Randomness: Can we count summer over now?

When it was time to leave, Alida was still hanging on to the pole and I had her horizontal trying to pry her off.

When I asked her what kind of birthday cake she wanted she said a purple one with a horse. I will learn to smooth buttercream one day.

Elaine just said she wanted a pink one. So she got the one decorated second when I only had the big fat piping tips left. It was nice to eat something not baked from a mix for the first time since deployment however.

When I picked up Patric, one of things I made sure to do was get a picture of the teddy bear on the right. Patric confirms for me that I'm in love with him for good reason--he's a great guy.

He just looks it, no?

We fed the goldfish with my parents at some point this summer.

It was as disgusting as it ever was.

My first thought: that's not even all of them.

Second thought: why don't they at least have the same hair color?

Man. When he's in the mood, he's in the mood.

Wren's birthday party.

She spent most of the cake time making sure the Chik-fil-A cow didn't come anywhere near her.

Jenny.

She came over to visit and we all played right there in the entry way the entire time.

She also came over to visit faithfully on Sundays when Patric was gone to fold my kids' laundry. That was the biggest help.

I took this picture for a reason other than to point out what a mess it was. I cannot remember now why I did that.

The latest beach game: get wet in the pool, flour yourself in the sandbox, bake in the sun.

She still comes out of no where and scares me with that baby every once-in-awile. It's creepy, and she remembers that it creeps me out.

So if I had to say I missed something from Patric being gone, it would be the out-pouring of support from friends and friends of friends and strangers. That was amazing. I will remain amazed for the rest of my days. And that will be what I remember from this past year: the year that people overflowed with good will.

Even when I took rotten pictures of them.

Dork.

Alive and Well

Where on earth did we go?

Did we really grow that much hair along the way?

Nicholas even perfected his pirate face.

We'll have more stories to share soon.

Just had a little workation and busy end of summer stuff going on lately.

Claims She's Not Ready

For uniforms and homework and her big-girl (pre-school) class.
Too bad sister, it's headed your way.

Sunday Dinner

I'm not saying that it's perfect, but Alida set the table entirely by herself. I consider it a victory that she knew to set the kitchen table and not the table in front of the television.

No, I'm not really so nutty that I make them wear plastic gloves when we prepare corn. The girls came home from church with those. I'm not sure what the bible lesson was there. I do know that the four kids wound up fighting over the two pair of plastic gloves later, which probably wasn't part of their lesson. I was able to eventually whisk away three of them; there is a fourth somewhere in our house, hiding, waiting to become a problem.

Steak.

We can still get by with the four of them splitting a steak. May as well enjoy it now I guess.

And where was Nicholas?

Patching the wall of course.

The wall that he punched holes in with an umbrella completely absent-mindedly while he watched tv one day. This will be a good skill to hold on to I think. I don't guess it will be the last drywall to fall at their hands.

Crud

Home with the crud and daddy today.

I just talked to her on the phone, and she told me she just ate 3 bowls of Capt'N Crunch.

As usual, our sick days are generally pretty not sick, but dad gets to spend the day with Elaine.

Worms

Are fantastic according to Ben.

A Competition of Sorts

If we were to organize these events and award prizes, they would lose interest.

I present: National Take Your Sister's Toys and Turn Them Into Weapons Day

It all boils down to a gun, of course.

But it shoots Superheros--here Thing and the Flame (I think)

You create this by dismantling the vacuum, stuffing a flashlight in a cup and creating a bright light. Then load your superheros. Now when you whir it up, according the Nicholas, you launch superheros that will exact their particular talent wherever they've been aimed.

Ben, it's an upside down ironing board. I'm unimpressed.

No, it's the ride-able, swinging turret of a tank of course.
Cup with flashlight optional.

I Wasn't There, But I Heard

There was a trip to the airport last weekend,

Some swimming in the sweltering heat,

some car washing,

movie watching,

YouTube showing,

Tent making,

Hair-doing,

Oh, and parent-returning in the end...

Thanks grandma and grandpa. You are brave souls, and we appreciate it.

Dinner and a Show

More Typical Than I'd Like To Admit

Eight O'clock: lights out for the girls

Eight-thirty: lights out for the boys.

Last night the boys are bouncing off the walls, come out of their room to check on their Batman tattoos several times.

Girls, huddle in the corner by the night-light in their room with every book from the shelf. Have an absolute panic attack when they somehow spot a bug.

Finally, sleep.

11:45 Ben

We both startle out of bed to the sound of banging in the half-bath downstairs.

Ben has decided to make a pit-stop, downstairs, and then start slamming his feet against the foot stool as loud as he can.

Go back to bed Ben.

2:30 Alida

She's wandered down, made it to our bathroom. I hazily wake to hear her rustling around. As I'm trying to process where I am, she walks in our room and announces she's just used our bathroom. Well, way to go pumpkin.

Go back to bed Alida.

5:30 Elaine

She shows up as I am brushing my teeth, wanting to watch a movie.

Go back to bed Elaine.

6:45 a.m.

The one with a reason for disturbed sleep after being sick this week, still snoring.

Do I Have to Get A Shot?

It seems like I've been obsessing over Ol' Lumpy Leg forever now.

In May, I chickened out of having surgery for Elaine and opted to wait for Patric to return.

We had our follow-up with the surgeon yesterday, who confirmed that although slow, she's healing. No surgery; I can stop obsessing.

He did say, "Well, it looks like it's a little late to caution you to keep this area out of the sun while it heals."

It really has been forever that we've all been obsessing over Nicholas and his inches-thick medical file. Poor boy has croup and went to the doctor yesterday after scaring the phooey out of us the night before with his raspy coughing. Doctor said to be worried if he gets lethargic. Lethargic would ring an alarm bell anyway in this one.

Four Kids and Two Adults

walk in to a movie theater.

The girls can't be drug away from the arcade when it is time to go into the movie, even though they've had no coins to put in the machines.

We sit on the front row. The boys plop down and munch popcorn. The girls can't figure out where to sit. They're up; they're down. They're destroying the popcorn, and it's a crunchy mess under our feet.

When the movie starts, Alida leans over and asks me why Toy Story isn't on.

(That should have been my clue the girls needed to leave.)

Then I looked down and saw Elaine grabbing popcorn off the floor and yes, eating it.

Then I looked up and saw Alida running her mouth along the handrail in front of us.

I grabbed them both and made to leave.

"This really is Despicable.We'll just pick you up later. You have your phone?"

"Huh, what's wrong? No, I don't have my phone. Leave me yours; you can go get mine at home. Why are you leaving?"

One adult and two kids leave the theater.

Three boys remained.

Summer

If you can't beat it, join it.

Sunday Afternoon