Early stories

I have been meaning, for a VERY long time, to document some of Joseph’s stories.  This was one of his first “books.”  Our friend Courtney came for a visit in the early spring and brought with her this project, as well as her adorable kiddos.  She had decorated lots of little pieces of paper and the kids picked out ones they liked and decorated some more of their own to make a story.  Then we just punched holes in the paper and tied them together.  Easy and fun!

One of the reasons I hesitated for so long to post this (well besides the fact this particular books got returned to the library by accident) is the “dark” (for lack of a better work) themes in Joseph’s writing and thinking.  But, this is him and I am learning to embrace it all!

The text of this story reads:

They sailed on the boat and then they went on another ship and there were sides on the ship.  There were two planks that you could walk on.  After they walked the plank they got some hearts and they got some treasure and they put it on the ship and they sailed all around.  And then they sand the song, “Arrrr! We got some treasure and then we put it on the ship and we don’t let any cabin boys on the ship.  If there are cabin boys on the ship we push them into the water.”  The bad guys climber the ladder to their own ship.  The other pirates on the brown ship shot them.  The bad guys climbed over this and then swung over to the other side and then they were dead.  The bad guys pirates went in their cabin.  The pirates were deep man cave.  This is a little guy.  One of the pirates.  The pirates cave.  They sleeped on their beds right there.  And they waked up and it was the skeletons sleeping.  And they waked up and the skeletons were up.  Then they went grocery shopping.  This is one of the pirates.  They got good things.  They got macoroni and cheese.  Then they got back on their ship.  Then they got three swords and there were five scare-crows.They were feeling sick becuase they got a fever because they only ate macaroni and cheese.  They got some swords and they ate them.  They didn’t really eat them.  The End. 

 

At Joseph’s school they put together tons of blank books like these that the children can use.  

This one reads:

The dad tried to climb up a mountain to try to get a monster.  Then the zombie laughed at the dad cause he couldn’t climb up the mountain.  He tried to get the monster but he couldn’t.  Then there was a waterfall  The monster wanted ice cream but it was at the edge of the waterfall.  The ice cream fell in the waterfall. Then there wasn't any more ice cream in the world.  Then there was a girl going to meet the dad-it was the mom.  Then the boy came.  He said, “I was in Jail.” A thing was around him so he couldn’t get out.  He found a key and then there was a lock on the door.  He put the key in.  He couldn’t get out.  Then he pushed the a button and got out.  Then he walked and walked till he got home to his parents.  The jail man said, “who got out of our cage? The boy was in it.”  Then the boy, the dad, and the mom found their own home and it was black.”

Are we camping again?

Well . . . not really, just still don't have power.  It's still mostly fun, though a little dirty.  Shoreham didn't get hit too bad, but a lot of the state did.  There were many major losses, personal and historic. 

My phone is working again though, so this silly post comes to you via a strangely powerful small device . . .

So. Much. Fun. (Photo dump)

I finally figured out how to get pictures off my new phone (which actually seems to take better pics than my camera) so here are the first batch.  We sure have been busy!

 

Watching the Memorial Day Parade

Brad’s birthday cake

 

hanging at Grandpa’s

 

moose we say going over that gap on the way to my work CAPE TRIP! (Best work trip ever—well probably only—amazing, great, and all I am allowed to say is, “it was beautiful weather and we had a lovely time.”  I was drilled on this response.)

Watching GG’s (great-grandmom Selma) plane come in, with grandpa bob when she visited in mid-June

enjoying our visit to Ben and Jerry’s

 

the new bridge in progress!

Tie-dye fun at Megan’s birthday party

picking strawberries in Shoreham

 

can you imagine a more beautiful place to pick?

working at the library (I am savoring these last months before everything goes electronic)

Admiring Debbie and Bill’s amazing garden at a party they had when Jen and Sophia were here visiting

 

Joseph and Sophia admire the gardens

And try to find Waldo

 

a WONDERFUL day at the river at Jenn’s old house with her whole family as well as Alice and her baby bump

 

visiting Dad at work

kid-napping our beloved Isabelle

 

look at that STYLE

 

camping—early morning dip in our pj’s with the lake to ourselves

treasures

hiking

Falls of Lana trail (part of Branbury State Park where we camp)-an enchanted world

eating

and very tired out

Lots more pics to come!  And I tried making them bigger as requested . . .

 

Summer Fun 2011:

I started this list last summer and thought it would be fun to look at again this year.  So, I updated and reflected on all the fun we have already had and the things I would like to do in these (hate to say it) end-of-summer days.

X-camp at Branbury   

__-bake bread

X-July 4th parade and festivities

__-family parties—including Nora’s 85th

  __-try fishing

__-make a book with J

__-see a Circus

__-start losing weight instead of gaining it

XXXX-SWIM SWIM SWIM (lake, river, pool, pond; anywhere and everywhere; as much as possible)

X-swim lessons for J

__-a class for me? sewing?

X-Addison County Field Days

__-make something out of wood 

X-summer soccer for J

__-new, healthy foods

X-pick strawberries, raspberries, and blue berries

X-BEACH!!!!! (I wrote this at the beach actually ;-)

__-put food by—freeze and can fruit and veggies

X-veggie garden

__-ORGANIZE HOUSE!!

X-donate lots ’o stuff

X-hike (here behind our house and other places)

__-read my own books

X-festival-on-the-green

X-boat ride

X-Selma visit

__-Visit museums (Shelburne, Rokeby, Echo)

__-Invite more people over here

__-crafty projects

__-less TV (which means ending my habit of turning the TV on for J while I take my shower . . . yikes)

__-go to a baseball game 

X-hang out with J and friends at his school

__ -visit state parks and historic sites

X-stay home and do “nothing”

X-girls night out

__-Echo lake?

X-craft nights with my crafty ladies

X-catch up with old friends

X-plant some flowers 

__-ride a horse

__- PROJECTS with J: crafts, learning, nature . . .

X-read lots with J, and visit the library every week

When I grow up can I be Santa? And more overheard:

• J: How old do I have to be to drive a monster truck?
• J: I don’t want to die—how do I live forever?  How do I live to infinity?
• (Grandpa) Bob: You know you have to get dressed up for a funeral, right? Joseph: Of course; I am going to wear my pirate outfit.
• J: When is Daddy gonna go to college?
• J: When I grow up can I be Santa?  How does Santa give presents to EVERYONE? How does he know what to give everyone?  When I am Santa, I will make it Christmas now!
• J: I want to grow a baby.  Me: Umm . . . you can’t grow a baby Joseph, only women can.  Joseph: Why not?  Me: Ummmm, only women can grow babies.  Further pestering.  I have debated getting the “birds and the bee’s” books, but he seems a little young . . .     
• J:  I want to be a magician!  I can juggle! (meaning throw one ball in air and sometimes catch it)
• J: What happens to your brain when you die?
• J: Was I at your 13th birthday? Me: No, you weren’t born. Joseph:  Was I a seed?  (We actually talk about age all. the. time.  He is always asking how old everyone is and if they are older or younger than him, or older or younger then us, or how old he was when something happened etc. . . And for the time being he really believes he was a seed in my tummy.)
• J: Did you poop in your diapers when you were a baby? 
• J: I want a baby. . . a baby sister . . . named Isabelle! (by which he means, he wants friend Isabelle as a sister :-)
• We talk about towns and other geography type trivia ALL THE TIME (and I barely encourage it).  These are the kinds of questions I hear constantly: What town are we in?  Where is the green sign?  What is the speed limit?  What town does ___ live in?  We live in New England.  Where is China? Africa? The North Pole? Minnesota? How far away is ___? Can we go to ______?
• J: Pass that car!!  Please, please go faster than that car!  (Then we taught him about the dotted and solid lines).

And so much more.  (Most of the time) I love our discussions and learning what he is thinking!