Awkward age

So I am a Mom who works outside the home. My 13 Yo is too big for daycare. He can take care of himself and doesn't mind staying home. Last year he had a friend up the street who's Uncle was staying with him, rehabilitating from surgery. The boys played together. They figured out that they could ride their bike 2 miles to the Outdoor Mall and many catch a movie or just a cookie. The Uncle knew where they were and was a bit of an anchor for them. They played outside a lot.





Then we moved. We have not met any boys close to his age in the neighborhood. It was stinkin' hot last August, so he stayed inside. In front f the TV, Computer or XBox. He got mopey. We started to worry. I tried to encourage him to ride his bike to the library or even McDonald's. But he would not. He was estatic when school started again.





So this year, I tired to sign him up for baseball camp for a week, and the sesion got cancelled. So then I saw an blurb about band camp at the high school in our church bulletin. I twisted his are to agree to go. But it is 9 am - Noon for 4 days. So 3 of those days, he is coming with me to work. Then at 8:30 I drop him off and pick him up at Noon. Then he spends the rest of the day hanging out in my office. This was him yesterday.

He's got the portable DVD player on his lap and he is text messaging a friend. Maybe tomorrow I'll see if I can arrange for a simple laptop with a browser for his to play some games on.

Today he spent time with Dad at Dad's office.

My Life this week

Work and Baseball. The 13 Yo team won thier first game almost 2 weeks ago. Then they won another, and another. This week was the county tournament. We made it to the semi-finals. We did lose, but there was not a "Bad New Bears Inning" , Thier bats stayed hot even if they hit them right where the other team was standing (Sometimes contact with the ball is worth cheering for) and the pitching stayed good.

Summer activites

School's out. It's been out for a bit over a week. The boys pooled their money and Dad chipped in and they got The Lego Indiana Jones game for the Wii. The have completed all levels. They have been putside a bit. Grandma and Grandpa are currently visiting and Friday morning Grandma made them read for a few hours.

Next week the 8 YO will begin Daycamp at a local daycare. He's not excited about it, especially since his brother will be at home with few restrictions on computer and TV time.

They were supposed to both do baseball camp this week, but it was cancelled. I did discover band camp at the Parochial HS DS13 will most likely attend. I had to twist his arm a bit. He was not oevrly enthusiastic about it. But at least it will introduce him to the band director there. And it will get him out of the house and some social interaction. It would be great if he could make Friends with people who live close to us.

He will most likely do Football camp instead of wrestling camp in July. They are the same week. He's not too hot on Wrestling right now. (One reason I want him to meet the band directors) However, He is planning on playing football for the very first time as an 8th grader. Maybe the week before football camp he can go to North Carolina with Grandma and Grandpa. He won't be able to go in August due to Football practices (6 days a week - ugh!). a few months after Football sign-ups, we got notice that there will be a golf team at the school this year. So he's signed up for it. I am confident that if there is a conflict with Golf and Football that Golf will win out.

Baseball is still on-going. We have some rainouts to make up. DS 13's team has played 11 games and won 2 of them. Both wins were against the same team. It feels like the coaches have given up. These boys often mis basic plays. They always seems to have a "bad news bears" inning. We know the mercy rule all too well.

DS8's team has yet to win a game. But they are still hainvg fun unlike DS13's team. Tuens out our son can throw a decent pitch for an 8 yo. The first three innings they use a pitching machine (or coach pitch when someone stole some generators for the pitching machine) and three iniings of kid pitch.

It has been a bit of a long baseball season.

Live Blogging

Hi Everyone, It's almost 10 PM and I'm still up. We've got severe storms coming through the area. The sirens have stopped, but we are still camped out in the basement. Never fear, I am on the laptop and it;s bettery. My power and cable are obviously still up and running. They are talking about 2 inches of rain per hour.

The 8 YO s in the corner, asleep in his bean bag chair. the 13 yo, Hubby and I are glued to the TV reports. I did grab an shorts, shirts and socks for the boys nad I. Hubby has not changed into his PJ's yet. LOL. But it's looking like we can relax a bit. But the TV just showed a line of storms going back West. It could be a bumpy night.

Who's toy is it?

Dad's? Or the Boy's