Hallie and Travis

During our first day at the beach last weekend, Travis gave us this gem of a quote: “Today is the best day of my life . . . except for tomorrow.” That’s a pretty good motto to live by!

Hallie declared this evening, “I wish they made laminated books, or at least waterproof ones, so I wouldn’t have to stop reading when it’s time to take my shower.” That’s my girl!

I’ve been waiting all summer to learn who the kids will have as their teachers this fall. The letters finally came on Monday and I’m thrilled with the results. Hallie will have Mrs. Anolick for 3rd grade. I’ve heard wonderful things about her and was very eager for Hallie to be in her class. Hallie is also delighted that she and best buddy Evelyn will be together for the fourth year in a row. While I’m eager for Hallie to find some opportunities to branch out a bit, she and Evelyn are getting along really well right now. I hope they have another good year together. Read the rest of this entry »

Travis has been very into spying and law enforcement lately. He bought an FBI kit at the dollar store and the handcuffs go with him everywhere. (Fortunately they have an easy quick release so no one gets captured for too long . . .)

This afternoon his friend Oliver is here to play. Every since Oliver arrived there’s been a flurry of activity, with three kids creeping about, communicating by walkie-talkies, and doing lots of scheming and planning. I feel pretty certain I’m the intended target, but so far I have both of my hands free. That may change very soon!

We went last night to watch a game between our local professional soccer team, the Carolina Railhawks, and the Rochester Rhinos. They were having a ceremony at halftime to honor the athletes from each CASL team who were recognized for their outstanding sportsmanship. I am quite proud that our daughter Hallie was among those good sports.

We got lost on the way to the stadium, arrived late, and endured an especially sweaty night, but the family enjoyed the game in spite of the Railhawks losing 0-2. I hope we will see another game soon, even if Hallie isn’t being honored!

I know it’s been awfully quiet here lately. Don’t worry: we’re still alive and well! We’ve just been too busy enjoying our summer to blog as we should.

Look for more updates soon. Promise!

We were delighted today to find a letter from the library in the mail today responding to Hallie’s note about the misbound book:

July 14, 2010

Miss Hallie Turner
1108 Tonsler Drive
Raleigh, NC 27604

Dear Miss Turner,

We just found a note you left for us in the returned book, Young Cam Jansen and the Substitute Mystery. Your note let us know that the book had been assembled incorrectly with the chapters in the wrong order. Thank you for telling us about this. We can return the book to the publisher and receive a replacement copy, hopefully with the chapters in the correct order. We may not have found the mistake without your careful detective work!
Read the rest of this entry »

Hallie checked out a book from the library which was bound incorrectly, getting the chapters out of order. Not one to let a problem go unreported (she takes after her dad), Hallie write the library a note to bring this to their attention.

The note reads:

To: Library

The Book Young Cam Jansen And the substitute Mystery is totally MIXED UP! The chapters should go like this 1,2,3,4,5. In the book, they go 1,2,4,5,3. No wonder it doesn’t make sense! It was bound out-of-order! Somebody already wrote the correct Page numbers in the book. I know it isn’t good to write in books, but What Are You Supposed To DO When You Find A mystery in a mystery?

-Hallie Turner,
age 8

Today’s Facebook status update: We spent hours at a playground yesterday, where our kids and others ran us ragged and far outlasted us. Last night, Mark left for a friend’s birthday party right before the kids’ bedtime. Travis wanted to know why grown-up parties were held so much later than kid parties, “when grown-ups always get tired way before kids do.” He had a point!

I’ve been on a mission this weekend to organize Hallie’s room. We’ve made tremendous progress! In the process, we’ve been sorting dozens and dozens of Hallie creations, mostly writing and drawing. She has about a dozen notebooks, all nearly full or partially completed stories, poems, and imaginary lands.

It’s hard to organize them because each notebook covers many months or years, with entries made in arbitrary locations. I do want to try to date and organize them at some point, but that’s a job for another weekend. Right now it’s nice to have places for things to go and things in their places–for the time being, at least!

As I was flipping through notebooks, I discovered something I’m guessing Hallie wrote fairly recently. When she was so down about dynamics with her not-friend, she had a lot of trouble falling asleep at night. I hate that she felt they way these words describe, but I’m impressed at how she captured what she was feeling:

When sleep won’t
come I’ve had my fun
and misery’s come in
my way. When sleep
won’t come, my day is
done and the night is
wasting away. Minutes
are tickin’ by. Passin by
my watchful eye and
I don’t know where to
start. Oh the hours
are passing by. Passing
by my watchful eye
and I’ve got a broken
heart.