Contrasts

Joshua in 15 years: Reeks of Banana Boat. No shoes, no shirt, no problem. Flashes sparkly smile to beach babe and says, "Want to go for a ride on my wave runner?"

Benjamin in 15 years: Smells like Coppertone SPF 85. Wears socks with flip flops. Pulls nasty faded hat down over eyes and says to beach babe: "You're sitting in my chair."

(Dearest Riley, This does not release you from prearranged marriage contract.)

Seriously, though, we had a great day yesterday breaking in, or just plain breaking, the slip n' slide. We are all sunburned and (mostly) loving it. It's amazing how we wait and wait for summer, then spend it complaining about the awful heat!

Here are some pics from last week of my little Yankees playing teeball (Joshua hit the ball and said, "I'm going to be a great hitter, Mom!"), Samantha falling asleep on the bathroom floor (it's the newest craze--sleep, don't bathe), and a picture of her on her four month birthday (yes, wearing a headband)! Stats: 13 lbs. 8 oz., 25 inches, almost rolling, almost sitting up, loves anybody that will talk to her, is tolerant of monster jams being rolled over her toes, tummy, and face.

Are you a good Wife?

78 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior http://www.magatsu.net/maritaltest/">Take the test!

Considering I serve way too much from "tin cans"...I am very proud to be a Very Superior wife!

Also, here's a link to a hilarious story...just in case anyone needs a laugh. It's the second post down.

www.benfellowsfamily.blogspot.com

Yesterday, Luke spent the evening cleaning our roof...and thus littering our driveway with moss and other grossness. Today, on the way out to the car for church Benjamin said, "Whadda heck? How dis mess, daddy? How dis mes?!" Took the words right out of my mouth.

That's it! Happy Sunday.

Probably two "I"s...(mrp!)

Ahoy, summer!

Here is a quick update on the busy week we've had. First of all, Joshua received his white belt last night. (And so did I...by the end of my child raising years, I'll be a TKD master four times over....without ever attending a class!) Seriously, though, this TKD stuff is fabulous. To get his white belt he had to learn some "Home Rules" (i.e. Children will respect parents, teachers, and elders). I love it! He also has to do chores and keep up his grades in order to continue to progress in Tae Kwon Do.

Last Saturday, Emmeline participated in a cheerleading competition/recital. She was adorable, and wants to do cheerleading again.

After the competition, we attended a funeral for a dear friend. After that, we recieved a wonderful good news phone call from Carly! Baby Cameron had arrived! She is beautiful! I loved seeing how big Samantha looked next to her new friend!

After my crazy, and somewhat emotional Saturday, I got to teach a lesson on eternal families for Sharing Time on Sunday. How wonderful it was to have had the experience the day before of hearing the testimonies of those who had lost their mother, seeing a brand new baby join her family, and watching my own family grow up. Truly, family is the greatest blessing and joy in this life! Here is my little family, on Father's Day! The kids made ties for Luke. (We learned that wearing three ties to church will earn you some laughs, some eye rolls, and even some dirty looks!) Luke's smile in this picture is cracking me up. He was trying to get everybody to smile and look at the camera...

And, last but not least, Tuesday was Emmeline's last day of Kindergarten. I'm so glad that this has been such a good experience for her. She loved school, loved both of her teachers, and has done very well! After we snapped this picture with Mr. B, EmJ got all teary eyed and could barely compose herself on the way to the car. Honestly, neither could I. Although she couldn't put into words how she felt, I'm sure it was combination excitement for first grade and sadness to leave Kindergarten behind...I felt it, too, Emmeline!

pthbbbbbb

Conversation with Benjamin, as Benjamin rushes out of the bathroom to tell Luke that he turned off the water all by himself.

Benjamin: Da-da-da. Daddy. Daddy. Da-da-daddy, I. Daddy I...
Luke: Spit it out dude!
Benjamin: pthbthbthbbb

(Yes, that is the sound of Benjamin spitting on the carpet, and proceeding on to the next task without ever sharing the afforementioned good news.)

It just keeps getting better! Ah, you wish you were a fly on my wall, don't you?!

Benjamin Stories

Benjamin just asked me to find his purse. Oh man. What he is looking for is his backpack. I wish he'd stop referring to it as a purse. I also wish he'd take off EmJ's mary janes.

He is becoming quite the problem solver. Yesterday, I found him standing on his stool trying to yank the keys off the key hanger thing-a-majig. I ran down and stopped him (before he pulled the whole thing off the wall), but told him I was proud that he was being such a big boy. He replied, "I need keys. I got stool." Duh, mom, any moron could figure that one out!

One of his new favorite phrases (besides yelling "Gina Bardooooooo" at the top of his lungs) is "I not!" Benjamin, don't go in the road. "I not!" Benjamin, don't splash the water out of the sink. "I not!" Benjamin, look both ways for cars. "I not!" So, last week when I was painting and climbed the step-ladder, he said, "Not careful, mom!"

He's also apparently been watching a lot of TV. This morning when I asked him what he dreamed about he said, "Johnny Test on Cartoon Network."

And as if I didn't have enough commotion in this house, Samantha is sitting here next to me, in her swing, trying to sit up and GET OUT! Ack! She's a Willie clone. Welcome to my nightmare. She'll woo you with that adorable smile, but all I see is crawling in two months, jumping off the piano in a year, RUNNING EVERYWHERE, babbling the ear off anyone who will listen, not eating dinner because it's waaaay too boring, and sitting on the toilet yelling, "Somebody, come talk to me!"

All about My Mom...Joshua's Words

1. What is something mom always says to you? You stay with your dad while you go pick up Emmeline. Where's my new stamp? Gus is using your stamps.

2. What makes mom happy? We share toys. Gus is using your stamps, is that okay mom?

3. What makes mom sad? When kids don't go to church

4. How does mom make you laugh? Says funny things. I just want to sit on your lap.

5. What was mom like as a child? She likes to play toys and go to sleep

6. How old is your mom? I don't know yet, oh, oh, oh 26.

7. How tall is your mom? As tall as Gus, and Emmeline, and me, and dad.

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Do art stuff

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Come and find me.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Play baseball or football or basketball. You are better than dad at baseball. Look, I just got onto the air hockey table.

11. What is your mom really good at? Baseball

12. What is your mom not very good at? Playing football. Mom, today can we go over to my teacher's house?

13. What does your mom do for her job? Play

14. What is your mom's favorite food? Tomatoes

15. What makes you proud of your mom? Mom, there's a yellow bird outside! When the peach trees to grow.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Spongebob

17. What do you and your mom do together? Play cars on my car rug

18. How are you and your mom the same? We share toys

19. How are you and your mom different? You're older than me and I'm four, 'cuz I just turned four, right mom? Look, that bird is eating our peaches.

20. How do you know your mom loves you? You pick stuff up for me. Mom, you should cut this string off my sock. I'm going upstairs to cut this string off very quick.

We don't even have a peach tree.

Almost completed projects...

Ta da! I've been uber busy these last couple of weeks...but I've been enjoying every minute of it! Here's our new red living room...there's supposed to be a beautiful white mantle and some enjoyable family pictures, so use your imagination!

Our freshly painted master bedroom. More to come on this one!

The girls' room. I finished painting EmJ's bed a while ago (but have yet to set up the top bunk) and last week I made a white slipcover to go over the crib (play pen). It's beautiful, but I couldn't do a close up because I still have to add the dust ruffle! Their room looks so pretty now, and I love that everything is *matchy-matchy*!

Also in the last couple of weeks, I planted a garden. Huge thanks to my dad for doing ALL the hard stuff. I just did the actual planting. We've got strawberries, blueberries, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, green bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Yum! I hope at the end of the summer I can show you a picture of a full, beautiful garden.

We did Emmeline's first research project last week. I know more than I ever wanted to about whale sharks (that's "hooo-whaaaaale shark")! Carly's laughing right now! Emmeline is doing her "Me Museum" this week, and then next week is her last of Kindergarten. I got all teary-eyed yesterday when they sent home the supply list for 1st grade!

Benjamin says, "Come find me, daddy!" His language and communication skills are keeping us in stitches lately. The other day, Emmeline was complaining about something and Benjamin ran up to me and gave me a hug saying, "I not an-gie, Mom. I not so an-gie!" Another time, I thanked him for something and he said, "I 'ppeciate it!" He's hilarious.

Joshua and Sam wanted their picture taken.

That, my friends is a real live strawberry from my very own garden!

And that's it! Now that I'm done with the painting, almost done with the sewing, and waiting on $$$ for the beautiful new mantle, I think I'm going to spend my summer catching up on the scrapbooks. My fingers are itching to stamp...if they're not too dirty from weeding that garden!