Late coming

This picture is a little late coming. A year and half ago, when we lived in our first apartment after college, and the food storage and other stuff was stacked up in my son's bedroom. Every night he would climb up, and pull this picture out of the handle of one of the diaper boxes, filled with stuff from my husband's childhood. A picture of his aunt, uncle, and aunt.

This was my son's favorite picture. Not a day went by without him pulling it out of the box, and looking at it. I always told my husband I should put it on my blog, but I never did, then we moved and it was lost in the storage rooms for a year. Upon moving, my son recently found it again, and I think the love is still there. He put it in his mass piles of junk, and shows us the picture all the time.

Date Night?

My husband can ride mass transit for free because he is a student of the university. We payed the two bucks for me to ride the bus and all four of us (our kids were free) went on the bus to the university library. The baby was so scared she was shaking in the beginning, one man moved away from us, we can only assume he didn't like her fussing. She quickly calmed down and enjoyed the bus ride with her brother. I felt so urban riding mass transit carrying my baby around in a sling. After buying my husband's text books we jumped on the train and went "downtown" for dinner, at a chain restaurant. We went home a different way, and ended up having to wait 30 minutes for the bus back to our neighborhood. By this time it was late and dark. My son assumed we were lost. We tried to explain we weren't lost. He had fun the whole evening, until we had to wait for the bus. Which he still had fun, but he refuses to admit he had fun, and says no, it wasn't fun, we got lost. It was complete experience, we even met a few characters. It was a fun night, even if we had to take our kids with us on a friday night, it was actually probably more fun with them, since we were on the bus and the train. Buses and trains are always more fun with kids to be excited about them.

Can I get one of these..

I want one of these for my patio, for my son to play with in the mornings, when he whines about wanting to play outside all morning. Its prime and everything.

Playing outside

At this point our little neighbor girl started singing, I know you, I walked with you...

While my son told me last night at bedtime, that he is going to marry her when he gets big, and she gets big.

Reading Time

Like I said, I'm sick of just having mommy blog, so I'm reverting to my old habits, that most of my readership probably doesn't even remember. Don't worry there are plenty of mommy posts waiting in my future.
Last night I was reading my current issue of TIME Magazine-- the one with the slab of beef on the cover, and it had an article about the housing bust, and referenced an article from a couple years back, that I remember reading with some of my family around the kitchen table. The current article, is an analysis of when its better to buy or rent, with a couple of human interest stories mixed in. Didn't say any new information from what my husband and I have been discussing for years now. But I will say, I loved the second to last paragraph:

Sure, Uncle Sam twists the tax code to favor buying — and to reinforce the notion that owning a house is synonymous with the American Dream. But is it? "Moving up in the world and attaining material and nonmaterial success — that was always the American Dream," says Phelps. "That didn't necessarily mean you owned your house."

The last couple of months I've been working on figuring out what MY American dream is, not the tax code's is. I don't think I've figured it out, but I've started to realize Brent and I's goals do not include living in the same suburban home for 20 years. Then the last paragraph says,

In other words, maybe the calculus of ownership should include a measure of enjoying ourselves at home — whether it's one we've rented or one we've bought.

Which is basically what my dad kept saying during the real estate boom, a house is not an investment its some where to live. (Sure house are investments for investors, but that is a very select few of us. But true investors understand when to buy and when to sell.)

The cover story about food really made me think. There are two things in politics I hate, pharmaceutical companies, and agri-businesses, so I enjoyed The High Cost of Cheap Food, it made me glad we have started to add things like beans and lentils into our diet. I like meat, a good steak, hamburger or chicken can really hit the spot, not to mention I absolutely love the unkosher pig, bacon and ham, mmm. But I feel no need to feed my family the main course of beef more than 3-4 times a week. It also made me start second guessing my choice being a patron of the evil empire wally world. But truth be known, gerber baby food is gerber baby food, no matter if you buy it at walmart for 10 cents cheaper than at Smiths. The article made me want to garden more, even though we no longer have a yard (maybe next year we'll get a community plot), and made me glad we eat wheat for breakfast. I love unprocessed foods, but I also love process foods-- in moderation they make me sick otherwise. Long story short, I might start spending a little more on some high quality foods. But who knows, the budget is a powerful tool. But I wish there was less farm subsidies for agri-businesses. Sometimes I wish I could fight fights in other ways than the grocery store I shop at, but right now I have two small children to raise. Politics and me actively pursing it will have to wait.

breaking away from mommyhood, maybe...

I wanted to post today, but have no new pictures, and don't feel like opening up, so here is fluff. Plus its been awhile (about a year or more) since I made a post like this.

I love when Coldplay comes on the radio, especially new stuff from Viva La Vida.

I have Coldplay, A rush of Blood to the Head, it a CD one of Brent's old roommates left in his car, and then moved. I didn't even buy it, and it is one of my favorite CDs, it always stays in my car 10 disc CD changer, in case the radio is crappy.

Green Eyes is one of my favorite songs from the album.

Gym Class

This is what my kid looks like when we get home from gym class for 3-4 year olds. He has a blast, but after running around, and paying attention for an hour he is rather spent. I think the physical aspect is just half of the wearing, the only other out of the house social structure he has is church nursery, and they only make you pay attention for like 20 minutes at a time, not a full hour.

He is so tired, and hungry, and thirsty and pathetic when he gets home. But its all he can talk about the day of. I think its sort of expensive, $15 per class, but that is how much it cost to go to a yoga class, so I figure its probably the going rate, between paying for the studio, paying the teacher and covering pricey insurance. Especially because there are only about 5 kids per class, he gets a lot of one and one attention. Yes, I am trying to sell myself on paying that price.

He doesn't look like he had fun, but let me assure you, after the first 10 minutes of warm up, he has so much fun, he smiles a huge grin the whole time.

Remember

Remember how cute my little squiggly pop, smidgen of a girl was?
Now she is huge and 8 1/2 months old.
Not huge, more like petite 8 1/2 month long and lanky girl. None the less she would not fit in a small bathroom sink.

My kid

This is my kid, he is taking a nap practically sitting up. He cracks me up, there was something I was going to write about it, but I can't remember at this late hour. He knows how to write his name and write mom, I didn't teach him how to write mom, he just surprised me. He is officially three and half, and a great kid. The other day he told me he likes his new house, so lets not move ok mom? I said ok we'll stay for a while. He isn't too fond of his dad's mba classes that don't get out until after bedtime. But he trys to act super brave when he has to go to bed without seeing his dad. He tries so hard not to cry, and he is extremely successful. Its a relief brent didn't get that new job at the same company, I don't think we could have handled a business trip. My kid is also addicted to toast these days. When we go to the store, he says, mom lets get ____ (some treat) next time, but not today ok.
OH I remembered, the other day I was looking at scab on my elbow, and he said, don't worry mom that hurt will get better soon. He had scabby knees that went away before my elbow, and I said they are gone, he said they beated yous. It was sweet, the reassuring me.

Housing

When I first saw the apartment complex that I lived in I wanted to cry, I was so not ready for the move. The first apartment we saw wasn't that great.
But then after researching for myself, the only thing I found was 200-400 sq ft less, for $100-$200+ more. Often times in crappier neighborhoods, with no storage space, I finally consigned myself to the reality, but wondering why I wasn't getting a good feeling about the move. My husband said he figured as long as he didn't get a bad feeling he figured it was fine. I thought maybe this is one of those standing in the darkness with faith experiences.
But still I was wishing for that conformation feelings, when we moved into our first apartment after college, our fourplex off main, I had an extremely strong feeling, we HAD to move there. I told my husband to sign the lease before I had even seen, while I was in Texas, because I KNEW we had to move there. A few weeks later it all became clear that yes we were suppose to move there. I knew every move wouldn't be THAT clear, but still I could wish for something, anything.
So how did I get from a state of denial and confusion to where I am now....
I love where we live, sure I haven't "arrived in life", I don't have my house, my 2.6 kids, my dog my urban chickens, a brand new large wally world, yes I still have to shop at the stupid small one. But overall I don't think you ever hit the arrived stage of life.
When we came to pick out what apartment to get, we looked at one, and I thought ok I can do this, it wasn't as ghetto was the first one I looked at. Then the landlady, said you have seen the other floor plans right? We said no, so then we proceeded to look at more. At the next one we looked at she informed us that two of the neighbors just had new babies, and have older kids too. When I walked in the apartment, I got that feeling, I thought this is it, this is the apartment for us. Finally IT came, just it wasn't as strong as my first apartment, but still I knew we could live here for the next two years.
I saw my sister in law Alisa later that afternoon when I picked up my son, she asked me about the place. Asked me how I chose, I said honestly it was the one I felt better about. Sure I wouldn't make world order decisions about war and peace based on gut decisions, but apartment rentals I make on gut decisions. She said she appreciated that I wouldn't political decisions based on guts not facts.
So here is the truth about the apartments they are basically the same, the same square footage, the same price, the same development, the same new verse old appliances. The first one had a newer fridge and sliding porch door, while this one has a new oven, a newer dishwasher, and bigger living room. The one we choose has an old fridge which is actually the same fridge I think we had in Pam's basement, except it doesn't work as well. I secretly hope that it will stop working and we will get a new fridge, we have our drop in freezer in our laundry room, so none of our food would be wasted. Plus we love our oven, we have never had an oven that works properly in all our years of marriage until now. Its bliss!
But longer story longer, I do know this was the better apartment to move into, this has a small confined grassy knoll in front for my kid to play in grass, where the other one has a huge not confined. This one has two kids within 20 yds that will start sunbeams with J next January. This one has two kids whose front doors open up to the same stairwell as us. We are ALWAYS outside, my son wines on the floor until I let him out, so it is nice to have other children and adults outside at least half of the time we are there. Sure I often feel like I'm invading into their outdoor time, or butting myself into their conversations, but we are outside more than anyone else, so we promise we aren't just being tag alongs. Anyway, its nice to live by other children, and mothers that are home during the day, we might even start joy school (home preschool) this fall with all these three and four year olds, because there are at least 5 of them super close by.
Not to mention, bonus is we have halved our monthly expensive from where we use to live, and there is less for me to clean, and no indoor stairs for Nan baby to fall down.
As of yet our walls have not leaked yellow stains, like our fourplex on main, we have an built in dishwasher, our own laundry, and ants aren't invading like the last house, and the ceilings are tall enough for us. Like I said life is good, although I still really miss living in our fourplex, I think because it was our first post college place.

Eating like birds

A serious chronic problem...WHAT TO COOK FOR DINNER???!!!!!
So, I hate cooking dinner, the only thing that tops it, is browning ground beef and cutting raw chicken, or wait that is part of the problem
My husband and child, don't eat much, they are like birds, and never ever suggest anything, other than nachos and hot dogs. Unfortunately neither of them eat hot dogs.
Now here is the other problem, I am like a small child, and incredibly picky, unless someone else made it than I will gobble it up.
For a long time beef and I were not so much friends, since then I've been pregnant twice and in dire need of iron, so now we are chummy, unless the BBQ only cooks half the burger, or you make me eat it more than twice a week.
Chicken and I use to be in a love affair, but then I became pregnant twice, oh and I can barely be in the same room as raw chicken when I'm pregnant.
Now luckily I'm not pregnant, but when it comes to anything I have vivid graphic memories, especially when it concerns queasy stomachs. So chicken maybe once a week.
SO... that leaves me four more days to come up with dinner.
I love carbs, but every one makes them sound evil, so I feel guilty if I eat white pasta more than once a week, and I'm way too cheap to buy wheat pasta.
So yes there are beans, and lentils, and I'm expanding my abilities with those, but I've just started and only know about three dishes. And who really wants to eat the same thing week after week.
And tomato make my daughter refluxie so we only have a tomato dish about once a week, so there goes mexican dishes the only thing my husband will eat more than one helping of.
Anyway, this isn't that difficult I just like it to be, so I make it that way. I don't know whats for dinner, and I'm out of budget money.
Ahh, to be a homemaker, I feel so 1950s.
Overall I've decided I need more bean and lentil dishes, but not too many because then I will get sick of their mushiness.
But to top it all off, not only am I meat adverse, I'm not too fond of many vegetables, really the only think I like is fruit, and cake, and fruity flavored desserts. Unfortuantly I get deathly ill if I eat too much sugar at once, my husband often has to remind me to stop.
The only think I want to eat is cupcakes. Mmm, cupcakes. I begged my husband to not eat MY last cupcake today, and to save it for me. He said what if its my cupcake, you already ate the previous six. That that I had grovel, please, I need it, I'll pay you for it. He started laughing? paying out of what? (We have had a long standing joke, that I don't have money for what he wants at the grocery store out of my budget. The other day he told me he couldn't buy me a birthday present in a month and half because he doesn't have a budget. ) I told him I would buy the cupcake out of the budget money, that he earns from his full-time job. Apparently he likes me because he didn't eat the cupcake.

The good stuff

My daughter knows where to find the good stuff, the stuff mama doesn't feed 8 month olds. I found find her under her big brother's chair at the kitchen table eating the scraps she finds on the floor. Like sprinkles, note the orange one on her chin. She also likes the fruity pebbles he spills.

Sunday Night Picnic

Our sunday evening picnic...
turned into a our sunday night hike.

I love the summer baby in only the onesie, but I also was loving the baby hoodie and jeans. Also loving how the grey unisex hoodie, is turned girly with the ruffles.

We saw a moose

We ate homemade chicken noodle soup out of a thermos, and homemade rolls, that had previously been cooked in our oven at home.

Overall as we driving home off the mountain, I wish we had a chance to go camping one more time this year, but with PMBA school starting, and the kids and I going to Texas, plus a trip to LA, its not in the stars. I DO NOT like camping with small children when it is cold, especially at night. But it made me realize since we will no longer have quantity time with dad, we need to something fun at least once a week, for quality.

Bliss

I now teach the five and six years olds in primary. I'm pretty excited about, I forgot until I got called that this was my dream from about two years ago. I subbed in primary for about six weeks and it was so fun to learn the songs again so I could sing them with my son, and I remember thinking wouldn't it be fun if I was teaching in junior primary, but not sunbeams when my boy became a sunbeam. Just a few more months. Anyway, so while I am in primary, my daughter and my husband are getting quality time together. In sunday school, he heard this quote and told me about it.

“I was just sure the first ten years would be bliss. But during our first year together I discovered … there were a lot of adjustments. Of course, they weren’t the kind of thing you ran home to mother about. But I cried into my pillow now and again. The problems were almost always related to learning to live on someone else’s schedule and to do things someone else’s way. We loved each other, there was no doubt about that. But we also had to get used to each other. I think every couple has to get used to each other.”
Sister Marjorie P. Hinckley, wife of President Gordon B. Hinckley (in Sheri L. Dew, Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley [1996], 118).

I was so relieved to hear that from a woman who was married to a prophet. Don't get me wrong I love my husband, in fact since we moved I often find myself smiling because I get to married to him. But sometime I wonder why in the heck he does something, or doesn't do something, until I decided to get over it. Like why is he not concerned about the carseats?! (He always buckles our children in, he just doesn't want to spend money to replace a non damaged, non expired carseat) Anyway, its nice to know Sister Hinckley thought the same thing, minus the carseats that hadn't been invented.

With that being said, Brent said the teacher said he thought the first year of marriage was the hardest year of his life until he got to the second year. Brent said, I just don't get, I didn't think the first year of marriage was hard at all, I don't think any of it has been hard. I think you think the same thing except for the beginning of the first pregnancy you weren't too happy with me. (Neither of us were too happy with life in general at that point, which we quickly got over.) Anyway, I agree with my husband, we never had a hard adjustment phase, I don't know why we got lucky. I remember every month waking up on the 30th of the first year of marriage thinking yes, its been two months how did it pass so quickly, three, four, etc. I don't think we ever fought. The first year of marriage was truly blissful, although our engagement was the most terrible part of life, by no fault of my husband, he was perfect, I was so stressed with going to school, and planning a wedding, that I cried every day. I can't believe he actually married me after how I acted being engaged. My husband will agree marriage was so fantastic after that engagement. Or maybe it was blissful its because we knew each other so well before hand, we spent so much time talking when we said we would never date each other, that we never put on a show in a dating sense of being more mannered or refined then we really were. I knew who my husband was when I married him. Nothing he does really surprises me, he is the type of guy who would give his friend the roof rack of his wife's car. He apologized afterward, and I said I knew who you were when I married you. He is the man who will fall sleep at 8 pm, and always be the first volunteer when someone is moving. Who plays quake three when I'm gone and he while is watching the kids. Don't worry the boy thinks he is playing and helping his dad.

All I can say, is I got lucky, I got a man who I think is fantastically perfect for me, and I think he is pretty fond of me too. He would tell you he has no complaints, and honestly mean it, would not be able to even come up with a complaint. To think its just a few weeks shy of knowing him for six years. Crazy. By the way we have no memory of meeting for the first time.

And by the way, yes one day in the near distant future, he will come home unexpectedly and I got a new job opportunity, what do you think about moving to, ___________. And I'll say when do we leave? Luckily I know that can't happen until he graduates, because there is no way in heck he will repeat his MBA work in a different location. But if I'm lucky before the next job, he'll say, flights to Mexico are under a $____ want to go?

Life is pretty much perfect, I don't mind that I'm surrounded in food storage not one bit. (I'm typing in my bedroom, everyone is a sleep, yes even my husband, next to me with the light on.)

Not to say we haven't had struggles over the past four and half years, but the thing that always gets me past the struggles is my desire to want to enjoy my marriage, and be the best mother I can be. I think I'm failing terribly at being the best mother, but at least I'm enjoying marriage. Which in itself is a gift to my children. So.... maybe I just need to lower my expectations of motherhood. Enjoying motherhood, and being the best at it, are two different things, maybe I should work on this. I use to wonder if Brent could have done better than me, than I decided why stress, he picked me I didn't force him. That is my secret in life, whenever something I can't change turns out to be disappointing, I lower my expectations, than magically it meets my expectations. Although I didn't have to do that in marriage, I just had to remember that some things that drive me nuts now is what endeared me to him the beginning. Like always helping other people in need, when I want attention, his strong service ethic appealed to me. The carseats? He was always so nonsensical, practical, and frugal, and still is. I turn too many things in emotional appeals, like this blog post.

My husband is everything I wanted in a man, and all the things I never even thought about. I really spent hardly anytime planning a wedding, a marriage, or a man. I was too young to be obsessed with things like that when I met him, fresh off the plane from high school.

Pictures

Pictures from the first time I went to go see the art. It was a couple of months ago, so my baby looks quite a bit younger too me. I went with my sister in law (from the previous post) who enjoyed taking pictures of my girl.

Art

Can I post these? I don't know these are some of my favorites from the The Church History Museum's Eighth International Art Competition.

This mom is knitting her daughter a sweater from from unraveling her own sweater she is wearing. Even after giving her daughter, everything she can the daughter is scowling at the mom.

This is titled Rooted.

There was many more fabulous ones. Even more the second time I went. You should all go, especially if you need a homeschool activity. But even if you don't homeschool you should go. Its more kid friendly than most exhibits, my son runs around, and I try to convince him to be quiet and not run, but still no one scowls or talks sternly to us, usually they just smile, because most are rather fond of young children in my religion.
Maybe I should find another reason to go before October.

Pioneer Day

Also with my sister in law (my brother's wife) and her kids, we went to the Pioneer day Parade. It was the first time I've celebrated pioneer day since I was a wee child. When the mock Pioneers walked by in the beginning, I will admit, I felt a little emotional. Those poor pioneers women, carrying children the whole way, especially the ones who were cold and hungry, or hot and hungry and thirsty. I'm glad I wasn't a pioneer.

Here is my niece, my son, and my nephew. My son had a great time sitting on the curb watching the parade like every child should do. I think my baby enjoyed parts, other parts she was just hot and hungry. After she wasn't so hungry she fell asleep. My boy only ran away once, so that was a good deal.

Maybe my brother in laws should get one of these instead of their unicycles.

Blog Catch up

What seems like forever ago, we went to the Oquirrh Mount Temple Open House. With my sister in law (below) and family, and my sister in law and family. Now if that was confusing to any of you, we met up with my brother, his wife (below) and children, Brent's sister and children, a bunch of relatives somehow connected to her brother, and my parent in laws.

It was the second time for my kids and I, we went in June with my cousin Justin. It was a lot more crowded than it was that day, but a lot less crowded then when we went to the Draper Open House on a Friday night.

My husband then went back to work, but the rest of went to go see the Copper Mine. Here is my kid and his grandpa, the ironic thing is, the only other time I've ever seen the mine other than in an airplane was with my grandpa.

Here is my kids and my brothers kids. As my brother has said, we see each other once a year whether we need it or not, when he comes to see his wife's family.

It was a fun long hot day.

Teeth

Yesterday is best summed up by my son's phrase, "I'm having a hard day." He told his dad when he got home, "mom had a hard day, but not me, I had a good day." We won't get into the particulars lets just say, I absolutely hate tuition payments.
So today couldn't come at a better time.
I went to the dentist, sure most would not view that as a good time had by all, but oh do I love a trip to the dentist. The twice a year I have the best self esteem is after walking out of the dentist. For most a trip to the dentist is filled with pain, disappointment, and bills. For me, its an hour of medical professionals telling me how perfect my teeth are, and how beautiful they are. For a girl who likes words of affirmation, nothing could be better than hearing for an hour how wonderful and beautiful my mouth is.
Why is the dentist so enjoyable for me,
First off, I have been blessed with great teeth genes, I rarely get cavities.
Second, I always have brushed my teeth even as a small child
Third, thanks my parents who paid a large sum to the staff at Apple Orthodontics I received great orthodontic treatment.
Fourth, back to the good genes, my teeth have not reverted from my braces at all
Fifth, I married a man, who is also obsessed with good oral hygiene, and so I floss daily
Sixth, I genuinely like the feeling of my teeth after a good teeth cleaning done by a skilled hygienist.

I just happened to cold call a random dentist from my insurance website, it just so happens we get free bleaching system every six months. So I didn't get any today, because I'm still breastfeeding, but come six months from now I will have fabulously white teeth to go with my fabulously straight cavity free teeth.
Now if I could only stop clenching.
Yes, I'm vain, I'm also an imperfect soul, how about you?!

Sunday Dinner/Uncle D's Birthday

Luckily I have a fantastic sister in law who would invite her and her kids over for ice cream. So I could rebuttal such claims and invite them over for dinner. Then I thought oh maybe my brother and his girlfriend want to come, then I remember its almost my brother's birthday. We had the traditional sunday dinner, roast, mash potatoes, jello, I even made gravy. The first time I've ever made gravy, I think it turned out just fine. Although my husband is very picky so he makes the potatoes, which also turned out well, he adds lots of butter, and sour cream so its goodness, plus a bunch of tasty spices.

I will be boastful and say I made a fantastic cake. That tasted great, with probably the best frosting I've ever made (I've only been making frosting for a year and half so). It was a flat cake none the less. It wasn't all rounded and baked unevenly.

Here is my darling niece, in her pink dress eating her pink ice cream in her pink ice cream cone.

My daughter is a cow, she was standing up playing, when she sat down, grabbed a handful of grass for her mouth, and stood back up to continue playing.

We are so sad our cousins are moving to Texas. It was so fun to have the kids play every week.

Paper and Ink

A week ago, my son drew a pod picture of himself in green. Later on I asked him what he wanted to be for halloween (I was in the mood for a holiday, and its the next big one, even if its more than two months away). After a bit of a discussion, with various suggestions, he decided a bear. He then went back to his picture and added his halloween costume, of a bear.

In case you need some explanations. His eyeballs are rather huge.

On Saturday 'the Anty Kim' came and watched our kids so I could go shoot the gun my husband bought me while I was pregnant, and the gun he bought himself when I was pregnant. Since I was pregnant at the time, I couldn't shoot either of them, so finally after almost a year of owning it I finally got to shoot it. Babies make marksmanship so tricky, with not want the fetus deaf or lead poisoning, not to mention, just because my babies are born, I still don't want to injure their hearing, or let them lick my fingers after touching lead. Back to the art at hand. Luckily 'the anty kim' gave my son a much need two hours of uninterpreted time, while his baby sister slept. During which he decided he wanted to cut paper, his current favorite pastime time. Although she didn't know, he owns and uses four pairs of scissors. So she cut and he colored. According to her, yes, he colored the whole face himself. We were all very amazed. Then she cut his effects and he colored, a hangun, a rifle, utensils (his word)--a spoon (not a balloon), a knife, a fork, a juice box, a plate, a bowl, a fish and a flower.

Here's a close up of the face. My son loves markers and does in my opinion rather amazing things for a three year old with them. But not crayons, so he rarely even touches his nursery pictures.

Three dimensional Art

My son has lately been exploring three dimensional art. He made this after we got home from church two weeks ago. Not really the ideal time to pull out the paints, he was in his church clothes, and I came out of his room after putting baby sis to sleep to find him making this creation. No I didn't really know the paints were so easily accessible. His instrument of choice, a mary kay make up brush. Its mixed media, paint crepe paper and spider man sticker.

The next morning, I decided to show him the joys of tissue paper creations. His first experiment.

Then I showed him you can scrunch to add new flavor. It took quite the fine motor skills to not scrunch into oblivion.

Next we spelled his name and glue and put squares on the lines.

Earned

This post is a little late. In an effort to downsize when we were moving, we sold some large children toys. With the money my son earned he bought a scooter.

He loves it, it is his favorite thing to do these days.

My kids are learning how to play together, and getting pretty good.

My daughter learned how to click her tongue today, you can find her wandering through the house making clicking noises.

Summer cousins

I'm not sure what my son is going to do in a few weeks when David no longer lives a half an hour away.




Lets hope the girls had as much fun in the water as the boys.