The boys of summer

What a difference a year makes!
We paid our annual summer visit to Busch Gardens, and we had the best time! No whining about the walking, no complaining about the heat--from anyone in our party.

With two boys walking on their own power (Jason and Michael) and one stroller holding just one boy (Joshua), we really felt quite free.

Once #3 is potty-trained, we won't know what to do with all that free space in back of our stroller.

Here's Joshua's attempt at doing bumper cars.



Maybe by next year, he'll enjoy it a little more. He really did enjoy everything else. The Whirly-worm, the rides that put him in a moving swing, the attractions that kept him focused on Elmo. He did plenty of smiling as we picked him up to move him from place to place.



For the first time this year, Jason and Michael, and of course, Doug, rode the big-boy rollercoasters. All of them. And I think our older two might have an appetite for the excitement of these twisty and turn-filled rides. Poor Doug.




Our summer hasn't all been about thrill-rides.
The boys really enjoyed the cooking camp at the Y this past week.

One of the things they learned how to make: dessert.




Mercifully, it tastes better than it sounds.




I've tried to keep the troops busy this summer, but there has been opportunity for some down time.

We've spent some minutes on the computer.

Jason has really shown an interest in money lately and recently, he asked for an allowance. We were hoping, of course, he would never show any interest. I guess he heard kids at camp talking about this whole allowance thing. We are giving him $5 a week, and we have told him he must place the money each week in each of four categories: spend, save, invest and donate.

He's a little impatient, because, of course, he wants to buy what he wants to buy NOW (Bakugan, anyone?) But, he's learning to research prices on the internet and he knows the exact place he'll go to buy his toy once he gets enough money.

Jason's brothers don't have a care in the world. Money does not interest them in the least.



In fact, I think we robbed these folks fishing of their peace and quiet when we took the boys to a new park the other day. Oops. We left a few minutes later.



The summer hasn't been just fun for the kids. We've managed to enjoy ourselves as well. I just went to my 20th high school reunion. Yikes! It was good to catch up and take that walk down memory lane. The best part was coming home and seeing how far we have come.

Cheers, everyone!
We love you lots!!!

Home sweet home

As you hit the road to go away, you always wonder what you left behind.

We realized immediately what we left behind the minute we unlocked the door to our home and walked inside.

Our trash, inside the kitchen. Did I mention we had fish for dinner the evening before we left?

We don't know if that has anything to do with the ants now staking a claim inside our home, but, well, there they are.
For some reason, the arrival of these pesky, tiny, numerous creatures into our humble abode has energized our kids like I've never seen.




I've been looking online for ways to "naturally" get rid of the ants. Talcum powder, pepper, vinegar--we are trying them all. We're cleaning like fiends, too.
Today, Jason and Michael were practically fighting to be able to Swiffer our living room and vacuum our rugs. I'm trying to be supportive, so I let them.

Tonight, we realized the boys must have left some standing water in some bath toys, because we found a family of mosquitoes in the bathtub. It seemed to be the last straw for Jason, who walked around, saying, "What has happened to our house?"



I am confident we will end up victorious against the ants.
But it looks like Michael and Joshua aren't so sure. They may be trying to find a way to send themselves back to Grandma's house!!!

A visit to remember

We have just returned from a wonderful trip to see Grandma and Grandpa. Despite a couple of instances of hearing loss from a screaming Joshua during our travels, we survived the trip there and the trip home.

It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with cousins Ezekiel and Elijah, Aunt Stacie, Uncle Dave and Aunt Jeanne.

One day, Jason, Michael and Elijah scaled Stone Mountain.



We were following very far behind. After all, carrying 30 pounds of Joshua up the hill takes some time and effort. Thanks, Doug.

Speaking of Joshua, he had a good time during this visit as well. We stopped by a little children's interactive play center.

They had a little "grocery" store and Joshua was busy filling his basket with "onions," "cookies" and "milk." At least he remembered his calcium.



If he had any questions at all about calcium, he could have found answers from the source itself. They had a little milking station and Joshua got some hands-on learning. It is safe to say he had no clue what was going on. But this picture tells a thousand words, doesn't it?




After we pried Joshua away from Bessie, we found the music room. It was an experience the boys even talk about today. I do believe the boys, each in his own way, is getting some love of music from Doug. Jason is taking piano lessons and really enjoys them. Michael sings. Joshua does, too. We have no idea what he is trying to convey, but he does it with gusto.



I would describe the boys' approach to having fun at Grandma and Grandpa's house the same way. With gusto. They found every toy, put together every puzzle, rearranged every pillow to make their grandparents' house their own.



Jason and Michael pulled out all of Grandma's cushions to build a fort they hid inside. It was so cute. And time-consuming.



Joshua simply enjoyed having good meals.
We love you, Grandma and Grandpa, and we so loved seeing all of you this summer!

Travel buddies

We have been in the car quite a bit this summer. For some reason, the kids don't want to chat, they don't want to read, they only want to play the Nintendo DS when they are back there in the minivan. So, to change the routine a bit, I've introduced them to their travel buddies.

I really don't know if this will work.



I interviewed a teacher the other day who had some great ideas to get kids thinking without realizing they are doing it.

We took pictures of the boys and their travel buddies. Michael has Cowee, Joshua has his blankie and for Jason, we picked up Tim the Penguin.



We taped these pictures to the cover of a composition book.



Wha-la! Now we have a travel journal.



Jason and Michael have completed page one. They were excited to draw pictures of their travel buddies. Tomorrow, they'll have to actually write words in them! I wonder how long it will take before they ask me if they can play their video games?

I'll let you know how it goes!

Happy Friday, everyone!!!

Finally...a day at the beach

The boys have been spending every single weekday at the pool for camp. They are quite dark, as you have seen.

The draw of the beach then wasn't the surf, but the sand.

We actually made it to the beach today. Jason and Michael made a beeline for a stretch of sand so they could get to work building castle villages.



Joshua went straight for a snack.



After a handful of 'nilla wafers, Joshua was feeling good enough to dip his toe in the water. Joshua was a little nervous at first, but Doug says after a few minutes, he was giggling when the low waves hit his feet.



Then, we buried his feet (Michael's, too) in the sand!

I didn't realize the boys knew anything about the whole tanning culture we have here. But Jason and Michael asked me if we could do without sunscreen today so they could get a proper "tan." What??!!! We told him they were bronzed enough, thank you very much.



We have noticed that camp has brought Jason and Michael closer together. This is what happens when these two get the giggles during dinner.




We can't help but laugh. Doug and I couldn't help but laugh at something Michael said this morning. We were at the dining table, eating breakfast. And Michael looks at us and says, "It has been nice. We've had Joshua for two years."

You really can't deny the truth of his words.

Dreamin' of the beach

We haven't made it to the beach yet this summer. All the baby can do is dream about it.

He parked himself inside his inner tube today and chilled for a bit.



We've been spending our weekends with Amah and Akong as Amah continues her recovery from a car crash.

We know she will be fine.
After all, the get-well-crew has been giving her plenty of kisses.



We love you, Amah!

Silly Bandz on sale

With three growing boys, you can imagine there's quite a bit happening at our house these days. I'm hoping I don't wait too long to put the stories in black and white. I know I'll forget.

Where do I start? Oh yeah. Silly Bandz. Have you heard of them? They are the brilliant invention of some now-rich adults who have somehow brainwashed kids into thinking wearing colored rubber bands in the shape of animals, instruments or phrases are the "in" thing. Adults are starting to wear them, though, which we think means they will soon be uncool. In the meantime, they are a big deal at our house.

Silly Bandz have certainly invaded. Even Joshua is interested in collecting and wearing these specially-shaped rubber bands. They sell for about $5 for a pack of 24. I tell you this on background.

Our crew has decided to step into the world of entrepreneurship and sell them. I applaud them. For the price of $50 (!), a special scented Silly Band in the shape of a rabbit could be yours. It smells like vanilla, by the way, not what you would imagine a rabbit would smell like.



Here they are working on the posters which will highlight their Silly Bandz on sale for the day.

Jason and Michael are a little (okay, a lot) darker than they were in the beginning of the summer. YMCA summer camp has been good to us and the boys have spent every weekday afternoon in the pool. They just got haircuts (1 1/2 hours at the barber shop, by the way) and it has GOT to be a more pleasant experience in the hot summer sun.

Michael, at the age of 5, is, I believe, officially out of the terrible 2's. We thought it would never happen!

He now continues to amaze us with his insights.

Today, I messed up their names. Called him Joshua or Jason, I don't even know which.

He replied, "It's okay, Mommy, because when you become a mommy, you forget names."



Do not let this charming grin fool you.

Michael may be out of the terrible 2's. Joshua, I believe, has entered them. Early. Earlier than the other two, at least. Everyone within a 1/2 block radius heard us as we made out way into the dry cleaner's today.

30 minutes and 15 'nilla wafers later, he was fine.

At least I'm not so worried about his verbal skills, though. Today, he told me, as he was pointing to a cereal he wanted to have for a snack, "That cereal." I hesitated, since it was FRUIT LOOPS! He repeated, loudly, "THAT CEREAL." "MOMMY. MOMMY. MOMMY. THAT CEREAL!!!!" WAAAAH!!!!

Can you tell we'll be working to deal with a sweet tooth on our #3? To think, we thought he would never speak.

Summer reading program

Now that it's summer, we're all trying to do a bit of reading.

Summer, here we come!

After months of what felt like living on the baseball field, it has all come to an end.



Jason, I think, was happy to see it arrive. He played a good season and was pretty beat by the last out of the last game. We had the chance to get together one last time with the team.



Joshua, of course, makes friends wherever he goes. I think he will miss most the candy he inevitably walked away with while watching the games.



Until next season!!!

Lots of milestones this last school year. If you had a chance to sit and think about it, you might tear up. It was Jason's first year in public school and I am so proud of him. He has to say goodbye to one school, though, and get ready for the excitement of another.

I had the opportunity to go to his Field Day. We baked under the hot June sun.




On another occasion, I went inside his classroom, where we had games and pizza. That was a GREAT day to be inside with all of them. By the way, hats off to all teachers. There is QUITE A BIT of energy inside a first grade classroom.




It has been a while since I've shared pictures, so there's plenty to catch everyone up on. The boys and I went on a 2-mile walk for charity on a recent weekend. Everyone looks refreshed and ready for a walk in this picture, but you should have seen us at the finish line! Jason did great, but apparently, Michael decided his feet weren't working after the one-mile mark. Doug, then, became the transporter.



Funny, but Michael was able to move on his own two feet during a birthday party at the park. We went on a hayride, ate lots of candy and cake and said goodbye to friends for the summer! He is getting so big!!!!




Finally, we went to a nighttime minor league baseball game. Here's when we realized the baby is kinda friendly. We happened to know most of the people in the seats around us. But Joshua didn't know that. He went up to complete strangers to see what kind of edible treasures they were interested in sharing.



Thank goodness this kind gentleman (a nice man from our church) was fine with parting with his peanuts. Our peanut wouldn't leave his side until the bag was finished!!!

It's tough to wake up from a nap

Back from Bermuda and back to reality

We've been back for a couple of weeks, yet looking at pictures of our journey to Bermuda still have the power to take us back.



If you're wondering what it's like to not be connected (no email, no phone access, no text messages), it's kinda nice. And scary.

The minute we left the cruise ship, I had to find a pay phone to call the boys. I almost didn't know how to use one of these.



It's funny that we live by a beach and yet, the beach is the first place we go on vacation. I guess it is what we know. We had to check out the world-famous Bermuda beaches, and yes, they were lovely.



We also did our fair share of eating. But we didn't eat as much as I thought we would. Or what we could have. Oh my, there's a lot of food on these big boats.





We met some really nice people, we had a truly relaxing time and we thoroughly enjoyed our 10th anniversary celebration.

Thank you so much to Grandma and Grandpa for making this trip possible. We love you very much!