Friday, June 5, 2015

Summer Time Fun!


You (three) are my sunshine
My only sunshine



You make me happy
when skies are grey


You'll never know dear(s)
how much I love you



Please don't take my sunshine away


As you can see we are enjoying the sunshine!  While I worked on washing the van these three had a ball playing with the hose.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Four and a Half!

Dawson boy, I've been squeezing you extra tight this week because you officially turned four and a half.  

This is you right now: a mischievous grin, wearing a John Deere or camo and digging and constructing in the dirt.  I love how passionate and involved you become in your interests.  You love to learn about construction equipment, fire trucks and tractors of course.  If we are outside you are riding your bike, playing trucks in the garden or chalking up the sidewalk.  Inside the house you are playing with legos and you love to play board games with me.  When your brother and sister are at school we have played a lot of memory, the ladybug game and perfection.


Let's put our heads together


OH!  I can't believe that I have never put this on the blog before but you have this funny little quirk that you do while you are sleeping:  you smack your lips together.  Daddy says you are eating cheeseburgers in your sleep.  You have done this since you were an infant, one day I'll have to try to get it on video.


Your favorite television show is Paw Patrol.  Dad and I have used this to help entice you to stay in your bed at night.  After staying in your bed for five nights, you got a paw patrol toy.  Then you stayed in your bed for six nights, seven nights, and now we are working on eight nights.  Wow!  That means you have slept in your own bed for twenty nights!  There were a couple of nights with thunderstorms where all the kids slept in our room, but overall you are doing really well.  I have to say, it really didn't bother me to wake up to your sweet little sleeping body on the floor next to me but you have been wandering.  One night you got the dog out of the crate and Mike woke up to doggie kisses and on another night I caught you walking down the stairs.  But thankfully you are highly motivated by Paw Patrol and you are sleeping in your bed at night.  I almost forgot, we also "glue" or "tape" you into bed at night with tickles and hugs.  It's become a silly little nightly routine and I don't know if it helps at all but you ask for it.



crazy eyes, dirty face


Recently we were having a play date at our house.  The kids were in the basement and I heard a loud boom boom boom.  I went down to investigate and there was Dawson taking a plastic golf club and hitting the wooden stairs as hard as he could.  I asked him "What are you doing?"  He told me "sorry Mom I thought it was under demolition."  That is just so you!  So mischievous, but how could I do anything but laugh?

My sweet little baby boy, thank you for making me laugh a thousand times a day.  Thank you for challenging me and loving me.  Thank you for just being you!

Happy four and a half years little guy!!



   

And this happened today........



So proud of her!  Last year she was just a little too fearful, but today she told me to take her training wheels off.  I did, and she did great!  We still need to work on getting started, she needs a person there to hold the bike still while she gets on.  These little triumphs are so fun to watch!

Monday, June 1, 2015

A Little Taste of Summer


Our first summer adventure was to go picking strawberries.  The kids had such a fun time!  They were running all over the field trampling strawberries left and right but really enjoying the experience.





Doc loves strawberries, but I think he enjoyed chasing the chickens all over the farm more.  


She followed her big brother all over the field and picked the entire quart by herself.



Carter was tramping all over the field.  He also picked the entire quart himself in a heartbeat.




Ava loves to pose for me!

Any ideas on what to make?  Strawberry shortcake for sure, but only one of our kids (Carter) likes jam/jelly so that is a no go.  We are going to be eating nothing but strawberries the next couple of days!

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Summer Haircuts


The mohawk has become the must have little boy haircut for the summer.  After a couple of boys began sporting one, Carter begged and begged.  Finally I took out the clippers and his little brother insisted on the same haircut.  I think they turned out really cute!

Carter asked Mike "Dad, do you want a 'hawk too?"  Mike told him that he would probably lose his job if he got a mohawk.  Too bad, might have been cute!!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Last Day of School

This morning I put on the bus a kindergartner and a first grader.





Now they are officially a second grader


and a first grader.



Time to celebrate!  We met neighborhood friends down at the pool for a party!


The kids had an absolute blast!  I found little water ball slingshots for the kids and they had a great time.



We ordered pizza and had ice cream cones.



Carter swam his little heart out and there was a very serious game of football.


I found a sweet little note from Ava:  Pichre to Mom. I love the pol prty! From Ava

What a fun day with these three little guys!


Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Pittsburgh


Over Memorial Day weekend we visited our family in Pittsburgh for a dual Graduation Party and a lot of fun.  My cousin's home was under construction and the kids were really excited about riding in the skid steer.


Dawson mentioned several times that it was his favorite part.


We had plenty of time in the pool, I could barely keep them out of the pool so here they are swimming at 8:30 in the morning.


We also visited "camp" with the two fainting goats and the donkey.  Mike's favorite part of the weekend was making the goats faint.


But I think that playing around with the log splitter came in a close second.


Then there was this kid "Robbie, I bet you can't do this."


Ava loved picking flowers and feeding them to the donkey.  Boy is that thing loud!



And of course, lots of cousin cuddles.  We love visiting!!