Day 11

Strike 3..... I'm out.

At breakfast, (again, everyone else had already eaten), I told Vladik that we needed to run a few errands this morning. My Aunt's, the Farmer's Market, the Library, etc. Not a ton of errands, but when one does not live in town, you combine as much errand running into one trip as you can. I had planned on making a stop at the local craft store, where you can pick a craft (there are quite a few from which to choose), and make it there... (which means the mess stays there) and then bring it home.
Joe and Kyle usually get something they have to paint, so only half of the mess stays there; but still.
So I asked Vladik if he thought that sounded like something  he wanted to do.

Yes.

GREAT! FINALLY I've found something outside the house that piques his interest.

Well, if you've been following my blog, I'm sure you can guess what happened.
Yep, you got it.
We got there and he was no longer interested. Joe and Kyle and I went ahead and did our crafts, but Vladik was completely bored.
Maybe it was overwhelming? It's a small shop, but visually, it's very busy. Too many options? Did he not know what was expected of him?  I don't know.
STRIKE 3.

We were there for about 30 minutes, did our thing, and left.

Out last stop was Buehler's. (A local grocery store.)

Vladik perked right up when we got to the produce department. In fact, come to think of it.. it was the most animated he'd been all day. A pineapple, a cantaloupe, plums, a honeyrock melon, strawberries, bananas, green beans, and a couple bags of chips later, we went home for lunch.

Kyle has been pretty cranky the last few days, so after lunch, I put him down for a nap. Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy it, because I had to mow.  I told Vladik and Joe that they could watch TV until Kyle got up (which is usually about 45 minutes.... never more than an hour) and then they had to turn it off.

Evidently, I lost track of time. I kept expecting to see them come barreling out of the house asking for a snack. (Joe usually starts asking for a snack within 30 minutes of finishing a meal.) But they never came.

So I climbed off the mower and went inside-- fully expecting the three of them to be sitting on the couch watching TV, despite my instructions.  Imagine my surprise when I looked at the clock... nearly 2 hours had passed! Kyle was still asleep and Joe and Vladik were still watching TV. YIKES!

I ran upstairs to wake up Kyle.. UGH it's going to be torture getting him to bed tonight.
And as soon as we came downstairs, they (meaning Joe), started clamoring for a snack.

So I got the boys all situated, told them under no uncertain terms were they to turn the TV back on, and went back out to finish the yard. (yeah, we have a big yard.)

While I was mowing, the boys got their scrap paper, markers, and crayons out to draw.
Vladik is a pretty good artist!
He drew a tractor, a race car, OUR car (a Flex) and a Semi truck and trailer.

Tonight, Vladik asked if he could help make supper. (Which is a first).
We were having waffles, (I LOVE breakfast for supper!)
So I got a bowl out, and he measured the Bisquick, poured and added the milk, measured and added the oil, cracked the eggs... well, he cracked 1 of the eggs, I had to show him how to do it with the 1st.
I poured the batter into the waffle maker for the first one, but he wanted to do the rest.

**Vladik interrupted me about 2 hours ago. He tangled with some stinging nettle and the nettle won.
He's finally in bed, and I still need a shower.

I'll have to finish this post tomorrow.