Elser Family Blog

Summer Fun at Arthur’s Pool

Rockwell knows how to use a diving board… I think? lol.

Hey, whats Larry looking at off in the distance?

Making Tesla Coils

They did not really take this activity seriously.

It’s like I was making them do something they did not want to do.

Seems like they might have gotten a little more enthusiastic eventually.

Parts and Pieces.

Dad helping.

And, this is how they signify success! notice the Tesla coil in Hannah’s hand. It was not very big. lol.

Catchup

Well, had an Issue with the Blog.. for a second O thought it was corrupted.. That would have been VERY BAD. Nothing like making sure I back it up occationally.

But, as a makeup, here are some pictures from my work hard drive from late last year.

Rockwell giving his cousin a ride on the honda.

Picking up a half pipe! We are taking too long to put it together.. we are not done. Therefore we cannot SKATE.

Melinda working on her Sci fair project.

The metals to test! she is going to measure how fast heat travels though each of these types of metals.

Just a IR Picture of Melinda working on her project!

I went to an art show.. “SEEDS”. One of the artists had produced a number of Guns with social statments imprinted on the side. I made Like I was shooting one. 🙂

Rockwell volunteered to help with the NAMS Robotics club. they had a Lego League meet to compete. They did OK considering!

My Buddy Wes at the NA Christmas parade being a joker. As per usual.

Melinda back from Gov. School camp, Rockwell back from Switzerland.

I need to link to Melinda’s reading of her poetry she wrote. She received her evaluation today, I’m not sure what it said because she wont show it to meeeee.. :p

Anyway, Rockwell enjoyed his trip. That was about the description of it from a 13yo. But I bet it will inspire some writing this school year. I hope so, because he was put in Honors English, AND Honors Algebra I, where he can take high school credits in 8th grade.  Not sure how he got into honors English to be honest… his LA grades were not.. that.. great. 🙂 however, I think the teacher saw something in him. After all, he got this award at the end of the 7th grade year.

Must say, that’s pretty nice.

And in cleaning up, I found this paper from the first day of class last year. His cursive is improving. He might just end up with some really nice handwriting.  His use of English and a reasonable vocab. is evident here.  You go Rockwell. I love it!

He was not slated for honors algebra.. His standardized test scores were decent.. but his class grades were less than spectacular. 🙂  However, they have a prep course that you can take during the summer. He ended up doing the WHOLE THING in Switzerland. lol.  But he did it by himself, and he must have done well, because they put him right in the algebra course without any questions. I like when my boy takes some initiative like that. Good for you Rockwell! I am proud of you and your work.

Rockwell’s final week in Switzerland.

I have a feeling he is really going to miss Switzerland.. I also have a feeling he might come back a slightly different child. Eyes a little wider open. 🙂 Thank you Aunt Teri and Uncle Juerg!

A fun day on the river! (although worn out I am guessing).

Asked Teri what this location is.

Lunch Break with Rockwell and Lars I guess. 

I’m dying to know what this place was about.

Looks like serious fun though.

With Cousin Liv at the transportation museum I am pretty sure.

The “Cross on the hill” as Aunt Teri called it.. You can barely see the Swill alps in the clouds.

They visited again later on with some friends. Teri said:

Ed we went up to the cross hill last night roasted marshmallows and let the kids run around until 11:00 at night..we were with my friend who has 4 kids younger than 9 and ours were really great with them..it was one of those perfect summer evenings!

Does that sound perfectly memorable or what??

Rockwell is in Switzerland.

Visiting his Aunt Teri and cousins Liv and Lars in Lucerne CH.
And Melinda is not very happy about being the last at something.. AGAIN.
Poor girl.
I only have one picture so far, but I will surely post more. Have fun Rockwell! And get your math work done!
Love you.

A Couple things happened in June… Graduation

Well, for one, Hannah Graduated! You saw in previous posts my daughter is awesome and wins all sorts of awards.. Turns out she did a lot of work too… You know, those college credits and all.

Her are some photos of the celebration! (I mean, I know that is why you are here.. You don’t want to just hear men drone on… 🙂 )

We have no idea who that girl is…

Friends!

Aluminum and water beads

After making sculptures with Ant hills, we stumbled across this one.. pouring aluminum into water beads! Works surprisingly well.

Pretty!

And here is the process:

Melinda and Maverick at Palmetto stables.

Leighton, the owner of Palmetto stables, took some pictures of Melinda on Maverick, the horse M has been riding.

All of these are winners.

Holloween Halloween this is Halloween.

After COMPLETELY disappointing the girls, and missing a chance to see a intimate live performance of Rocky Horror Picture show Thursday. (We were 6,7,8 in line, and there were only 5 tickets left.. grrr.)
We tried to do some fun stuff anyway. Friday night, I took the older girls to a couple of abandoned houses. One was formerly a house of a wealthy local individual that died a year or so ago.. the family has not emptied it out yet, and its becoming decrepit.. paint peeling and wood rotting.. yet not a single window is broken. It is still a house. And therefore we were hesitant to go in. But we did anyway,,, just to check out the library! We took nothing and did no damage,, just looked around. We did not want to use much light, as to notify the person in the garden (guard) house that we were there…. So we did not get to see much. But it was still fun!

A little reconnaissance.. here is the library during the daytime though a window.

Then we decided to go to an old confederate cemetery in the woods in Beech Island. It is the private plot of the people that used to own the Redcliff Plantation.. sorta’ spooky!

Then we came back to North Augusta and went into the house down the street at 813 Georgia.. It’s been abandoned and gutted all the time we have lived here.. But you can’t tell from the outside! (Otherwise all the neighbors would have complained by now, right?)

Ghost call, it’s for you!

Then, Saturday night, after we all went to the biggest Jack-o-lantern Jubilee EVER! (38 special played.. what a crowd. First year they sold alcohol helped I am sure.) Melinda went to a Halloween party at a friends house. When I went to pick her up, a friend of ours, Chris Flecheck, was picking his daughter Raven up too. He decided we all should climb the huge dirt hill that is across the street from the party. I think he might have been drinking.. lol. But I am glad we did! It was fun!

Melinda was the first to the very top..

Friends join in.

All the girls gather, (or should I say stumble, because I don’t know if they ever got to a full standing position..) on the smaller hill. They were cracking up the whole time.