JustJessie

Gardening at the Grandparents'

A New Twist on Bedtime Stories

A big part of our bedtime routine is stories.  Usually I read Grant a picture book, and we read a chapter or two of a big book for Grayson.  On my last trip to the library, though, I picked up a few easy readers for Grayson, and he has done great with them.  So for the last few nights, he reads Grant his story (usually with an encore), then we read his chapters, then Grant "reads" whatever book Grayson read to him.  I love that Grayson is actually interested in reading now.  It seems like it was a long time coming... he had me worried a little bit.  Something tells me Grant will be learning early just to keep up with big bubba.

A Genius and a Guinea Pig

The Genius:  Grayson is very into inventing right now.  We're forever helping him find duct tape, paper clips, clothes pins, and various other items necessary for inventing.  Yesterday he introduced his latest contraption, the "Memory Screen Imager."  When wearing the "imager" electricity comes down from the sky, through the knife er, antenna and a happy memory is displayed on the inside of the goggles, and it makes it seem as if you were living it all over again.

The Guinea Pig:  Frequently Grayson uses his little brother to test his experiments, and this one was no exception.  He rigged it up on Grant last night while I was rounding up the bedtime crew (Kasey the Koala, Danny the Dinosaur, Bears the Blanket, and Puppers the Dog).  The memory Grant saw was the day he made Puppers, and when Grayson asked if he could really see it, Grant exclaimed, "Yeah!  I wunner how it works like dat, Bubba?!  Dat so cool!"

Come Peasants!

Bow before your Sultan!

Magnetized

Not being the king and queen of forethought,  we were not at all concerned with the school district when we bought our house. After all, I had every intention of homeschooling our kids.  Since we have found out that doesn't work for us, we have been in a quandary about Grayson's school situation.  The school for which we're zoned is terrible; there's never been a question of him going there. 

So anyway, back in March Grayson's class along with every other kindergartner in Decatur, took a test called the MRT to see who would be invited to the Magnet School.  We have really been hoping Grayson would get in.  Magnet school classrooms offer a lot more than the regular neighborhood schools.  They offer more art, drama, hands on science, music, and history; whereas the neighborhood schools do well to teach enough reading and math to stay above board.

Today was the day that every mom of a kindergarten was running to her mailbox to see if her child got a letter of invitation, and (as I'm sure you've guessed) Grayson got one.  Yay!  I'm so proud of him.  I never doubted he was smart enough to get in, but I was very worried that the means by which they test them is a three day long bubble test.  That is a major amount of concentration for my hyper boy!  I am so happy... this has been niggling at the back of my mind for ages.  So tonight be happy for us and raise your glass to desegregation in Alabama, for without it Grayson would be stuck in a stinky, stinky school.

Free Afternoon

His name is...

.............GLADIATOR..............

Can't you see the resemblance?

And before you judge me, he's never seen this movie.  His dad has been telling him all about the Gladiators in Rome, and this afternoon he popped out of the playroom in this costume he put together himself.  As I type he's hunting gladiator gear for his brother.

Beware the Species

According to Grayson, there is every reason to be terrified of mosquitoes (West Nile Virus and malaria not included)...

"Mosquitoes suck your blood, Mom!  So do vampires... They're the SAME SPECIES!"

Say Hello To Mah Leetle Fren'

Sadly, with outdoor adventures come run-ins with disgusting critters.  This one was attached to our screen on the back porch, and we were debating what he actually was.  I decided to be the big brave momma and go catch him in a jar... cuz I thought he was just a little brown butterfly or at the worst a moth.  It wasn't until I got a close up side view that I came squealing and shivering back into the house.  Macho chick I ain't. 

   

Look at those disgusting legs and barbed antennae!!  Can you blame me?!  I found the only lethal, cow-killing, butterfly/moth thingy in North Alabama!

After a serious eye-to-eye lecture from Grayson about how I always make him face his fears, he sent me back out.  This time armed with a very wide mouthed jar and a butterfly net.  With his big brown eyes watching me, I crept up to this nasty booger, shaking like a leaf, and I trapped him.  I then showed him to Grayson up close, who proceeded to shiver and "blech" and run to the other room, with a, "Seriously, that thing is disgusting!  I can't believe you wanted to bring it in the house," thrown over his shoulder on the way out.

Playin' a little hookie

I made an executive decision this morning.  I decided it was a great day to play hookie.  Grayson woke us all up at 3 a.m., because he got scared and accidentally woke Grant up, and then both of them climbed into our bed.  I finally kicked them out at four, because none of us were going back to sleep.  So, anyway, when it was time to get up for school Grayson was sooo sound asleep, I just didn't have the heart to wake him.  That's not the only reason either.  He and I haven't been getting along very well lately, and I thought it would do us both good to just hang out together for the day. 

I gave him a choice of two picnic locales, and let him help plan our day.  His choices were to picnic at the park and then go for ice cream (that would be ice water for me).

We've had a wonderful day, and I think the time we've spent together has cured whatever weirdness was going on before.  I love that boy of mine, and if I occasionally have to buy his affection with a trip to the park and the ice cream parlor, then so be it!  I ain't too proud.