I went to the homeschool used curriculum fair yesterday and it was so much fun.  I spent a bit too much money but I also got so much.  I finally found the math maipulatives that I have been dreaming about for a while now.  And a book on how to use them.  I picked up a few basic homeschool sourcebooks and some Miquon Math workbooks. I was there for about an hour and a half and the place was so crowded that at times it was difficult to move around. I am so greatful my husband understood and drove the hour it took to get there.

I brought home one box of free and one box of paid stuff. 

Plus I hooked up with some local homeschool groups.  Yay.

This weekend Monkeyman had a really good friend come stay.  They two boys are both tan from running around the yard all weekend.  His friend is unfortunately moving to New Zealand at the end of the summer.  They get along so well.  They are only a month apart in age and they had so much fun playing in the sprinkler and playing with Nerf guns with the neighbor next door. 

I am opposed to guns as a general rule.  However I've made an exception for the nerf gun in hopes that he will get the warmongering out of his system early. And I have decided that nurturing the boy in him feels like the right thing to do.  I read an article in Mothering magazine that said that the problem with kids and guns is not violence- it is a parent's reaction to violence.  The article interviewed a bunch of parents with varying views on it.  I liked the interviews with the dad's who said essentially "I am not a fighter, my parents let me play with toy guns but I grew up to be a peaceful person and my son will too."

Last night we went to the fireworks.  They had been postponed due to the rain but it was nice because it was less stressful going out late on Saturday and Monkeyman's friend got to come along.

He is napping now.  I should probably wake him up as it is late afternoon.  But he played so hard this weekend and I am tempted to let the exhaustion run its course.

Plus he looks so happy lying there all sunkissed and sleepy.