Instead of napping

I could not get this guy to take a nap today! Instead he's playing outside with his brother. Both are covered in dirt and likely getting wet as I write this. The question now is, can I keep him awake until bedtime?

Helping Out

We thought we'd just get up here to help out Mama. Hmmm, not much up here, except this light switch. Better turn that on and off a few times. And oooh- tomatoes.

We'll eat those tomatoes like they're apples!

Art on the Walls

Sometimes coloring is more interesting when done in a new way, like with paper taped to the walls.


Michael visited a house once where the bottom half of the kids room was papered with news print so they had bedroom had walls that could be drawn on. I thought that was a great idea, but there isn't space in the boys room. I think we'll do this temporary set-up again though, for what ever reason I hadn't thought before to just tape up the paper just for the art session.

Kisses!!!

Leland has recently perfected kisses.

Mostly it's very nice, though occasionally they're snotty. Ewww.


James likes to give a rapid succession of kisses and then ask, "How many kisses was that?"

Welcome Scott Jeremiah!

Waiting to hear more details. For now, Hooray!!!

Waiting for Baby

Elizabeth's here tonight because her parents are at the hospital- Joan's in labor! Will Nomi have a baby brother or baby sister??? We're waiting to find out! Meanwhile we:

Bake mini pizza's of which the kids feasted on the toppings only- first while making the pizzas, then after they were baked.


Then of course we had to get out the glow sticks and the tipi ( It just seemed right. Grammy and Pop Pop have trained us well MUST HAVE GLOWWWWW)


Bouncing on the bed


And taking all toys off the shelf


I can't wait to post a welcome to the new little one coming into our family!

A Tail of Cuddle Kitty

Last month, when we went to Oregon, we accidentally LEFT Cuddle Kitty at Grammy's house. Oh no! We hemmed and hawed at bed time for a couple nights and then told James the sad truth. Luckily, by that time, we had established CK's whereabouts and knew Grammy would be sending her home. Naturally James was concerned, seeing as how "Post men don't like to have animals in their trucks!" I reassured him that Cuddle Kitty would be traveling in, "a kitty carrier box." (AKA a shoe box....)

He asked me to draw him some pictures about what would be happening. So I drew them on the calendar showing when she'd be arriving.

Then we waited...
And waited...
And waited...

Finally the day came (three days is a pretty long time for a three year old) that Cuddle Kitty came home! She was better than ever! Grammy had even given her a new tail to replace the one that had fallen off!

James showed off her new tail for the camera.


He took Cuddle Kitty to the calendar and showed her the pictures of her journey. He wanted me to go back and draw in her new tail on all of the pictures.

Having Cuddle Kitty home was so nice he just wanted to take a nap with her, and they snuggled into bed.

Papa+train table+cookies=

Some very happy boys- and total quiet time at home for mama! Michael's even bringing home dinner.

The Way to Spend a Fall Day

We've been hanging out with neighbors on their front drive all day. Impromptu jam session and cribbage followed a successful yardsale. This is the sort of thing that makes us love our neighborhood.

A Sick Shnoog

Poor Leland, this is all he wants to do- cuddle nurse and sleep. So that's what we're doing. He's very persuasive.

Breakfast with friends

Rope Swing

The newset thing Michael's made for the boys is thig rope swing.
 
Higher Papa, higher!

 
James likes to go so high that he can see over the fence.

 
James and his best bud Stella have a, "really fun time!" on the swing.

Most Recent James Self-Portraits

Every so often, when I load pictures onto the computer, I find that James has been using the camera as well. Here's the series I found he'd taken of himself yesterday. He always looks so serious when he's looking at the camera!

 

 

 

Maybe I should...

post a link to Oregon photos from a month ago!?

Wedding and Coast Oregon trip

Last of Summer's Treasure

We've had our first freeze and have said goodbuy to our garden until next year. This summer was very sweet because each time we'd pick a tomato James would exclaim, "Oh! The FIRST Tomato!!" Not accurate exactly, but the enthusiasm was wonderful.

James

Leland

Sitting Together

James set up the camping chairs the other morning so he and Leland could sit together. This was after James woke up from having a nightmare and I think he was needing some brotherly love.

Results of park fun

James asked for the stroller in quiet time and when I next checked on him he'd made himself a bed and was fast asleep.

Snug in his bed

Back in our routine

After a week of travel it has taken us another week at home to settle back in. Both kids asleep at nap time says things are smoothing out again.