It's True

"LIFE IS HARD WHEN YOU HAVE A MEAN MOM!!!"

Still Celebrating

Samuel had some time dedicated to his birthday at Augustine's birthday party.  Thanks for sharing your day Augustine!

He had flag football practice on his birthday so he chose dinner with us and Grandma and Grandpa V at the local Mexican restaurant on Monday. 
After practice on his birthday we had little mug cakes (you should try them, they're fast and pretty good for microwave cooking!) and he opened a couple gifts.

Cool projects from Great Aunt Pat.  Which will not be tried out until a thank you note is written.  Ahem.  Without half an hour of fussing.  Are you reading this, Samuel? 

A "bad guy" from mom and dad. We just thought he looked cool, who knew we were setting up an epic battle in the boys' room?

We love you Samuel!

Nine Already

When he turned six he thought wearing the crown upside down was hilarious.

 

Now he really is nine and I'm not sure how it happened...

Sam, we love how your mouth can't keep up with your brain but that it doesn't stop you from trying to tell us everything you think.  We wouldn't mind if you only told us every other thing you think though.  :)  We love how you organize your legos and blame Philip every time they are messed up.  And how you don't believe me when I tell you it's not always Philip's fault.  We love how designing the track is more fun for you than actually playing with trains on the track and how you take the things you like to do so seriously.  I love that you can read anything and everything.  Even if you didn't really like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  (Surprising he's my child, huh?) I think it was a little too.. imaginative... for you.  You like facts.  Reality.  Concrete objects.  Things you can figure out.  And although I hope that someday you'll appreciate Narnia's charms a little bit more, I can't imagine you any other way.  (Well, actually I can, but that would make you Thomas, and we don't really need two of him!)
Hope your birthday is full of things you love!
We love you,
Mom

 

Photo credit: Megan  

I love the look on his face!

Plumbing

The forms are down and the outside of the cement is sealed.

 Everyone who passes by says "That's a big hole!" I think, "Is it big enough?"

The plumber came and did some work.  Very exciting for Samuel who has pretended to bury pipes (often by burying sticks) since his earliest days of building in the driveway.

 Checking it out.

 Jeremy put in some drainage tiles (the black tubing around the edges).

 Samuel and Thomas picked up some of the junk down in the hole.

Estimated moving time:  September.  That's as specific as it gets right now.  :)

One Kid

Ahh, it's so lovely to have just one kid at home.  Not that I don't like being the mother of four and having them all around, it's just really nice to have only one at a time.  Philip loved the time too.  There was no one to try to keep up with or boss him around or tell him he couldn't play with Legos, (don't tell Samuel I let him do that- I don't think he broke anything he just played) so he played really nicely by himself while I got laundry started and fixed up beds and swept sand out of the kitchen.  (By the way someone around here may have forgotten her cell phone was in her pocket while wading back to shore after an afternoon on the river.  So don't leave any messages there for a few days....)  After I finished up my work Philip and I played and then ran errands.  Only one to get in and out of the car?!  Awesome.  I'd better enjoy it while it lasts. :)

What is it about tighty-whiteys that's just so cute?

Her Turn

Julia was not thrilled to have to wait a day longer than the boys to start school but the big day finally came and she happily went off.

 

She insisted on riding the bus but Philip and I drove in also to make sure she got to the right place after she got off.

It was downright chilly this morning!

 She wasn't very smiley while we were there.

But she came home from school happy, reporting she had a fun time.  :)
 

1st Day

Dear Samuel and Thomas,

Another summer is gone and I feel like we missed it!  I didn't make enough Lego creations or build enough sand castles or do enough projects or play enough games with you, but before long you'll have a sibling to show for the things we missed out on so I hope the lesson on the preciousness of life, no matter if you are the 1st or 5th, will shine through as what we did this summer.

And maybe if I hurry up and finish this post I can get enough work done to build with Legos with you after school...

Love,

Mom

"Yay!  Third grade!"

 "Did you get my shoes?"

 "Hurry up and take the picture so we can go!"

 "Hurry up and take the picture so you can go!"

Thanks for not being too big for your mom to take your picture at your desk on the first day, Sam.

Have a good year!

Moving Along

After the footings were dug they got poured and rebar was put in

then they put up the forms

and poured the basement walls!

Next the plumber comes in, then then floor will be poured.  Ten days later the actual move can happen.  We'll probably wait a bit longer than that because Jeremy has some things to do downstairs first and since harvest is starting he doesn't have a lot of time to work on them.  We're hoping for early September but we'll see how it goes.

Week O Fun

So, without really meaning to we ended up with a packed "week o fun" for our last full week before school starts.  I guess that's what happens when you stay home all of June!  :)
Saturday
The kids and Jeremy went to the pedal tractor pull.

Sunday
We went to the Caboose Park where Jeremy and the big boys rode bikes and Julia and Philip did their best to raise water levels by throwing anything throw-able into the fishing lake.
Monday
Grandma Raleen took Samuel and his friend Zane to the big zoo.  Just Samuel got to go since he missed his field trip there due to hand foot and mouth.
Thomas had a sprinkler birthday party.  Yes, his birthday was in January, but who wants a bunch of overexcited boys in the house in January for a party?  Summer parties are just easier.  We had it at Steve and Raleen's due to our construction.

Tuesday
We headed to the little zoo with Julia's friend Abi and her family.  Julia got her yearly pony ride and all the boys decided they wanted rides too.

 

 

 

Everyone (even Thomas!) fed the llamas, which Philip especially enjoyed.  He gave the llama one piece at a time, giggling while its lips tickled his fingers and then said "one more!" and gave the llama another piece.

 

We all caught butterflies too.

Wednesday
Samuel had his sprinkler birthday party, again at Steve and Raleen's.

Thursday
We went to a spray ground we'd never tried with our Rosary Group. The weather finally broke and there was quite a breeze to make wet bodies coldish so the kids enjoyed the modern play equipment and each other more than the water.

Friday
We went swimming with Lynn, Logan and Augustine.  It was pretty chilly so we only stayed an hour.  Then we visited the shop to ride mowers and tractors and got home to see the walls of the basement being poured!
Saturday
We went to Jeremy's 15th reunion at one of his classmate's parents' lake house.  It was a great afternoon of catching up and swimming.
Julia, Samuel and Philip all paddled around in life jackets.

Philip did some jumping.

 

Thomas built this moat (?) and lots of other things.

 

Samuel and Katherine tried out tubing and loved it.

We left in time to have dinner at the end of summer library party (hot dogs for about the fifth time this week!).
Sunday
Samuel, Julia and I went to a youth group swimming party (I'm supposed to help with youth group because we only have 2 kids CCD age) for lunch.  They had a ball.  Julia paddled around in a life jacket and Samuel swam with the big kids.  Then we joined Jeremy, Thomas and Philip at a Knights of Columbus picnic for dinner. 
Today we shopped for school shoes.  I'm not sure that really counts a fun but we got everyone taken care of!
Tomorrow the kids get to sleep over at Grandma and Grandpa C's while Jeremy and I squeak in an overnight date before harvest and the house move get into full swing.  And Thursday school starts!  Wow!