First up--the End of Summer Summary for Connor
Connor set an ambitious goal of reading 100 books for the summer (which means for July and August, since school ended June 30 and started September 2nd). The local library was having a draw, and Connor wanted to increase his chances of winning the first prize: a digital camera. We made a 100-loop paper chain and hung it in the family room. By the end of the summer we hoped that chain would be gone.
Well, as you can imagine, we quickly exhausted the library's section of 30-page picture/story books. Eventually, the books got harder and harder, longer and longer. Being able to read 100 books at his changing ability level was getting more difficult. So we adapted the goal--stick with reading cool books at his level, and some of them might earn him 2 or more completed "loops." By the end, Connor finished his very first chapter book from a series called BeastQuest. I think there was over 100 pages in that book, with 10 chapters, so we thought it was fair he earned 10 loops for that one. He was so proud of himself he asked to be photographed and filmed the night he started the book!
Alan and I threw in one more incentive: €25 prize money. Ah!!! Now that jump-started the party!
That fit right in with Connor's new summer discovery: Warhammer 40,000. These are fantasy model figures that hobbyists put together, paint, and then play strategy battle games. Most kids start at age 9 or 10. Connor found a Christmas present stashed under my bed, and we were off and running. All summer long, we would go in for weekly lessons on playing or painting while Ronan was in his play school (more on that in the Summer Summary for Ronan).
It turns out that the same Saturday that Connor achieved his 100 Loop Goal, our local Games Workshop store (where they specialize in Warhammer models) was having its 19th Birthday Party. Connor loved it! He painted a few things, and won the Young Blood Award for his model figure and being the youngest painter competing that day. Five hours Connor spent in that shop. Five hours of focused constructing and painting. He never thought about eating. He never thought about peeing. He was in a Warhammer Eutopia.
Lastly, we started riding bicycles. It was totally my fault for not having started him sooner. I dunno why I delayed, but here we were, buying Connor his "BMX" at a local resale shop, and he was too tall for training wheels. Poor kid would just have to go for it. It was probably for the best, in the end. He mastered the riding part after two lessons, but still needs to master the pushing off himself bit. We have a gorgeous park, called St. Anne's, near our house. It was actually the grounds for a Guinness family estate (in the late 1800s, I think). The mansion house burned down, and all that remains of it is a grass hill, but the mile-long avenue that was its driveway is still there. It's that long avenue that draws cyclists, walkers, and joggers from all over the Northside. It was perfect cycling training ground.
Well, that's it. (And that seems like a lot.) Here's the photos:
Oh no! I forgot to add something: Connor got his yellow-stripe belt in judo!!! (And Alan is officially back to his green belt.) The adults and kids had a joint class for a few weeks this summer, and their belts were awarded at the last class for the summer. One of the adult students emailed us this group photo.
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