This Popped Up In The Neighbors Yard

And from his perch high above the world the neighbor kid took pity because

literally this day the boys were in the backyard fighting over a spaghetti spoon in the backyard. A spaghetti spoon that they wound up breaking. When Nicholas told me he would get me a new one and I asked with what money, he replied: I will fly away to Ironman and get you an Ironman spoon mom. To which I countered: Ironman has free spoons?

Look at Ben, cool as he can be, aiming and calm in the firestorm. That comes from having three siblings continually knocking you down and taking your stuff.

It's good to have friendly neighbors with one child who take pity on your children.

Here We Go Again

Okay, we'll work on the face later. Everyone come here!

Thanks Ben. Okay, everyone else, come on.


Where's Elaine?

Okay. Wait, what's so interesting out there.

Oh, we'll try later.

Okay guys. No. No, I'm squatting, but you don't need to squat.

Quit squatting. Elaine, it's not very lady like. Really, look at me girl, does this look appropriate? Stand up!

No. Nicholas. No.

Oh Forget it.

The Saturday Outing: I would have a breakdown

This is Wren. We went to Wren's birthday party on Saturday. Wren's mommy is brilliant.

She rented a jumping thing, blew up some balloons with good old-fashioned air, and baked a cake. That's all.

The kids had a blast.

That is Nicholas, Elaine and Ben in a pile there.
(Yes Elaine in green. Below you'll see Alida in pink.

Alida in pink.

Boys in a race car.

Looks like fun. Why are you having a breakdown Susan?

All of the big kids opened Wren's gifts while she was off playing with the chickens because they didn't want to wait any longer.

The downstairs air conditioner was out and repair men were working in the middle of the party--the heat index was 106 degrees.

The goat was missing. Seriously. They didn't know where their goat was.

My daughter (the one that is pretty in pink) dumped cake all over their kitchen. Bright pink frosting covering strawberry cake.

Wren's mom was preparing to get in a car and drive 10 hours to Texas the next morning with three children by herself.

I have a lot to learn from these people who have so strategically been placed in my life. I would have had a melt-down. They had a blast.

What Could Happen?

You've seen my house. There is nothing in my house but plastic. Most everything is open now for wandering people to explore. What could happen? Play in dirty toilet water and clog it up with a roll of toilet paper? Sure. Take all clean cups drying on the counter and fill them with water and dump them on the floor for someone else to come running through the kitchen and wipe-out in? Been there. Take every piece of clothing drying in the laundry room and wrap yourself in them after eating chocolate? Done that. Dig in the trash? Can't even count that high.

Manage to rip the door off the cabinet in the bathroom?
Check.

Blue Clues

Actually we have no clue. She just came home like that from daycare.

Some Days

You know how sometimes you walk around with something in your teeth or a smudge on your face and no one says a word to you about it?

Some days, you get in such a hurry in the morning that you go ahead and leave the boy in his pajama bottoms under his clothes. No one mentioned it to us until he showed us later that night. Good grief, it's too hot to be making these mistakes!

No! I'm Superman

"And I've Come To Save The Day!"

Oh my goodness, they are really starting to amuse me.

The Saturday Outing: Poor Nancy and Jim

With this open invitation and all and the weather being a million plus degrees, we hopped over to our friends' Jim and Nancy's for a dip Saturday.

And then Nancy brought out the box of X-Men, and swimming was over--at least for the little people. I think Patric and I actually got to take a bit of a dip for a minute.

But the true beauty is the fact that it just plum tuckers them out.

Well. Not Alida apparently.

It did get me thinking. Perhaps if I dyed one of the girls' hair a different color, we could tell them apart a bit better?

Happy Father's Day Patric

To the real work horse of the family.

Who never ceases to find something to amuse them.

We are all so fortunate to have you, and we love you.

Summer

I guess we forgot to put away all of the boots.

Tub Time

Identical?

Debatable.

If You Can't Beat Monsoon Season,

JOIN IT.

Swim!

The perfect size pool for the ladies, particularly when Matti and Jules are there to help.

Alida made sure she got a snack however.

Nicholas suited up well, but you don't see Ben because I think he actually taught himself to swim Saturday. The guy was jetting around in the water by the end of the day trying to get out of leaving.

My serious mom face that says: Hey. I've got one here with me, which creeps me out. Now I've got to fill your water gun too?

Nancy, I think selectively, did not add any pictures of herself, but with her and her husband Jim and Cynthia there along with Matt and our half-adult Matti we had no real worries. The water was freezing, but the kids didn't seem to mind.

Les Miserables

I raced out the door at 4:40 Friday as the sky began to darken. I grabbed children. I grabbed their splash day stuff and nap blankets to wash. I grabbed papers. I grabbed some piece of artwork made with birdseed. Then we all had to stop to get a drink. Then we had to look at the fish. And then we stopped to hold the door for every parent coming in to pick up their children. How do you rush that?

We flew home half buckled and screaming as the rain began to fall.

"It's night outside!" exclaimed Benjamin.

I flung kids from the car and pointed them to the door. I got them in and raced out to get the van in. There was hail in the forecast. Right about the time I got the van in and me out, the weather sirens started. I smacked the garage door to close, and the power went out.

We hit the laundry room for half an hour while that went on. Then we meandered around the powerless house hollering at each other the rest of the evening. Then I got everyone in bed and stumbled around getting the house ready for our friends Matt, Matti and Jules who were to arrive that evening. They knew how to get in, so I went to bed hoping there would be power, but I left a flashlight in the door anyway. Good thing. No power until dinner Saturday evening at dinner right about the time the panic attack was getting ready to set in on how to continue to deal with no power and rotting food and screaming kids and friends who drove all this way to bake in my house. They were gracious. They were very gracious.

Alas, Saturday we did get out for our very first four-Stuber swim party in a real pool. We had a blast, and I forgot the camera. I'm told there were pictures, which I'll share when I get them. But really, I had four kids under four at a swimming pool. No matter how good the adult:child ratio, I was still pretty much on high alert the entire afternoon.

You Have to Get Up Pretty Early To Get Alone Time

But first you have to go to be Alida. Quit plotting your escape and stay in there for a little while longer girl.

But when you get up early, you get to have a seat at the table all to yourself. This particular morning Alida won the race.

Not Ready To Share Yet

Reading With Grandma

Before the meltdown, while they were still cute.

Summer

If Managing Four Was Hard

Managing five was harder.

Nanny Jenny, Anna and newest one Georgia came to visit Saturday.

Benjamin was sweet.

Nicholas was disengaged.

Alida was animated.

And Elaine got all dressed up in a pair of her brother's underwear and a pair of shoes.

Georgia is sweet and alert and beautiful and lucky to have mommy Jenny all day long.