Our Family Life: July 2009

Saturday, July 25, 2009

An hole, a boy, an adventure...

7.16.09

Can you keep two curious boys away from a huge hole in the ground where a new house is about to be built?

The answer is...

NOPE!

Mac and Lucas decided it was a good evening to explore this giant hole in the ground. Greg was out at golf league and I was inside packing for my scrapbooking weekend. The next thing I know, Lu comes screaming through the back door yelling, "Mom, Mac is bleeding! He needs you!!"

Mac and Lu had decided to explore the hole for the new house across the street

As they were exploring, Mac tripped and fell onto a rebar. The metal bar went into his knee.

When I arrived, I didn't even know how I was going to get him out of there. He was about 12 feet down and I could see no way for me to get down there, more importantly, there was no way I could get him out even if I did find a way down myself! I sent Lu on a journey... go find a male adult! I gave him a list of all our neighbors/friends. In the mean time, I tried Greg on his cell, over and over. When he's on the golf course he usually puts his cell in his bag and doesn't hear it when it rings. Lu returned with a message taht absolutely no one was home!! Finally our neighbor Dao, who lives next to the "hole", came out and I asked her for a ladder. We put the ladder down the hole and Mac crawled out. I then got him on his scooter and pushed him home. it wasn;t until I got him home and up on the sink that I saw the reality of his injury! I am not usually a squeamish person... I worked in a hospital for 5 years... but this... upclose and personal... I had to step a way for a moment. There was a hole on Mac's knee the circumference of a quarter! ughhhhhhhh I panicked.... called Greg again and as quietly as a could from the next room... lost it!!!!! All I remember is saying GET HOME, NOW, RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!! I probably should mention that I didn't have my car- Greg had it because his car died and we haven't replaced it yet. I think Greg beat the land speed record... he made it home in 12 minutes from the golf course in Ostrander!!! Usually a 20 minute drive.

We took Mac to Children's Close to Home in Dublin, which is about 4 minutes from our house. They were wonderful!!! Mac was even more amazing! He was so calm, The only time he cried was when Greg first got home. Then he was a trooper! Here are a few pics I took with my phone right when they finished the stitches...

Camp Invention 2009

July 13th-17th

Camp Invention

Fourteen years ago, I introduced Camp Invention to Hilliard City Schools as the camp director. The idea behind Camp Invention is to allow children a place to explore, investigate, use creative problem solving and critical thinking through hands on discovery.

I continuued as Camp Director for 5 years until I asked someone else to take over. This year both of my own children attended Camp Invention in Dublin for the first time! I helped out as the Camp Parent- what fun!!! Here are a few pics...

Take Apart and I Can Invent

The I Can Invent: Fantasy Inventions & Complicated Machines II module illustrates the joys (and frustrations) that real inventors face during the process of creating totally new inventions. This module, divided into separate parts for younger and older children, uses science, creative problem solving, and hands-on applications to further children’s inventiveness and critical-thinking skills. While younger children focus on building fantasy inventions that will help solve a problem that “bugs” them, older children work in teams to create multi-step, Rube Goldberg-type machines that solve a given challenge.

Lu's Invention: The Empire State Building/Trapter Beam

Mac and Brent's Invention: The Egg Tossing Machine

Planet Zack

Problem Solving on Planet ZAK®
Science fiction has predicted many of today’s science facts. The Problem Solving on Planet ZAK module takes children into the wondrous world of science fiction. It gives them experiences that will enhance their creative and critical-thinking skills in a sci-fi setting. The module is structured around the six-stage Creative Problem Solving (CPS) model that allows children to use a variety of thinking tools such as Attribute Listing, Force-Fitting, and Brainstorming while doing hands-on construction problems.

Imagination Point: Physics

Making Roller Coasters

Imagination Point: Ride Physics™
In the Imagination Point: Ride Physics module, children are introduced to Sir Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion through hands-on activities related to amusement park rides. Children, working as design interns for the world’s newest and largest amusement park, Imagination Point, use their creativity and imaginations to design prototypes of roller coasters and other rides!Imagination Point: Ride Physics™
In the Imagination Point: Ride Physics module, children are introduced to Sir Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion through hands-on activities related to amusement park rides. Children, working as design interns for the world’s newest and largest amusement park, Imagination Point, use their creativity and imaginations to design prototypes of roller coasters and other rides!

Base Camp

Lu's BLUE GROUP

Mac's RED GROUP

Preparing their camp shirts for tie dying!

Mac and new friend, DK .

Lunch Time Break!

Team Mascots

Mac and best friend, Brent.

Enjoying the last day.

Surprise!!!!

7/10/09

Boy was I ever surprised! My good friend Jennifer had asked me to go out to lunch for my birthday (7/3) when we returned from NYC. We scheduled it for Friday July 10th. She picked me up at 10:45 and went to The Mongomery Inn. When we arrived Jennifer walked in ahead me and said, " Hi, I'm Jennfier!" I was thinking... "Why are you telling her your name?" Then as the hostess walked ahead of us, Jennifer turned around and said to me, "I made reservations." As she turned back around I thought to myself... " WHY????" We are in a completely empty restaurant at 11o'clock in the morning!!!"

I soon found out why! Sitting together, waiting for me were four of my wonderful friends (who didn't even really know each other!) Jennifer had arranged a surprise party luncheon! I was completely stunned- I had no idea! Jennifer had remembered me saying once that I loved surprise parties and that I had never had one. She arranged with Greg to get the emails of all my friends! Many couldn't make it during the workday, but sent wonderful wishes and cards. I love my friends!!!!

Here are a few pics...unbelievably, I didn't have my camera with me!!! So Kristin took most of these with her phone and the waitress took this one for us wut at least with my phone. So the pics aren't the highest quality. Darn! But at least I have something to remember the moment!!