The Bookworm's Attic

We have passed by the Bookworm's Attic countless times. It is directly on the way to school. It was on the way to my friend's house when they still lived here for three years and it was on the way to Wal-Mart when we still shopped there. It's next to the library we have patron a hundred times. We are a family of readers. My daughter's idea of going to the mall with a friend, is to visit Borders. My idea of a date is going to the travel section of the nearest book store (Brent likes to go to the magazine racks). We had never been to the Bookworm's Attic, until today.

The Bookworm's Attic--352 Norway Avenue, Huntington, WV

The reason's we have not visited the Bookworm's Attic seem trite, and now that we have walked through those doors, they are all embarrassing. I am pining to go back. I had to call a friend and gush over how wonderful it was to be in such a charming, warm and surprising place, in the path of our school commute. There were shelves of children's books, reading chairs, a Lego table, chapter books, new novels, a rare book collection, and my children's favorite, two dishes of candy. The music was good and I never notice the music anywhere.

One of the back nooks. There were several.

Discussion group space and a Lego table.

This may become our Thursday after school enrichment activity in addition to our curbside clean up project, which we also managed to do today, because we walked  home.

Miles Walked: 4	Biked: 38	Bused: 0	Drove: 16	This week
47.7	228.8	12.6	438.2	Since August 14, 2011

After School Enrichment & Some After August Plans

Oliver and I biked to pick up the children from school today. The trailer was already in trailer mode and I didn't feel the need to put it back in stroller form. I had no idea it was 90 degrees and humid outside. The windows were open and the cool morning air had maintained a decent 77 degrees in our house all day. With this heat, the ride up was rough. I had to stop about five times to let my muscles breath and just to catch my breath. I still partially blame the bike, as the last time I took Oliver up (on Brent's bike) I only stopped once for a short breather on the last hill.

When we walk home, sometimes the children (mostly London) complain. Mid week I know they are tired so we have tried to take the bus most of the way home and then walk a flatter shadier route. Last week I had the idea to give them something to look forward to each day to motivate them home, instead of threatening to leave them at school if they didn't continue forward. Before you get images of me cracking whips and forcing them up hills like mules, we do go at Avery's pace, stop many, many times for water and shade breaks and have only made it home once before 430PM, and we leave about 315 for the two mile trek. I think we certainly take our good sweet time. Yet I have raised a daughter not unlike myself, and she finds a lot to grumble about.

The Bribe
Mondays and Wednesdays we have to get home straight away for an early dinner with Brent. He has to return to campus for night classes so there is no time for any treats as we walk, just the usual breaks. Tuesdays we have decided, are library days. Gallaher Village library is on our walk home. There is a crosswalk at the corner and a lot of visibility get us over Norway. The library is also a very strong motivator for London. She's our bookworm. The deal is, no complaining on Monday or Tuesday and then we go to the library. So far it's working.

Today we spent about thirty minutes soaking up the A/C, refilling waters, snacking (outside), checking out books, reading magazines, changing diapers, and chatting with the staff. One of the gals said they were starting a Tuesday after school reading/activity group. I think this is something to consider. We might be able to get everyone there, get some homework done, have a snack and then enjoy an hour long library led session. I will let you know if we decide to participate. Tuesdays after school twice a month, we have Girl Scouts to contend with as well. So maybe the other weeks we could hang at Gallaher.

Snacking at the bike rack right out side the front doors of Gallaher Village Library

With Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays filled in, what were we going to do the other two? Thursdays we are going to use as our litter-gitter days. We are all appalled at the trash we pass on our way to and from Our Lady of Fatima. Avery always tries to bring some home. If I bring empty bags and hand sanitizer we can pick up what we deem to be "safe" to handle. I have been doing some of this, but the amount was just overwhelming to stop for every time I passed something, I wouldn't have gotten anywhere on time. If you have children, you probably realize that picking up garbage is not a motivator, but paying them for each bag they fill is. I offered them up a dollar each for every bag they stuff full. I think initially I might be out $3-$9, then maybe just $3, as we do have to carry it all home to dispose of. I highly suspect they will bore with this idea and I won't owe them anything, but I can continue my clean up efforts without them.

Fridays I am offering them play dates. Elliot is begging for friends to come home with us. This boy needs a jam packed social calendar. Every moment of everyday.  Provided they arrange them ahead of time and I can plan our transportation, they are each welcome to invite a friend over on Fridays. I think this will get them home quicker. The anti-complaint rule is also in effect. They can't complain Thursday when we are pick up trash or Wednesday when we just have to get home.

It's a good idea, but I don't know how much of it will work. The library seems to be having a positive effect so far, and we will see about the rest.

The Car-free Month is Ending, Won't We Just Drive the Children Home?
Brent and I have been in negotiations over our anticipated van usage after August is over. I am of the mindset that it's worked so far, why quit just because the month changed? Brent's more practical (thankfully) and he wants us to make a decision about using the car on an event by event basis, keeping in mind the comfort, safety, time and conveniences for our available modes of transport to each commitment.

We tried the other side of Norway today so we didn't have to cross back over at the intersection as well as making our cross back over to Woodland a more visible one. These poles are one excellent reason why we don't use this side of the street.

We don't fit. Thanks to a very observant and kind pick up truck driver, who stopped at Berry Hill Nursery (now closed), we were able to safely cross Norway to the other side and continue on our way home. The driver came down to us and stopped the car traffic in both directions to get us across.

The school commute has been the most dangerous and time consuming process this entire month. I have not given up on finding a better way to handle this situation, but as it stands we will most likely continue to carpool with friends, taking our turn to do some of the driving.

An 18 Mile Day

In July we were trying to put all our errands into one day. On that single day of the week we would drive the van in a well planned circle. Our experience in the link above was about a twelve mile circle on a Tuesday, our designated car day.

Yesterday, Tuesday, I set about to do all that needed to get done without the van and without sharing the load with Brent so he could stay in work-mode. I accomplished going to the park to play with friends (8miles biking), picking up the children from school (2 miles biking, 2 miles walking), taking a bag of veggies to our CSA partner, biking with London to Girl Scouts, and getting groceries (6 miles biking for all three stops). That's how I had an 18 mile day.

Walking home from school. Loaded trailer and racks. A rare picture of me, taken by London.

We came home by way of Spring Drive, a new road for us, and we found this gorgeous home and garden. I wanted to jump the fence, lay in the grass and watch the clouds.

Kroger bike parking accommodations.

All of this was possible because of our really great network of friends. One friend took the three children to school, as she had two going to school and we are on her way there. Another friend picked up our CSA from the church and brought them to our house, as she was going to pick up her's and our house was on her way home too. Proximity and planning were the other factors to my success. Our CSA partner was on the way to Girl Scouts and Girl Scouts was on the way to the grocery.  The scout meeting was scheduled to be 90 minutes and London's old enough to drop her off. The continued great weather doesn't hinder things either.

St. Paul Lutheran church on 12th Avenue hosts the Girl Scout meetings. I like laying the bike in grass versus leaning it against a pole to scratch up the frame.

The scouts baked cupcakes then had an eat off. London very easily finished hers first.

With planning in mind, there were a great deal of things that had to be coordinated to meet our basic needs yesterday. With all those things I did, we still had to work in Oliver's nap, prepare and eat our four meals,  homework, chores, and all the rest. We put off things like baths and dishes for today. Napping took place twice in the bike trailer and once in his bed after the park. I made a loaf of banana bread on Monday night for breakfast, Oliver and I packed a lunch for the park, the children packed extra items in their lunches for after school snacks and thanks to our amazing meal co-op, dinner was done in 15 minutes by merely warming it up and dolling it out. My children have a daily routine that we have been using since London started first grade. That was the year I had two children in school for the first time and I needed some more structure to my day. Homework and chores are a part of the routine.

We don't have days like this often, by choice, but when we do, I am thankful that I have options for transportation and a model for a system of organization that can get us through it. Having a husband that puts in the time Brent does with his work and with his family is unforgettable and most appreciative.

Regardless of how you get there, what makes your day doable? What's your system for "getting it all done?"

Miles Walked: 7.2	Biked: 29.8	Bused: 0	Drove: 0	This week
31	85.8	10.5	3.6	Since August 14, 2011

Our Summer 2011

Lists are my system for maintaining mental order. Every summer I set up guidelines for the family to get us through our day. This year we typed up a list of ideas to keep us creating and enjoying our time with each other. We accomplished much and still have things to keep us rolling into fall. How do you inspire your family through long school breaks, or periods of low productivity, or just everyday?

As it hangs on the refrigerator.

bake breads from around the world	Elkins	string popcorn for the birds
backyard sleepover	learn to can/dehydrate food	make our own favorite cereals
make a tent	Farmer's Market	mow the lawn
go to Grace's pool/birthday/sleepover party	dinner guests	build a bat house
make a life calendar	lunch dates	batik & tie-dye items
invite Grammy for Ribfest	friendly brunches	Lego Ninjaga
hike in the woods	sleepover guests	stargaze with a telescope
wash & wax bikes	play with Parker	teach Avery to swing
expand the gardens	make macaroni & cheese	make Popsicles
build cold frames	Friday night dessert and movies	prepare art camp
eat food from all the continents	catch fire flies	new sand for the box
make shirts into pillows	make donuts	enclose playhouse bottom
North Carolina	make baklava	play with Etta
eat ice cream	create a snack mix	build a pergola on the front porch
help London knit & crochet	build a basketball court	make grilled cheese sandwiches
make a new room with a tree house in it	make a movie	shop at yard sales
play in the rain	help with HARC	get new toys
create family Halloween costumes	compost & recycle even more	make gifts for friends
Washington DC	write letters to family and far away friends	make ice cream
visit the movie theater	haircuts	picnic outdoors
go to the bank	dry laundry outside	teach Elliot to ride a bike
paint the playhouse more	library summer reading program	read books
Geronimo Stilton's Cheesy cake	hula hoop	go fishing
yard games	rain barrels for gutters	fish with Parker
cuddles and hugs	wash and wax car	sew a duvet for London
garden	play dragon 123	follow the biking blog
select new lunch boxes	geocache	wear sunscreen
order Avery's backpack	publish a family newspaper	ride bikes

Miles Walked: 0	Biked: 0	Bused: 0	Drove: 0	This week
23.8	56	10.5	3.6	Since August 14, 2011

Extra Curriculars with Children

Soccer and Fencing

Brent coaching Avery's team at the YMCA.

It's almost soccer season here. Every year we have had at least one child play at the Kennedy Center YMCA fields or Virginia Point in Kenova. Both fields are nearly 30 minutes away by car, in opposite directions. I haven't found a downtown option for team soccer.

A quick look at the transit service website and I discovered a bus that goes to the YMCA, even on Saturday when games are most often played. They had an evening service that would cover practice times. In the past many of the YMCA teams have practiced at Ritter Park and you could sometimes request a team that would meet there during the week. I have heard about a bus that goes out to Dreamland Pool in Kenova that would get us close to Virginia Point, but I was unable to find information on the TTA site about such a route.

London practicing fencing at Ritter Park, spring 2011.

London has been participating with a fencing group. Sometime they meet at Ritter Park. Sometimes, when it is very hot or rainy, they meet at a dance studio on the more western side of downtown. We have managed most park practices and have missed many at the dance studio. We could have ridden to the indoor practices, even in the rain, but we have chosen not to go, first because of the extra distance and second because usually the rest of the children must go and I don't care to corral them in a waiting room for 90minutes. London is still able to participate when she can, practice at home and on a few generous occasions, she has gotten a ride with another fencing family to the indoor studio.

Thus far in our car-lite/free journey, very few opportunities have been missed. That may change as school begins and the children pick up their extra curricular activities, such as scouts, sports, play dates, music, and community events. I will look at each opportunity individually and make decisions as they come, just as I would have done when we drove our van freely. What I have learned is that while some opportunities will be missed, if I do a little research and ask around, I think most events can be reached, it will just take more planning.