School's Out - Now What?

Chloe is wondering what she will do during her summer break.

Do you have some suggestions for Chloe? What kinds of things will you be doing during your summer break?

Please give your suggestions in the comments. Chloe is awaiting your ideas!

Oh, brother! (Literally)

"Chloe." Momma stopped me before I closed the car door. "I'll be back for your field day."

I nodded. "Okay, Momma."

Momma worried about my broken wrist. She was coming to keep an eye on me. That's what she said. I knew what that meant. She would let me know the things I could do and the things I couldn't do. I was afraid there would be a lot more things I couldn't do.
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I followed in line down to the lower field. Momma was already waiting with the kid in the stroller. Looking around the baseball field, I spied all kinds of fun activity stations. I turned around. "This looks like fun." I stopped. No one was there.

The whole class, including Mrs. Taylor, gathered around the kid's stroller.

"Aw, he's so cute."

"Look at his chubby cheeks."

"He's smiling."

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. This is my field day. 

Mrs. Taylor clapped her hands together. "Okay everyone, let's go to our first event. Let's be good sports and cheer each other on." She glanced at the kid. "We even have our own mascot - little Peyton."

Oh, brother. I shook my head.

The first couple of events worked out okay for me, except I had to use my left hand. I quickly realized that I don't do as well with that hand. But everyone cheered me on, so I didn't mind.

The last three activities I wasn't allowed to do. They looked like so much fun. One had two boards with ropes that a group got on and had to walk or scoot the boards. The next event involved water, so that was out for me. The last activity was a box to crawl through.

"I don't feel comfortable with you doing this one either," Momma said.

I shrugged and blew out a big breath.

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After lunch was the color fun challenge and water slide. The water slide looked so fun.

"Momma, is there any way I could go down that slide?"

"No, honey, I'm afraid not."

I poked out my bottom lip and huffed.

"I'm sorry, but there are consequences to our actions."

"What do you mean?"

Momma tilted her head and looked at me. "Well, dear, you decided to take that one more ride down the hill when Daddy said it was time to go inside. That landed you in that cast. Now there are things you can't do. Hopefully you'll think the next time before disobeying."

Sometimes when Momma is right, I don't much like it. 
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When everyone gave attention to baby Peyton, Chloe didn't like it. She seemed quite jealous. Have you ever been jealous? Describe that time.

Chloe learned there are consequences to our actions. What does that mean? Have you ever had to learn this? Explain.

I've Had a Lot of Help

Momma strapped the kid into his little bouncy seat. "How's school? Are you doing okay with your arm being in the cast?"

I plunked onto a stool at the kitchen counter. "Well, I guess. There's no way I'd make it without my friends to help me. Like today we did this page on the book, Frog And Toad Are Friends. It was all writing sentences. Somebody had to write what I told them." I sipped from my glass of chocolate milk. "I did try to color with my left hand on another assignment. It wasn't too pretty." I scrunched my nose.

"Hopefully it won't be too much longer. Of course, school is out in just eight more days."

"I forgot to tell you. I get to go to the Reading Celebration after all. I barely got my one hundred books. I couldn't have done it without Mrs. Brooks and Sara and my friends. Reading for fifteen minutes doesn't feel so much like forever anymore."

"I'm glad."

I glanced at the kid. Some milk dribbled down his chin. "Um, Momma, you might want to check the kid, I mean, Peyton."

"Could you wipe him off, please? I'm trying to get supper going."

I slid off the stool and knelt beside him, using his bib to dry the milk like I'd seen Momma do. "There. That's better. Whew. That milk doesn't smell too good." I waved my hand in front of my nose.

The kid looked at me and smiled.

"Momma, he smiled at me."

Momma turned around. "That's his way of saying thanks."

"You're welcome."

The kid kicked his feet and waved his arms.

"He likes to be talked to. Hey, I know what." Momma pointed my way with a big spoon. "Why don't you read to him? Didn't you get some new books at the Book Fair?"

"Yeah." I shrugged and unzipped my backpack, pulling out my four new books. "Here's one you might like. It's about underpants."

The more I read, the more the kid wiggled and smiled. "I like him better like this. When he's all fussy and crying, it's really loud."

"He's growing. He's more aware of people and what's going on around him."

Suddenly I caught a whiff of something terrible. "Uh oh, I guess that underpants story must have given him an idea. He's stinky." I held my nose.

Momma chuckled. "He'll grow out of that eventually too."

"Thank goodness!"
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Chloe had to work hard to read one hundred books and qualify to go to the Reading Celebration. Have you ever had to work hard for something? What was it and what did you have to do to earn it?

Do you think Chloe will learn to like Peyton more? What kinds of things could she do with him?

Prettiest Cast

Chloe just has to share the great job her class did on her cast.