These Boys

Mr. T. is always following SlimJim around, doing whatever he's doing. Sometimes I find him scaling furniture or jumping off the top step of the deck. Sometimes SlimJim doesn't think it's fun and there's a lot of "NO BABY!" Sometimes the places I find them or the things they get into are hilarious. 

But today, they were absolutely adorable. 

 

My Little Creator

LittleL.G. is constantly creating. Whenever I turn around she is making something in the "art room". It might be a drawing, or a sign, or a book. She is constantly bringing ideas of ridiculous things she wants to create. Things like the life-sized doll out of paper- which we managed to execute. And things like a tight rope across the living room- which we could not. But she is never discouraged or daunted by her imagination. She will make great things. 

Today, she scavenged a shoe box from the recycling and insisted it would become a trailer for her bike that SlimJim could ride in. Well... no three year old is riding in a shoebox behind a five year old biker, BUT we did manage to make a pretty fantastic bike trailer for her doll. 

Sure, she needed a lot of help in the execution (hot glue, x-acto knives, drills and basic knowledge of mechanics and physics), but the ideas were all hers. 

Final product: Detachable Bike Trailer for Dolls

A Week at the Resort

At least, it felt like a week at a resort. Heated pool and hot tub right out the back door. Zip line, trampoline, swing set, woodsy "survival" fort, bike loops for the kids. 

We spent last week in NH at Gram and Grumpy's and the kids played and played and swam and swam and couldn't have been happier with all the activity options and change of scenery. 

 

 

 

Dance Finale

Sadly, the girls' dance studio wasn't able to pull together a recital for the end of the year. There was talk of a parking lot presentation, but most families still weren't comfortable with the idea, so instead, there is hope for a recital this fall. 

In lieu of a recital, they will produce a video with pictures of the kids in their costumes and video clips of them dancing for the finale. 

The girls were thrilled to don their fancy costumes one more time and we had a photo shoot in the front yard. 

 

 

 

SlimJim didn't get in on the recital photos, but he did manage some chalk "warpaint" somehow that deserved an adorable photo. 

Venturing Out

As things are slowly opening, we are still feeling cautious about being out and about. But we did decide to take a walk downtown at Congress Park to check out the status of downtown and to see the baby ducks. There were a decent amount of people around, some stores open and a few restaurants with outdoor seating. 

It was so nice to be out in the park for a change of scenery. The girls, as always, were enamored by the ducklings and the boys loved chasing the ducks. 

Just the Start of (the Strangest) Summer

Usually we start our summer earlier than the public school kids so at this point the past few years we are finishing up the last of school and trying to squeeze in as many beach days, spray park afternoons, and playground play dates as we can before everything is overrun with big kids. Not that I have anything against big kids-- now that I have two, but typically, parents are less likely to supervise a kid over five. And typically, those kids like to show off for their friends. And typically, that involves partaking in activities where my little guys are inadvertently hit with something or run over. Or WORSE, intentionally hit with something or run over. 

These first few weeks of summer have been nothing like the first few weeks of summer I've had as a parent. We have been home all day, every day. Lots of pool and playground and bike rides and walks. Impressively the kids have not been complaining or begging to go out. I am not missing packing up four kids, towels, bathing suits, snacks, sunscreen, extra clothes, snacks, a picnic blanket, sand toys, snacks, and lunch to go out. But it is certainly odd...

Loving Our Backyard

We have spent so much time in our yard since the quarantine began. And so much time on our yard. Our garden is totally redone and planted. Our landscaping is edged and mulched. We have five planters of flowers. By far the nicest our yard has ever looked. And with nothing else to do we are managing to keep on top of the maintenance. 

Other excitement in our backyard: 

Baby chickadees:

And a beautiful rainbow.