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!

Tagged for Travel

We are packed and ready... I think. When we travel as a family, I often use matching shirts to help keep track of kids. My mom used to do it when we were kids 'cause she just loved the whole matching-family thing. I did not mind so much... my brother hated it. Of course, my mother's choice in fashionable shirts may have contributed to that. LOL! I called my brother to ask him what size matching shirt he wanted for this trip and he assured me that the store probably did not have his size. ROFL!

I also write my kids name, DOB, and my cell number on their hips with permanent marker since none of them have drivers licenses or state ID's. So they are tagged and ready to go.

Peace

Baptism

Today James was baptized and he was so excited that he could hardly sit still through the service. He has been waiting for about 1 ½ yrs for this day.

This tuxedo was given to us by a store clerk that my mom shops at frequently. He had a daughter that celebrated a Quinceañero and gave my mom the dress and the tuxedo from her escort.

New shoes to go with his free tux. (he did have dress socks for today)