Here Kitty Kitty

It seems as though I've acquired two little kitties. The funny thing is, I remember doing this when I was a little girl. I loved it when my mom would let me eat and drink from bowls on the kitchen floor.

It was bound to happen eventually...

...the boys lost one of their beloved fish, Lord Licorice. He died sometime today, and we discovered it tonight right before bedtime. The boys had such a hard time with this. They sobbed and sobbed together on my lap. Then I could hear the girls in the background pretending to cry, but they were not quite sure what was going on. Lord Licorice was 2 years old, and if I understand correctly, that's pretty old for a fish!

Caleb decided that he didn't want anymore pets to go in a tank, and he'd just pick a sheep next time, thank you (he told me all of this while crying). And while I was folding laundry out in the living room, I could hear the boys--both snuggling on Caleb's bed--trying to console one another. First Caleb would moan, "Jared, I miss Lord Licorice." Jared would comfort Caleb, but then cry, "Caleb, I miss him, too."

Oh, my sweet, sweet boys!

Auntie Emy's Here!

Emy came for a surprise visit on Thursday night! We've been shopping, eating and playing with cute kids. Lily and Emy are having a little tea party before bedtime.

After we put the kids to bed on Thursday night, she helped me paint these little brown lunch bags for our preschool co-op craft.

My sister knows how much I love to have flowers on my dining room table. She brought me these beautiful tulips!

Rite of Passage

Jared decided to remove the training wheels from his bike this afternoon. Doesn't he look so grown up?

He really wanted to learn before his daddy came home from school today. We'll try again tomorrow!

Go, Jared! Go!

We spent the afternoon in the front yard riding bikes. Lily made up this little game: if you ride past her on your bike, you have to stop and let her put pretend makeup on your face.

The boys were good sports about the whole thing. Unfortunately, she chases you if you don't stop.

Hairbows

Can It Be?

Up until now, my mommy years have been much of a blur--a good kind of blur, but a blur, nonetheless. For the past 6 years, I've either been expecting a baby or mothering a newborn or two. I finally feel like we're turning a corner here in our home. On recent trips out, we haven't had to take along the stroller! We experience a few rough patches while we're out, but the kids no longer dart off in all different directions.

And this morning I found the girls "reading" on the couch while Jared, Caleb and I were in the kitchen doing school work.

I realize that we're in no way home-free, and that we'll encounter a completely different set of parenting concerns as they grow, but it sure feels good to sit back and enjoy some of the fruit of our labor. Training children does work. I'm beginning to see the light at the end of what seemed to be a very looooooooooooooooooooooong toddler tunnel. Now, onto the next tunnel!

Ahoy, Mates!

Gracie would like to show you the boat she made this morning in her Sunday School class.

Lily is using the Play-Doh from her boat to make a snake.

Aaaahhh!

What's for Dinner?

I always get a kick out of hearing what my kids want to order when we go out to eat. I realize only Grandmas and Aunties will care about the contents of this post, but here's what they ordered for dinner at Chili's last night:

Jared: cheese pizza, Mandarin oranges and apple juice

Caleb: macaroni and cheese, steamed broccoli and lemonade

Gracie: corn dog, fries and Diet Coke (thanks, Gramma!)

Lily: grilled cheese, fries and lemonade

And then we had See's Candy for dessert!

Pumpkin Patch

We spent a very chilly, but fun day at the pumpkin patch!

As you can see, summer is officially over in Spokane.

Caleb thought the green pumpkins were "decaying."

I think Gracie wants this one.

That's a Twinkie in Lily's hand. She wasn't really interested in the pumpkins. She just wanted to eat in peace. She did, however, pose for me so I could get a picture of her with a pumpkin.

Corn Maze

The girls were very happy to join the boys this year in the corn maze.

Some of us are not too sure about this fellow.

"Is he real?"

"Don't worry, I'll check and let you know."

Which way now?

We finally made it through the corn maze to the pirate ship.

Daddy and Lily steer the ship.

"Arrrr!"

Caleb was very brave to stand here while his sisters tossed bean bags.

Benefit Concert

For the past year, Phil has been working with an agency called International Assistance Program (IAP). IAP offers micro-loans to the needy in third world countries.

Most of his efforts have gone toward planning and organizing their first benefit concert, which was this evening.

The evening consisted of dessert and a musical concert with guest artist, Joel Weldon, at The Service Station here in Spokane.

Phil said the benefit was well-attended and people seemed to be very receptive to the ministry of IAP.

White Coat Ceremony

After nap time today, I loaded up the kids and we met Phil at school for his "White Coat Ceremony."


Here he is reciting the Physician Assistant Professional Creed with his fellow classmates.

The kids did a great job sitting through the ceremony. Caleb is disappointed that he couldn't have 2 pieces of cake. When I downloaded these pictures, I noticed a huge fingerprint right on the lens of the camera. So the whole time I was taking these pictures, the camera was focusing on that fingerprint. I'm sad that the pictures turned out blurry.

Off to Chili's for a dinner celebration!

Tammy and the Bachelor

I remember watching Tammy and the Bachelor on AMC when I was in high school. I found it on DVD, along with 2 other Tammy movies, when I returned Little House on the Prairie today. Now that Phil is back in school and studying in the evenings, I have to keep myself busy so I won't be tempted to talk to him every 5 minutes. You may laugh, but it really is very difficult for me! I think this may help.

Family Fun Activity: Working Together

Jammies on? Check!

Teeth brushed? Check!

Then join us in the living room for our Family Fun Activity, but don't forget to bring your pillow!

The floor in the living room is a swamp. Try to get from the couch to the kitchen, but you're safe only on your pillow!

Jared tossed his pillow out into the middle of the floor. He leaped onto his pillow and made it, but he couldn't get to the kitchen without falling into the swamp.

Back to the couch to try again!

"Let's make a bridge with all of the pillows!" They figured this out on their own--and with much excitement, I might add. Look at all of the commotion. A literal blur!

Lily was the first to place her pillow down on the floor. She sat on her pillow, cupped her hands to her mouth and called out to each sibling by name, "Gracie, toss me your pillow; Jared, toss me your pillow; Caleb, toss me your pillow." They were safely on the other side in no time!

Sorry about the dark pictures.