I am proud to announce that The Parenthood Adventures has been moving up the top 200 parenting blogs on the web as ranked by Feedspot. We are currently ranked @ # 86 – moving up almost 50 spots! We look forward to continuing to move up the list as we grow our readership! Thank you to all of you!
Pumpkin Farm
We recently went to one of the local pumpkin farms with one of Gracie’s best friends and her mother. The kids enjoyed frolicking around – but they caused a little too much mayhem and ended up in the pumpkin farm prison! But have no fear – Dominick used his super- strength to extricate himself and his siblings from the jail cell.
It might be difficult to tell from the picture above – but the kids are sitting in a “corn trough”. Last year Dominick filled his pockets with corn – and we were finding it in the house until June! How do people manage with more than one boy?! I think there are STILL some corn kernels in the pocket of his one jacket….
Stouoghton Farm does a great job each year with a new “maize” maze! (Get it? – a corn maze) We are fascinated with the design every year! (click on the link and take a look!) I don’t think we have ever done both parts of the maze. There a junctions within the maze that are numbered. The numbered junctions have corresponding hints on hint sheets that have various themes – so you can pick an knowledge area where you might be able to get some of the questions correct – and therefore gain some guidance as to which path to take. They have sheets with Girls scout / Boy scout questions, health questions, faith questions, and pumpkin / Halloween questions – just to name a few. There are even a few bridges that are incorporated into the maze that give you just a little bit of an overview of a portion of the maze. I think it took us about 40 minutes to get through the first part – and our understanding is that the second part was even more challenging!
Shark Tank – Girl Scouts 2019
Gracie’s Girl Scout troop recently had a project where they were to come up with some innovative ideas that they would then pitch to a panel of judges. Somewhat similar to the TV show Shark Tank.
There were no winners or losers – but rather the exercise was designed to challenge the girls to come up with some innovative products and have to present them formally to a panel for review and questions. All the girls did a commendable job!
A special thank you to Adam Weitsman for being such a staunch advocate and supporter for the local Girl Scouts troop! Always a pleasure when he shows up!
Gracie’s Nomination For Envision Conference
Gracie was nominated by one of her teachers for an Envision conference. The nomination was made based on her academic excellence and demonstrated leadership characteristics. She could attend either the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington D.C., or one of many (probably Philadelphia) Pathways to STEM programs.
Gracie is definitely excited about the opportunity – but we are doing a little research and consideration before making a decision. The programs are definitely NOT cheap – so the cost, as well as the time are factors. The programs would be for the summer of 2020. One of the books Gracie & Dominick have recently read was entitled “Nerd Camp” (Elissa Brent Weissman) – and we likened at least the STEM program to this – which really excited Gracie!
Soccer
Good games and effort by the kids this week! Of particular note was Annie. She recently let her mouth get herself into a little trouble this past week – so she was “enjoying” a week without TV, snacks, her phone and dessert. Well – I offered to abbreviate her sentence by a day for each goal she scored the other day – and BAM! Annie the Aggressive was back in action! She scored a total of 2 goals in her game – and will now be enjoying those privileges she lost last week a couple of days sooner! Amazing what motivates them sometimes! I am just glad that at some level she realizes the wonderful things she is truly capable of doing and accomplishing!
Gigi’s House – Tech Support
A few years ago I installed several IP cameras at my grandmother’s house to help my mother and her siblings monitor my grandmother for safety reasons. Over time – these cameras were moved or unplugged – so the other day my mother asked me to come back over and set the system up again. I was happy to do so – and brought both Dominick & Gracie with me to serve as my assistants! They both packed up their laptops and we set them up on the bar in the basement – and used that as our home base. In no time we were pulling out each of the cameras and plugging them in. We then used the computers to access each of the camera’s web interface to check the settings and verify that they were working properly. I really wish I had taken a picture… My mother was very impressed with the kids’ abilities and the level of genuine enthusiasm they displayed!
We are not quite through with the project – because we are going to have to install a new router – so maybe I will get to get that picture after all! Either way – were were having a great time together – were doing a kind act and I think they learned something along the way! Great afternoon!
Baby Turtles
A couple of weeks ago Gracie and some of her friends had a lemonade stand to help save baby turtles. I was very pleased and impressed to see that the charity that they sent the money to sent each of the kids a certificate to acknowledge their actions and efforts! You can read more about the lemonade stand here: ADVENTURE UPDATE # 026 POPCORN – GET YOUR POPCORN HERE!
Miscellaneous
Furnace: Seems we are in need of a new furnace…. Argh! Like I needed one more thing to do IMMEDIATELY!
Altar Serving: Annie was an Altar Server for the first time this past Sunday. I was so proud of both her and Gracie! I really enjoyed being involved with mass and serving when I was young – so it is wonderful to see them following in my foot steps…
Thought of the Week: I’ve seen / heard this come up at least twice in the last week or so and though I would pass it on.
“Love people, not things; use things, not people.”
Spencer W. Kimball
Wayward Path: We recently identified where Dominick just may have started to slip in life! The other day while helping him with his homework I discovered that he was too lazy to look down to the very next question to properly spell Iroquois…
Observations:
- Mashed potatoes are now known as Playtatoes in our house – because the kids like to construct ponds and waterfalls on their dinner plates with them….
- Gracie does not like salt or butter – but loves buttered popcorn! – I mean, isn’t the actual popcorn just a delivery mechanism for the salt & butter?
I hope you are enjoying the wonderful autumn weather! If anyone needs popcorn – please remember that Dominick is selling popcorn for the boy scouts until later this month!
Also – if you see any ads in my post that interest you – please don’t hesitate to click on them – as we get about a quarter for each click! Thank you!
Sincerely,
