The Princess speaks...

Another Car Show

This weekend we are at another car show featuring classics and customs. What a treat as some people really do their cars up! Lots of monster trucks, fancy paint jobs and hydraulics. The crowd was great and we had an excellent parking spot to watch the parade. I am using a friends computer, so I can't upload pictures.

The town we are staying in has a real drive-in theatre. I so wish I could let the kids experience it, but there is nothing playing that I would let them see. We did drive by it so they could see what it is like.

Introducing 7th grade Princess Puppy

Heaven for Little Boys

Today in our town, the annual Touch*A*Truck event was held and the boys were in Heaven! I mean... the girls liked it too, but the boys were walking around with this dazed, goofy smile that had me cracking up the whole time. There were about 30 trucks: school & city buses, backhoes, tow trucks, firetrucks, ambulances, police motorcycles, sheriff r.v., old fashion milk delivery, 18 wheeler, utility and garbage trucks.

The drivers and operators of the vehicles were so very nice and there were many freebies: construction hats, re-usable canvas bags, beach balls, bubbles, stickers, water bottles, Popsicles, candy, pens and paper. The kids spent a great deal of their time on the backhoe and then the firetruck of course. I had to laugh though... as my kids were walking around...they got into and onto every truck except the public school bus. When they came to show me more of their goodies, I asked them why they did not get into the school bus and my 7th grader said with a turned up nose, "All them germs?!?!?" Uppity homeschooler. LOL!

As the kids were in line to get into the ambulance, they suddenly got a call and had to take off. They were shooing people out of the back and saying, "Sorry, gotta go to work!"

** Updated to answer a comment.

Many cities across the US have these events... some are sponsored by Ronald McDonald House, the Chamber of Commerce or as ours was... the local police, YMCA and school district.

Orientation & First Day of School

Monday was orientation and everyone received their schedules, new text books and school supplies. It's was like Christmas as the smell of new crayons, notebooks and pencils filled the air! LOL! We took our yearly student body picture, some with our little fosters and some with our very unwilling puppy.

Finally after 7 takes, but Jackson was unimpressed. LOL!

James started school today and said that he enjoyed his 1st day. Last year he used Lifepacs and this year moved to the computer program, SOS. We had some technical difficulties as I use LogMeIn.com to have remote access to his computer and the program kept freezing. But all in all, it was a good start and I am glad we staggered first days.

We still have 1 more summer trip planned, but I forgot to request travel orders so we had to reschedule...it just slipped my mind as I am used to just packing up and going without seeking permission.

Letters and Supplies

School orientation letters came in the mail today (o.k. they did not come in the mail as I don't really use real stamps, but stickers instead and just add them to the pile of mail after the real mail is taken from the mailbox! Whew... confession can be wordy! LOL) along with school calendars. We also went to the "Mart of Walls" today to get school supplies. The kids have been corresponding with a missionary from our church and last week they got letters from her (in the real mail with stamps and all) that included $20 each for school supplies. They were so excited! 7th grade bought a very nice 3-ring binder with a guitar motif along with the matching 5 subject notebook, composition book, single subject notebook and folder. We still need loose leaf (waiting for better sale price)but other than that we are done.

The Campground

We stayed at an Ohio State Park named Hueston Woods State Park. It is a HUGE campground with many activities. I always get sites near the bathroom as the person that has to dump the camper has established a rule that middle-of-the-night pee pees are the only thing allowed in the camper toilet. Nana has to dump so Nana sets the rule!

My brothers Boxster

Also across from our site was the playground and a putt putt golf course. So so fun!

Some of the participants of the Porsche Fest were staying at the campground also. Our camping neighbors had a very cute 1964 356 turbo. He forgot to bring his cover and ended up parking it in our screen house. LOL! It was a perfect fit. I love this picture. James is just chillin' while wearing Poppy's hat.

The pre-teen and her guitar.

Our next trip:

African Safari Wildlife Park and then school starts on August 11th for 3rd grade and the 16th for all other grades.

Downtown Festival

My brother says that there were 492 cars registered for the P2O. The children enjoyed playing on the cannon in the park. We never were able to identify the history of the cannon. The weather was very mild and the fountain in the park was very popular.

I had so much fun watching my brother trying to get all the kids to look at him at the same time for a picture. Silly, childless man! LOL! Luckily since I block out eyes you can't tell, but notice Jackson holding the baby's head trying to get him to look at the camera.

First Day

Our first day turned out to be a day of travel. Google maps have never been my friend and for this trip there was again no love lost between us. As it turns out, the 4 ½ hour trip to Oxford, Ohio became a 7 hour trip as one of the main highways was closed and the detour was a back way 2 lane highway. We also experience some torrential rains that made 30 foot Big Bertha sway something fierce on that little 2 lane highway. So we took it slow and got in much later than planned. The next day was a set up and relaxing day.



Poppy and James setting up the screen house. Jackson cannot wait until he can use the ax someday.

My sweet foster daughter found herself a relaxing spot and there she stayed!

Jordan and Poppy putting the new gas grill together.

Look at those lips of concentration. LOL!