Bathing Beauties

My boys have loved to going to Miss Debbie's pool this summer. Miss Debbie is our very kind neighbor with an in-ground pool that she lets the neighborhood use. The first time we went, I didn't bring my camera and I was sad that I didn't get pictures of the awesome things my boys wear in the pool. Never fear, last week I came armed with my trusty Canon and got these pictures.

Note there is only one picture of David John. He spent most his time circling the pool agonizing about whether or not to get in. He finally got in for the last fifteen minutes and then didn't want to leave... typical.

Elijah loves the water and is very faithful about wearing his "sun scream". Marc got a sunburn the other day, and Elijah chastised him, "You should have used sun scream Dad. Then you wouldn't get burned."

Gabe was preparing to jump off the diving board in a feat of unparalleled daring. Can't you tell?

Benjamin is a water baby. He kicks around like a pro and even climbed out of his flotation device twice. We caught him and pulled him out but both times his face went in the water briefly. He was totally unfazed. 

By the end he was just using this inner-tube to hold on to and kick around.

Gabe decided to ditch the tube and just go with the floaties. Maybe swim lessons next year?

Even Elijah was getting braver and experimenting with kicking around and using noodles instead of tubes. I'll be happy when they can swim on their own, but I will miss how cute they look with all this gear.

Happy B'Day Bapa

Today is my dad's birthday. I won't say how old he is, just that he is older than David John who turns 3 tomorrow. David John loves having a birthday so close to his Bapa's. All month we've been hearing the following from David John:
"I will tell you a joke."
"Okay..."
"Bapa's birthday in July like me! Bwahahahahahaha!"
Of course we start laughing because of his wild laughter and the fact that his statement is nowhere close to being a joke.
Last weekend, my parents were here just for one day to see the final performance of This Is Kirtland!
Because the performance was a matinee, and my parents had to leave right afterward we decided to have a little breakfast birthday party for Dad and David John on Saturday morning.
We served smoothies and zucchini bread (thanks Mom!) with candles in it. My Dad received photographs and drawings from the grandsons as well as some dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts. David John got a Thomas the Tank Engine backpack with coloring books and two DVDs inside. When he pulled out the first DVD, Hercules, he shouted "I got Percales!" When he pulled out the second DVD, We're Back, he said, "Oh, and spooky movie grownups watch!" Since then we have watched it and he decided it's not so scary or spooky.
Anyway, here are some pictures from the birthday breakfast. I sure love both July birthday boys.

Drawing Out the Best

David John has a very unique style of drawing people that I have been wanting to to preserve. I find that I really enjoy looking back at the drawings from the other boys that I've posted in the past. So, when David John announced, "Mommy I am going to draw you!" I was delighted. Surely, this would be the perfect opportunity to scan in the picture and post it on my blog. Before I show the picture, let me try to describe how David John draws his people so you will be able to tell what is what.
David John never draws a circumscribed head. He starts with two big eyes, hair (if you're lucky) and then draws a straight line underneath the eyes for a mouth. The arms are sometimes impossible to see because they protrude directly out of either side of the mouth and sometimes look like just one continuous line. The legs, likewise, grow directly downward out of the mouth. Can you picture it? I labeled the first drawing in case you can't quite envision it.
So, this is the drawing he proudly brought to me:

"Look, Mommy! I drew you! You are a monster with four legs and one arm!"
Lovely. I guess that must be my monster friend just behind me.
"Thank you, David John. Do you think you could draw a picture of Mommy when I am not a monster?"
"Okay."

A few minutes later he came back with this one:

"Here Mommy. You are big and fat and mean and angry!"
"Wow. Another great drawing! Can you draw one more where I am not a monster or big and fat and mean and angry?"
"*sigh* Okay, Mommy."

Finally, he brought me this picture:

"Look, Mommy, you are not a monster and you are not fat and not angry..."
"Oh, thank you David John! It's just right."
"...but that monster with four legs and the one with just eyes are going to eat you."
How does one respond to that?
My children so often leave me speechless.

Dreams of Spring

Like much of the country, we are experiencing a heat wave. It isn't even that bad here, we are only in the mid-to-high nineties and haven't broken 100. Still, all of this heat has me longing for those cooler Spring days we had just weeks ago. I thought I would post some of my favorite Spring pictures. Maybe mother nature will see them and decide to banish this summer heat in favor of spring-like weather.

What could be better than enjoying the butterflies and lilacs in your own yard?

Our neighbor rescued this little tent which was destined for the trash. My boys swept it out, then moved right in. They are excited to have a place where they can make up their own house rules.

Spring training, anyone?

Hey batter batter!

Nice bunt!

Uncle Sam (my brother, no political reference intended) turned these boys into warriors using cardboard and duct tape.

Swingin' at Grandpa's house.

I think he may be high-centered. A little help?

Elijah enjoyed making Benjamin's car balance on two wheels. Benjamin wasn't so sure if this was a good idea.

On one of our only hot spring days, Benjamin got his first experience with the kiddie pool. It was a big hit.

David John and Benjamin love the big chair swings at our favorite playground, Bexley Park.

It was nothing but blue skies and cool breezes at Gabriel and Elijah's last day of preschool picnic.

 See? Spring was so lovely. Now you'll excuse me while I go turn up the AC. Spring was cheaper too.....