Rainy Days and Mondays

Today is one of those lazy days that we all really needed.










The boys started their Great Dinosaur Experiment today...we'll keep you posted ;-)

Hope your week is starting off great!

Carpenters

Proud to be an American!

Jack's latest favorite pose is the Statue of Liberty....he is always careful to make sure he has the 'torch' raised high and the 'tablet' in just the right position. Sounds like a field trip is in order soon....

Lee Greenwood song

Bring Your Clothes

I really thought we were packing less, and we probably are, but YIKES! This is for four days and the only 'extras' this trip were the swimming gear for the pool party and all the loot from their friends J&S.

Happy trails!

Let's Go Bowling!

Well, I think that Jack's idea for a

Pirate Bowling Birthday Party was a big success!

Thanx to everyone who made it such a great time ~ the adventurous kids and all the moms and dads and friends who pitched in with food delivery and ball maintenance - I don't think we had any major mishaps, but I wasn't sure the floor would survive all those dropped balls ;-)

The LOOT was amazing, and the boys are still wading thru all the goods!

Thank you all for your creative, fun and generous gifts :-)

Here are just a few pictures from yesterday - there were cameras everywhere, so I'm hoping to get some better pictures from friends at some point.

Harry says "Argh, give me all your cake!"

Jack looking so grown-up (not sure what was up with the bandana..maybe a freak windstorm?)

Pirates chill out, too, right?!

They got a lot of amazing gifts, but my friend Heidi made this treasure map for them - it has all their favorite things - them riding on a tall ship, Jimmy Buffett and Christmas Island, dinosaurs, Pixar Peninsula, and X marking the spot on Treasure Island.

It is a real Treasure!

The Arrogant Worms song

Welcome To The World

The boys love Word World, a cute little half-hour show on PBS. The characters' voices are pretty grating, but it has really increased their reading!

Jack and I were scouting good sites on the internet today and we happened on the World World website - this is the intro page for parents and teachers:

http://pbskids.org/wordworld/parentsandteachers/index.html

Enjoy!

10CC

Twistin' By The Pool

J&S came over for a pool party, and the kids did some of the pirate activities we'll be having at their party on Saturday...not a huge hit today, so let's hope more kids are feeling pirate-y on Saturday ;-)

Jack and his treasure puzzle

Heading to the pool...I realize they look a little like pack mules (better them than me, I guess! LOL)

Happy week-ending!

Dire Straits

A Pirate Looks at 4(0)

We got together with their good friends, J&S, another set of twins who are about a week younger than J&H. It was a fun park and a beautiful day - it's always so much fun hanging out with them and their sweet Mom!


Hurricane Harry at the lookout

Cool riders!

It's My Birthday, Too - Yeah!

Saturday started out with a sweet exchange:

J: Happy Birthday, Harry!
H: Happy Birthday, Jack!

Not sure why that struck me, but it made me realize how lucky they are to have such a good friend who shares all these experiences. Fingers crossed they stay kind over the long haul!

They had their game, and Aunt J came to cheer them on. Grammy Sue and Papa Bernie made a surprise appearance. They got to visit with the Easter Bunny after the game. We all had lunch and they got to open presents for their birthday and Easter, sort of weird since it was so early this year.

Harry hugs the Easter Bunny while his friend D and Jack wait their turns

It's Good To Be King! Harry heads to lunch

Some of their favorite gifts - that oldschool toy with pins and a rocket launcher!

Beatles and Tom Petty's It's Good To Be King

Game Day

Their first game was on Saturday - The NE Revolution (their team, in blue) played the Chicago Fire and everyone seemed to have a good time, though Harry was just thrilled to check out the new lines on their field and had a lot of fun flirting with the camera during their half-time huddle with the coach!

Checking out the new lines

Game on!

Listening to the coach or flirting with the crowd?

Congratulating the other team

And a great hug from Aunt J makes it all good!

Jack enjoying the cupcakes and juice after the game

The Insyderz song

I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket

A group of friends held the Third Annual Easter Egg Hunt at our local park last Wednesday. The wind tried to blow us over, but it was a beautiful day and everyone had fun playing in the park, hunting eggs, and enjoying the treats.

And they're off....

A field of eggs

Friends on an adventure

BBKing

Friendship Train

The boys are playing soccer with their good friend, Zach, and everyone is enjoying it so far....especially the parents ;-) None of us were big soccer fans, but the moms are having fun taking pix and the dads are having fun playing!

Gladys Knight and the Pips

Lazy Bones

Just can't seem to get it together these past few days to post - lots of good stuff is happening, so stay tuned!

Four is treating us all well, so far. The boys are having a grand time doing all sorts of 'big boy' things - they are sleeping in twin beds at the hotel, Jack took a shower and shampooed himself today. Babies no more...sniff!

We're all practicing our best pirate stuff - their favorite recent thing is "Cheers, me hearties!" so brace yourself for lifting your cups (of milk, of course) ;-)

Happy week!

Ted Lewis song

When I'm (Sixty-)Four

We had a very nice morning, the boys did some crafts and wrote to their penpals (thank you!). They played with their goodies from the Easter Egg Hunt on Wednesday, and Harry ended up building this bridge of playdoh. They said I could ride on it when they build it, and my heart melted a little...
















Jack:

When I'm 4, I will go to preschool.

When I'm 4, I will think things that scare me now are funny!

When I'm 4, I will stop sucking my thumb.

When I'm 4, I will play soccer.



Harry:

When I'm 4, I will eat.

When I'm 4, I will go to preschool.

When I'm 4, I will be big!

When I'm 4, I will be happy.

We can only hope ;-)

Beatles

Sunny Afternoon

It was a beautiful day today, and I love tree pictures



and bridge pictures

The Doctor Is In - 4 year check up

Weighing

and measuring

and more measuring

Well done, Harry!

Jack thought it would be funny to hide
but he did get into helping the doc take his vitals
and got his own High 5!

We do have a great pediatrician!

They passed all their milestone tests, got shots, and are

healthy and happy.

Shifting Sand

Rarely are they this insync

Aint' Nothing Going To Come Up Today

It's a slow and relaxing day here, following our Date Nite. A friend mentioned that Dean might really enjoy seeing The Del McCoury Band at a recently refurbished old theater in town, and he did! I have to admit that I'm not much of a bluegrass fan, but these men are so talented - five men in suits with five stringed instruments and three microphones, no big sound board just a ton of talent.

The boys enjoyed their own 'date with Miss Blakely' and nobody got too fresh ;-)

Happy weekend!

It Might As Well Be Spring

Our daffodils are blooming, and it reminded me of a poem my beloved Gramma used to say:

It isn't raining rain to me, it's raining daffodils

In every dimpled drop I see, wild flowers on the hills

(I think that's right but can't find the actual poem)

Two boys setting out for their first soccer practice

Hollywood Harry....

...hands his glasses off when he gets serious!

My Guys :wub:

They had their first soccer practice tonite, and it was fun and sweet to watch all those adorable kids running around, doing 'drills' and generally being kids! Their coach is kind and patient, the dad of a friend of theirs, and they liked it a lot although competing against another team is a whole new concept LOL

Happy almost-Spring!

Frank Sinatra

If I Had Three Wishes

Birthday celebration continues today,

with songs and candles and such.

Make a wish...

Flirty Harry

Chocolate Overload :-)

The boys and I visited all the docs and nurses who helped us in those early days - I spent over a month in the hospital through my pregnancy, with Dean sleeping on a chair every night, and the boys were in the hospital for nine days. We just about wore out the sonogram machine with our frequent visits to the various doctors! They all started to feel like family.

It was very sweet to see the boys entertaining so many of the people who got them here with us. They posed for pictures for the Wall of Fame in the nursery and flirted with all the nurses; I like to show them how much their dedication and wonderful care meant to our family - they say they rarely get to see the outcome of all their labors. We are eternally grateful!

Frank Sinatra

Barefoot Children

Jack's impression of My Left Foot or The Three Faces of Eve?

Can't decide, but he was on a roll this morning - Silly Boy!