I scream, you scream, everybody wants ice cream

The boys alternated naps this week, maybe a change in scenery helped ;-)

Harry sacked out before dinner and the library's Ice Cream Social
Jack, Grayson, and Harry playing with the Elvis lamp before giving us dance lessons (which I could not capture on film, but were HEElarious!) Jack told Grayson that Elvis is his favorite singer!

The library kicked off its summer reading program with an ice cream social complete with balloons and funny face stickers - Harry made a pirate face. I thought this picture was cool because you can see his face thru the balloon

Grayson, Jack and Harry lined up to get their treats

Harry flirted with the server to get some extra sprinkles, and I caught him so I got a sweet smile :wub:

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

This started as a post about brainwashing, then I got distracted by these pix from the last week or so...back to that later. Summer's 'schedule' starts next with with VBS, so we're making today a lazy at-home day....everyone is now fed and lazy....

Jack's boxing tutorial (he's also completely adopted the idea of 'the gun show' and will strike a pose and flex his muscles at random times, just be warned ;-) )

I guess this is his right cross

His footwork still needs a little work, since he'd be on the mat with this stance... guess it's time to start the training ;-)

Harry's reading has taken off lately

(read: his motivation and willingness to show you that he can read!)
He read "Extension Van Parking Only" yesterday and was so proud of himself!

The boy loves him a sign, and it's very exciting to watch :-)

And now for the brainwashing portion of our post...

My husband has been on a 5-year campaign to instill respect and appreciation in our children...it seems to be paying off this week, at least in public and toward me. Jack explained that he likes 'to help my mom because she works so hard for our family, so I like to help her and make it easier.' Some friends watched the boys yesterday so I could get some housework done, and Harry told them I was the best mom :wub: They are in super-secret mode for the next week in terms of daddy, but that post will come in time....

Thank you, sweetie, for laying such a great foundation - and you're welcome, future wives :-)

And reality check, Jack started off the morning by telling me he wants to be cranky all day :rolleyes: and Harry had a thirty minute meltdown....oh, joy!

Nat King Cole

Within my heart is ringing

We may be raising some little gardeners - they watered things as we took a tour of the current blooms. It was pretty exciting for me, as last year I transplanted some things and have been watching them thrive this year...a little rush for a beginning gardener. It helps to have such cute helpers, to be sure - look at this smile on Harry's face :-)

We divided these to place them on either side of our walk, the official name is

Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro' (Daylily)

The boys heading out to the back to water their pitiful corn - I have to look to see where it should be by now, but I'm thinking it may be a lost cause :-(

The tiger lillies are gorgeous this year, just starting to bloom all around the drive

These hostas that I transplanted are just getting ready to bloom

as is this one

and this one seems to have about 4-5 blooms, so the next week should bring a big splash of purpleJob well done!

Brad Paisley's In The Garden

The Boys' Night Out

And this is how they get ready for a big nite ;-)

Jack stores up his energy,

and Harry helps me out in the kitchen

turning these...

...into these

and this...

..into this

We had their first Boys' Game Nite last nite at Grayson's - his mom pulled out all the stops with awesome grilled everything - it was nite full of laughs, happy boys and happy parents - thanx for getting the ball rolling, Nicole! Next time it's our house :-)

Harry, Jack, Asher and Grayson playing Curious George's Discovery Beach Game

They also played one of the boys' favorites, Zingo!

Note: the game portion will probably take up more of the nite as we get into the swing of things - they played each of the games for a few minutes, but Grayson's is toy-a-palooza so there was a lot of competition

Frank Sinatra

And I love to live so pleasantly

These days sure are sweet! I sent them ahead to do their chores and walked in on Jack having 'A Conversation With Ducks', which seems like a good title for a work of art of some sort, right?

Harry decided he wanted a buzz cut....
but I couldn't go all the way with it - this was our compromise ;-)

Then I went to find Jack....

...and he had found a new favorite place to read

Speaking of reading,

Parent's Magazine Summer Reading List for toddlers and up - two of the books on the 4-8 list, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and Where The Wild Things Are ,are also movies coming out this summer ;-)

We went to see Up this weekend, and it was pretty cute. There were a few tense moments involving a pack of dogs, but they both seemed to like it. Can't wait to summer movies to start!


They were goofing around in the tub while I did a few chores, the laughing brought me in to find "we're two Mary's!"
The sillies continued, but I did catch them giving 'noggins' ala Crush from Nemo

Hope you're having a sweet day!

Cathy Dennis' Sunny Afternoon

Summertime, and the livin' is easy - Spin Cycle

So I'm catching up on laundry tonite, and Jen's Spin Cycle is getting a little attention so check out the summer plans of some of the blogosphere and join in if you want :-)


So, truth be told, the whole year is pretty amazing for us, but this is the first summer that schedule's have changed, we're prepping for kindergarten and it does have a different rhythm this time around.


The boys have two VBS's at the end of this month, and will go to a 3-morning summer camp and a 5 full-day summer camp just before school starts. The free movies and bowling schedules are out, and we're just waiting. Other than that, we're taking it easy and enjoying the slower pace and spontaneity that summer allows. We'll have lots of adventures with friends, trying especially to spend time with those who'll be in different schools next year.

We've made our vacation plans and will join the ranks of regular summer folk, forgoing our usual off-season trip because they'll be in school :yippeesniff:



Here's what they looked like three years ago, on their second Ocracoke voyage - how's that for glee??

How's summer shaping up for you?? Enjoy it all!

06/007/09 Harry: The answer will be YES! (waggling eyebrows and trying to convince us) Jack:That's why you should never fly a house! (while watching UP)

Ella Fitgerald

As I love you tonite - Spin Cycle

Jen over at Sprite's Keeper comes up with all sorts of writing assignments that lead to fun spins - last week's was on saying "I love you" - check out the other spins if you have time!

Dean and I have been saying "I love you" for over 10 years now, and I'm saving the cheesy stuff for August, with the exception of tonite's dinner art....I'm nothing if not classy ;-)

How lucky am I that I can't even keep track of the number of times it's said in a day much less the more than 3500 days I've been blessed with this love. Thank you, babe!

We've been signing "I love you" since forever, this is the only picture I can find of the boys signing, but they still love to tell us - I'm cherishing it all.
There were days when they first became more verbal and needed more clear discipline when I would catch myself saying "I love you, but...." Hearing those old tapes often helps focus on the goals, and I made a conscious effort to change it to "I love you, so...." It seems to be working so far. They haven't used love a lot, yet, and I'm hoping our initial "love is not a weapon" helps them respect the emotion and not try to use it too much for manipulation.

Here are some random loved and loving pix - you'll find the ones of them noticing each other for the first time, kissing and hugging the first times in the slideshow. Tho I find them being less demonstrative with each other lately, I often find them sharing a space and marvel at what it must be like to have such a relationship :wub:

Harry

Jack's silly face

Dean and Jack all lovey last month

Dr. Hook's Years From Now

the eye's a jewel

So, I've had a run of luck, both good and bad recently, finding 4-leaf clovers, losing my keys not once but twice in a couple of weaks, having a wonderful family and lots of fun, the diamond popping out of my earring as I cleaned it the other nite....luckily, I found it quickly and bagged everything up to take to our jeweler for a repair. And this is one of the many reasons he's OUR jeweler:

Thanx, Mr. Jeff, for taking the time and teaching them the basics!

Grateful Dead's Mercy Of A Fool

In this friendly, friendly world

Today was Jack's turn for fun without Harry, who was recovering from Wednesday's bug that bit Jack. He and Grayson did a lot of bouncing and being silly

they even practiced their wing-man moves on a sweet, unsuspecting Emily. Jack actually figured out a way to get Grayson to go far, far away while he had Emily all to himself...sneaky!

Then we went to Friendly's for lunch and treats

The thrill of this temperature-changing straw never seems to fade

The boys played a little Secret Decoder Spy game

Jack's immitation of the Monster Mash (which was cuter than I could capture, both Jack and the sundae)

His immitation of brainfreeze

Grayson wanted a PLAIN mint cone but Jack convinced him to try some monster parts

Their immitation of the Wicked Witch's melting scene

And Happy Harry receiving the treats we brought him...still a little weary but on the mend!

Treats they brought each other from their solo outings this week :wub:

REM's This Friendly World

And I've got to get that message home

Alright already ;-)
I keep hoping when they say these things, they'll come true....Harry loves to tell people he's 5 and can do all his chores, Jack wrote this note this morning (deciphered: We are not babys. We are boys.)

Cold Play's A Message