We started putting a window into Emma's room this past weekend, after thinking, pondering, planning, and wondering about it for at least six years. It's going well so far, though we aren't done. The interior still has quite a bit to be done, the exterior a little. Click on the photo if you want to see more photos of the process.
Emma got her driver's license on Monday! She celebrated by taking Kyrie a few blocks away and buying twinner pink flower rings at a little toy store in town. Cute. I can now hardly wait for school to start, because I don't have to drive! We also did come up with rules, which I'm recording here mainly for posterity. Above all we want her to be safe, and we think attention and awareness are the keys so we're trying to build those.
- She and all passengers absolutely must wear seatbelts.
- No iPod listening for the first three months, or until we as her parents have confidence in her. Music can be distracting.
- No answering or making calls on her cell phones while driving. Her passenger may answer her phone for her (since Christian will almost always be in the car with her), or she may pull over to make or answer a call.
- No cruise control for a couple, maybe three, months. She knows how to use it and it was a good tool at first to make it so she didn't have to worry about speed amongst all the other things. But now B wants her to drive intentionally and learn to be aware.
- If she gets a moving violation, she has to pay the ticket herself, and no driving until she has.
- If she gets into an accident, she has to pay the insurance deductible herself for the repairs, and no driving until she has.
Yesterday was B's birthday, his big 40. He'd forgotten that it was even a landmark day until his mom reminded him. (Of course I already had four and zero candles for his cake and a 40 banner, but he didn't know that.) Went to Cabella's (which is kind of like an adventure park for the shooting crowd, lots for the kids to see and do for an hour or two) and then out for maybe our most expensive dinner ever. In addition to our family of nine we invited B's mom, his two siblings who are still at home, and his visiting sister and her baby. Had a marvelous time, and I hope he did too. His younger brother Adam has arranged for him to go skydiving for his mid-life crisis, and I think it sounds like a kick in the pants. :)
The rest of the neighborhood started school yesterday, but for us the Hogwarts Express leaves on 7 September. We'll take Emma and Christian over to the Academy on the 6th—which just happens to be Christian's 15th birthday—for orientation and meeting teachers and assignment of lockers, etc. Then they go off alone on the morning of the 7th and we'll get started here. Exciting stuff. I should really check and see if I need any school books and maybe order them.
So another week and a half of summertime for us! Swimming pool, green grass, playing, climbing trees. Plums are ripening on the tree out front, we ought to go pick those. I love the lazy last days of summer.
4 comments:
Do you know what this window screams at me?? Go big or go the eff home! I love it! Also, happy birthday to Blaine.
That is such a nice BIG window! How lovely! GREAT driving rules btw! I could never talk on my phone while driving a stick anyway. Happy BD B! Have fun finishing the summer!
You been busy! And, I like the rules of driving... Not bad if I do say so myself :) Also, would you please wave at my Uncle Blaine for me, who is an awesomey handy handyman? Thankyouverymuch!
And you know I clicked on the photo to see every one of those pictures of the process.
My favorite line from the British Top Gear? "Cruise control is a blunt instrument for Americans." I have it in my car, but I don't think I've ever used it. Good rules though - I'll keep those in mind for my own.
Post a Comment