Sheridan's Day

I took a week off before school started, to reacquaint myself with the kids. Sheridan got the first one-on-one day.

We started with breakfast at Mad Coffee, a newish place neither of us had been to.

She liked the danish, but wasn't too sure about the organic fruit and vegetable smoothie! She was philosophical about it: "It's anew day and we tried a new thing." Um...okay! Sheridan is never afraid to try new things - nor is she afraid to express her opinion about it!

From there we shopped for school supplies. She is very excited about school starting back up, and thinks it has taken way too long! Choosing the right notebooks and so forth was a matter that required much deliberation, but I think we are set. 

Next up was a trip to the Blue Stone, where she redeemed her prize certificate from summer reading.

and of course said hello to Ivan!

A quick stop to grab snacks for the library gecko, and to say hello to a few other critters,

then we dropped off the gecko treats at the library, where she found her first rock!

I love how freely she shows her excitement and joy. Of course, she freely expresses ALL her emotions, usually at top volume and with a great deal of flair. I see some theatre experiences in her future!

A trim of the bangs meant a stop at the fountain - she wouldn't tell me what she wished for. 

Then she got her nails did!

Did I really just pay someone $7 to do something I could do at the dining room table? h, well, she felt special.

We had lunch at the Waffle Shoppe, where Daddy and I met MANY years ago.

Then we started hitting thrift shops - her choice of activities! I guess if I'm going to have a daughter who likes to shop, I'm glad she also likes things cheap.

Did I mention how she likes to show how she feels about things?

Next stop was Alamo Jump. It was hard to get pictures of her that weren't a blur of legs and long hair flying!

She was literally yelling "Wahoooo!" as she bounced (or flung herself) off of things.

She slowed down for a couple minutes to eat a snack and watch a cartoon,

but then she was off again.

Last stop: Founder's Hall, another place new to us, for ice cream.

Unfortunately, about halfway through, the ice cream fell off the cone. She handled it well, though! Whew! You do NOT want to be around when that dramatic flair turns toward the tragic!

Thank-you for a fun day together, my funny, smart, goofy, free-spirited, beautiful 7-year-old!

Lincoln County Days

We started off my one week stay-cation by running up to nearby Lincoln for some fun.

The rock painting/hiding craze has struck our area in force, so everyone had to bring rocks to hide. This one was still there when we left!

We managed to get a great parking space right in town, and next to this little kids' area. There were some very noisy sheep to pet,

stilts to try out,

a ring toss,

and coloring pages.

 perfect place for another rock!

A bridge to explore.

Just don't go down by the water, kids.

KIDS! Is anybody listening to me?!

Stopped for a snack and dropped off Christopher's rock, which was half the weight of my diaper bag.

I think it's a character from Five Nights at Freddy's.

 Since everything was on the main strip, wherever you happened to be was the perfect spot to watch the parade.

Grace, of course, was thrilled with all the horses

from little ponies

to slightly bigger ones.

Also a good spot to leave a rock.

History everywhere, most of it violent (in other words, of interest to little boys - especially when someone refers to 'the Jones Boys' of yore).

Another rock hidden.

And then somebody had about enough.

Even cute when he pouts!

There were free horse-drawn trolley rides, so we had to check that out.

A hideout for sharpshooters!

and other scary things.

Near a nice little museum where you can get a map of the area (oops! too late!) and even try on some dress-ups.

We stopped in Capitan for burgers on the way home, then pretty much everyone dropped off to sleep.

The Catnip Kid...

Miss I-Wasn't-Sleeping...

Christopher and Logan...

Not Grace!...

Even Daddy.

Er...aren't you the one driving???

Next up this week, each kid gets a one-on-one day with me. At the end of which, I will go back to work so I can rest too.

Review: #famous by Jilly Gagnon

978-0062430038

Girl likes boy. Girl snaps photo and posts it online. Boy becomes insta-famous. And what starts out as an innocent photo turns into a whirlwind adventure that forces them both to question whether fame—and love—are worth the price…and changes both of their lives forever.

Told from alternating points of view, #famous captures the sometimes-crazy thrill ride of social media and the equally messy but wonderful moments of liking someone in real life.

A friend was recently bemoaning the lack of fluff in newer YA.  Here you go, J.! A fun summer read, that you know is going to turn out okay (with a few bumps in the road). Usually I prefer gritty realism, but every once in a while I just want an enjoyable ride with plenty of laughs along the way. #famous is the perfect fit for that!

What is impressive about this debut novel is the convincing dual points of view. Many authors struggle with keeping the voices distinct, but Gagnon seems to do so effortlessly. Equally impressive: current topics such as online bullying, social media, and staged 'reality' are addressed without it being obvious they are being addressed.

You can hand this to your teen (male or female) without qualms, and kick back under the sun to enjoy it yourself, as you eke out that last week or so of summer!