Chocolate Cake

 There was quite a bit of batter left over.

Alida didn't seem to mind.

Boy Scouts

This will surely spark some future posting...



It's All Fun and Games

Until Nicholas figures out how to turn the sleeping bag they  have been using to sled the stairs into a weapon.

Then the game is over.

Scared the phooey out of us when he aimed the cord at Ben and released.

Dinner and a Movie

 Sunday evening we pulled out a classic.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon

Ben

Gentle Ben.

At 6, nearly 7, you still live up to your name.

Two weeks into school, we see happy faces and hear about your learning.

You took the last cannonball off the diving board for the season at our pool Sunday evening as it was closing down, and your smile infects.

You have your moments, and you've picked up a touch of my sarcastic tone.  But, strange, you are starting to act out with understanding.  Your frustration will melt if we just explain things to you, and moments later you will spontaneously come to us with hugs and 'sorry's'. 

You are the light of your sisters' worlds.  You are stubborn.  And, boy, you are lazy--I've turned a corner to find a sister at each of your feet, tying your shoes for you.  But when the neighbor sees you, he can't help but shout, "Hello brother!" 

You often remark on your toys with wonder at why there aren't more weapons.  And you will tolerate Nicholas's energy and attacks to a point, but then watch out because he is sure to get what's coming.

My favorite line of yours right now is: "Mom, I was thinking..."  This is usually followed by a request for chocolate ice cream.

You tickle me, continually. And your heartfelt hugs melt my heart.



Labor Day

 I cooked and baked.

 And he built. (glee)

And all around hanging around.

The best sort of holiday.

Crafty

 Spontaneous and pretty cool.

Until it got a little creepy.

Labor Day Weekend

Raise your hand: who loves having dad home, and his French Toast for breakfast?

Good Bye

13 years old.

First purchase for our first house two years after we were married.

I'm pretty sure it took us a year to pay them off back then.

They had five and a half years of pretty easy life.

And then we started having kids.

The drum of the washer was stripped, and the dryer couldn't keep a thermostat without blowing it.

We estimate 5,000 loads later (no that's no joke), it was time to say good-bye.

The new, well I've already lost track of how many loads a week later, but I do know that it doesn't take three cycles to get clothes dry any more.

Vacation: A Few Days in Kansas

 And on the way home, we stopped for a few day layover in Kansas. 

Where there was more riding.

 Make-up application.

And a bit of weaponry.

Vacation: Fishing

 Our princess even got near one.

 She was proud.

Everyone gets a fish when you go off the dock.

Vacation: Dairy Queen

 Dairy Queen

Another annual tradition.

 One that brings about happiness.

 And I finally bonded with Noah over an Orange Julious.

We're buds now.

 Well, he was buds with all Stubers that evening.

He was eating out of their hands.

Vacation Rides

 Great until we realized that their collective 60 pounds wouldn't keep the thing from dumping them head first the second we picked up any speed.

 The collective nearly 80 pounds was enough.

We dumped them anyway, just for fun.

 Ah, ladies, not your year.  Not only were you not fat enough, you weren't tall enough.  But you didn't seem to mind having a driver on the bumper boats.

 "I like to take live action photos."

Name that movie.

 Boys, you were tall enough for this one.

 One you could do alone ladies.

 The girl organizing this mess finally gave up and stopped trying to keep you all from popping the gears in these.

Then you had some fun.

 A bit more relaxed.

 Swings--always fun.

 I didn't even know these were still legal.

 The one ride the Stubers would have nothing to do with.

And Ben's favorite ride of all--a disk on a rope.



School Days

 Kindergarten, first day ever, last Monday.

The girls were ready.

At dinner there was long conversation over the pronunciation of Elaine's teacher's name:

"It's Hupe."

"Like poooopie."

(fits of laughter and stern motherly looks disguising a smirk)

Turns out, it's Hupe, like "puppy."

 And the boys became first graders all of the sudden.

During our first week of calm and everybody be nice, Nicholas was the only one that came home with warnings in his calendar.

The last day of the week was this:

"warning.  talked during line in cafeteria and spelled a word out loud to the class."

Um, so?

Then I was talking with our neighbor, whose daughter is in Nicholas's class.

"Hahahaha.  No Susan, they were taking a spelling test when he shouted out the answer for everyone."

Oh.  Oh boy.

And we're off.

Ben has been all happy this week, has voluntarily told me about what he is learning, and even mentioned a few friends he's made.  That is progress.