boys and rocks

And that was our Sunday afternoon.

fyi

Twenty pounds of strawberries is a lot of pounds. Also, pricey. But I think we've handled our strawberry heap okay. We ended up making jam, pie, and ice cream, freezing some for future smoothies, and keeping the now-manageable rest in the fridge for daily munching. Maybe we'll go back for some more?

sweet

We went strawberry picking today, me and three kids. Joe was an excellent strawberry-picker and filled his bucket to the brim. Henry was an excellent strawberry-eater and filled his belly right to the brim. Annie enjoyed the straw in strawberries. In the end: 20 pounds of berries, now waiting to become jam, smoothies, milkshakes, and digested. Yum-my.

the graduate

Kindergarten. This is the big time.

Congratulations, Lily! Joe was terribly nervous for you and had to hide his face behind his hands when you took your turn at the mic, but you did great! Joe was so relieved! And now on to bigger and better things - hurray for grade 1!

sunday

Some cousins came to visit. They brought timbits and a playhouse - thank you!

See those sweaty little heads? It was hot. So we went swimming. And then we enjoyed a grocery-store-bbq-chicken-meal-deal on our patio. This is the fourth night in a row dining outside, Joe and Henry's request. And who cares about crumbs - let them fall where they may!

This fellow makes us laugh. And shake our heads. But mostly laugh.

Annie enjoys a good game of peekaboo. Also, it looks like she has a wristband from an awesome concert she went to, or maybe an all-inclusive weekend getaway. But it's just from the swimming pool.

 

And this is what it looks like when heatstroke is just settling into your little tiny body. It's true. He was a sick boy overnight and today but now, I think, on the mend. Henry helped out by saying this prayer today: "Jesus, bless Jojo's leg (?). Help him to not be sick and not be sad. Amen."

Maybe next Sunday we'll spend a little less time outside.

bike riders

Watch out, neighbourhood.

grad 2013

belated baptism birthday

Ice cream sundaes (and prayers) all around!

daddy

Last night, Joe said to David, "I promise I won't be grumpy all day long tomorrow because I don't want to ruin your special day." Well, that promise may have been quickly broken/forgotten/compromised BUT Joe still wanted the day to be so special for his daddy. He had a jam-packed schedule of activities planned...
breakfast in bed
family hike
picnic
nap (for everyone else, not him, thankyouverymuch)
restaurant
swim

We crammed it all in, despite rainy weather and stormy tempers, and, in the end, David proclaimed it was, indeed, a special day. Success. Good planning, Joseph.

And Happy Father's Day, David. We love you so very much.

personality

Annie is...
sweet // coy // suspicious // strong

three kids in a tub

nice

Some awesome words out of this fellow's mouth recently...
- as I rushed around the house, getting us set to get out the door and Joe off to school: "Mom, what can I do to help you get ready for us to go?"
- when I left the kitchen in a huff after being bossed around by two boys during painting time AND then discovered some diaper blowout remnants on the living room rug: "Mommy, I'm just coming to see if you're all right?"
- and pretty much anytime he wants to play the Dinosaur Train game on the iPad: "I am going to be the best boy that I can be."

I am a sucker and I fall for it every time.

soccer phenom

This is Joe at soccer. He likes to run, look for his family in the crowd, wave, grab the ball with his hands, giggle at the coaches' hi-lar-ious jokes, be the fastest, and be the goalie (I think, because, the goalie is the only one who gets to grab the ball with his hands). We're having fun watching him and seeing that ear-to-ear grin.

10 months

blogger wouldn't upload my video...

...saving you from watching 3 minutes of my son on the swing set whilst he sings the praises of his daddy, who assembled the play equipment. So here is a picture (non-moving) instead.