Four photos of summer trip

Pere Marquette Trail Travelers


The Cabin

Fenton Place Snack

Fenton Place Turnstile

Madeline is coming!!!

Amelia has invited her grandmother over to visit when her one year old cousin Madeline comes to town. Despite repeatedly telling her that Madeline will be staying at grandmother's in the crib she has built an itinerary for Madeline. She has set up a play area in the Monkey around room, sorted her stuffed animals and identified a collection as Madeline's for the duration of her visit. She has also identified a set of books to be read to her, movies that could be watched, and music to share. The park and lake are on her agenda too. She talks of adjusting swing sets, sandboxes, and her pool all so Madeline's visit will be memorable. You put a lot of effort into preparing for your little cousin's visit when you are six--and a half.

Twinke Twinke Little Star

Summer flies by and I miss much of it as I now work year around. The summer work is much more laid back as the phone does not ring constantly with the urgency of a crisis. This year Amelia is participating on a tball team, taking guitar and swimming lessons so i often feel like I am missing something.


I have always wanted to take guitar lessons but am somewhat tone deaf and haven't found the time. But Amelia has been coming home and teaching me. Together we are mastering Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She does a great job of encouraging me and provides a great deal of positive reinforcement.

Shaela had a high school graduation party today. Claire and I were preparing to put money in a card. Amelia was very inquisitive about why people give graduates cash and then insisted on giving something also. So we set her up with her own envelope. She ran to her room and got one of the two dollar bills she possessed--the result of picking up sticks at a penny each. She then asked her mother whether we would be giving her twenty when she graduated.

Do you laugh or do you cry?

I suppose in every one's life there is at least one person who can drive them senseless. My wife went off to appointments this afternoon and I was home alone with Amelia. She has not seen Abby for awhile so she was eager to play with her. Abby and Amelia are best friends who can at times bring out the worst in each other. Abby has been on vacation and I somehow didn't fully remember what can happen when they get together.

I thought they would like to get together and so I let Amelia call her. Amelia left to get the phone and it was sometime before she came back and reported that she had, "waited patiently after getting a busy signal like you taught me to." So Abby came over and I told them they could play outside but that if there was any fighting or arguing she would have to go home as I didn't want to spend the afternoon entertaining them. I had things to do.

After awhile Amelia asked if she could have a banana and then she asked if Abby could have one also. I suggested that they split one and then split a second if they were still hungry as they often don't finish what they start.

I went back to doing my bookkeeping on the computer and they ran off.

Sometime later the two girls walked in holding four dishes and informed me they had made a "fruit salad shake." Looking at the bowls I saw evidence that milk, grapes, oranges, blueberries, apples, strawberries, and bananas had all been used. My mind immediately envisioned the kitchen.

The girls were beaming with pride and described how they had started making a fruit salad and added yogurts etc. My grandmother used to make a huge bowl of marshmallow fruit salad, that I hated, for every family gathering. Their salad resembled this. I generally prefer that my fruit maintain their individual identities. How can two girls who prefer a separate dish for each food they eat make something like this?

They told me how good their salad was and encouraged me to eat it and asked me what I thought. Because they were so proud of their concoction I felt compelled to try it. They asked me what I thought and I acknowledge my preference for unscrambled fruit.

I reminded the girls that they had not asked to make something and I asked if they had cleaned up after themselves. Amelia got a sheepish look and said, "Oh ya, we forgot. Lets go clean up Abby!" Given the vision I had of the kitchen I thought I'd better get up and go along.

There was not a clean surface in the kitchen. Amelia and Abby were wiping up a spill on the floor, dishes were everywhere, chunks of apple and the top half of strawberries were on a cutting block. Grapes sat on a counter. The ice bucket and a ice tray were on yet another counter. Four glasses of melted ice water sat on the table. Numerous other bowls had been brought out for preparing this mess.

As we cleaned I reminded them that they need to ask before taking food or undertaking a project. Amelia has been feeling very independent and wants to do and thinks she can do everything. Its a quality that I admire but realize needs to be reigned in. Today I could see why Claire sometimes seems so exacerbated with Amelia when I come home.

I hope I remember that.