Mellie's Summer Camp of "Excellence"

Day 1

This summer, I will have the boys twelve days ~ three days a week for four weeks scattered throughout the summer months.  Twelve days. Just twelve days with just the three of us before they go off to first grade.  I find it so hard to comprehend.  How did all those days of just the three of us, from the time they were infants until now, fly by so swiftly?

I have decided to write about each day.  I have BIG plans for us.  Some of those will come to fruition, some will not; like my plan to start teaching them to knit.  Turns out, Mellie needs a tutorial.  I have only been a rudimentary knitter at best, but "rudimentary" would be a most generous description of the skill I displayed today.

Max was my only camper today.  Simeon is in Texas, making his way home this evening...the evening that President Trump is coming to town along with tropical depression Alberto.  I am definitely praying travel mercies on Simmy and his family.

So, day one of Mellie's Summer Camp of "Excellence" 2018 was a very laid-back day.  We ran some errands to get supplies for our Father's Day masterpieces that we will work on Friday.  Max made a really neat suncatcher using construction paper, cardboard box, Saran Wrap, flower petals,  and leaves.  Any pictures will be posted on FB because my techy self cannot get pictures on my blog any more.  I have no idea why.  He did some sewing on plastic canvas, some worksheets to help improve his handwriting.  He read a 65 page book.  I was going to let him stop, but he really liked the story, so he continued on.  He is in a reading challenge through the public library, so he got fifty more minutes toward the 600 he is determined to get for the summer.  I am not sure how we are going to get reading done with both boys here because they do demand attention, but we will.

They each will have a journal that has the Einstein quote, ""imagination is more important than knowledge" written on the front.  My plan is to have them write in it each day, add some snapshots, and include some directed drawings and other artwork.  I hope they will keep the journals and that something in the years ahead will spark a memory of a fun time at Mellie's.

We will be working on table manners along with other areas of their lives where their manners could improve.  I bought a book entitled "That's Rude, Dude!"  There are ten rules for good table manners.  It is my plan to have them memorize them.  They will work on learning them well, for our last day of camp 2018 will be at The Capitol Grille in the Hermitage Hotel where we will have lunch without smacking our lips, slurping our drinks, dropping food on our chairs or the floor, and refraining from intentional burping.  We'll see how that goes.

Lots of outings and random acts of kindness and art projects and science experiments and fine motor skill activities are planned, along with just some playing outdoors and hanging out with probably a movie or two thrown in.  I am looking forward to it.  I hope the boys are.  I know that I will be tired at the end of each day, but I hope it will be a good tired for us all as we work to build a body of good memories and worthwhile lessons.

I ran into two ladies as I was walking the other day.  They are the grandmothers of baby Finn who lives next door.  They had come into town to keep Finn while his parents were on a trip. Mr. L and I are busy and can be very introverted and backward, so I do not know my new neighbors, but the grandmothers spoke to me and we struck up a conversation.  They asked if I had grandchildren and I told them that yes, I do.  "Do they live around here," they asked.  I replied that they all live in Nashville and that two of them live across the street.  I made the somewhat insensitive comment that those two were in Texas and I was really missing them (they left that morning).  In a sarcastic but not caustic response, one of those grandmothers responded, "well, I feel so sorry for you!"

I never take for granted how fortunate I am to live near my grandchildren and that my children and their spouses are gracious enough to allow their children to be actively present in my life.  So, twelve days doesn't seem like nearly enough.  I am realistic enough to know that twelve days on some afternoons will seem like too many if we have rough days of bickering and fighting and recalcitrance.  I trust that will not happen.  If it does, I will embrace that too and be grateful for every art project gone wrong, every glass of Mellie's "special tea" (it sounds bad but it's really not - just green tea, lemon and stevia) spilled, every muddy footprint tracked in, every glitter bottle, button box, googly-eye bag turned over.  It is all a beautiful gift.