It was the pleasure of my life

Mother's Day is fast approaching, and this year has been filled with so many amazing changes. We have boys with their own personalities and preferences, and it truly is a pleasure to watch them stretch. There is no way to capture it all in a picture or two, but here are a few that move me at the moment.

I always dreamed of the day I could introduce my children to my beloved Gramma....she got one of the first laughs out of Harry just about the moment this picture was taken. She taught me all I know about love and mothering, the fun and the tough parts. I miss her every day, but know she and the other mom-types we've lost are holding our babies and watching over us all.

Some sort of photographic magic happened back in 2007 and they actually looked at me at the same moment - love this picture!

And last year, in about the same spot, deep in conversationand running like the wind - love the shadow

At Easter this year, they had a great time visiting a local horse farm with their friend, Zach. This one really captures their presonalities at the moment.

May this weekend bring you lots of wonderful memories and give you a chance to make more. Thanx to the mothers and others who helped us all get this far

Zac Brown Band's Highway 20 Ride

That's my window on the world

I learned to write on this desk. Our children love to play school (how appropriate!) with it. Harry has been in a window-drawing kick....if the eyes are a window into the soul, what are the 20-odd differently shaped windows here? I hate that his 'crooked' window didn't end up on this version....it's been fun watching his windows evolve

JB's Window On The World

Just My 'magination

Harry has been Mr. Imagination lately - he hasn't gotten all the way to Imaginery Friend land, but he's close with all the revisions he does to daily life. His kitten, Wubbzy, is a frequent character who typically does everything Harry does (or wants to do!). He's gotten pretty good at explaining to anyone who looks at him askance "that's just my iMAGination!". Love that boy!

Spring 2010 school picture

The Temptations, and many others

Dream A Little Dream Of Me

This morning, I walked into the kitchen to find Jack standing by the sink
"Oh, Mommy, I was just having a morning dream" - it was so sweet in his little boy voice with all the potential for amazing things to come his way. Love him!

Spring 2010 school picture - he's practicing grins ;-)

Louis Armstrong

EIGHT years times ten

Papa Bernie turned 80 back in February, but his big party got snowed out - we're celebrating this weekend. Here he is with his boys last year

He was joking about how he used to hold Jack when he was a baby....what happened?!

We are all so happy to celebrate with you, Papa B!

Joe Walsh's Decades

It's all happening at the zoo

If you've been around a while, you may remember that Harry has a penchant for walking like this:

April 06

Well, he's added an accessory - what a difference 4 years can make!

The school took a field trip to a zoo yesterday, and it was a lot of fun to chaperone. We truly lucked out as the weather back home was not great, and we dodged all sorts of storms on our way there and home. The kids were a dream, and I thanked my lucky stars as I watched some moms running after excitable kiddies. It would have all been worth it, regardless, this morning, as Harry said "Thank you for being my partner at the zoo, Mommy! I love you SO much!" :wub:

This zoo is really cool because they have built a high sidewalk where the giraffes can come right up to you and enjoy treats.

It's a big hit with the kids!

I didn't take many animal shots, but thought this guy had the right idea....lazing on a sunny afternoon, indeed ;-)

And I'll be surprised if someone didn't send this to the coke people - this peacock was screaming for a coke....know how that feels!

After a fun lunch, we went back to the giraffes for a second round of treats, and Harry just let this guy dive right into the cup, skipping the middleman....

..getting nose to nose at one point about his behavior and concerns that he might still be hungry even tho we'd fed him numerous times and there was a line waiting for their chance

Thanx to the teachers, bus drivers and amazing kids and parents for a fun day! Thanx to my DH for making it possible for me to share these wonderful times...love you!

Simon and Garfunkel's At The Zoo

I guess I should've took more pictures

It was a whirlwind weekend, and I don't think I took a single picture. It was a nice break, tho I kept imagining Alec Baldwin's mental 'click' whenever someone seemed particularly happy.

Thanx to the birthday girl, Dreama, for a fun bouncy time! Hope you enjoy 6 as much as we are :-)

Thanx to the other birthday girl(s), Susan and Cheryl, for a really fun, relaxing time. We love living near you both - thanx for including our family in your celebration!

Thanx to the grandparents, E&ML, for a fun family day today - hope you make it home safely!

Ne-Yo's Pictures

So let it rain down and wash everything away

Pollen, much? Sure, I could have swept it before today, but look what my procrastination did...pretty pollen patterns
It was chilly and rainy when I started this, soup really does work miracles since the sun came out for a while

It was pretty yummy

Love

Creed's Rain

It's Gonna Take A Lot Of Love

Harry sending Daddy a message during lunch last week - we missed him a LOT!

Jack has been picking me flowers - he chose these two because it represented our family - two boys and Mommy and Daddy (there was a fifth one which he said was Aunt Jackie)

Nicolette Larson

In the wax museum everybody can see themselves

I took the boys back to my old hometown this weekend while Dean went on a golf trip with a different sort of boys. We took in the local science museum (thanx, Aunt Jackie, for the gift that keeps on giving), and fun was had by all.

Jack insists on taking this magnifying glass with him on any scientific endeavor (another AJ gift!)

What a fishy nose Jack has!

They learned about sonic range.......and magnets....

...and even created their own electric circuits

Harry won the raffle for a new book by the author doing the presentation

and she signed books for each of them

Harry took in several displays relating to senses,

including this huge interactive mouth

He took a quiz

and, as is typical, getting the answers wrong was more fun than getting them right - the boy cannot resist a pun! (click on the picture for a bigger view)

He had more luck with ones he could actually reach

I wonder what the biggest pin structure is? They would totally dig it - I wish this one would have allowed them to do their faces or bodies

This is my favorite picture

They are really into making way for themselves lately....back to the taking turns lessons, I guess.

Aerosmith's Bolivian Ragamuffin

Secret Agent MEn

They are all about the chasing, overtaking, and ninja lately. Sweet, silly boys!

Johnny Rivers' Secret Agent Man

(and, oh yeah, look at the amazing improvements one season can bring - that yard was all hay last summer!)

Raise the roof, raise the roof, raise it high

Harry is loving the top bunk, and the other morning I walked in to hear him singing the watered down version of "the roof is on fire"
with hand motions more in line with 'waise the woof!'

Poor Brownie, I do think he made sure he didn't burn - the ladder has become a great spot for amazing rescues

Widespread Panic

I'm Your BUBBLE Man, that's what I am!

An afternoon that's perfect for bubbles - thank you, Ms Kari, for getting extras for Jack. Harry had a wonderful time helping you practice your test....the bubbles were just a great bonus, and you spoil them rotten!
Jack experimenting with the cool new 2-wand bubble bucket

KC & The Sunshine Band's I'm Your Boogie Man

A light hits the gloom on the grey

I saw this tiny speck of color when I looked out our bedroom window last nite....
that tiny bit of pink is our first knock-out rose of the season

and it's soon to be followed by many more

Even our yellow versions are about ready to pop - I've never had these before, but they seem so hardy and you may remember they were still blooming in October last year. That's a long bloomin' season. Yay, Spring!

Seal's Kiss From A Rose