Swimmin'

We broke out the kiddie pool for the first time this season today! There were some thrilled little girls at our house because of it! Ainsley, Cousin M. and the watering cans had a grand time in the pool!

I have a feeling getting wet will be a favorite activity this summer!

Well, last week we lost our camera while on a hike. It was missing for several days, and I was certain that it was gone forever. But, I should have known that the father in this family can find anything that is missing, and sure enough he did...in the bottom of our empty pop can tub in the garage. That's another story. Anyway, very few photos were taken in the past week, so I will entertain you with some treasures I found on the back of Bennett's math tests from school! When Bennett finishes her work early, her teacher allows her to draw on the back side of the paper she's completed. Most often this occurs on math tests. It is always a treat to flip over a math test when it comes home, because what can be seen on the back is sure to be amusing! Above, we have a comic (click on the image to enlarge it.) I chuckled when I realized that Bennett's teacher must have also flipped to the back side while grading, because of her "YEAH!" comment at the bottom of the paper.

What do we have here? Why, it's some sort of little colony that lives inside of Bennett's capitalized nickname. Nice!

And finally, the ever-popular back-of-the-test artwork, Bennett's hand drawing. In this case, her hand is drawing Superman.

Mud Fight!

Guest blogger, Bennett, again... MUUUUUUD FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last night we went to our neighbor's house . We had a mud fight !

MY BOOTY IS WET !!!!!!!!!

Introducing our newest blogger...BENNETT!!! We went to sno-biz last night . We like sno-biz because it is yummy! I got Indian Power flaver and my sister got pink cotten candy flaver! We almost had to skip it because we kept on fussing but, my mom and dad gave us a second chance. Adios amigos!

Mother's Day Weekend, Featuring Dad!

Being a mom often means you are also the family photographer. Rarely are you actually in a photo. Once again, 'tis the case on Mother's Day weekend. It's cool...I'd rather not be photographed anyway. And Dad, bless his soul, is TERRIBLE at taking photos. So given that, here are some highlights from the weekend that feature the world's greatest father! The girls and I made breakfast in bed for Dad on Saturday. This was done partially because we love and appreciate him. I must admit, it was also done partially because we knew that a hot breakfast would wake him up! It was an abrupt and slightly rude awakening at first, but I do think he enjoyed the breakfast. Ainsley enjoyed her breakfast by his side!

Ainsley is our handy, fix-it kid. She jumped at the chance to help Dad with some routine maintenance on the car. Don't forget the safety goggles!

And some free Mother's Day entertainment came when Dad dressed up and made a fool of himself at church on Sunday! He did a GREAT job playing the part of Bible Memory Man's arch enemy, Forgetful Freddie. He really got into his character and even talked in a high-pitch voice with a lisp. It was F-U-N-N-Y! Well, it was funny until the kids started getting physical with him and he got punched in the "red zone." Way to take one for the team, Dad!

What a FUN Weekend!!!

We just had what could have been one of the best weekends ever! It was jam packed with friends, family and food, and the weather was beautiful! Here are some photos! On Saturday, there was a "Best Of" party with several friends. Everyone brought their "best" or favorite foods to the party. It was quite a delicious hodge-podge. Here are just a few of the eats...French toast bake, pumpkin pie, Christmas fudge and Italian soup!

Ainsley's friend, T, was at the party. She was completely thrilled, as she is quite certain that he will one day be her husband. Move over, Cardboard Brian! I'm not sure T knows that Ainsley is planning to marry him one day. I hope he'll be okay with that! There was a game, a pop quiz of sorts, at the party. Here are the grown-ups, all busy quizzing. What is Bennett busy doing? Entertaining the quizzers of course!

The party wrapped up with a beloved game of Floamball. Floamball is basically Home Run Derby played with a tiny kids' bat and a ball made of Floam. Here are the some of the boys and a Mercury in the outfield.

More Floamball action. Little T is catching some air as he watches in excitement.

The dads were so kind as to let the kids bat a few times. Bennett was pretty good!

On Saturday evening, we headed to Grandpa C and Grandma D's house for some family fun with cousins. Here are Bennett, Ainsley and Cousin A settling in for yet another Gator ride. Baby Cousin S is getting strapped into the front seat. Yes, this Gator even has a baby seat!

Cousin A and her family brought their dog to visit, hence the little schnauzer in constant pursuit of the speeding Gator.

A game of Bocce ball went down at Grandpa and Grandma's. Let me just say that playing Bocce ball in the presence of a fetching German Shepard does not go well.

On Sunday evening, we headed to the other grandparents' house for an impromptu campfire. While the fire was heating up, Grandpa L and Ainsley decided a little tree climbing was in order.

Bennett decided to join them!

Ainsley enjoyed carrying logs for the fire. She has quite a load here!

Grandpa broke the old swing out of storage to create more campfire seating. The girls enjoyed laying on this, with the added comfort of an old cushion.

Eating hotdogs and baked beans with the boys on a beautiful evening...

Ainsley wrapped up her meal with a delcious smore!

Recent Randomness

Enjoy some random photos from the past two weeks! Ahhh, the first hike of the season! We LOVE to be in the woods!
The hike was also an attempt to find some morels. On our way, we prayed that God would bless us with but one beautiful little mushroom. God hears and answers prayer...we found but one beautiful little mushroom!

A robin has been making it's home above a buttress on our front porch. I'm not a fan of it's location, but it does make it easy for us to observe. I climbed up and held the camera over the nest to take this picture. Low and behold, we have a blue egg!

Ainsley is as domestic as a girl can get. She wants nothing more than to be a wife and mother someday. I love this, as she loves to help me with household tasks in preperation for her future homemaking. Here she is, feverishly scrubbing the spill trays from our stove.

And we'll end with something weird. We have lots of "weird" at our house...most recently a pink bunny in handcuffs lounging on Ainsley's bed. I asked Ainsley if she handcuffed her bunny. Her reply was "yes." I asked her why she handcuffed her bunny, and she just stared me down in silence. No idea what that's about, but good news! The bunny has been released after posting bond.

Birthday Bash Road Trip!

Over the weekend we hit the road, in search of a good party. Low and behold, we found one at Uncle J and Aunt L's house...Cousin A was turning 3! To give Aunt L some credit, here is a picture of the beautiful spread...the VERY PINK spread!

Cousin A got a new bike for her birthday. She was pretty pumped. Bennett was equally pumped to have access to a teeny, tiny plastic scooter-trike.

The girls had a birthday scavenger hunt that led them both indoors and out. Aunt L! Watch out for the bumblebees!!! Fear of stinging bugs is a family trait.

Ah, the scavenger hunt prize was found in the mailbox. The girls loved all of the little pink treasures they received.

Leave it to your cousin to steal the show at your birthday party. Cousin A wouldn't wear her birthday hat. No problem! Bennett would LOVE to wear the party hat. Bennett would also love to wear your pink dress-up poodle skirt. Bennett would also LOVE for everyone to see her wearing the party hat and poodle skirt. Who is having the birthday again?

The party was complete with a pinata! Here is Ainsley, taking a swing while wearing a wedding gown and big eyelashes. When is the girl not thinking about getting married!??!

Cousin A has a bounce house! This was another huge party hit!

Cousin A received a Disney princess nightgown for her birthday. She was so, so happy about it. Ainsley appears as though she thinks Cousin A needs to tone down the happiness a bit. Actually, Ainsley was thrilled to be "twins" with Cousin A.

Before heading back home from the fun birthday weekend, we stopped at a fabulous greenhouse. This greenhouse is so fabulous, it makes me want to move, just so I can go to the greenhouse any time I want to. Here are the girls in a sea of geraniums.

When we arrived home, we found a surprise by the garage door. Grandpa, who had to miss the birthday party because of field work all weekend, had dropped off something special for Bennett and Ainsley. They each received their very own bag of pop cans to cash in! They were so pleased...replenishment of their garage sale spending money! Thanks, Grandpa!!!

First Fire!!!

We had our first campfire of the season at Grandpa and Grandma's this weekend, complete with a weenie roast and smores! It was really fun! Here are the girls, roasting weenies with Grandpa.
The girls took some breaks from the fire to explore the cornfield....in flip flops! They loved looking for treasures out there.

Ainsley found something unusual out in the cornfield. A glass Christmas ornament. I bet if she'd left it alone, it would have been tilled into the soil and grown into a Christmas tree!


Bennett and Ainsley were THRILLED to spend time with Baby Cousin S. at the campfire. Ainsley gave S. and Bennett a ride in the little red car.

Now here is the picture of a perfect grandma!