christmas cards anyone?

It started out as a good idea. A few pics in the leaves. A nice afternoon. A few problems: It's just before supper and Robin's ready to nap. Oh we'll be quick, let's try it anyway.

A few quick shots to check my settings, and I see this is probably  the best shot

(should've quit here).

Hey Kids!  Get over here, let me take your picture!

Getting Closer ...

Not bad, let's try a few more. . .

Oh--I can see now, Erin has an idea, and Kyle is on the same page.

Poor Baby . . .that's it for picture time, today.

(I wish that was all I said, I was a bit crabby here, I needed supper too)

Remind Mama if she dares to try this again, I need kids (and mama) that are freshly fed and napped.  I think posing jobs are better left to the pros!

Stander-upper

Hey Mom!  Look what I can do!

 

 

 

 Watch those toes working the carpet!

2011: official birthday height

Erin's 5th Birthday

Stories: G is for Gramma

So, today is "G" day at preschool.  Erin and I are going over things that start with the letter G.  Goose, Gourd, etc.  Then, "Mom, we have to go to the grocery store quick this morning.  I want to get Grapes for our snack today! G-G-G-Grapes starts with G!"

I tell her, "no, we don't have time for a shopping stop before school, we will find something here to use for G-day."  I start with more G things, and include some not so easy to pack in a school bag, like "goop", "gramma", "grampa."

The next thing I know, Erin has the phone and is calling Gramma, telling her, "I am bringing YOU to G-day!"  She gets off the phone, cracking herself up, showing me how, "Gramma is going to have to scrunch down way low to get into my backpack!"

You know what!?  Gramma met us at the door and went with Erin into preschool for G-day.  Aren't Gramma's awesome!?

Stories: Kyle is cookin'

Wednesday morning.  We delivered Erin to preschool, got a few groceries, and went home.  I took Robin into her bedroom the help her start her morning nap.  During this time you usually play with your cars and tractors.

When I came out of the bedroom, you were working in the kitchen.  You had helped yourself to the spice rack and told me how you were mixing up a recipe (in my mortar and pestle).  It was cute, and you showed me how the pot lid fit over top and it was your little pressure cooker.  I thought it was a bit messy, but not all bad to clear out the spice rack.  If I need to replace them, some fresh spices might be good.

As I was picking up the empty spice jars to add them to the shopping list and/or throw them away, I picked up a jar labeled "cayenne pepper."  (This is usually on a high shelf--not with the other spices,  just for this reason, so you had to work to get it down, it must have involved some countertop balancing that I'm glad I didn't see)  So--no more recipe.  I picked you up and carried you to the bathroom to wash and wash your hands.  I dumped the recipe in the trash, and tried to console you by offering to mix up another recipe after we cleaned up all the pepper.  You weren't interested in any other recipe.

I hope I haven't killed any future cooking experiments.  It was a nice moment until I was afraid of pepper-laced fingers and where they might end up--especially if they were in baby Robin's face.

Robin Toes

Untitled

 

And. . . enough is enough!

Bedtime snacks and books

Kyle's Toys

Erin's Art

Gift Quilt

This quilt was a Christmas Gift that I received from a kindergarten classmate.  Fun to see it in use--a little girl's doll quilt is just the right size for a car seat!

Stories: Midnight Kyle Pickup

August, 2011
Heard Kyle cry out.  Went to his bedroom to fetch him.

When I went to pick him up, he said wait, I need. . . (as is usual for him going anywhere--even room to room--he needed to pick some toys/cars) after a pause as he looked at the little line of cars in the dark on his bed, he turned back to me with his arms up.  "Just me."

He then joined Robin and I for the rest of the night. :-)

Working until Dark

Turtleback Bridge

Fieldwork

Is this where Kyle is, when he's running the tractor over the carpet? :-)

Playing in the Park

sweeping skills

Thought Dad might enjoy these.  He always needs a shop sweeper, right?