ummmmmmmm

I think it's safe to say I have a serious love/hate relationship with this dog

workin'

I was in the kitchen helping Eric and David study for spelling tests. I though Levi was playing on the swingset but this is what I found when I checked on him. He was just singing and pounding away.
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Studious

I check the boys rooms after they go to school to make sure they have made their beds. Levi almost always does but on this morning he must have run out of time. Apparently, he was too busy doing workbook pages before school. Oh that kid melts my heart:)

Pumpkin Patch

Levi's class went to the pumpkin Patch. We had so much fun!

Corny!

The boys are loving their BB Gun!

Eric fancies himself a squirel hunter

First Day of Kindergarten

Today was Levi's first day of Kindergarten. He made sure I didn't get too serious about it by making these delightfully angelic faces.

He promised me that once he got to school he would "act right." Feeling there might be some hope for a good picture after all, I grabbed my camara and we headed off to school. I dropped David off and got ready to take Levi in. He told me, very matter-of-factly, "You don't need to come with me mom, I know where I am going." To which I replied "Of course you do but I'd like to walk to your class with you anyway." His reply... "No mom, I can do it" So I left the little stinker to do it all by himself. No hug, no kiss, barely time to shout "I love you" as he ran (RAN) out of the car. What a turd! Doesn't he know how hard that is on a mom? I just shook my head and smiled. No, I don't have pictures of his first day in his classroom but I will always have the memory of a confident little man who was ready to take on life.

In case you were wondering (like I was) if he did actually "act right" once he got to class...I heard from a very reliable source that he was an absolute delight to have in class. I am not sure if that was because he actually acted like a civilized young man or if he just charmed his way into their hearts with his goofy little self. I will have to go spy some other day to find that out for sure. Sounds like a mission for Friday.

First Day of School

Two happy boys off to school without a hitch.
Don't you love how you can see my reflection in the door!

This is what happens...

When you race your brother on your bike with your helmet on backwards (over your eyes).

...just saying

Shiners happen...

...when big brothers chase you into the corner of an open door!

Uncle Steve would be so proud

Uncle Steve introduced Eric to the fun of motors. Eric is hooked and is asking to take everything apart to get out its motor. Well, I had to get a new dustbuster so the old one was fair game. Here he is in the midst of his project.

There were a few mishaps which included sparks and screaming. Perhaps a lesson in electronics is in order. There is still some work to do but he is waiting for his dad so he doesn't electrocute himself and burn down the house.

Tough as nails

This afternoon I was busy planning a meeting and Levi took advantage of the fact that I was not paying close attention. He decided to live life dangerously and ride his bike in flip-flops. Now, I know that many many many kids ride their bikes in flip-flops but not mine. I tell them horror stories about the things that can happen to their feet, so they grudgingly put on their shoes. He slipped by me today though. Eric and David came running inside saying "we need to get band-aids." "hurry up!" "He's bleeding, there's lots of blood." They didn't even think to get me involved until they were headed out the door with band-aids. I was proud to see them working together to take care of their little brother but I was terribly curious to see what happened. I hadn't heard a peep out of Levi. I walked outside and found Levi by the end of the driveway, bike laying over in the cul-de-sac, flip flops on the ground and he was standing up looking at his toe bleeding on the road. The neighbor boys were huddled around him saying repeatedly "I can't believe he's not crying!" "How is he not crying?" I looked at Levi and his toe and asked what happened and he told me "I was riding in my flip flops"

I gave him a piggy back ride up to the bathroom (stopping in the kitchen for the camera, of course) and set him on the counter. All he said was that it really hurt. I had a hard time getting a picture of it because his little leg was shaking so badly. So I did what any good mother would do and I exasperated him further by asking him to hold it still so I could get a good picture. He couldn't stop the shaking, of course, but he was perfectly patient with me and he tried. I am, in case you were wondering, fully aware that these boys may be permanently, emotionally damaged by my lack of excitability and sense of urgency about such matters. Anyway, once I finished bandaging him up he limped to his shoes, put them on, and limped back outside to hop on his bike and ride some more. Tough as nails that kid! I'm so proud:)

And he did have his helmet on after all!!

Strawberries..I'm in Heaven!

I always miss strawberry season. It tends to just sneak up on me and then I'm scrambling to get what's left at the very end of the season. This year I was ready for 'em.

The boys and I have picked 5 buckets so far. We have eaten so many strawberries it's a miracle that we aren't turning red.

I also tried my hand at making jam for the first time. It turned out great and we have finished one jar already. At that rate the remaining 8 jars will not get us through the year.

This is strawberry lemonade concentrate. I can't wait to try it. Levi and I had a great time making it. We licked clean all of the utensils used in making this.

I called Grammie to get her recipe for strawberry pie. It wasn't quite set up here but we were in a hurry to eat it before the boys had to get to bed. It tasted just like I remembered.

We have made belgian waffles with strawberries and homemade whipped cream. And we have frozen many strawberries to enjoy later. oh...and I chocolate-covered a few to give to teachers. I can't wait to get some more. I still want to try sorbet...oh, and Kem will have to make homemade ice cream.

What fruit is next? Bring it on!

The Clubhouse

After about 4 years of talking about it we finally broke down and bought a swingset for the boys. They are so excited.

We started after Church 2 weeks ago. Then got help up by some rain and a trip to PA

Of course we put the boys to work but they are all too happy to help.

There is still so much to do but the boys are pleased with this. Something to climb on and a slide that they can put anywhere(because it's not attached yet).

I braved putting the roof on by myself today while I had some peace!

My Monkey Man

I have a kid who reminds me of me! Today when I looked out my kitchen window this is what I saw.

I took my camera outside to find Levi and David playing a game of catch with the basketball. I never really envisioned a game of catch like this but why not? It looks like fun.

I know it's sometimes easier to get up than it is to get down so I asked Levi if he knew how to get down. He said "of course I do, mom. I just go like this..." and in a split second he turned around and plopped through the hoop and down onto the trash can.

I gotta say...I LOVE IT!

A lot of snow for us

All of this snow is a pretty big deal for us on the Eastern Shore. Two storms two weekends in a row. And boy, did we have a storm this time. It started with heavy, wet snow on Friday afternoon. At some point after we went to bed it turned into freezing rain, crazy wind (which lasted through the night), and even some lightning. Saturday morning it started to snow again and snowed until 7pm. I think we got about 13 inches on top of last weeks 10 inches. It's hard to say though because of the ice. Here is Kem and David on the front sidewalk.

This is the mountain at the end of the cul-de-sac made by the plow.

Levi dragged poor Cody to the top of Plow Mountain.

I made a pile for a fort and David and I dug it out. We used the boogie boards for sledding down the yard.

It's like New York (except for the lack of plows) only much more fun now that the boys are old enough to enjoy it:)