First day of Summer Break, 2012

Don't worry, I won't blog every day of our summer break.  Unless it's exciting.  However, today wasn't terribly exciting yet I'm still blogging about it. . . But it was actually very exciting for the kids.  So there.

I think by 7:30 Jonas had already begged me to let him go play at Jake's house.  I told him no and then he whined about how he had nothing to do and what could he do!?

I think by 7:31 Miles was asking me if he could make stuff and sell it outside our house.  "Let me think about that."  By 7:32 Miles had asked me again.  "Let me think about it!"  By 7:34 Miles had asked me if I had thought about it.  I said no.  By around 8 Miles asked me again.  I told him to go inside and see what he would/could make.  I can't remember what he first came up with, but we didn't have the stuff to make it.  Then he said brownies.  Alright. And lemon bars.  Okay.  (I sighed a silent Ugh.)

So, I helped Miles make brownies (whoops, Miles doubled the salt!  I tried to scoop out as much as I could. . . I was still a little worried. . . so I "frosted" them with some random marshmallow creme stuff we had on hand. . .just in case) and helped Jonas make lemon bars.  Then we had to go on an errand for an older lady-friend and then back for lunch and then. . . finally out to sell.  The boys were awesome (after I had thrown a bit of fit. . . ahem) and went down to the cellar and brought up, by themselves, the folded table and took it outside and set it all up.

To make a long story semi-short, the boys had lots of people stop and buy.  Most gave them "tips."  They stayed out until they were all sold-out.  We came back in, cleaned up, and counted the money.  Then paid tithing, after which Jonas cried at the HUGE stack of NICKELS he had to pay.  He doesn't quite understand that a huge stack of nickels is not as much as a little stack of quarters.  Anyways. . . the boys were thrilled.  Emmy was happy to get a few extra treats.

Oh, we also finished up a craft I have been wanting to try with the kids for while.  We did the gluing yesterday (the black outline is a mix of black paint and glue) and then the kids painted them today.  Jonas and Miles did all the outlining, which I thought they did a pretty good job.  Because I'm me, I did get a little frustrated that Jonas started not just painting a uniform color in each section.  Ugh, it drove me crazy.  I tried pleading with him to not to it that way, but then just let him go and create as he wanted to.  Luckily Miles kept his very pattern-y.  :)

Anyways, that was some of what went on today. . .

 So cute.  I love it.  I pretty much stayed "behind the scenes" (on the steps) and let the boys deal with their customers on their own.

I do really like how they all turned out.

We ended the day with Lucy amazing me with her memory and vocabulary, Miles and Jonas playing robots outside, and Emmy not feeling so well with a slight fever perhaps. . . (please, oh please, let her be well in the morning; for all our sakes. . .)

Sniff, Yay, Last Day of School

Today was the boys' last day of school.  Miles is pretty sad about it - he'll miss his teacher (who he has had for the past 2 years) and his friends.  Jonas is excited, at least he says so - though he already complained of being bored this very afternoon.  Ha.  His best buddy, Jake, just lives up the street so we know we'll be seeing him around a bunch of this summer.

Yesterday was their fun day - field day.  The boys loved it and luckily it was hot so all the water games could be enjoyed.  Today we went to school at 9:30 for the end-of-year assembly, then played at the playground (with other students) until Jonas was done at 11.  We went home, had lunch, then went back to pick up Miles at 12:05.

We all had a special outing to the Coffee Trader.  The girls (including myself) and Ben (who got to go in to work late) went in the morning.  We rode our bikes, got one drink for all, and then a treat - mainly eaten by the 2 little girls.  :)  The boys got to go with Ben this evening after dinner.  They each got a drink and treats to share.  They rode their bikes as well and had a fun outing.

Why, yes, yes I did make my boys wear the same clothes!  Actually Miles just said, "My pants are different."  Darn it.  Oh well.  I'll try again next year.  :)

 Still needs a haircut. . . :)  Or at least a trim.

 They're identical!  :)

 Cute girls who share in a lot of school adventures as well.  Especially walking there and back three times a day.  :)

Going out for their evening ride.  So fun.

Wilson = old man

So Wilson had a birthday yesterday - 10 years old.  And, yes, he most definitely acts like he's 70.  He's a great dog really and has always been so good (i.e., tolerant) with our kids.  The kids, Miles especially, was quite adamant that we celebrate with cake.  Of course.  So I made a cake - and we even let Wilson eat a slice.  Ha. Miles also really, really wanted to buy him some goodies at the pet-store.  So we went on Tuesday and Miles bought a big baggie of dog treats - that look so good that all my kids were mad they couldn't eat any of them (not that they haven't ever tried some. . .).

Yesterday was also Jonas' last soccer games.  He had a double-header due to a game that was rained-out (it probably rained for 5 minutes) a while ago.  While Jonas did have some improvement over the season, I'll just say that I don't see soccer in his future.  Or anything else that involves running.  My children lack the hussle-gene.  Well, Emmy might have some. . . we'll have to see.  Anyways, the first game Jonas did really well in defense during the first half.  Second half, I can't remember.  Last game?  He was pretty pathetic.  He let 2 goals in - which, really, I wouldn't care if he was trying.  But he wasn't watching the ball at all and that was the problem.  Then he complained to me that he just doesn't like running, which I reminded him that he was goalie and so he hardly had to run!  Geez.

Anyways, some pictures from yesterday:

 The cake.  I've made something similar to this a few years ago.  It did look better, but when I was doing some piping a big blob of frosting bursted out all over the front.  Oh well.  It was definitely edible.

 Wilson begging for his slice.  :)

 Awwww, we do love him.

 Lucy enjoyed the cake.  With her hands.  I don't know why she's holding the fork.

Enjoying a snow-cone after Jonas' final soccer game.  Perhaps the best part of his soccer season?  :)

Oh, and a video:

Our Book List

Just in case you're curious (which probably nobody is. . .) about the books we are reading:

Ben - reading Anne of Green Gables.  No I did not make him read it (the book I want him to read is The Count of Monte Cristo. . . ).  Of course I support his choice and he is enjoying it.

Me - I am reading our book club book, The Book Thief.  I am not super far in to it, but am liking it so far.  I am also reading the boys "Owls in the Family."  It looks like an old book?  The boys picked it up on the free table at school one day.  I totally love reading it to my boys.  It's a fun book - full of good boy adventures.  The boys are loving it just as much - "Please, mom, please read one more chapter.  Please, please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

Miles - He just finished Little House on the Prairie last week.  Then he just, just finished (as in last night) The Castle in  the Attic.  He really loved this book (I don't think the kid has read a book he doesn't like. . .) and would have to come down and tell us all about it.  I found out about this book via the new section in The Friend, Book Reviews.  Awesome.  It was a winner.  He's reading lots of other non-fiction books about space, Mars, Antarctica, and so on.

Jonas - While he is a good little reader, he goes through phases of not wanting to read to himself - though he always loves being read to.  He loves me reading to him Cowardly Clyde.  A Peet (I don't know his first name) book.  We like him.  He did read Scooby Doo's Carnival Creep.  He likes it.

Emmy - she reads (looks at) whatever "girl books" we picked from the library.  She's always adamant that we get "girl books."  Love it.

Lucy - she loves carrying around books and looking at them throughout the day.  She likes "My First Book of Sounds."  She likes some of the Arthur books.  She likes "Can You Tell Elmo How to Get to Sesame Street?"  And any book that has babies in it.

The end.

My Mother's Day Weekend

(my sweet spoils. . . )

(I'm so long-winded!)

Well I had a really good weekend.  It started with a 6-mile uphill race - The Black Canyon Ascent - on Saturday morning.  I loved the race for lots of reasons.  It was in my town (my first in town race?).  Since it started at the bottom there were no shuttle-rides to the start of the race - thus meaning I didn't have to be there an hour or 2 before the race started.  I think I got there about 15 minutes before - perfect!  I was slow, yet steady.  It was cool, except when it wasn't - but then we'd usually get a good breeze that would help (not with speed, but I'd rather be cool and slow than hot. . and slow).  It was a 2,000 feet climb.  The last 0.5 mile was downhill - sweet peaches!  I was so happy about that.  I could have/would have pushed myself a little more at the very end, but I kept checking to see if Ben and carload were coming yet - then I would have let them see me finish.  But they came about 5 minutes too late.  Oh well.

The after-race was fun:  lots of food (I think Great Harvest provided my boys with at least 1/2 of their food for the day. . . And why were the kids so hungry; they hadn't just run???), live music, and awards.  No award for me, of course, but still fun to just be there.  I finished at 71:20 - 48th overall (160 - but that includes the walkers, too) and 10th (out of 38) for my age-group.  I was actually pleased with that.

On the way back from the race we stopped off at the local "petting-zoo" that was there for the morning.  We saw pigs (including brown ones - soooo cute!), chicken, horses, sheeps, and goats (including a teeny-tiny baby one).  Miles and Lucy loved petting the sheep - especially Miles.  It was very sweet.

Then was lunch-time:  I was amazed my kids still ate lunch even though they had eaten up most of my race-food stuff I had grabbed (I grabbed them mainly for them anyways. . .).  You would think they are growing kids or something.

Lucy napped; Ben and Emmy went grocery shopping (part of my mother's day treat:  not having to come up with the food menu, nor shopping!); and the boys and I played some pirate board games.  When Ben and Emmy came home, the 2 boys and myself rode our bikes to Main Street.  It was having some "vintage mother's day" something or other.  We saw some neat early 1900s Model-Ts and such.  The boys made some neat mother's day cards.  Oh, and the boys got yet another slice of bread (free, of course) from Great Harvest.

After that Ben took all the kids (carwash, quick library trip, park) so I could have some quiet-time for napping, etc.  I did a post, read for a while, then took a nap.  It was lovely.  It's probably been a year since I've had a nap.  Loved it.  That evening I did get to skype with my parents and wish my lovely mother a happy day - since it was already Mother's Day in Japan.  I got to see some cute Elders that had brought over a homemade, in their rice-cooker, cake for mother's day.  How thoughtful were they!?

So that was pretty much Saturday.

Sunday we all enjoyed a hot-cereal breakfast - which I love.  No, not in bed.  I think I prefer to eat my breakfast at a table. . . I got showered with all sorts of paintings, drawings, letters, and cards.  It was fun and sweet and cute and everything good.  Ben didn't have any meetings that morning and so that was a nice gift, too.  After church we had my requested dinner:  paninis, corn on the cob, salad, and key lime pie.  All was yum.

And that was that.

I'm lucky to be a mother to 4 wonderful and sometimes-not children.  And I'm lucky to have a wonderful mother and mother-in-law.  I've got it good indeed.

Bear Coming!

Lucy likes to say, "bear coming!" a lot.  I think her siblings started this "game" with her.  She says it, acts scared, and makes the most darling of faces.  If I really get in to it and scream, then she gets scared for real.  It's all too cute.

Here are the many of faces expressed during the "bear coming!" game:

(of course she has a dirty face. . .)

And a video, too.  Why not?

A Pain in My Neck

Who or what is a pain in my neck?  Miles?  Jonas?  Emmy?  Lucy?  Ben?  Laundry?  Dishes?  Cooking?  Nope, none of those.  The pain in my neck is just that - a literal pain in my neck.  That has been going on for a couple of months.  After a few weeks when it first occured  I went to a chiropractor, and I've been going ever since.  And things had gotten significantly better.  The kink was still there, but not as noticeable.  Until yesterday.  A new kink arrived. Worse than before.  I'm so mad.  I've got limited range of motion side-to-side (like before) and now front-to-back as well.  Ugh.  I think something is wrong, eh?  I'll see the chiropractor again today and see if he has any ideas, suggestions, or what.  I just want to feel all well.  And get rid of this pain in my neck.

(The pictures is there for really no reason.  This is a Wednesday afternoon - TV day.  Each kid gets to pick a show and one episode - we use hulu or netflix.  Lucy lasts for about a minute.  And I think that's a good thing!  :)

An Apple a Day. . .

helps teeth to fall out.  Or at least that is what Jonas is hoping for.

Me:  "Jonas, why are you eating so many apples lately?"

Jonas:  "I want my teeth to fall out."

Poor kid has had to suffer through an entire year of kindergarten (9 days left. . . ) without losing a single tooth.  I think Miles lost 3-4 teeth his K-year.  So Jonas is trying to do whatever he can to help speed along the process of losing his teeth.  Wish him luck!

6th Fishing Derby (plus more) - minus the girls

Last Saturday Team Maxwell split-up - girls and boys.  The girls all went to Grand Junction for the Girls on the Run (GOTR) 5K Race.  Someday I'll write more about me doing the GOTR this past season.  So I took the girls up with me bright and early and we enjoyed the hot race - the little girls were lucky in their amazing stroller with shade, a box of raisins, and rice-cakes.  Luckies.  After the race we went and got frozen yogurt and then headed over to Old Navy - where I was successful - yay!  A fun day for us girls.

The boys stayed back at home as there were activities going on here for them.  Jonas had a soccer game at 10:30:

 I just like this picture.

 Jonas got to do a goal-kick.  Yay.

Team Zebras.

After the game the boys went to the Fishing Derby.  We've gone just about every year (I think we missed one year.).  There they enjoyed a sack-lunch prepared by Miles and then they started the fishin'.

 Sweet boy.

 Why, yes, yes indeed, Miles did catch a fish on his first cast in the first 10 seconds.  Remember, that kid has The Miles Luck.  I know the lake is crazy stocked for this event, but still we have been plenty of times without catching a thing.

 Our fish-kissing boy.  He loves creatures, especially water ones.  He was so torn between throwing the fish back in versus keeping it to make his beloved fish-pie.  The fish got thrown back in.

 Jonas caught at fish towards the end.  Thank goodness.  :)

Cute little fisherboys.  (Miles did end up catching, and keeping, a second fish.  All were made in to fish pie on Monday.  Miles, Jonas, and surprisingly Emmy, were the only ones that actually ate it.  It wasn't bad, but there was an ENOURMOUS amount of butter in the whole thing and so I just couldn't do it!)

The rest of the day Ben and I were pretty tired!  But there were bathrooms to be cleaned (by me - blech), dinner to be made (by Ben, some french vegetable soup - yum), home-improvement projects to work on and more.

It was a good and productive day!

Cute stuff

cute quote:
"Ohhh, I have a beauty freckle!"
~ emmy

And, of course, some cute pictures:

 Jonas spear-headed this one afternoon.  He "cleaned" the cement patio - with water (so fun I'm sure!) and towels and brooms.  Awesome.  Then he and Emmy set-up this little outdoor snack-area for me and Ben.  Unfortunately Ben and I couldn't eat together (he was at work of course and the kids wanted me to eat then), but it was still sweet and fun - for them and us.  :)

 Some cute fun with bubbles (from Grandma Diana - thanks again!).

And a cute after-snack (and a lucky snack, too - chocolate pudding!) picture of The Goose.  (Yes, sometimes we call her The Goose.  Or even Lucy [loosey] Goosey).

Yay for cuteness.