Little Garage Friends

Saturday morning when Jerry took the boys out to get in the van to go shopping we heard a little Black Capped Chickadee tweeting really close by. At first, we thought he was just in the bushes outside the garage but soon saw that he was actually IN the garage. He must have gotten in there yesterday and spent the night in there. Poor bird! Got a few pictures of him (or her) before he flew away. We left both doors open but it still took the little guy a long time to figure out how to get out.

Later in the afternoon we saw another little garage friend scurry from under the playhouse to inside the garage...he wasn't nearly as cute as the chickadee...a little mouse. Wesley chased him out of the garage and back under the playhouse. Eli and Justus were sad because they didn't move fast enough to catch a glimpse! Attempts to scare him out from under the playhouse (by jumping up and down inside) were unfortunately unsuccessful. Hopefully, he was just passing through and won't be sticking around!

Grammar Lessson for Wesley

Wesley has been coming up with some funny stuff lately. Last night at dinner we told him he had to clean his plate or he wouldn't get any dessert. When we tell him that his first question is usually..."did you make something special?". Because one must know if it is worth it right?! Now, lest you think we were being mean and asking too much of the poor guy...I believe he had 4 kernels of corn, 1 piece of potato, and 4 tiny pieces of meat on his plate. He wasn't really eating, even with the small portions, and Jerry said : "I see you are choosing to forego dessert?". Wesley's reply: "Yeah, I am choosing to go for dessert!" implying he was going to skip eating and go right for dessert! Jerry tried in vain to explain the difference between "forego" and "go for"! In the end, he did eat and get dessert which was nothing special after all...bummer!

Wesley isn't the only one saying funny things. Eli has been calling sunscreen by his special nickname "sunscream". He also likes to make shots with his little basketball into the "basketball poop". He is actually a pretty good shot and has on occasion even made a shot or two into the BIG poop...uhh, I mean hoop. Hayden is really starting to say a lot these days too. He tells you when he wants "out" of something...the highchair, crib, gate, etc. However, it sounds like "ouch!" or "owsh!" and if he really was you to get out fast he says "owie, owie, owie!". Ironically, when he gets hurt he doesn't say anything he just cries, but he is tough and doesn't cry long. I can't think of anything Justus has said lately...I'll have to pay more attention and post it later.

Can we talk about...

No picture to go with this one! But still a cute little story. Yesterday afternoon we were all playing outside. Jer and I were sitting on the swing in the shade and the boys were running around and playing. Wesley came up and starting asking about what to do when a tornado is coming. Keep in mind he runs to check the weather radio when it gets cloudy and often looks out the window for severe weather. Not to mention he knows how to check the weather on the computer and always believes the computer over what he sees with his own eyes out the window. Anyway, I reminded him you go to the basement and if you don't have a basement you should get in your bathtub with a mattress over you. He kept asking all sorts of questions...which mattress, how do you get it in the tub, what if you don't have a mattress... Finally, I said, "Can we just stop talking about tornadoes please?" His reply: "Okay, can we talk about floods?"

A Day Out with Thomas

Jerry took a half day today to take the boys to a "Day Out with Thomas". Wesley, Eli, and Justus all missed their afternoon nap to ride their favorite train. I stayed home with Hayden. Well, actually Roz, Hayden, and I went out to lunch and to the thrift store, but we didn't go along with the guys.



They had a great time. It was HOT! I think our high today was about 90 degrees and they were out in the heat of the day. I did put sunscreen and hats on them before they left but Jerry said they were still pretty warm. Justus especially gets quite flushed when he gets hot. But they survived and came home to the air conditioned house.



Some of the activities they did were: crafts, coloring, temporary tattoos, mini-golf, bubbles, met Sir Topham Hat, jumped in a big bouncy castle & alligator, watched a movie and a live Bob the Builder show, and last but certainly not least was the train ride. Jerry said he thinks we'll skip it next year so the year after that is "more special"!

Fun in the Sun

Roz took these pictures for me when she took Eli and Justus down to the pool today. Yesterday Grandma Joddy and Grandpa Steve took them down to the baby pool (which is open during swimming lessons) for the first time this season. They had a blast! In fact, they were late for lunch because they didn't want to come home. I finally had to send Roz to go get them.



How long does is take to get three kids ready for the pool? Let me tell you with that new spray on sunscreen it takes a lot less time than last year! Hats off to the man/woman who invented that one! I think we just about went through one whole bottle this week but it is so nice to just spray them and go. No rubbing necessary. Justus doesn't like getting sprayed...he says it makes him "too cold" but he tolerates it because he wants to go. Of course, you can't spray them in the face either so I have been using regular sunscreen for little faces and ears.



It has been so hot that if they weren't in the pool they would have to be inside. We went and picked up a sand box from Aunt Debbie's and filled it with sand earlier in the week but it has been too hot to sit out there and play in it. Looks like we might finally get a break in the heat on Tuesday. Although, I can't complain too much because it has been cooling off nicely at night. We have been running the AC in the day and opening the windows at night. Now we just need some rain...

Swimming Lessons

Today was the first day of swimming lessons. Wesley is in level 1B this year and has a young man named Chase as his teacher. There were only 4 kids in his class and he is the only boy. The weather was good, pretty warm today actually, but the water is still chilly. I was glad I didn't sign the twins up until second session or they would have refused to get in. Wesley did very well and didn't have any problems putting his face in the water or anything. I did see him sit out of one activity at the very end and when I asked him about it he said the water was just "too cold".

We stopped by the pool tonight and got the season passes for everyone so I think tomorrow during Wesley's lesson the twins will head over to the baby pool to play. Last year Eli loved the water and Justus was not overly interested. I believe this year will be the opposite. Eli does fine unless his face/hair gets wet then he screams. He is really having trouble with the hair washing part of baths these days so we'll see how it goes when it is his turn at swimming lessons. I am sure Hayden will love the baby pool, since he loves bathtime, but he won't be going tomorrow morning since he still takes a nap at that time.

Is there a Doctor in the house?

Wesley had a good time playing "doctor" yesterday. He does a complete physical including reflexes, blood pressure, ear/throat, heart/lungs, and uses the "fever checker" to check your temperature. Funny he knows what a stethoscope is but not a thermometer! At one point he had his cell phone in his pocket just in case there was an emergency. He is also a "veterinary" and will check your animals. Although I have heard Justus say several times his animal "died" after Wesley did a check up. We had several fights over the doctor supplies and since we only have two doctor jackets we had to make another out of one of Jerry's old t-shirts. Call or stop by anytime for your physical, Dr. Wesley is always on call!

Strawberry Crop 2007

June is officially here...we got our first big bowl of strawberries out of our little patch.

No green thumbs here. The patch has almost as many weeds as strawberries this year and a real big bare spot where the dryer vent dries the plants out. We don't trim them or train them or even fertilize them. It really is a wonder we get anything out of there at all! In fact, Jerry wanted to just pull them all out. I voted for waiting and at least getting a "few" strawberries out first. Here is a picture of our first harvest. Roz did the picking. The bowl is a 7 cup bowl so I'm guessing this was about 3 pints. The all time record for harvest was about 13 pints. That was the year I made (and canned) 4 jars of homemade strawberry jam. Oh...was that good on biscuits! Anyway, I washed them and put them on the table for dinner and all but a few were gone. The boys gobbled them right up! Fresh strawberries are so much better than store bought! I've also included a picture of Wesley with the first of the harvest. It has kind of become an annual tradition to take his picture holding the bowl.


Maybe if I have time I'll dig out the photos from years past and post them too...he has grown so much!

Sunday Afternoon...need I say more?

Go Diamond Deers?!?

Wesley got a little confused the other day when I put Hayden in this Milwaukee Bucks outfit. The colors were similar to the Diamondbacks which is a team he knows but he saw a deer on there too...hmmm...so he said to Hayden: "Oh Hayden, I love your DiamondDeers shirt!!" So I just had to take this picture of Hayden. (Who is sitting on the counter saying "CHEESE".) Go DIAMONDDEERS!!