One of my famous impromptu photo shoots in the dining room. I love these faces!
Swimmin'
The boys are taking swim lessons all summer. Jack was very nervous about the whole thing because he didn't want to put his face under water. He was surprised by how much fun he had and looks forward to his swim lessons each night.
Wyatt is having a good time learning how to swim. They both made a new friend in their first two week session but now that we are in the 2nd session of the summer we were surprised by a number of their classmates who are also in the same time slot.
Poor Stephen strokes out when we leave for swim lessons. I don't feel that we can keep an eye on the boys and Stephen so home he stays. Poor boy.
Gin & Tonic cupcakes
Did I mention I turned 40 a few weeks ago? My birthday is a few days before Wyatt's and I was super busy getting ready for his army part but I decided that 40 was indeed a pretty big milestone so I took some time out to do something for me and I made these DELIGHTFUL gin and tonic cupcakes. I had seen a few recipes online and sort of combined a few (cause I really don't bake from scratch) and they came out AMAZING!
There is gin and tonic in both the batter and the icing. I found a Key Lime icing which turned into a hybrid icing/glaze when I added the gin and tonic. Then I zested some limes on top for an extra little punch of flavor and color. They were so good!
Cuddle Puddle
We started reading Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher this week. Jack was immediately absorbed. Wyatt could only talk about how annoying the book was and Stephen wanted to play. I just kept reading and when I finally realized everyone was asleep I looked up and found this little cuddle puddle going on.
A little sweetheart
My Daddy hasn't been feeling well this week. Here is little man giving his Poppy a cuddle up the other morning. I think he knew Poppy wasn't up to par and needed some love so he just cuddled and cuddled.
What a sweetheart!
"Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Shoes!"
I know you turn in (when I finally post) to check in on the children and not my fashioin sense but you must admit, these shoes are pretty fantastic.
Turn that frown upside-down
Someone was pretty darned cranky one afternoon last week. I asked if he thought he could change his outlook and he said "No!" Then I asked if he thought he could change his outlook if I helped him a little bit. He thought about it for a minute and said "I think I can do that." So I pulled out a pen and added a 'stache to that mug. He started giggling so much I couldn't give him the best 'stache I knew I could do, but we did have a changed attitude.
Another tooth bites the dust.
Wyatt lost a 2nd tooth less than 2 weeks after his first one came out. Am I wrong or does it seem that most kids are missing their upper front teeth? Wy-guy is missing his bottom from teeth. I have no idea -how- he managed to hang onto this tooth because we were at the park jogging and in between jogging he was walking, sprinting, pretending to be Luke Skywalker, Sonic the Hedgehog, sommersaulting and rolling around the grass. (He likes to keep busy.) Then he came running up to me with this little tooth. He was pretty cross with me for not letting him carry it but I insisted on keeping it safe for the Tooth Fairy.
Scout Day Camp
Summer Day Camp 2013.
Wyatt has been waiting for this adventure FOR MONTHS.
Here are my turkeys at 7:30 in the morning on the first day of camp. They left for egg drops, archery, bb guns, being hosed down by fire trucks and God knows what else. They had a BLAST.
I however slept in and had a BLAST.
When can we do that again?
Star Wars
My fellas are OBSESSED with Star Wars. They watch all the movies all the time. They hum the themes when they are not watching the movies. They build Star Wars things out of Legos, they make up Star Wars scenarious and act them out, the list goes on.
One day Wyatt asked me how to play Darth Vadar's music on the piano so I looked up a tutorial on the youtube. It was a bit too much for Wyatt to focus on so Jack and I figured it out and he has been teaching to to Wy in bits and pieces. Now I hear Star Wars on the piano - all the time.
Anyone have any piano books of Star Wars music for beginners that you want to send my way?
Someone turned 6
Wyatt turned 6 last month and BEGGED for an Army party.
I had a hard time finding camoflage decorations so I decided to go patriotic.
Here is his army cake. I managed to make a camoflage batter by adding green sugar to a yellow cake mix and then dropping heaping spoonfulls of green and chocolate batter together. It came out just right! The mound at the middle is a pile of cupcakes iced in green and topped with a helicopter. Wyatt went bananas over his cake!
John and I put together M.R.E.s out of hot dogs, pretzels, string cheese, fruit snacks and bottled water for lunch.
Then we did a little boot camp and put the kids through an obstacle course.
Wyatt was desperate to have a gun battle but I told him I didn't think it was a good idea to run around shooting friends at a party. I asked everyone to bring a lovey and we pretended our little friends had been wounded in battle. We had to bandage them up in triage and carry them to safety through our last few obstacles. Some of the kids got rather carried away with the bandaging business.
Wyatt had a great day and said it was "THE BEST PARTY EVER!"
You are welcome little man!
Last day of school
Their last day as 2nd & Kinders.
He may not look it, but Stephen was SUPER excited to get out of the car when we dropped the boys off. He could barely contain himself as we walked up to the school. I think he was excited to finally see where these boys went every morning. He was not so cool with sitting still for a picture.
We officially have a 3rd & 1st grader.
A tisket a tasket
Somebody lost his first tooth at school today. The nurse sent it home in a cute little green plastic treasure box. The box is missing but Aunt Shannon provided us with
our very own Tooth Fairy pillow! (I know it is not a basket but close enough)
Little Man swapped his tiny tooth for $2.57.
Super Spiders
Wyatt is not really interested in participating in the soccer game so much as he is interested in being silly with his pals who just happen to be on a soccer team. In an effort to get Wyatt to actively participate in a game I did something I have NEVER done with these guys before: I offered money.
I told Wyatt that I would give him a dollar for every time he kicked the ball in an effort to score a goal for his team. I told him he would get a dollar for every score he stopped if he happened to be goalie and he would get FIVE dollars for every goal he scored. He went over and over the rules with me on the way to the game. Could he use the dollars for legos? Was it one dollar for every time he kicked the ball or touched it? And it was FIVE dollars if he scored a goal?
My hopes were up that he was going to be involved in a game. Then I realized I might have just unleashed
a demon.
Here they are offering up a team cheer to start the game. Wyatt wasn't rolling around in the grass. This could be good for my goal, but bad for my pocket book.
Half time snacks and I was in it for $6. SIX BUCKS! That boy ran after the ball. He kicked the ball. He ran after the ball again! It was crazy!
Here is his team - the Super Spiders. Now that the game was over (as was the prospect for more money) Wy thought it was more fun to make owl eyes than to pose for a picture. Of course he is the kid front and center...
At their last practice of the season Coach had his Spiders play against their parents. I would have played but I was wearing flip flops so John stood in for us. I was surprised though by how comptetitive some of the other parents were with these 5 & 6 year olds...
