One down, One to go

Thomas is officially a kindergartener--he tells me he can't wait to go to school, but he'll get back to me about riding the bus. I've been keeping him busy since preschool ended. We've been to the YMCA to swim, I took him and his best friend Leo to the Great Escape and he's had lots of friends over.

He also has begun doing chores to earn an allowance. He gets $1 for making his bed, putting his laundry away, feeding Chester, helping put the groceries away and helping clear the supper table. If he refuses/forgets 1 time, half the allowance goes away. 2x and no allowance that week. Too harsh? He gets the same number of chores per his age, so each birthday his allowance will go up a dollar (and he'll get another chore). Nolan gets $2 and has 7 chores, soon to be $3 and 8 chores, same rules apply. We're hoping they learn that we're a team and all have jobs to do at home. We're also hoping they'll learn the value of money and saving. Nolan has to save $10 before he can spend it, and $5 of it has to go in the bank. My only concern is I want them to still help out with other things at home because we ask for their help, not to get paid. So far this isn't an issue yet.

Nolan is VERY excited to be done school now that Thomas is already done. He has 5 more days left. He has 2 more baseball games left . He is going to a birthday party at a GIRL'S house this weekend--now that's a big sign that Nolan is growing up! Girls are no longer as icky as he thought, or at least not this one. He actually wants to get her a Hanna Montana doll for a gift because that's what she likes!

I have started running more regularly again with my local running group. I thought I was still in good shape, but I'm dreadfully slow compared to them. Today was my third day out with them, and I did go a little further and faster, but I still ran alone most of the time and they had all left by the time I finished! It's making getting up at 5:30am pretty hard, but I'm sticking with it. I won't get faster unless I keep at it.

So I'm trying to think of more free things to do with the kids over the summer. If anyone has ideas, let me know!