With a flash, here we are in August – school supplies have been for sale at stores for weeks, fall sports start on Monday, and students in Clarkston Community Schools go back in less than three weeks.
Three-year-old Jonathan has made the most of his summer. He is at an age he can do more and enjoy experiences more.
Take Tons of Trucks, held by Independence Township Parks, Recreation and Seniors. JD enjoyed being able to climb into the vehicles participating at the event. The top favorites were the ambulance, Oakland County Sheriff’s Department car and helicopter. Plus, he really enjoyed being in the driver’s seat.

The Independence Township fire truck was probably another favorite as he went to it twice to gaze at the ladder extended far beyond his sight.
He also tried the bounce obstacle and made it half way through. He was doing really well with the climbing portion until he was just a few away from the top and over down the slide. It was there he was just stuck.
So far this summer, he has taken his joy of trains to the next level and rode one at Huckleberry Railroad, which he enjoyed for about 20 minutes. He also went to Port Austin and enjoyed playing in the sand and dodging waves.
When he actually stops for a moment and relaxes, he reads – for as much as a toddler can read. He is doing really well at just sitting down and looking through a book. He is venturing more to the big bookcase we have upstairs for all the children’s books and grabbing one or two to read right on the landing next to the bookcase or taking them into his room.
JD has reached the end of his sheet and is at 600 books for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten.
At bedtime, I let him pick the first few books I will read to him for the night. Then, I choose the last one or two.
The other day, he picked up my 400-plus page The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Hurton. Not your type, JD. It doesn’t have pictures or drawings. It doesn’t have any Disney characters, Berenstain Bears or Paw Patrol pups and it’s definitely not Scooby Doo.