Pool Parties and Thunderstorms

DON'T MIX.

 Luckily we have some easy going friends who don't mind having a "picnic" with 'Pirates Booty' and "Tom and Jerry" while we wait for the storm to pass.

Later that evening... Tom and Jerry just never get old. Daddy was out of town and I had some laundry to do so I let the kids watch a little more T and J while they ate their dinner something they rarely get to do. We are a family that eats together at the table ordinarily. Notice Chaucer keeping a close eye on the food. The kids do know that they at least have to have the food off of floor level if their diner is going to stand a chance of getting in their bellies. This night was a rare occasion that they decided together (without the coercion of an adult) to share the stool. Are we working towards peace at last? Who knows, but it was nice while it lasted! :)

Welcome Home Daniel

(a few weeks after the fact... but the pictures are from their first day home)

 To say that Daniel is a cutie pie is an understatement! He is so precious. He seems to just be fitting right into the M___ family. It was wonderful to be able to spend some time with my sister and her family the first few days they were home. I knew they would be exhausted so I "volunteered" to do all of their laundry and cook dinner for them so that I didn't feel bad about crashing their house for a few days while they suffered with jet lag. ;)  Seriously! I remember being home the first night with P and M and loving the support while needing to NOT have to entertain anyone.

 The kids all seemed to get along great... well I am not sure what King Pierson was doing to poor Caleb but at least that is a smile on Caleb's face.

 Daniel made himself right at home with the toys. It really was like he had been there all along!

 The first "unofficial" picture of all six of them. They were watching a Barbie Mermaid movie.

 Caleb and Maylin both wanted the rocking chair.... solution... squeeze both little hineys in! They were squished but it worked for them!

 This is what jet lagged kids look like after they are forced to wake up from a nap. (No they are not cruel parents. They just wanted to make sure they would sleep that night!)

 All six at the dinner table while the adults were in the dining room. Yeah, it takes two whole tables these days!

 Daniel seemed to LOVE corn on the cob.

 This is the best of the "first attempt picture" of all six of them!

 And then it was over! :)

All too soon it was time to go. We needed to get home and they needed us out of their hair!  Only so much laundry you can do (6 mega loads) and so many meals you can cook before you are no longer helpful. Daniel decided he was going to drive my car for me. I would have taken him home in a heart beat but I think my sister would have frowned on that one. ;)

Growing Tadpoles

A post I somehow never posted. (This one goes back to Easter day.)

After church Mommy had a "brilliant idea". Let's go down to the pond and catch some tadpoles in our handy dandy new nets! How hard can it be to raise tadpoles, turn them into frogs and then release them back into the pond?
It sounded like great fun.

Lesson #1. Don't wear nice shoes to the muddy pond.

Lesson #2: Don't reach too far to get the "best" tadpoles. They are all alike and all going to end up in the same place.

Lesson #3: Don't encourage the dogs to go with you. Not only will they be a muddy mess, but you will be too! And they scare tadpoles away.

Lesson #4: Maybe butterflies would be easier to raise? They only live a few days, right?

Lesson #5: Do your own research on how to raise them!  

(While the Easter bunny was leaving eggs in the yard Uncle Ian and Daddy researched how to raise tadpoles with the kids.) While I am sure they learned a lot... I didn't. ;)

Lesson #6:  If your tadpoles miraculously make it to this point (with legs) count yourself blessed and let them go! :)

We made it about three weeks. They were doing so well. Somehow all the ones who were starting to get legs kept vanishing. I knew there was no way they were getting out of the tank but I couldn't figure out where they were going. 

Lesson #7: Turns out that after the tadpoles get legs they need more than fish food to eat. Apparently they were going to tadpole heaven and the others would munch on them causing them to disappear. 

Once I realized they needed more food we got them some freeze dried blood worms. (YUCK). They started doing better. 

Lesson #8: Dish detergent, your daughter and tadpoles don't mix. (I was "Gest trwying to clean dem")

if they survive that...

Lesson #9: Don't leave the country for 10 days and expect your loving husband and children to keep them alive.

Sorry little tadpoles. We'll try better next...

scratch that... 

Lesson #10: Don't try to raise tadpoles. Leave that one to the Big Guy upstairs! :)

Secret Fun Adventure

I had heard great things about Discovery Place Kids. The kids and I actually had a day with nothing on our schedule so I made a spur of the moment decision to go on a "secret fun adventure".  The kids begged and begged for me to tell them where we were going.

I have to admit that I was having too much fun keeping them in suspense. 

A few times I acted as if I were going to a grocery store or gas station. You should have seen there faces. :)

The place was full of fun and surprises! First stop... the vet center. 

 Pierson REALLY loved the firetruck!

 Yep that is my girl getting her ice cream at the grocery store! :)

 Pierson spent at least 30 minutes in the submarine while Maylin painted in the next center.

 To say that Pierson is a character is putting it mildly. Oh how he makes me laugh. Maylin is funny in her own way, but Pierson makes an effort to get others to laugh. The theater center really brought this out in him but don't take my word for it, take a look for yourself.

  Captain P

 Buzz Pierson

 ??? He did a sideways shuffle all the way across the stage pointing his fingers and singing the whole way.

 Pierson scribbled down "waitress Maylin's" order from Mommy.

 They worked very hard to make sure the cash register in the diner was well organized.

 They climbed walls! (Seriously, I think they just needed suction cups and they would have been on the ceiling in seconds!)

 Dr. Maylin gave a worried Pierson shots in the chest?! Maybe she needs to work on her bedside manner! :)

 Good news Pierson. I think you are going to live!

 Monkey... I mean Maylin climbed the free standing fire pole. The girl has some strength in those arms!

 She added coolant to the car in the auto shop center while Pierson checked out the underneath.

 They flew airplanes. I am thinking that maybe being airline pilots are NOT in their futures. At least let's hope not. :)

 Pierson made the final call for the three o'clock flight to Chicago.

 Maylin discovered a little bit about gravitational pull with this loopty loop.

 While Pierson built his own racer and raced other kid's creations.

 The water tables were a 'splash' as well!

By this point Mommy was on sensory overload so Pierson took me out for a ride on the lake so I cold relax a little. :)

We wound the day down by watching a puppet show on the stage they 'performed' on earlier in the day.

I went in expecting to spend about an hour or two. I was dragging them out after four hours. We played right through lunch and on into the afternoon. Will we go here again? Absolutely! P and M have been asking me to take them on another Secret Fun Adventure. "You know, dat pwace dat was a seeecret." :)

Mommy Can We Have a Picnic?

On the way home one afternoon Pierson said, "Mommy can we hab a picnic?"

Me: "Sure we can have some snacks outside."

Pierson: "No Mommy I mean a weal picnic."

Apparently this is what a "weal" picnic looks like.  

 I love how their little minds work!

Happy snacking! :)

Internet down!

I haven't had internet at home for a week now! :(
Lighting struck! Boo Hoo!

Be back soon! (I HOPE!)

Flying Umbrellas

Or at least attempting. 

As a storm was approaching (No. There was no lighting) Pierson noticed that the wind was picking up and it looked like it might rain. Daddy was outside grilling. Being the concerned little boy Pierson is he grabbed an umbrella to shield Daddy from the approaching downfall... but wait... you could see the light bulb come on in his head. He facial expressions said "I have a great idea!" He ran back inside got a rope tied it to the end of his umbrella and off he went. 

 Patiently waiting for the next strong gust of wind to give flight to Mickey Mouse!

But thunder had to 'rain on his parade'.  Yes... this was the last picture. After the thunder started he willingly gave up for the day. He assured me "Next time it rain... I try again!"