Yum!

Here are some highlights of Samantha's short toddler career...

*Insists on using her own utensils. Not baby spoons, either. Both the utensils and the food on her plate have to be identical to the rest of the family.

*Has emptied cartons of eggs on two occassions.

*Took a marker to all the walls and the fridge the other day.

*Takes great pleasure in unrolling toilet paper and putting it all in the toilet.

*Can climb up the bunk beds.

*Loves cars and trains..."dars" and "nays". Sam was screaming while I was putting her in the car the other day, so I said, "No screaming in this house!" Benjamin looked at me and said, "This isn't a house, this is the car." Sam gives me her most precocious glare and finger point and says, "DAR!!"

*Yesterday, we went to a friend's home to pick cherries. I turned my back on Sam for approximately 6.3 seconds, turned back around, and found her on the top of a 6 foot ladder (not at the top, ON the top) with her hands in the air yelling, "So Big!"

What a character she is!

Pride

It's done. The slipcover is finished. Never mind that I started it a year ago. Nevermind that Sam will be moving to the bunk bed in 2 months. Nevermind that I'm not replacing the Mariner's blanket and navy blue sheet with something girly that matches the rest of the room. Nevermind that I'm not going to bother to iron it or fix it's multitude of other problems. Nevermind that I don't know any better now how to use a sewing machine than when I started. It's done. I can maintain my "I finish what I start" mantra. My pride is intact...sort of.

Lazy Eye

This is Lazy Eye....as in "show me your lazy eye"...Sam does it when she smiles, when she's angry, or whenever the kids start pestering her to perform.

I think she looks like you, Lin! Later in life you'll have to give her lessons on how to smile while keeping both eyes open!

Delicious Jams and Jellies?

(Name that movie.)

I've never met anyone who dislikes freezer jam, and, in a fit of domesticity this week, I have learned why. The sugar to fruit ratio in freezer jam is 2:1. Duh, no wonder it's so good.

Now we have at least 2 gallons of strawberry and mango freezer jam. I debated making mango jam because I fervently believe that mangoes taste like dishwater. However, when it's 2/3 sugar anything can happen. I think I'm going to puree some veggies and make veggie freezer jam. I bet my kids would eat it.

P.S. Laura, let's still have a jam making party. I'll be in charge of licking the spoon.

Last Day of School!!!

Well, our little EmJ is officially a second grader! Here she is making her last lunch of the school year...notice the mustard smile?! And, on the last day of school I had her wear the same outfit she wore on the first day, so I could scrapbook a "now and then" type page. (Sorry, I'm not motivated enough to find the first day of school pics, so all you get is Friday's photoshoot....I'm not sure what's up with the peace sign.)

Emmeline's most amazing acheivement this year...to me at least...has been learning how to read. I can't seem to get her to stop reading (making for some tired morning-afters), but if that's my biggest battle, then I really have no worries!

And, Father's Day!! We love Luke so much. Not enough to write something sappy or post a picture on the blog, of course...

Here is the top ten list that EmJ put together for Luke for Father's Day! We all concurred with her sentiments...

10. I love my Dad because he reads me...nothing. (Luke protests. "We've read The Boxcar Children seven times this year!)

9. I love my Dad because he helps me...learn.

8. I love my Dad when he makes me laugh by...saying Gina Bardoo. (Never a dull moment.)

7. I love my Dad because he taught me how to...do math. (This is actually true.)

6. I love to hear my Dad sing...something random. (He writes all his own songs. Most are about Gina Bardoo.)

5. I love my Dad because he finds time to...watch the ballgame. (Priorities.)

4. I know my Dad cares because he...loves me.

3. I know my Dad is smart because he...still goes to school. (I'm not so sure that attending (or rather attempting?) school is "smart" when you've got more than enough of a life, but it sure goes with our love of rice and beans.)

2. I love my Dad because he works hard at...work. (Notice she didn't say what kind of work or where...hmmm.)

1. I love my Dad because he is the BEST DAD EVER!!!

Motherhood Made Perfect

A quick head's up...

Besides being my best friend (which makes her awesome in and of itself), my friend Carly makes beautiful nursing covers! She has decided to start selling them to earn a little bit of money while she stays home with her little Cameron Rose!

Check out www.motherhoodmadeperfect.blogspot.com for yourself or for your next baby shower gift!

If you tell her I sent you maybe she'll make me a free one someday...

Marathon and other goodies...

Our strawberry patch has been providing us with a bowlful of strawberries for breakfast every day!

"Mom, we actually need a new sink now, it's my fault." (Willie)
"The bouncy ball is drowning, save it, save it!" (Benjamin)

Caterpillar torture has become part of the boys' daily routine.


Caterpillars were harmed in the making of this post. (And I never knew until just this moment that caterpillar is spelled with an "r". I thought it was catepillar. Dang, for years I've been wondering why I got cut from that 3rd grade spelling bee.)


And the marathon. I didn't actually run a marathon, nor do I have any desire to ever do so. But I did run a few support miles for my sister-in-law, Mari, last weekend. It's sort of well, not very funny, that my two sister-in-laws held up better than I...one being 30 weeks pregnant, the other having already run 19 miles. Yikes, I'll stick to 5K races! But, like my father-in-law, I get a kick of being able to say, "I participated in a marathon," and let people draw their own conclusions.

Preschool Graduate

Joshua graduated from preschool today! Are you loving the purple and white...how many LW alum are reading the blog right now chanting "Kangaroo Power!"

Receiving his diploma from Miss Vicki. Luke says, "That lady looks the same as she did twenty years ago." Seriously. She's ageless. But, she will be retiring in two years *wipe a tear* just after Benjamin gets to be in her class *yipee*!

Josh and Josh.
When we went for preschool orientation, Joshua (who goes by "Willie" most of the time) insisted that his name was just Josh. Okay. When I go to pick him up, if I ask for Joshua I get funny looks. "Oh, you mean Josh!"
Good thing for "Josh" there was a teacher helper "Josh" as well. They are good buddies...the big Josh even taught my Josh(ua) a super cool manly handshake that I am not permitted to participate in.



The Grandma's came to witness Joshua's "one moment in time"...and started reminiscing about mine and Luke's preschool graduations.

And, one final picture for the scrapbook! Goodbye preschool!

I am sooooooo excited for Kindergarten! (That was Willie speaking, I mean Joshua, I mean Josh...)

Strawberries

You have to agree, that looks pretty tasty. And I grew it all by myself!

Draino vs. The Shamwow

Draino is Victorious