Nature post

 

I will get back to the beach vacation pictures eventually, but these guys were just too pretty to not share. I've turned them into my cover photo on Facebook, but since not all of you are on there, check out our gorgeous hostas. Hosta? Hosti?

 

 

Disclaimer: Carrie took the rest of these photos. I did some slight editing, including text.

 

We've really enjoyed our feathered friends this year. Our wrens out from have several different songs and lots of energy. And now, new babies. We're being scolded when we're weeding too close to the wren houses, but it is so much fun to watch them flitting and feeding and singing their hearts out. Biiiig vocal chords for such tiny birds!

 

Okay, that one is not a wren. He may be one of our super naughty piggies squirrels who dismantle birdfeeders and sneak our suet. We do get a kick out of watching them scamper, though!

 

Yes, these are not wrens either, I know. Carrie has developed an affinity for frogs this summer. She's caught them and named them and tried to band their legs with blades of grass. Apparently the smart, best hider is Einstein, but there is also Bleep, Beep, and Bounce. Our frogs don't say "ribbit" or "kneedeep"... they definitely "bleep" and "beep!"

 

I think she wanted to show you that we have trees? We have lots of trees, and the apple/buckeye/walnut/pinecone/leaves mess is already starting to commence. Yellow leaves from locust trees are drifting across the driveway. 

 

Our butterfly garden is doing its job- we saw several friends gathering within it yesterday. I weeded some of the jungle courtyard yesterday before it got hot, but there's more work to be done there. The apple trees' branches are so weighted down that backing out the mower is a two person job. One to drive and the other to attempt to lift the branches out of the way so they don't lose all their apples. We are already looking forward to applesauce.

 

The garden is a bit pitiful this year. After swimming for so much of early summer, the weeds moved in and proceeded to choke off just about everything. We've had not even a dozen of our cherry tomatoes- so sad- and the regular sized ones aren't nearly as tall or as numerous as they should be. The melons look okay, even growing their way out of the fence; my pepper plant is a disaster, as someone or something got into the fence (or leaned over it) and nibbled most of it. I should probably go check it and see who needs rescued before it's incredibly hot today and tomorrow...

 

This is the last weekend before school starts, and we're as ready as we'll ever be. Things One and Three can't wait to start. Thing Two is asking to be homeschooled. Happy end of summer vacation and happy first days to all y'all!

Lemmings

Like everybody else, we've been crazy busy now that the holidays are approaching.

Sessions at the Y are winding down until the New Year, so Damon will have his last swimming lesson in an hour. He really likes his class and his teacher and being in the water. In fact, he'd rather be in the water more than anything else. It will be interesting to see if his instructor will promote him or keep him at the same level until he follows directions (like staying on the wall) a little closer...

Carrie had her Christmas concert last Thursday and tonight is her very first strings concert, featuring her on the viola for the first time. I'm at once proud and mentally trying to remember where we keep our stash of ear plugs. Not that'd we'd need them for HER, of course, but who knows if those other kids pick up their instument at home. *wink wink*  I thought about posting her former concert stuff, but I think I'll wait until after the pictures tonight and do them all at once.

Today Liam presents his report on Gandhi. The entire second grade has been researching biographies on people of their choice, and he picked Gandhi. He's going in with two pillowcases folded and pinned into a sash and my hair towel for his turban. I can't wait to hear how it went.

I've been trying to Christmas shop while the big kids are in school. Shopping with a three-year-old takes more talent than I possess, however, as proven by me leaving $55 of gift cards at the store where I bought them yesterday. I called customer service once I got home and realized I didn't have them and called myself an idiot. I was informed there was no such thing, that they get that call all the time, and that they'd be waiting for me at the service desk. Whew! Tis the season.

We haven't had as much snow as some of you, but I'm betting we have permafrost. It hasn't been above freezing in a long time now. Every time I go out to shovel, it snows more. Therefore, I quit. Triskal enjoys the snow for about 2 minutes, rubbing her face in it and galloping about, and then sits on the step giving us pitiful eyes as soon as she realizes snow = cold. Apparently some things take awhile to be learned, even after 8 years of it. Silly old girl.

Have a wonderful Positive Energy Thursday!

Triathalon shirt explanation by Liam

Dada is wearing the shirt he got from his mini-triathalon. It has a maple leaf background and then figures running, biking, and swimming on top. Liam is commentating:

The leaf is the whole world. The running is Ohio. The biking is Pennsylvania. The swim is North Carolina. The leaf is the whole planet.

Yeah, not sure where all that came from, but it was profound enough to get written down! =)

Procrastination

The house is a complete disaster zone and I am procrastinating on cleaning. I already called my parents just to chat and now I'm blogging. I'm justifying it by saying that I can hear the washer isn't done with its load yet, so I don't need to get up quite yet either ;)

The last time my Mommee was here, she was reading to Carrie in our big rocking armchair. Carrie informed her, completely deadpan, "you bum is bigger than Mama's, I'm afraid." Lest you be horrified that I said that in public, I want you to know that she asked me to blog that! It's also on the quote board, so you'll have the joy of reviewing that quote at a later date. Mommee said that my Nana and Pap Pap both found it hilarious when she told them.

Happy 4th birthday to our Nina, Liam's betrothed. She had her birthday and her party yesterday, and everyone had a great time. She is such a princess. I'll have to see if Mama Rita has any pictures to share so I can post them here.

Liam is done with his swimming lessons at the Y and he loved them. He's signed up to start soccer two weeks from now, and he can't wait. It ought to be interesting! He'll be a VERY young 4, so I hope the coach doesn't mind having kids in her session who bodily throw themselves onto the ball. Oy. Like herding clouds.

I know a lot of you have had crazy, wet weather, and some of you have had snow. You can keep it! Today it is a beautiful, breezy, sunny morning although there is a freeze watch for tonight. Gotta remember to get my plants in.

Care Bear had her first spelling test yesterday and got a star AND a sticker on it. She spelled all 10 words right, and she's on track reading to us at least 4 nights a week for her Pizza Hut Book- It program. *beam* So proud of her. Gym is still her favorite. I'm still not sure she's my kid, sometimes ;)

Drat it all. The washer is done. Better get off my bum and get to work. Happy weekend, all!

Brrrrr freaking cold!

One of my Facebook friends was admonishing the rest of us about griping about the weather. She figures since we live where we live, we should be used to the bizarre temperature changes by now and get over it. While I agree to a point, I also think that because we're used to it doesn't make us have to like it!

It was 34 degrees when I came downstairs at 7 AM this morning. The house itself said 63. That's the one I lamented first. Then I strolled over to the outside thermometer and promptly did a bug- eyed screech, "Thirty-four!? You have GOT to be kidding me!" Cue stamping around, lots of "sweet Indian" followed by "where's the (insert skull symbol, lightening symbol, etc) coffee", etc. Repeat.

Kids get up and come downstairs. Liam's been sleeping in footie pajamas already. "Those are my WINTER ones, Mama," in his sweet, serious voice. Like, Mama, you just told us two weeks ago that fall started. I remember. "Yes, Liam. Let's get them on." Carrie is doing her thing (translation: procrastinating about getting ready for school) and I manage to corral her and get jeans onto her no-butt body. I pull out a long sleeve shirt, think for a minute, and stuff her into an undershirt first. Kid has no body fat to speak of! So when she left for the bus she had on an undershirt, long sleeve shirt, hoodie, and fluffy down (or something) vest, hat, two hoods, and gloves! October first! Sick.

The flipside is that their appetites increase exponentially when it's cold. She ate a scrambled egg, the end piece of toast, and then three slices (THREE!) of banana bread. I don't know where she put it all. This is the same kid that often tries to sneak out of her chair after one small IKEA bowl of cereal. And half a glass of juice. Of course, this is also the kid who's been begging us and Dr. Jon to let her out of her car seat...

For whatever reason, though I'm blaming the freakishly cold weather, Liam had a Fragile Feelings morning. Multiple times he burst into tears and more than once was kicking while laying down on the floor. I told him if he didn't stop that we would NOT be going to swimming class. Thankfully he settled down, because it would have been one of those "who are you really punishing" kinds of days had we not had that half hour class in there...

That's all from this corner for the moment. Have a great day. It's 48 now. =)

Loving summertime

Ahhhhhhhhh, summertime! =)

I'm behind, once again, so here are some pictures & stuff. Not even sure what they're of! That's embarrassing.

Last night we went swimming with our home group from church. The kids had a ball. Liam really loves the water and Carrie went in much more this time than she did last time. She was very enamored with the plastic goggles that cover both eyes and nose. And she played forever with two buckets and a watering can that had the holes to sprinkle the water from. She keeps dropping obvious hints about what she wants for her next birthday. Ha!

Some of the latest Carriese:

My bum has gooses on it. It's really cold!

Me: I'm not sure if you can blanch tomatoes (talking to myself)...
Her: I can branch potatoes!

I've got a good remembory. (Yes, she does!)

Enjoy the pictures and the nice hot days. Soon enough it will be winter and we'll all be freezing our bippies off, wishing and praying for sunshine! Have a wonderful weekend =)