Nothing Like the Lake

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Cabin Pictures

I’ve finally gotten to go through the pictures from our vacation at the lake last week, and they brought back so many wonderful memories!  I can’t thank my parents enough for all the good times!  We really missed my sister being able to join us – next, year, Aunt Angie!

Here are some pictures from all of our indoor activities – namely, reading, cooking, cuddling, playing and napping.  We had a ball!

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My Lil’ Guys

So now that the girls are in school, it’s just the boys and me at home every day.  I have to say that I’m still really missing the high-pitched girly voices echoing all over the house, but I’m trying to focus on the positives of having this one-on-two time with my boys.  Today, I took the boys out for a stroll on the road near our house, and it was positively relaxing to only have to worry about one squirrely kid running into traffic, as opposed to three!

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Jimmy’s doing fine without his sisters so far.  He does follow me around the house, repeatedly asking “Mommy pway wif me (play with me)?” and he’s beyond excited when we go to the bus stop to pick up his sisters..  But Danny still takes a morning nap, so that means I have an hour or so every morning where I can focus on Jimmy.  It’s a pretty novel concept to only have one child nearby – in fact, it’s never before happened to me on a regular basis!    So Jimmy and I are living it up, reading lots of books without getting distracted (well, as non-distracted as possible with a squirmy 2 year old), and doing chores together (the kid LOVES to wield a squirt bottle).  We’ve also made sure to get outside and enjoy the lovely end-of-summer weather we’ve been having.  What better way to celebrate the last few weeks of warmth than by getting coated in ooey-gooey mud?!

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Two Kindergarteners

I have two kindergarteners.  I still can’t believe it.  Weren’t they just this big?

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And now they’re bounding on the bus, with no hesitation, fears or apparent nervousness, to go off into the wide new world of school.  When they got off the bus today, the first words out of Becky’s mouth were: “I had SO MUCH FUN!” and Susie squealed, “We made so many new friends!”

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Here they are, for their first bus ride:

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And here they are in their classroom (I took this picture at the orientation yesterday):

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I copied this idea on Pinterest to record the girls’ answers to a questionnaire so I could compare how their answers change over time.

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I took them out to a celebratory lunch yesterday after the orientation.  They sat on stools on either side of me.  I can’t get over how grown-up they are!

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Watch and Learn

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Clothes off His Back

We just returned from an amazing, relaxing week at a lake cabin in Maryland.  It was wonderful from start to finish.  I haven’t had a chance to sort through my bazillion vacation pictures yet, but here’s one I snapped of Danny while we were packing.  I guess I took the clothes off his back to pack for the trip!

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I Guess I Need to Iron More Often

Jimmy walked into the room where one of our guests had set up our ironing board.  He looked at it, then turned to me and said, “What is?”

I answered, “An ironing board.” 

He thought for a moment, then asked, “Me surf on it?”

More than a Walk

When is a walk to the mailbox more than just a walk?  When it involves a Jeep, four kids, a long gravel driveway and lots of puddles!

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Those Kids

Recalling driving the little toy Jeep around the yard with her cousins, Becky said "Me and Jonathan are the best drivers of all.”

Susie replied, "Katie and I are the best losers of all!”

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Becky, after hearing me talk about blasting the rocks for our pool: “Mommy what’s a blast?”

Me: “A blast is an explosion, when you blow something up.”

Becky: “Oh.  I thought a blast is when you’re having a fun, fun party.”

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Susie: “I can go shopping whenever I want when I grow up.”

Me: “If you have money, that’s right.”

Susie: “Well, my husband will give me money by working.”

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Susie to her sister, with more than a little annoyance in her voice: “Why do you have to do everything I do?”

Becky: “Because it’s exciting!”

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Jimmy, when he got a rock in his shoe, sat down heavily and took his shoe off, saying, “Oh man!”

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Becky: “When I grow up, I want a red convertible…” Then she paused and looked up at me sadly and moaned, “But that means I can’t have any kids!” 

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Susie, reading a line in a book: “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”

Jimmy: “Me be a uncle monkey.”  Then he burst out laughing.  🙂

Ready

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I think the girls are ready for school – they’re eager teachers, at least (although I’m not sure Jimmy is an enthusiastic student)!