This Week in Review

Monday: To the Splashground with Tonya, Emma Kate, and Jack. After Fletcher decided he wanted to participate, we had fun playing in the spraying water.
Tuesday: Library and Playground with Cam. No comment from Mommy.
Wednesday: Clemmons with the Harrington's to visit Mrs. Evelyn, Nickolas, Mrs. Dawn, and Mrs. Danielle. Fun playing and catching up!
Thursday: Library and Playground with Mandy. Great day!
Friday: Shopping for fall at the mall. Haven't done anything like this is a long time.
Saturday: Hanging out with Uncle Aaron while Mommy works and Daddy sleeps.

Uncle Aaron, the Manny!

With Ed's new job schedule and my weekend job, we were in need of weekend childcare, and decided to ask my brother, Aaron. We thought this would be a good arrangement all around: we need childcare and would much prefer family to hiring a babysitter, Fletcher loves his Uncle Aaron, and Aaron needs money. He is arriving on Friday evenings and staying with us until Sunday late afternoon, when I return home from work. This is his first weekend as "Manny" and based on the 4 phone calls I received at work today, Fletcher is excited, very active, and testing Uncle Aaron's resolve. They went to the playground, played with every toy we own, and Fletcher just fell asleep on the sofa from pure exhaustion at 4:30pm (since he was too wound up to nap at his regular time). Aaron may do the same! We'll see if Aaron will want to return next week when we are in need of his services again!

Lazy 5 Ranch

Fletcher and I went to the Lazy 5 Ranch outside of Mooresville on Monday morning. This is our 4th or 5th trip. It is such a cool place and I highly recommend this trip! You can drive through the huge animal park in your car and get a close up view of zebras, a rhino, giraffes, large birds, and lots of deer-like animals, much closer than at the zoo. The animals will come right up to (and partially in) your car to eat. There is also an area to walk through that is as exciting for it's landscaping (windmill, fountain, old barn, and beautiful plants) as it is for the other animals there (hares, tortoises, birds, porcupines and more). Fletcher had lots to say about the behavior of the animals: "Maybe those goats are nocturnal" (when he saw some napping deer-like animals) and "The pigs can get cool and clean and fresh there" (when he saw a huge mud hole), etc.

What a Week!

What a fun and busy week we had. It included playing in the Fountain at Birkdale, playgroup at the playground and storytime at the library with school friends, art class, a visit from Uncle Aaron, Sophie's birthday party at the pool, and a fun evening at Tonya's with Dawn and the rest on the gang (see Tonya's blog for pictures). It took me all day Sunday to recover! Here are a few pictures of the week's activities.

"Let's Act it Out!"

Whatever we read, see on T.V., or imagine in our minds, we have to act it out! Fletcher is Little Bear and Mommy is Big Bear, Fletcher is Anansi and Mommy is the Lion, Fletcher is George and Mommy is the Man in the Yellow Hat, he is Bob and I am Wendy, and so on. What a wonderful imagination my son has! We need to get him into drama classes. Though he's pretty dramatic without lessons! Maybe he'll be an actor.

Mr. Personality

Fletcher is shaking hands and kissing babies, literally! The grocery store was quite and experience on Friday. Fletcher introduced himself to everyone we saw: "Hi, I'm Fletcher. Fletcher William Clausen and this is my mom, Joanna. What's your name?" At which people would either A) say "Oh, he's very friendly, isn't he" with a slightly shocked look on their face or B) answer his question and start a conversation. Needless to say, our grocery trip took looker than usual. He stuck his head right into a stroller to talk to a very cute and very new baby. The father said "Oh, it's okay" but I would not have been comfortable with that had it been my baby so Fletcher and I had to have a quick conversation about how to act with babies. I'm glad he is outgoing and friendly, but it's also a little concerning because he is not intimidated by anyone regardless of age, size, or appearance. I really think he might go with anyone. Thank goodness we are always together. Perhaps he'll be a politician when he grows up. Perish the thought!

Charlotte Philharmonic Concert in the Park

We had a great time last night at the Philharmonic Concert in the Park at Baily Road Park in Cornelius. Tonya and her family were there, as well as Tonya's friend Kathy and her family. It was so nice to spend time with good friends while listening to great music. Fletcher enjoyed drawing at the art tent, dancing, eating ice cream, and entertaining strangers with his singing. This is one of my favorite things to do and we are so lucky that the Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras come to us several times a year.

Catawba County Attractions

Fletcher and I headed west yesterday and visited several Catawba County attractions: the Catawba Science Center, Bunker Hill Covered Bridge, Murray's Mill, and Aunt Venida. Fletcher's favorite part of the Science Center was the Raceway exhibit where you roll balls along track and try to get them in to buckets and use slats of wood to build ramps for balls. My favorite was the butterfly exhibit, Flutter-by. We then went to my Aunt Venida's house and she took us out to lunch at Village Inn Pizza. Yum! We all went to the covered bridge and then to Murry's Mill. I just love doing stuff like that! Fletcher was really interested in all the machines in the mill and how the huge water wheel made then work. For a treat, Fletcher had ice cream and I had a Coke in a glass bottle in the porch swing at the Mill's General Store. I highly recommend this day trip!

Beautiful 'Boro

Despite the fact that I would never want to live there again, I can appreciate the beauty of Wilkes. Snapped this on the way home: a farm that can be seen from 421.

Happy 4th!

Hope you have all had a great 4th of July. We had a great day spent with family! We went to Mom's this morning and then headed over to Grandmaw's for a family cookout. Most everyone was there, including Helen and her family. Helen's son, Andrew, is just a few months older than Fletcher and the 2 had great fun playing together. There was lots of eating, talking, and laughing done by all. Fletcher also enjoyed helping to make homemade ice cream, eat homemade ice cream, helping to cut watermelon, and taking pictures. It was so nice to see everyone!

Water-logged!

Fletcher and I had a wet Monday! We went to Lake Norman State Park in the morning and played at the 'beach' there. The sand was mostly mud, but Fletcher really enjoyed digging and playing in the water. Later in the afternoon, we went to Tonya's and we all played in their community pool, conviently located outside her back door. The kids loved swimming, jumping, and playing in the water. Jane let Fletcher borrow her goggles which he loved. After returning to Tonya's it was bath time for Jack, Emma Kate, and Fletcher. Oh, the innocence of youth! By the end of the day we indeed felt water-logged. When I laid down last night, I had that sensation of being in waves!

Weekend Happenings

Friday night we went out for ice cream and then took a 'night time drive,' requested by Fletcher so he could take the flashlight. We also stopped at the Town Green in Davidson so Fletcher could run. He and Ed played chase then we all pretended to be beavers by collecting sticks and 'building a dam.' Then we drove and we ended up not getting lost, but not being where we were for a while and saw some beautiful county that we had never seen before. Saturday and Sunday, Ed and Fletcher spent time at the pool, as usual. Fletcher is doing really well in the water. Photos, top to bottom: carosel at Carolina Cones, magnolia at Davidson Town Green, and Fletcher at the Town Green.