Why do we begin these projects?

With just a few days to go before school starts for the boys and with a mountain of neglected preparation for our classes, Ellen and I were struck by the idea that what we really needed to do was to make over the basement. First, we vacuumed and scrubbed the rafters and air ducts in the basement ceiling.

...then sprayed them with primer...

...and finally sprayed them with the first layer of black paint. It actually looks much better than the photo below if you were to see it in person. The camera flash has a way of highlighting things that you wouldn't ordinarily see. We're hoping that the flat black paint will make the ceiling unobtrusive. I think painting the walls will have a bigger overall effect, but apparently the ceiling has to be done first.

After about a week of work, we now have the southwestern quarter of the basement ceiling done! At this rate, we're on track to have the whole thing wrapped up by 2037 at the absolute latest, but in the mean time we have the cleanest basement ceiling in the neighborhood and a nice layer of paint dust coating the inside of our lungs.

North Georgia Mountains

Just returned from a family trip to Big Canoe, Georgia. Stopped by a state park with a really impressive waterfall:

And Owen took a few steps on (or on the approach towards?) the Appalachian Trail.

The park had a nice lodge with some checkers:

Most of our time was spent by the pools, though. There was a neat splash park attached to one of them, and after a little practice the boys learned how to time the bucket-dumping element:

This perspective highlights one of my favorite parts of the splash park: It required very little immediate adult supervision.

The other pool was next to a large lake with a sandy beach and canoes and paddleboats. The boys loved digging deep holes and filling them up with lake water.

Our intrepid water adventurers:

Quotes from the 3 year old

Alex: Mom, you shouldn't make oatmeal any more. It gets on my pajamas .... See? I told you.



Me: Alex, I can't look right now. I'm driving and I don't want to crash the car.
Alex: Because then we'd have to go to the dentist? All of us??



Alex: Mama? You're doing it kind of wrong-ish.



Alex (from bathroom): Mama?
Me: Yes?
Alex: It's getting kinda crazy in here!

Early Summer

The boys are off to a great start this summer. A little game of marbles...

...excavating the ruins of an ancient civilization from the newly abandoned beach volleyball courts...

...enjoying some honeysuckles in the backyard...

...and soaking up some water park on the river in Louisville.

Something tells me Owen hasn't completely forgotten about school, though. This was yesterday's art project at quiet time:

Has that squirrel laid a trap of a dangling acorn for the approaching schoolchild? Anyway, Owen is also keeping his reading muscles in shape over the summer by starting the Harry Potter series with Ellen. It's the first time he's wanted to keep reading a chapter book by himself after story time!

Summer Vacation is Rough

Oh Happy Day!

Classes are finished.
Graduation ceremonies are complete.
Grading is done.
Grades are entered.

Cars are washed.
Grass is mowed.
Garage is cleaned.
Tent is seam-sealed.

[Blog is updated.]

And kids -- and mom and dad -- are happy summer is here.

The Graduate!