Sleepover

Another milestone- Ethan went to his first slumber party! "Here we are, Buddy," I said as we pulled into Brayden's driveway. "YES!" he exclaimed.
I was a little nervous, but he had a great time. As I've noted time and again, that kid is so much braver than I ever was. I'm pretty sure my first successful sleepover was in 3rd grade. Maybe later.

Girl Time

There are a few more girls now, and many more boys, but it was wonderful to see all of them last week. One thing about good friends is that no matter how many seasons, and babies, have changed since you were last together, the conversation and laughter flow just as easily as those nights in the dorm room or the apartment on West Maple.


The only thing I would have changed on Monday?

Taking the group photo at the beginning of the evening.

Speaking of amazing photography...

My talented friend Kylie took the boys to a deserted country road for a photo shoot. It was win-win because I got some very cool pictures of my kids and I got to hold her new baby the whole time they were gone!

For Christmas I'm thinking family pictures in the snow, perhaps with coordinated red sweaters. Anyone have any Zoloft I could give to Matt?

Fall Fest 2010

Several friends packed up picnic lunches, jackets, and a multitude of children for a day of fun. We started with a picnic at the park, then went to the pumpkin patch. There was laughter, chatting, and of course a few tantrums, but nothing unmanageable. When I saw this picture, I smiled. When I showed it to Matt, he shuddered. "Yeah, that looks like a lot of fun," he said unconvincingly.

Well, it WAS fun. Does that mean that my standards have lowered? Or that Matt is a consummate fun-hater? You be the judge.

My talented friend Kylie took these photographs... click here to see more of her art. Local friends, take note!

One of the highlights was a big pit of shelled corn.

This is Kylie's sweet little peanut, Judah- shown here thinking deep thoughts with Evan.

And the hay rack ride was so relaxing, Ethan almost dozed off on his BFF Brayden.

Fun? Most definitely.

.

Worker bees

The boys and I cleaned out the woodstove last week.

Usually when I say, 'the boys and I blah blah blah,' what I mean is
- the boys spilled flour and fought over the baking powder while I baked cookies
-the boys chopped potato sprouts and pulled baby carrot feathers while I weeded the garden
-the boys put dirty clothes in the dryer and knocked over piles of clean clothes while I did the laundry.
Et cetera.

BUT. Last Thursday, the boys and I really cleaned out the woodstove. They had their little shovels and we took turns scooping ashes into the wheelbarrow. Then they took turns climbing inside (sorry, Mom) and scooping more ashes into my shovel, which I dumped into the wheelbarrow. I kept waiting for them to get tired of it and go play, but they stuck to business til the bitter end. Which actually wasn't bitter at all because we had been having such a nice time together. Then we picked up some wood in the pasture. Well, okay, I picked up the wood but they unloaded ALL of it, even working together to roll the heaviest logs off the end of the tailgate. I couldn't have been more impressed with the little helpers.

"Let's play Tack," Ethan suggested after we had finished. "Okay," I agreed. "How do you play that?" "YOU KNOW," he answered. "We chase everybody and yell TACK."

Man, those boys are cool.

Overheard

"Woof"
"Evan, let's be human now."
"Woof woof!"
"Evan! Now let's be humans."
Woof?
Humans! Let's play a new game with HUMANS!
"Woof"

*******
A distant engine was heard and Evan raced to the door.
"My daddy is going tah be here in a few minutes in his aihpane!"

*********
The new Lego catalog is here.
Evan: Dad, I want you to buy me dis.
Matt: I don't have any money.
Evan: Here's my money. hands invisible money Now buy me dat!
Matt: That's not a very polite way to ask.
Evan: YOU'RE WELCOME.

Good Night, from Evan

Snips and Snails

When the boys were younger, I loved writing about moments like these and these and these. Things are a little different these days.

A couple weeks ago, we were driving and the boys' conversation turned, as it so often does lately, to the subject of poop. (Agh, I even hate typing it.) "I am going to suck poop through a straw!" Ethan shouted while they giggled hysterically. "Ethan, don't talk that way. It's not nice," Matt ordered from the front seat. "No, Dad." Ethan's eyes were wide with innocence. "I said suck. Suck is not a bad word. FUCK is a bad word."

Ethan informed me that "if I had a pet dragon, I would stand on his head. Because he would like it."


They were playing with Play-doh this afternoon when Ethan informed me that he was cutting up a dead cat. "Eww" I responded. "Ewww," Evan mimicked. "Evan!" Ethan exclaimed. "Boys do not say ewww about that. Just gwirls."

See? Do you see why I cannot blog these days?!