A Weekend

Friday we went to the beach!  When Jed got home from work we hopped in the car to drive over. Its always windier and colder on the coast so Jed and I weren't up for getting in the water, but nothing could keep the boys out!  We didn't leave until all their lips were thoroughly blue! 

Side note: Technically it was Isla's first time at the beach but since she was in the bjorn carrier the entire time, never even touching the sand let alone the water, I'm not qualifying it as her first trip. Now I don't have to feel guilty for forgetting to take pictures.  

Saturday was less eventful however I did get out my sewing machine, for the first time in years, to fix a small issue we had with the pottery barn sectional we got off of craigslist earlier in the week!  A zipper on one of the cushions was busted so I sewed that baby back on and now we have a $3,000+ couch that we bought for less than $300.  Yes!   

Sunday's weather was amazing thanks to TS Isaac!  It was cool with intermittent showers!  Glorious.  The boys played outside on and off all day and we didn't have to worry about sunburns!  

Evan worked on his skateboarding skillz. 

Puddles to play in courtesy of Isaac! 

  Cooler Weather = Pink Leggings! 

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I Got a MOM Mountain Bike!!

Somehow 9+ years of marriage have slipped by and neither Jed or I have owned a bicycle.  With four very active boys and a little girl sure to follow suit, it was time for us to bike up!  

We got both our bikes for a steal on craigslist.  All we need now is a trailer for the littles and then our entire family can go for rides this winter! 

Oh, and I'll be purchasing a nice new seat with cushions and shocks, ASAP, because I'm old.  

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Tales of Lunch Duty

Once upon a time, last week, as I was vigilantly watching over the playground a little girl asked for my help in opening her jello cup.  Ever so briefly I took my eyes off the children playing to help and when I looked back, there was a 3rd or 4th grade boy scaling a beam above the tire swings. Sigh.

 I didn't even know the kid's name so I asked the little girl with the Jello and she, reluctantly pulling herself away from lick the lid of her chocolaty snack, tells me, "Um, uhhhhh, well mmmm, I think, uhhhhhh, he's new, soooo  his name might beee, ummm, Nuuuh-ate, maybe."

I jogged over to him while calling out what, may or may not, have been his name.  When at last I had his attention he gave me a sheepish look and said, "I shouldn't be up here huh?" I replied, "Sorry, but its not very safe..." (I was going to follow that up with, "please climb down now.") Interrupting me, he lunged off the beam.  While his feet may have hit the ground first (debatable) what stands out is how he landed on his stomach with his arms stretched out as if he was doing a belly flop, bouncing once before jumping up and shouting, "Don't worry I'm ok, I jump off of houses all the time!"  Then he ran off to play.

It was like looking into Kane's future.

The End. 

Remnants of Summer

Goodbye sunburns.

 Hello books!



Helpful

 Someone learned to blow spit bubbles recently and really, really enjoys it.

Eew.

Not to worry though, Fordy'll take care of it.

 He said, "Iwa, bubba, ick! I get it!"

And he did but he lacks a certain level of finesse.  

Someone's rethinking their new found pastime.



Adventures in Make Believe- Avengers Edition

The cast of characters:

The smart and witty Tony Stark.

Beautiful yet deadly Black Widow.

The charismatic and impulsive god of thunder.

Capts. a lover of justice.



Temperamental and a man of few words, Hulk.



The fate of the world rests in their hands. 

If You Guessed...

Fordster you were right!

Best face ever. 

Lip Love

Do you know who these belong to? 

3 Month Old

Time is flying and this little girl is growing up too fast!

Stats and Milestones:

 Weight- 11 lbs. 11 oz 

Length- 23 1/2 inches   

This puts her in the 50th percentile for both!  A big

 jump from the 15th percentile when born!

First laugh on 8/10

She's ticklish on her neck and chest.

She finds it funny when an object moves closer and farther from her or when she's standing on my lap and abruptly sits down. 

Said "mama" for the first time 8/11

Ok, so it wasn't refering to me, she was just cooing and the sound came out but still!!! 

She's so much chattier than her brothers. She will talk and talk and talk, and especially likes it when we make eye contact and talk back. 

She has a much higher pitch screech/scream than the boys had. 

She wakes up about once a night to eat.  YES!

First time rolling over 7/25

First time find her thumb all on her own to suck 8/6

She's so much more content when she can suck her thumb and absolutely refuses a pacifer (gags and spits it out). However as she struggles to get her thumb in her mouth and ends up scratching her face. 

Really enjoys the baby carrier for the most part and still dislikes her carseat but not nearly as much as she did a month ago. 

For the most part she is the sweetest little girl but she has her moments of attitude too.

"Do I look like I want my picture taken right now, mom?"

We adore our baby Isla!

Future U.S. Men's Team

One of the more common things random strangers like to say to me, referring to my family size, is, "Are you going for your own basketball team!" 

My response, "Nope, actually, we're going for an Olympic gymnastics team!"  

Team U.S. getting ready for "floor exercise".

Up first is Seth, we call him the flying Doodles.

An enthusiastic finish!

Kane's go and.... its a perfect somersault!

We call this move "The Kane-Uh", he nails it every time!   

Not every attempt is successful as Evan proves on his first turn!

Attempt two looks much better. He got amazing height on that jump!

Phenomenal form on that landing, too!!

He's pleased with his final performance. 

This guy got a spot on the team strictly because of his expertise in cuteness. 

State of the art right there.

The scores are in and what do you know, they win! 

Up next Olympics 2020!! 

While The Boys Swim...

Isla naps!  

While napping is what she does most of the time, today she went for her first dip in the pool!  I didn't get any pictures because I was the one holding her but trust me she was adorable! She absolutely loved the water and was giving the biggest smiles.  Hopefully this weekend when Jed is with us we can get some pics of her in the pool!  

 Until then enjoy these! 

Look What Fordster Can Do!

Someone is a little fishy!!    

Watch me mom! 

 1...2... 3..

 JUMP!

 Splash!

 Good job Ford!!  

Vacay!!

The boys go back to school later this week!  

Ahh summer flew by but we're getting in one final hurrah before reality hits!  

The kids and I are staying at the resort where my, very adorably pregnant, sister works.  Its the same one we stayed at two years ago.  

Jed is working through the week and even has a last minute, unexpected business trip to Minnesota (someone gets to fly first class, jerk).  

We'll be home for the first day of school and then back to the resort for the weekend.  

Last night after we got settled into our room, we headed down to the kiddie pool.  The boys had a blast splashing around until it started thundering and lightening.  The rest of the night was spent enjoying cable TV! I'm not sure which the boys enjoyed more.  

Playing at one of the pools.

Our room!

Dinner! 

Smoothies!  Yum!

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Improper Use

Evan and Seth discovered air quotes.  

They use them all the time now.

Almost always incorrectly.

Mom, I want "strawberries" for snack.

Can we go to the "pool"?

I love "cookies".

I'm going to be the "oldest" person in my class.

Do I have to take a "nap"? I'm not really "tired".  

Considering they don't understand sarcasm the last one is especially ironic.  

America vs. Francesco

Italy? I'm sorry did you just call that boot shaped country in Europe "Italy"? 

Um, I hate to break it to you but all the cool kids are calling it "Francesco" these days.

Haven't you heard things like, "Come on Merica, you can beat Francesco!"

Or, "Francesco just got a penalty! Yes!"

You haven't. Oh...

Maybe it's just my kids then. 

A big shout out to Cars 2 for utterly confusing my children in geography.