Some boys playing hard

When the weather gets nice you'll often find this scene at our house. I relish in this time b/c I'm in the house feverishly cleaning up while the whirlwind is outside. Then I sit on the porch w/ Eliza and watch the boys.be careful Ty-I wonder if it crashed into his face?!??!

This boy loves to dribble the ball-and he's really good at it!

I love how he looks deep in thought-contemplating his next shot?

Why the grapefruit brings back good memories

Ever since Tyler was about 2 years old, we've been sharing a grapefruit together. We both would sit quietly and eat segment after segment quietly. Then at the end I squeeze the juice into a spoon and that's our "medicine." We act silly-like we're dying until we get the meds. Chase and I started doing it when Tyler started preschool and it's the exact same routine. It really works best in twos. The other night I did it with all 3 kids and it's just not the same. The grapefruit went too fast, complaints were made that so-and-so got more than me. So for now we'll keep it to a mom and me thing and enjoy ourselves!

This might get annoying...

But for now I love it. She's such a girly girl and gets into this drawer any chance she can, just to "accessorize!!!"

My Buddy turned 4!

Here Chase is this morning in the fireman costume from Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Jim-and this is the beastly firetruck I got off of ebay. Things sure are smaller on that tiny picture on the screen. Yowza! He LOVES it and so I'm willing to live with it!And here is my baby Chasey at just a few months old. His fat cheeks were to die for! Chase has challenged us as parents in so many ways, but he also makes me laugh uncontrollably and I couldn't imagine life without him! He loves his brother and sister so much and protects them already. He's so proud to be 4 (or 18 depending on the time of day you ask). Tonight putting him to bed Phil mentioned that he'd never be 3 again and he as quite put out about it. He said, "not even when I'm a dad?" These comments get me through the day. Seriously. I love you big guy! never stop snuggling me and telling me how much you love me!

Uncle Ben has a brain!

Let me begin by saying my brother-in-law might kill me for posting this picture. If I end up missing-contact him.
Anyway...this morning Chase had his first Dentist appt. so I was having Tyler explain all of the fun things about it. Ty was telling him sometimes you have to shut your eyes b/c the light is really bright while they look in your mouth so I asked if the dentist uses sunglasses during the exam. Ty (in his upcoming teenager snotty way) said "no!!!" So I said that's what Uncle Ben does at his practice. And Ty thought for a minute and said, "mom-that Uncle Ben-he has a brain!" (as if Booner needs to inflate his ego anymore...:) )

Mr. Books

Growing up Phil loved (and still does) the Mr. Books. I find them totally obnoxious, but he got the boys into them and we're collecting quite the library. Phil's mom was here today and Tyler asked if he could have some of Phil's books from her house. She has a whole shelf of them (heaven help me) so she told Ty to make a list of all the ones he does have so that she doesn't give him duplicates. Tyler did this all by himself. He was so proud he could spell DO and HAVE by himself, and then the rest he just copied from the books. Darling!!!

Imagine if you will

That this chair is painted cream and antiqued w/ a glaze and has a really bright oilcloth seat. And this will be my "new" kitchen table set. We bought this set from friends and it's about 50 years old and it's solid wood and I could CRY!! I just love the details on it. The table has so much character too. I can't wait for the finished product!!!!