Bowles Blog

Raking for Dollars

Ever since the implementation of the cash allowance system around here, Will & Cuyler's behavior and motivation to help out have improved dramatically.  Ebby, not so much...

Each child gets a base amount of allowance.  They have some basic responsibilities (i.e. keeping room clean, unloading backpacks & lunches) and a few specific chores (i.e. emptying the wastebaskets around the house, poop patrol in the yard).  They can earn a bit of extra money by completing some special, bigger jobs.  They can also lose money by fighting, not listening, etc.  I am in charge of the additions, deductions and the weekly tally.  I have a makeshift ledger on the back of my weekly to do list.

It's all very Excel spreadsheet-like.

Raking leaves, to some extent, is a bonus job.  Worth 25 to 50 cents an outing.  Could this possibly be the reason the boys came home and, without prompting, raked 3 afternoons this week--including the day it was pouring rain?

Um, yes. Totally.

Well that and they're good young boys.

And they like money. 

Random Kid Quotes

Let's see, it's 5 days before Halloween and neither one of the boys has a Halloween costume.  This morning, Will seems to have forgotten his homework and Cuyler forgot his library books.  Despite the fact that I can see their school through the trees in the front yard, I'm not going over there with their stuff. I've decided they can deal with the consequences today.  This afternoon, I may even have them get started on making their own Halloween costumes.

That's right, it's a new era of tough mom love.

I predict it will last about 24 hours.

They drive me nuts, but my darling children also make me laugh.  For example...

Will

{pictured holding a blob of peanut butter that he informed me was shaped like a lizard}

Yesterday afternoon, Cuyler was trying to convince Will that he owed him '10 bucks' from when they were a year old. Cuyler claimed to have agreed to wipe Will's "bonny-bon for 10 bucks" because it was so messy no one else would do it.  Will retorted with this gem, "Cuyler, it's a known fact that people don't remember their babyhood."

Cuyler didn't get any $$.

Cuyler

This morning the boys were in the mudroom area, gathering all their school stuff (except for the aforementioned library books & homework), jostling about, laughing.  Typical morning stuff, when Cuyler shouts out to me, "Mummy, Will's enslaving me!"

Who knew such a thing could happen so early in the morning.

Finally, Miss Ebby

I don't have a quote of anything that Ebby's said lately (much of that consists of insulting her brothers or pleading her case for needing more clothing), but rather something she wrote.  Ok, technically she typed it.

For whatever reason, recently when I sent emails or pictures from my phone, Ebby's email account was coming up as the default account.  Sometimes I noticed, sometimes I sent emails but they appeared to be from Ebby.  While we were in the car the other day, she set about the 30 second task of remedying that situation.  Which she did. So helpful, really.  While she was in my email settings, she kindly updated my email signature line.  The old one: sent from my cool iPhone.  The new (& I'm sure she'd say improved) signature line:  Ebby is my favorite child ~Jen.  Isn't she adorable?

But really, aren't they all adorable...and amusing.

Friday Faces

A collection of some previously unpublished photographic gems.  Enjoy!

First up, 'Uncle Bob' Ryder.  Taken by Ebby this August during the Studley family gathering.  Who knew Bob was such a ham?

Next up, Ebby's best preschool pal, Miss Danielle.  They were at the Sandwich Glass Museum when this picture was taken.  I had no idea it was so bright there that you can't even open your eyes.  Must be the glare of the glassblowing torch.  Her cuteness still shines through.

Speaking of cute, check out BGD at LLBean last weekend.  Who knew trying on fur lined bomber hats could make a guy so happy (& cozy looking)?

And speaking of happy, I'm always happy when My Cousin Laura comes to visit.  You can almost feel the joy radiating from us in this photo from her visit in August (and no, that's not our house in the background, if only...).   

Finally, can you recognize these adorable, partially obscured little dumplings?  Why yes, it's wee Will & wee Cuyler, circa 2003. 

Have a great weekend & don't be afraid to make a funny face.  Especially if there's a camera around.

Our Circus Trip

Last Friday we headed into the big city to see the Circus.

Not just any circus, but the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth Circus.

Our odyssey began at 3:45pm on Friday.

We finally arrived home at midnight.

It was, truly, an Over the Top outing.

After stopping to pick up Bubbe, our party of 6 (Ebby brought a friend with her), continued on into the TDBank Garden in Boston.  We cruised right into a space in the facility garage, hopped on an elevator, paid our $15 and we were on our way.  Next stop:  the Will Call window to pick up the tickets.  The Will Call window was conveniently located across from the Ladies restroom.  Despite his protests, I made Cuyler go in there with me to use the bathroom.  I'm sorry but I'm not letting my 9 year old go into the Men's room in North Station at rush hour alone.  He was horrified by all the Girl Scouts but managed to make it through. 

By this time it was about 5:30 and the troops were getting hungry.  The girls headed to Dunkin Donuts for Vanilla Coolattas, while the rest of us snacked on the cuisine de Mickey D's.  Just as we were finished our food, the final member of our Circus Party arrived:  Aunt Sue.

It was 5:55 and we figured we were perfectly positioned to get into the All Access Pre-Show, scheduled to begin one hour before the 7pm showtime.  The clowns must've had some sort of trouble unpacking their juggling gear, because we had to stand and wait (with a growing crowd) for the TDBank Garden security staff to open the doors to the arena.  After about 10 minutes, we were on our way.

During the Pre-Show we tried on a few wardrobe pieces, saw some clowns and assorted other performers and were particularly impressed by the man on stilts (who enjoyed lunging at spectators).   We definitely had some cranky moments down there, I think the kids were afraid the Pre-Show was the show.  Not that my children would ever be cranky and/or ungrateful.

We decided to find our (very good) seats and sat down.  We had an excellent view of the Pre-Show from our perch in Loge 22, Row 15, Seats 1-7.  Once I agreed to buy the boys a bag of multi-flavored cotton candy (lemon, they loved--and shared) with a circus hat for $10, they were happy as clams.  Ebby required a little face time with yours truly out on the concourse but after that adjusted her attitude and had, gasp, fun!  I'm happy to report that Aunt Sue and Bubbe were on their best behavior.

The show was chock full of thrills, spectacles, sequins, animals & acrobats.  Oh, and clowns.  A few too many for the adults in our party's taste, but the boys seemed to enjoy them.  It was hard to pick a favorite act, but mentioned were: the clowns, the dogs, the lions, the dudes   bouncing on the giant rubber horseshoes, the elephants, the contortionist, the high-wire motorcycle act, and the motorcycles in the metal globe (there were 7 of them in there at one point!!).

After the rainforest themed finale, the house lights went up and we headed out to the concourse.  We made one last visit to the souvenir vendor where Jiminez was kind enough to let Sue & Ebby pose with some merchandise that we did not purchase--not too worry, they got my money at intermission. 

There was quite a bit of traffic remaining even after our leisurely pace getting to the car.  At this point (10:30pm), the girls were getting hungry (again), so we stopped at the McDonald's drive thru in Quincy.  That's right, twice in one night.  I'm horrified--but what can I say, it was a special occasion.

We dropped Bubbe off at her house, then drove right by our street on our way to drop Ebby's friend off at her house.  When we finally returned home it was nearly midnight.

I think we would all give the circus 2 thumbs up.  In fact, Ebby's hoping to get one of those inflatable horseshoes for Christmas.  Personally, I'll just keep the Ringling Brothers website bookmarked--you know, just in case I need to run away and join them ;-)       

Musical Monday

With the new school year comes new opportunities.  Opportunities to make new friends, participate in a new activity, and to join the school band.

This year, Cuyler has decided to be a clarinet player.  He's going to try anyway.  His goal:  to go to Disney World with the school band when he's in high school.  To paraphrase Confucius, the journey to Disney World begins with a single note.

I dutifully went to the instrument rental meeting for parents.  I filled out a short form, gave them my credit card number and signed my life away (though I can change my mind at any time...).  In turn, they gave me a brand new clarinet.  From France, no less.

Cuyler has been to 2 group lessons so far at school.  His practicing has been a bit spotty, part of that was because his clarinet needed to be loosened.  Not sure what the technical term is for that, but it's done now.  When he does practice, it's with great enthusiasm.  And with the look of a self described jazz man.

Behold: 

Just look at those cheeks.        

I'm expecting great things.

Before he gets to Disney World, Cuyler also has big plans--involving a neighborhood band.  Within a few houses of us we have a drum player, a sax player and 2 guitarists.

Maybe the chicken coop won't be an art studio but rather our own little Hatch shell...

If things don't work out with the neighborhood kids, Cuyler can always get a band together with his immediate family members.

Ebby already has 6 weeks of Rec. dept. guitar lessons under her belt.  And then there's BGD.  He's learning to play his $4 consignment store guitarlette with lessons in Garage Band on his Mac laptop.  If we can just get Will to play the bells and/or triangle, I think we'll be in business.

As for me, I'll be here documenting it all, a Rolling Stone photographer wannabe. 

With some very inconspicuous ear plugs.

All the marbles

Here we have Exhibit A in the "why I keep so many toys around even though my children are 9 & 12" presentation.

This tub of marbles has been sitting in the playroom since we moved in.  Last week was the first time I recall the boys even noticing that they were there.  But notice them they did.  Then they brought them upstairs.  And sorted them into piles. 

By the time I told them to pick up the marbles and take them up to their room, they were quite attached to colorful glass orbs.  When Will dropped a handful (because I put the dog gate up backwards, it hit him in the hand causing the marbles to scatter all over the living room) there was panic.  And even after I helped him pick up the marbles, he knew exactly which one was still missing.  Though he was convinced I'd used my evil powers to make it disappear off the face of the earth, or at least the living room, eventually he found it.

Phew.

So now Will & Cuyler have 200+ marbles up in their room.  They rediscovered them after literally, years, of not noticing them.  With rediscovery come re-purposing.  Instead of being used as a game in and of themselves, the marbles have now be reinvented as ammunition for the great Lego wars that rage in the boys' bedroom.

Ah, childhood.