Pictures

A few pictures of the last days of school and my yard.


My favorite ever last day of school photo. You should have heard the whining when I made them wash it out of their hair. Joseph was sure that he had actually turned into knuckles.

Jacob, Joshua, Austin and Jessica, celebrating Jessica's birthday with the bat signal cake the boys made all by themselves.


Jeremiah and his cousins Sam and Gloria at the International fair. They were all in the same class and choose the country of Norway.

This is what Joseph and Adam do then I am running around like a maniac the last two weeks of school. They were actually having some sort of plastic kiddie chair bull fight, what fun!


Jeremiah with his awesome 6th grade teacher Mr. Dixon.

Jeremiah with his 6th Grade diploma. Note the swim suit and three day old t-shirt, hopefully he'll dress a little nicer for senior graduation.



Joshua's band concert.

This is the best I could do at capturing the three large trees in my backyard. They shade the house and give my yard the feeling of a park. I refuse to leave this house unless I can take my trees.

My Hostas are looking better then ever this year.




My yard is my haven, a few years ago Richard bought me this kissing bench for my birthday, I had romantic dreams of sitting with him in this quiet corner of my garden. Alas his allergies and my constant entourage of children, it's yet to happen; but, I did share a beautiful moment there with Adam this afternoon. We talked about the large snail that was crawling across the grass. He wanted to pick it up but was afraid so I picked it up and showed him its eyes and antennae then we tossed it over the fence to munch the neighbors yard.

Son

Warm, heavy, golden tressed.

Upon my breast this young creation rests.

His warmth and weight my whirling mind caress.

Till peaceful, we are one soul breath.

This power, goodness, beauty, from my loins sprang.

Could I, then these, be less?

All and more my burgeoning spirit sang.

Bright hope infused my doubting chest.

Tan Lines

Summer's officially here, I know this because Adorable Hubby is yelling at everyone in the family and half the kids in the neighborhood to, "Shut the door!" Adorable Hubby likes a cool house, with seven boys and all their friends coming and going and no central air keeping the cold in and the heat out is the only answer. Of course there's the extra body heat generated from a stressed out yelling man ;)

My little boys know summer is here because we finally bought a blue plastic kiddie pool. In February as soon as Valentines Day is over they begin asking when we're getting the kiddie pool. On snowy days they ask three or four times on sunny days 10 or 12 times. Generally by the time its actually warm enough to enjoy it they have been playing in it for two or three weeks because I just couldn't take the pestering and caved in. This year was cold and busy so it wasn't until last Wednesday that I finnnnnnallllyyy! got a pool. Thursday they were out in it from 10:30 in the morning until 9:00 at night and this brings me to the subject of tan lines.

Isaac and Joseph have the cute little boy tan line just at their hips, Adam, well... we'll call it a plumbers tan line. It's so stinkin' cute to see the distinct line on his bottom where his swim suit comes to rest. I thought about a picture, but you'll just have to take my word for it.

Or, you can come visit, we'll hang out by the pool, watch the kiddies play, enjoy a Popsicle and get you some tan lines of your own.

Going To The Birds

Adam, like most 3 going on 4 year olds has a very active imagination and earlier this spring he discovered he was afraid of birds; so when he ran down the hall and into the kitchen saying he was afraid of that bird hopping around our house I rolled my eyes and exchanged an, Adam's imagination is at it again, look with Jeremiah.

In my defense I did ask Adam where he saw the bird and Jeremiah walked down the stairs and glanced around. Since neither of us saw anything and Adam is, well... Adam, we didn't think much of it.

Two hours later I walked back across the street from my moms' where I had been trying to convince my 12 year old boy that taking summer band for seven days and not having the French horn figured out does not mean he is a failure. As I approached the house Jacob and Isaac had a tale to tell.

Isaac: Mom, There was a bird in the house, I saw it sitting on the couch and I told Jacob, "Jacob, there is a bird in the house sitting on the couch in the living room".

Jacob: (holding the lid from the Lego box and the empty beanie baby basket) I didn't believe him so he said, "Come see for yourself".

Isaac: So, then I said, "Jacob I'm not lying, come see for yourself". So he came in and saw the bird. How did a bird get in our house? Why do bird's go in houses? Do you think it was a baby bird, it was pretty big I think it was a grown up bird, well maybe it was like a hmm... I guess it was a kid bird. Oh and I got to touch it and it didn't bite me. Ahh Mom, it was such a cute bird I think we should have caught it and kept it for a pet.

Jacob: I trapped it and let it go. It flew into those trees.

I guess I should take Adam more seriously; imaginative though he may be.

Oh, and just in case you wondered... the Beanies babies were dumped out on the floor and there they remain, I can't find the Lego box lid and we still have no idea how a bird got in the house.

Mc Ironic

I was in the drive-through at McDonald's the other day ordering dinner for my family, no, I didn't have a million things going on I just didn't feel like cooking, you can cast your vote for me as Mother-of-the-Year at www.waybeyondcaringwhatanyonethinks.urg. Isaac was in the car with me and noticed that the Chuck E. Cheese parking lot, which is adjacent to the parking lot at the McDonald's we frequent, was empty.

Isaac: Mom, no one is at Chuck E. Cheese's, they must have figured out that eating Chuck E. Cheese's food can give kids rare diseases.

Mom: Rare Diseases huh, not contagious diseases or infectious diseases?

Isaac: (singing) Chuck E. Cheese's where a kid can get rare diseases.
















McDonald's as a healthy alternative, who knew?

Two Weeks in May

Welcome to Smith Downs for the annual running of the Last Two Weeks of School Derby. This years race promises to provide 'on the edge of your seat' excitement. Let's meet the field of unseasoned but promising newcomers as well as the tried and true regulars.

In gate 1 we have the familiar thoroughbred, Another Dang Baseball Game. He's made a great showing for the last few years and always turns in a good performance.

In gate 2 is the newcomer, Ballroom Team Tryouts. This little filly looks elegant but her owners tell me she is a down and dirty fighter.

In Gate 3 is the tried and true, Dance Festival. The Last Two Weeks of School Derby just wouldn't be the same with out this filly.

In Gate 4 is, Stressed Out Daddy. This veteran is a gritty competitor if the pressure doesn't get to him.

In Gate 5 is Screamin' Momma. On a good day she'll set the pace for the rest of the field on a bad day it's best to steer clear.

In Gate 6 we have, My Band Concert is at Seven Tonight. This three year old always enters at the last minute which can be upsetting to the rest of the field.

Gate 7 is this years home to, Choir Concert, This four year old is a magnificent runner but may be more suited to an endurance race then the Last Two Weeks Sprint.

In Gate 8 it's, Elementary School Carnival. A five year tradition at the Last Two Weeks of School Derby.

Gate 9 is where you'll find, Grumpy Whining Kids. If this horse finds his stride he's a mean competitor.

In Gate 10 is, Sixth Grade Graduation. This horse promises a lot but has yet to deliver a win.

In Gate 11 is Registering For a New School. A scrappy fighter who plays rough.

This year in Gate 12 is, Finishing Driving and Observation so I Can Actually be a Licensed Driver. Let's hope the jockeys keep this horse and Screamin' Momma, separated or this race could turn into a brawl.

In Gate13 is, Anti-Anxiety Rx. Hopefully this horse will be a no-show.

In Gate 14 we have, Allergy Season. This is the oldest competitor but no one is counting him out.

And last but not least in Gate 15 is, I'll Never Do This Again. This nag has come in last every year for the past 12 years but somehow manages to come back each year for more.


Folks, the jockeys are mounted and the horses are in the gates, were waiting for the starting bell here at Smith Downs. There it is the running of the Last Two Weeks of School Derby is underway.


They're off, at the gate it's Another Dang Baseball Game neck and neck with Ballroom Team Tryouts. Allergy Season is coming on strong followed by Grumpy Whining Kids. At the first turn it's Stressed Out Dad, Followed by Another Dang Baseball Game and Finishing Driving and Observation so I Can Actually Be a Licensed Driver . Down the back straight-of-way it's My Band Concert is at Seven Tonight, Screamin' Momma and Anti Anxiety Rx. Registering For a New School is coming up on the outside followed closely by Choir Concert. Around the second turn it's Choir Concert at the rail Band Concert and Stressed out Dad on the outside but don't count Another Dang Baseball game, Screamin' Momma or Allergy Season out yet. And down the final straight of way it's Elementary School Carnival, Dance Festival, Screamin' Momma, Dance festival, Grumpy whining kids, wait a minuet folks, outta nowhere it's Sixth Grade Graduation and I'll never do this again, it's Stressed Out Dad, Screamin' Momma, Another Dang Baseball Game, no wait it's Grumpy Whining Kids, Dance festival Screamin' Momma. At the wire it's Screamin 'Momma, Another Dang Baseball Game and Grumpy Whining Kids.


Thanks for joining us we'll see you next year when Graduation joins the field.

Language Barrier

I had no idea that living in an all boy home, I don't count I'm a mom, could create a language barrier. OK, that's not strictly true, I did realize at some point that my children were entering kindergarten with no ability to use female pronouns: her, hers, she. But until a week ago I had no idea that my children were suffering from a much deeper problem.

We were at 3 and 4s' baseball game, 1 was scheduled for a drive at A1 driving school. As he and I turned to head for the car a daddy on a bike pulling a kiddie trailer followed by his 6 or 7 year old daughter on a cute 'girl bike' rode past on the wide sidewalk that wanders through the ball park to accommodate bikers, skateboarders, scooters and brave pedestrians.

The daddy was thirty feet or so ahead of his daughter and as he rode past the snack shack his daughter lost her balance and fell over. Another man and I rushed over to help the little girl who lay in a heap tangled up with her bike whimpering. The man who had come to help realizing the only thing more traumatic to that age of girl then falling off her bike was having a strange man hovering over her went to get the dad.

I had watched the fall I knew that she was favoring the side that didn't get bumped and I knew that the incoherent whimpering she was using to communicate was more from embarrassment and fear then pain. I stayed by her until her daddy came back and then the two of us tried to talk to her. All the questions she was asked were answered with whimpers and unintelligible little girl responses. The dad helped her up and brushed her off as 1, who had been hovering close by watching the whole scene, and I headed to our car.

As we walked Jacob ask, "Mom, was that girl speaking English because her dad didn't sound like he was from another country; but, I couldn't understand a word the little girl was saying."

"Son," I replied, "that was a different language, that was seven year old girl".

My poor boys they have a language barrier!