Place Value

1. Parade watching with family and friends. Firework watching with the kids. All done with plenty of good food. Our Fourth of July was everything I was hoping it would be.

We went to the parade in Arlington, which happens to be the largest Fourth of July parade in Texas. It’s also the parade I grew up going to and the one we have always taken the kids to. We sat under our pop-up tent (to help with some shade) with family and friends. A few people went early to secure our location and then everyone else arrived in time for the parade to start. Our parade watching tradition even includes a pot-luck component. We brought the donuts, other people brought drinks and other breakfast type items, and everyone shares. It works out very well. And I got to see some friends at the parade that I haven’t seen in a few years.

Plus, we made ourselves tired enough on Saturday that Sunday afternoon included naps for almost everyone.

2. Littlest is obsessed with millions. It started with wanting to know what a number was with 1 zero, then two, three, and so on. So we started talking about place value, and for a few weeks now we have had the numbers 1 to 1,000,000 written on the board next to our kitchen table. Then he started to quantify his love to me by telling me he loved me “8 million” (after he saw a sign with the number 8,000,000 on it). Now he’s bumped it up to 10 million. He asks me if that is the biggest number. I have told him that numbers keep going forever, but he’s not quite on board with the numerical concept of infinity. He just wants to know what the biggest number is.

3. Youngest Twin is home after a week at Scout Camp. I think he had a great time. (He’s been exhausted since he got home and hasn’t talked much.) This was the first time he’s gone somewhere overnight by himself. And the longest that he and Oldest Twin have ever been away from each other. We all missed him while he was gone, but I am so proud of him for going. He made some new friends and came home with an award! We have a pretty low-key week this week before he’s off on another adventure next weekend.