bring up things from 20 years ago.  Things that were never discussed. This fosters resentment and hard feelings that quite possibly will never get resolved.

I try to teach my sons how to express what they are feeling but it is challenging. especially because sometimes we aren't sure what we are feeling.  Why are we really mad at the situation? 

I feel like typically I am a relatively calm and forgiving person, and yet I am unable to maintain this with my siblings.  Is it the history?  Is it because we are such a large family that it is hard to find a place to fit in?  I don't know.  It's both sad, angry and frustrating. 

Therapy session ended. 

Vacation 2014 a/k/a 1,800 miles added to the van



Our vacation began with an overnight visit with cousin extraordinaire, Garrett, in State College, PA.  Holy Smokes, it is beautiful around that area!  I would not have traded my College of Wooster experience, but I must admit I was envisioning what life might have been like had I attended Penn State University.  It was fun to walk around, eat creamery ice cream and try to picture my Dad stomping on the same spots.  Thanks Garrett!

Will is holding the kid sized cone.  Exactly how big are the kids in central PA?

 

Next we traveled across PA to visit good pals in New Jersey.  Will loved every minute he played with best pal, Ethan.  This is also home of the M & M company, so we HAD to snap a shot.



From there we drove back to visit two of my brothers and their families in Newtown, PA.  We visited a local county park called ringing rocks where the kids could pound on the rocks to make a ringing sound like a bell.  Pretty cool! Scientist, Kevin Maxwell, has the particular scientific reason for their ringing.  My observation, "Those sure do sound purdy."

On to the nation's capital, also known as one of the hottest place I have ever been.  Of course this was due in part to walking all over God's half-acre with a 40 pound 5 year old on my back.  Guess who has two thumbs and forgot the stroller?  The boys especially loved riding the metro and seeing "real spaceships" at the Air and Space Museum.

This is a picture of our fingers after we touched a moon rock.  These fingers, my friends, have been pow! straight to the moon!

Onward ho, through the brutal creeping traffic of I-95 to Raleigh, NC to visit family for their annual 4th of July party.  Nothing sweeter than cousins!


We traveled next to the outer banks to see the Wright Brothers' exhibit in Kitty Hawk and experienced the most beautiful day I have ever seen.  It was sunny and in the low 80's at the beach!  We were thrilled that Arthur had hit land earlier and provided us with such great weather.
 
At Jockey's Ridge State Park the boys enjoyed climbing, running and jumping over the sand dunes that seemed to go on forever.  "I feel like I am in the desert," said Ethan.

We stayed in Corolla, a northern tip of the OBX.  Of course a trip to the beach wouldn't be complete without a trek up the steps of a light house.  This year Will wanted to go and made it up every one of the 300 steps.  Whew!



"Are we beach people?" Kevin asked.  My reply, "I don't know.  I think we could be."