UEA -- More Kids With No School

I had two days this week to run errands before Marty and Chris had UEA. Because the kids go to different schools with different vacation days, there are fewer weeks where everyone is in school for all 5 days than there are short vacation weeks!

Wednesday I ran New House errands -- design stores to see light fixtures, the carpet store for pricing and tile shops to compare tile colors, prices and counter slabs. I take lots of pictures and some notes and then come home and make lots and lots of notes and enter everything into my Excel spreadsheet.

This week I've created the Tile & Stone Schedule, a Lighting Schedule and Plumbing Schedule listing each room, what goes where, name, manufacturer, color, style, list price and total cost. This will help us with budgeting and decision-making so we're not rushed at the last minute!

Eagle Project!

While running errands, I stopped and bought 2 dozen donuts and pizza for Chris' friends who he'd asked to come over after school and help add on to his Eagle Project.  After making 40 Harry Potter wands two weeks ago with his troop and collecting a huge amount of donations, Chris called Primary's so he could deliver. He asked the supervisor how many children they had and if they could use more wands. She was thrilled to have 40, but said they could use 100 if Chris could make them.

Chris was happy to make more. (Making wands is actually super fun!) And he invited his friends who hadn't left out of town to see if they'd want to come over and help. 

So for the first evening of UEA vacation, 7 teenage boys came over and spent 2 hours carving Harry Potter wands. They are amazing to be willing to do this service! Yes, it is fun; but, you have to agree to do it before you find out that it's actually fun.  I was really proud of Chris and his friends. I loved that Chris was willing to ask them -- and I love that he knew they were the types of kids who would be happy to do it!

After Nick got home from school, but before we did wand carving, he had Clarinet and then he did his exercises for his Webeloes Achievement. 100 yd dash (18.24 seconds), 3 sets of 10 bicep curls w/ 10 lbs., 3 sets of 10 sit-ups, and 2 sets of jumping rope for 1 min. He records his progress for 30 days. He's a dedicated kid, so this will be fun.

All of Chris' friends slept over that night and UEA got off to a great staycation start.  Dan, Nick and I watched Modern Family and Blackish. And then after Nick went to bed we watched Mindy Project. We love TV night.

Thursday

The great thing about having friends stay over (one of Chris' friends was staying the weekend with us) is when you ask your son to sit down and fill out his Eagle project paperwork, he has a more positive attitude. And when you give suggestions for improvement, he just does it instead of talking back. It was so wonderful, we should all kid swap when we have things that need to get done!

So Chris finished the forms and we loaded up the car to deliver to Primary's. They asked him to unload some of the donations and make a little display on the receptionist desk so they could take his photo with his donations.  As many employees walked by, they were thrilled when they saw so much play-doh!

Just a small portion of the donations Christopher received to help Primary Children's Hospital.

They also loved his wands and can't wait to give them to the kids for their Harry Potter Halloween party!

After delivering to Primary's, I was talked into taking Chris and his friends to the skateboard store. The last time I was talked into this, we were there for an hour and a half. This time was no different. Fortunately it was lunchtime so I sat at Shiver's and ate lunch by myself surrounded by moms and their young children. It was delightful, actually. 

All his friends spent a second night at our house, because, why not?! It's vacation. (Except for Nicholas, who was still getting up and going to school each morning.)

Friday

After we got Nick off to school, Dan and I rode 21 miles up to Ruth's Diner and back. It was a beautiful fall day -- windy, in fact. But a great ride. 

I spent the day working on my Lighting Schedule which seems a little tedious, but I like it and it makes me feel prepared for building our house. 

Friday night Nicholas had a birthday party so Dan and I went to dinner and a movie -- Bridge of Spies. Dinner actually ended up being sitting in a Greek restaurant for 30 min. before we realized their kitchen was swamped by a party of 30 and we would never get our food in time. They were relieved when we kindly said we'd come back another night when they weren't so busy. We tried to get Oh Mai but they were swamped too. We had Apollo Burger for dinner. And I ate half in the car because we only had 10 min. to eat before our movie started.

Bridge of Spies was fantastic! 4 stars! Great acting, terrific story. 

Saturday 

Dan and I worked out while Nick made pancakes. He loves to cook breakfast and is really good at it. He's very comfortable reading the recipe and making sure the measurements are just right.

Dan, Marty, Nick and I tried a new sushi restaurant for lunch --  Itto's Sushi. Best one yet.

We were home no more than 15 min. before Chris asked if Dan could take his friends to lunch.

Sigh, Saturday.

Saturday night Dan and I saw The Intern. 4 stars. Funny, Great acting, Great storyline, lovable characters and no trash whatsoever. I'll probably see it again. It was that entertaining. And it's Anne Hathaway who I'm usually very critical of. But I totally loved her.

Sunday

Sunday morning I've been trying to get the boys Scouting stuff passed off. So Nick and Dan worked on First Aid (because he missed that day at scouts) and I got Chris' Eagle paperwork organized so he can start to fill it out. 

The best part was tonight when My Dad and Diane and their boys, Aunt Marge, and Michael, Katie and their kids came over for dinner and pumpkin carving. We have literally not seen each other since the beginning of the summer! I see my Dad or Diane at class or in dropping off/picking up kids, (or passing at parent/teacher conference which was funny since one teacher had no idea about the connection and was stunned when I told her... "I knew Chris and Luke were good friends, but I didn't realize Luke is Chris' uncle!" Ha!), but we haven't talked for more than a minute since beginning of summer.   

It was fun to all be together with the added entertainment of pumpkin carving! Not sure if the pumpkins will last until Halloween, but it was worth it!!

Courtney, when you get back from England, Brooklyn wants to talk to you about going away to college and study abroad! She is getting so old and mature and is already making big plans!! 

Love my family and love spending time with them!