The Tornadic Trio strikes again!

I wrote about my nephew and his family visiting last weekend in a previous entry.

The Tornadic Trio (I just dubbed them that) and their patient parents arrived at my house here in NC last night between eleven and twelve o'clock. I'm accustomed to staying up past midnight during the summer months, so waiting up for them was not in the least any problem at all. Steve had already gone to bed (he gets up at 4 a.m. for work).

I was watching the movie, The Ron Clark Story, to get in the mood to return to school. Ron Clark is famous among teachers in the nation. He left a comfortable teaching position in a North Carolina school, moving to New York City to accept a position in an inner city school, one of the most challenging public schools in the country. To read more about this dynamic teacher, click here.

The boys had been sleeping in the van on the return trip from Georgia, so they were somewhat awake and ready to play by the time their feet hit the carpet. I could tell that mom and dad needed a break, some sleep, a good night's sleep, in fact. So, by one a.m., we were all in bed or on the blanket-covered floor for the night.

Early morning, I heard crying... I thought it might be Avery because he had not been feeling well. Seems he'd caught a cold germ from one of his cousins while in Ga. Common little cold viruses that just give us the sniffles have greater impact on Avery due to health related problems he was born with. When I heard his cough, I thought we'd be taking him to the doctor today, but later his parents said that was his normal cough.

But it wasn't Avery I'd heard crying. My nephew told me that Casey fell out of bed early this morning, and bumped his head on the lamp table. Ouch! Poor Casey! He's okay, though.

While I fixed breakfast (homemade oatmeal with cinnamon and sugar, and peanut butter toast, orange juice), the boys played amongst themselves on the floor at my feet. I was hoping their parents were getting a few extra Z's during this time.

                       

They appeared to be wrestling. Then I heard two of them talking (3-year old talk) to each other. Brody, the comedian, was telling Casey a story of some kind. Like they were pretending to be firemen, and he was telling Casey what to do. Avery watched on with his love-my-brothers smile.

                   

It is quite entertaining to listen to them talk to each other, their fascination with firemen and firehouses (which they know quite a bit about having visited their dad's firehouse).

Soon, Casey rediscovered our treadmill, and climbed it. Then he demonstrated how to slide down it like a fireman on a pole,

                             

while Brody explored my ancient collection of videos. Seems he heard his mother talking about buying some new movies to take with them on the road for the remainder of their trip back to Connecticut.

                                  

It wasn't long before the two of them discovered the fireplace. It must be in their genes, this attraction to climbing poles, and fireplaces.

                          

Ah, but Aunt Bea was smart, and she had tied twist ties into the metal mesh curtain to keep the boys out of her candles tucked away inside. That didn't stop the two. Brody encouraged Casey to break in, and when Casey gave up, Brody jumped in. He removed the brass pull quite effectively!

                                  

That's okay... it can be fixed. They ate breakfast, then mom and dad cleaned them up, packed their bag, and back on the road again for these five fine family members from up north. I wished them well, and I hope to see them again before too many years pass.

                            

I miss their little faces already. I think Tom and Becky are good parents, teaching their kids good manners, to be sensitive to others, and to share their toys, among other things. At three years old, these three little guys are happy, healthy, and hugely curious. As any three-year old should be.

Before they left, T and B told me they had a great visit in Georgia with their family, even got to see an uncle (my brother) they hadn't seen in quite awhile. I know my sister (A-B-C's grandmother) enjoyed having them at her house for part of the week. The other part, they visited Tom's sister, and a brother and his family, also in Georgia, and possibly some cousins. Tom has one brother in CT, and a sister (twin) in Arizona as well. It's tough when your family lives so far away like that.

Between the Ron Clark Story on TV, and the Tornadic Trio's visit, I was somewhat ready to enter my new classroom.

I went back to school today. Just to get a feel for the classroom, get oriented in the building, help the other EC teacher move everything back into place, put our desks where we want them to be. I didn't do much else, but at least I have an idea of what to bring into the classroom from home.

......(sigh).......

Who am I kidding?

I'm not ready to go back just yet.

Ten months in the classroom is a long stretch for a teacher.