Father and Sons: Part II

Tara: "How was the campout?"
Daniel: "Pretty fine."
James: "Good"
Christian: "Good"

So, that's the scoop. Maybe you'll have to decipher the stories from the pictures. I think I need a girl in the family...who will give me the play-by-play. But I do know there was some eating in bed...

and a late night...

...and good times, because they didn't want to come home.

Good Folk

We've had a string of visitors. It has been so good for my soul to be around such great friends. They are just "gente boa" as they say in Brazil and I miss them.

Sadly this is the only photo I have from my visit with Syd and Amber. But I had such a wonderful day with both of them. I'm so inspired by what great mamas and people they are.

And I don't have any photos with Paul and Amanda (they are probably glad to not have their faces posted on our blog). But we had such a great time touring New England with them.

Maybe a quote will sum up my feelings better...

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
- Anais Nin

Please come back any time. All the sheets are clean and we are ready to go at a moments notice.

Father and Sons

All these guys drove off in our Swagger Wagon (if you haven't watched this, you seriously should) this afternoon to go camping. I am a lone woman. I've got my feet propped up and I'm getting a lot of things crossed off my list (updating the blog being one of them).

But seriously, I was a little sad to see them all drive away. They are off on an adventure without me and I will only have pictures to portray the giggles of delight and tokens of discovery. Pictures are ok, but real life with these guys is wonderful and colorful.

Exploring Maine's Coast

No signs of any oil here.

Just clear, cool water.

Playing With Their Food

Massachusetts took our Toppins...

...so we could only chase them.

Just To Make You Smile

"You know what this place really needs?
A disco ball."

"Hi-yah"

"You are not going to put me back in that car seat Mom!"

Just tender.

Not Once....

Twice!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

I tried to take some spring pictures of the little bear cubs.

"Daniel look over here!
James, look over here!
Daniel!
James!
Both of you, look over here!"
This is the best I got.

Right after this, he fell off the curb.

"Uh Mom, there are bees over here."

"Daniel! Wait! Mom's going to make me take more pictures"
They are both taking advantage of my larger, slower state.

May I Present...

Before

After

I know you are thinking we are pretty good with Photoshop, but I'm here to tell you, that was all done by manual labor.

• Cut down 5 large dead trees (made a bonfire)
  
• Pulled out 789634587719 smaller trees (made more bonfires)
  
• Transplanted vinca from backyard to front yard
• Doubled the size of the usable yard area
• Recovered from five stints of poison ivy
  
• Rented a backhoe...disaster
  
• Built a 50x4x4 ft granite wall
• Leveled the dirt and planted seed
  

So please, do us a favor and enlarge the "after" picture. Just to flatter us. We are super proud of it.

A Huge Checkmark

Do you remember the chair I found on the side of the road waiting to get picked up by the garbage man? Well I stripped her down...

...and then dressed her back up.

Phew, that was a lot of work.

PS- I guess it is not totally done. I'm still looking for something to put on the front of the arms.

Marine Week

The Marines rolled/marched/flew into town this week.

Is there anything he can't do?
10 minutes before this picture was taken he was,
working with LabVIEW under fluorescent lights.
Now, he is warrior.
Rambo in disguise
.
.
.
sort of.

Busy Bees

This week I'm teaching my kids about honey bees. I thought I'd make it real, so we made our own "honey".

First, they had to make the honeycomb.
They had to find wax (cupcake liners) hidden throughout the yard and bring them back to build the hive.

Then, I planted "flowers" full of sweet "nectar" throughout the yard.
They had to use their antennae to smell and find the nectar.

Once they found the nectar, they had to use their special bee tongues to suck it up...

Then take it back to the hive and regurgitate it into the combs.
Did you know that when you eat honey you are really eating bee spit?
Yum.

Then they ate their honey.

I love This Time of Year