Once upon a time, there was a snowflake who was in love. Back in the raincloud, the first thing she saw was the sun, who was much too busy doing his sun-like duties to notice her small, fragile voice calling out to him. When she fell, she landed on her back on a garage in a big city. All day long, she would call out to the sun, but the cars would drown out her voice. One day, there was a big carnival on the other side of town, and the snowflake got her chance. She mustered all her strength, and shouted out “Mr. sun! I would like to tell you that I think you are beautiful!” the sun heard her and turned to her. “do you really mean that?” the sun asked. “yes, I do! I love you and want to spend my life with you!” she yelled back. The sun was happy that the snowflake had said this, so he leaned down and kissed her. The snowflake melted, but turned into a glistening star, and rose into the sky to sit with the sun, and they lived happily ever after.

              This post is to address a comment left by a family friend about No Screens Week at the library. She wasn’t trying to change my mind, but trying to have a discussion with me. First, I would like to address the part of her comment that talks about kids (mostly boys) going and playing video games on the library computers which have an hour-long time limit per day, per card. Although, some kids have found a way to bypass that system. They switch cards between each other. That is a bad way to do screens, because if a bunch of kids are using the computers for more than their fair share of time, when do the other kids get to do their turn? And why do they feel the need to do that? What I thought was that they are incredibly restricted at school and they are probably restricted at home. Then they come to the library and they are free to do as much screens as they want,so they do it as much as they can, when they can.  I know where they are coming from. I myself used to be restricted in screens. And when those restrictions were lifted, I wanted to do nothing but screens. It took a while for me to fully realize that the option wasn’t going anywhere, and that I didn’t have to get it while the “getting was good”. So if you release the control, It may take a while for the child to realize that the option isn’t going anywhere(especially if you are heavy on restrictions a lot).

               You know how Facebook is a way for you to connect with friends? well, online games are like Facebook, in that kids connect with each other. You could call it “socializing”. If you want. If you are thinking about the fact that we are socializing over the internet, and not in real life, then look at the groups of kids for a second. The kids are in groups talking, sharing advice, and basically talking about a subject they can all relate to each other on.

                There are also some perks and life lessons. For instance, my brother, after playing Roblox (a really great online game) is incredibly talkative. And my other brother does all sorts of pretend games. Even I have been inspired by games. Like painting tennis balls into Pokeballs, making Sculpey pokemon, I have made a card game, researched the chinese zodiac, made paper sculptures, wrote several short stories and I am making my own manga(Japanese comics). These are just a few examples of what video games have inspired me to do.

               There are a lot of  good things in video games too. Such as Roblox and Little Big Planet. They allow you to make your own levels. Mario helps you with eye-hand coordination. You feel good when you accomplish something in the game. RPGs (Role Playing Games) give you critical decisions and teach you the value of money because you have to decide what to do with the in-game money. Wii fit, Wii sports and even the Heart gold & Soul silver give you the Pokewalker and exercise routines. There is even a stress outlet. Goombas. You can imagine each of them are one of your troubles as you squish them.

              Screen Free Week is not necessarily a good decision because you will miss out on a lot of great opportunities.

This week is No Screens Week at the library. Maybe it was a good idea in the minds of the librarians, but when used in real life, it doesn’t go over so well. Here’s the real discriminatory thing about it. The computers were only off in the children’s section. Excuse me, but shouldn’t it apply to all the computers? Or do when kids grow into adults, they change from homo sapiens to maybe homo controlingtheiryoungbecausetheyseemtothinkthattheiryoungcantthinkandactforthemselvesus. If you want a No Screens Week, it should be No Screens Week, and not No Screens Week for Kids. If you want No Screens Week for Kids, be up front about it. Don’t be sneaky about it and call it No Screens Week. The only “perk” about it is that they offer a bunch of great free activities. Though as my mom put it, “why do you need a No Screens Week to do that?”. Also, they taped paper things over the computers saying “Don’t let your family be like this” and it showed a family on a couch going, in a word, “Durrrrrrrrr…..” then on the other side of the paper it shows them on a hike and acting like they just won the lottery or something. TV can be just as educational as a book. It’s also silly because it bans you from using a Kindle and cell phones. Basically, it’s a quite silly and dumb thing. And just because you think it’s a good idea, it doesn’t give you the right to force it on other people.

My mom has a new blog that my mom named”daily cuppa  joy…life is sweet” at http://dailycuppajoy.blogspot.com/!! we are all very exited here at the Newman household. Especially mom. I also read her blog, and it has some interesting posts on it. I highly suggest the blog. For me, it really changed my perspective, even if I am always around her.

I wanted to share this story with you before I got into another major post.

This morning, when I was choosing what to wear, I turned around and there was this HUGE bird sitting on my bird feeder, staring me in the eyes. When I tried to slip away to tell mom without disturbing the possible dove. Every time the bird hopped around the feeder, I heard a thunk. That’s how big it was.

Here is a poem for all of you out there to enjoy.

Summer Breezes

You step outside

into the wide

and yet majestic world.

A wisp stirs your hair,

and yet there’s nothing there

and a new belief in your head is unfurled.

So you get your feet dirty,

and run laps, thirty,

all the way around the yard.

You go to a park,

and you feel a tree’s bark,

which is so very hard.

Then you run home, happy,

with your fingers all sappy

and they smell faintly of pine.

You eat some fresh fruit,

then you go shoot,

a basket or two before you dine.

Here are a few pics of the last couple of months

first fireworks 08

great balls of fire, my oh my

the grande finale

This is the first year we have ever done our own fireworks.  Since it is legal in Montana for a few days around the 4th of July, Dad really wanted to purchase some fireworks. 

Next, My Great Aunt and Great Uncle came to visit.  We had a nice time seeing them again after a long time.  We went to Lewis and Clark caverns, which is an incredible formation of stalagmites and stalagtites.

stone waterfall

I believe that specific formation is caused by a bunch of thin stalagmites and stalagtites joining against the wall to create that effect.

a tree stump of rock

And now some picture of Ethan’s casts, which by the way, his treatment is going well.

before

after

After that, we had Pop Pop and Nu Nu visit.  We enjoyed having them here.  We went to the bite of Bozeman is where a bunch of restaurants come down and have people sample their foods to try and attract customers.  There was also live music, including a jug band which Mom really enjoyed.

Then pretty much everything we did was things on the way to Spokane, in Spokane, and on the way back from Spokane.  The first thing was, we went to a used bookstore and there were more books than I had ever seen in one place (besides the library).  Then we got the best cherries ever, which I can still taste.  Last week we went to this awesome carnival in Spokane where I did pretty much all the rides there.  My brothers loved going on a bunch of rides.

it

me on the ferris wheel

We stopped by a rest stop which happened to have an exhibit all about mining and it’s history.  It was in Idaho.  We had fun using the interactive equipment that was there.  Here is a picture of how much Arthur and Ethan enjoyed it!

a lesson in teamwork

And finally, we went to a National Park called the Grant-Kohrs Ranch.  It was a n historical site about how cowboys worked on a ranch.  They even had a horse that we got to pet and say hi to, but he was too eager to eat to pay attention to us!  I tried to use a lasso, tried homemade peach cobbler, and even received a hoof pick from the blacksmith.

I play cowboy

Enjoy the update!