McKinley Museum

Ray and the boys at the McKinley Museum in Canton - they have DINOSAURS!

I'm Sad...

Borders is closing! This is the end of an era! I grew up on Waldenbooks - my mom and us kids went there weekly in Wasilla! Ray and I always took the boys to Borders to play (books, toys, etc all indoors....) and find new books. With Borders closing, we have no bookstores close by. I'm so sad...

That said, we got some good deals and probably will get some more, but still, I want Borders back!

I get why they failed...they just didn't keep up with technology (their website sucked it up big time and they fell behind the ebook curve) and were too into their "real" stores, but that doesn't make it any better.

I like to go to bookstores...they are fun, I love to browse....I buy a lot online, but when I want "new" stuff, I go to a "real" bookstore....

Scissors

Adam working on his scissors use! I've decided he's my new junk mail shredder!

Having Fun!

The boys had a little fun...quite the mess!

I found a hat!
Me, too!

Andrew playing in their fort in the living room - too hot to be outside!

Covered in Food!

Andrew enjoying his food!

Had to share!

I am reading First Family by Joseph Ellis (slowly, but enjoying it...I just get distracted a lot!) and this part, on Abigail's opinion of the Senate had me laughing today and so had to share! Just too apropos! Congress is like making sausage....not all that inspiring or pretty! Although sausage at least tastes good...Abigail had more faith than I did their product might at least be edible!
Abigail found the debates [on the Residence Act], some of which she witnessed from the Senate gallery, extremely offensive because of the blatantly partisan atmosphere and the wholly argumentative context of the legislative process. "The more I see of Mankind," she lamented, "the more sick I am of publick life, and the less worthy do they appear to me." She thought it was a mistake to open the Senate gallery to the public, since ordinary citizens would now see that making laws was like making sausage: not a pretty sight, and not a scene likely to inspire confidence in the new government. So much for John's idealistic vision of the Senate as the arena for America's virtuous elite.
According to the endnotes, this is from AA to Cotton Tufts, March 1790

Hot, Hot, Hot

Ugh...seriously hot here! So we really can't complain as we've had a pretty mild summer so far, but it has been BAKING this week. It has been dangerous to have the boys out much, especially Andrew who really has trouble with the heat (just like Daddy). We usually walk a couple of miles...yesterday I took the boys around the block!

We ended up in the car and at the mall today just to avoid the heat. The boys needed to get out, but outside just isn't an option. It is hard to say no to the park to the boys, but it just isn't fun or safe.

Definitely hoping for some cooler weather!

The boys

The boys in their new matching air show shirts from Grandma.

Andrew throwing a ball - Andrew loves balls! His other favorite thing is cars.

The boys and Emily and Sam

My cousin Emily, Sam and the boys - Emily and Sam stopped on their way back from MN for a short visit (on their way home to CT). They had their little dog, Farley, with them, which the boys really enjoyed!

Helping Uncle Jason Move

This is Uncle Jason, who Ray helped move by flying out to drive back with him. Here is helping unload the moving truck.

Andrew's contribution - he hauled in the basketball!
Checking out the truck!

Getting down...quite the splits!

Adam actually hauled in a few boxes!

New Guitars

These were on a clearance rack for a few bucks...I couldn't just buy Adam one!

Playing Guitar - Adam gest so into it!

Been a long week....

Ray's pretty much been gone for a week (he'll be home within the hour, yah!) and its been a long week. He had promised our friend Jason to help him move from MN to OH...okay, no problem...what we didn't know is he'd get a grant for a workshop in DC like the next day...so he went out to Jason's, drove with him and the moving truck back....to turn around and drive to DC for a three day workshop! A LOT of driving for him.

For the most part, the kids have been okay, but Adam didn't nap today for the third day in a row....and it is BOILING here...he SO needed it...it meant the last few hours of today were REALLY tough. He was just SO tired.

We pretty much hibernated today to avoid the heat. I took the boys out for like 30 minutes....it was just too hot. We usually walk a few miles...we literally just went around the block. Even with the sprinkler on (my poor garden), Andrew didn't want to be outside and Andrew NEVER wants to go in and he was begging to go in. Just too hot.

But hey tomorrow is a new day - hopefully COOLER - and Ray will be back! We have definitely missed him!

Outdoor Fun

This is Mickey - Adam made him in the sand all by himself, without any prompting! The artist!
Adam was "rowing" his wagon...with golf clubs....

Andrew trying to find the slide and pushing his wagon around

Adam playing Captain Hook

Ugh...not going well....

So today I wanted to do a few things. So the boys and I got up, got moving, went to Hallmark to get my mother and grandmother's ornaments for them. That went okay, just a few normal issues. So I load up the boys and wanted to go to Hartville Market to buy produce. So I drive there, annoying drivers and all, during which my phone rings. I've had the same cell number now for about four years, but the SOB who had it before me obviously can't pay his bills...and I STILL get calls. I've told them and told them...but they obviously suck at their jobs, so they keep using the number I've told them doesn't help. In addition, the idiots who loaned this guy money in the first place are obviously bad at THEIR jobs for doing it as well. Normally I try not to take out my ire on underpaid phone callers, but seriously....this had stopped for awhile but restarted recently and although I hit the given number, that never actually does anything and I don't have time to wait on hold! So today, as I was just stuck in traffic, I did and yelled at some poor employee, who I realize is just doing her job, but seriously, get a clue - the number is WRONG. I've told these various people again and again! And if you have a system that says hit a nunber for this....have it actually WORK!!! AGHH!!!

Anyway, I get to Hartville and it is INSANE...I mean I knew it would be busy, but this is nuts and there is NO parking AT ALL...so I give up and just go home. But Andrew, at this point, has been asleep too long and I know it. We stop at Wal-Mart to get the diapers I forgot yesterday, get some food and go home.

So I get the boys fed, am starting things....then Andrew poops...okay....then Adam does, but in his pants, where he is NOT supposed to. So I clean him up and put him to bed for nap - if he's going to act like a baby, I'll treat him like a baby.

So I put both him and Andrew to bed for naps. Andrew SCREAMS and SCREAMS (I knew he'd slept too long), so I end up moving him to the playpen while I finish what I'm in the middle of and then it turns out he'd pooped again (I normally give them at least 15 minutes after pooping to see if there is more, but Adam messed it up). So he's up with me as I now feel bad that he did have a reason to be mad.

But seriously, we have plans tonight....Ray is gone until tonight...I really needed them to nap! Why do my children have to do everything the hard way?

And as a side note, if there is a perfectly good sidewalk, bikers need to USE it. Mr. Biker, you are not BETTER than the sidewalk! I get it if there isn't one why you need to be in the road, but if there is a sidewalk, you do NOT belong in the road!!!!!

Been Crazy

As you might have noticed, we've been looney, hence low on picture posting. I've been taking them, but getting them up is often a different story! As a note, I just put up a bunch of video links on older posts, so check that out.

Ray is done teaching for the summer, but I'm still going for now and we are both trying to do prep work among other stuff...including deep cleaning, which I'm trying to get going.

Andrew is doing quite well and done with bottles - two days now with NONE. He was down to just one for a few weeks, but we've found a good sippy cup solution for him. He doesn't remember to life the sippy cups Adam has always used, but he is great with straws, so that is what we have now and he's doing great. Otherwise, he is just GOING, GOING, GONE!! He loves to be outside, loves bubbles and adores food - that boy will eat us out of house and home! Adam was using baby food until almost two because that was the only way we could get ANY food into him...Andrew is pretty much done now. He's eats EVERYTHING. He's really into the dipping now!

Adam is pretty much potty trained, but we've had some attitude issues. Mainly three year old stuff that we are working on. Some of it is sleeping issues. He isn't sleeping/napping well and it REALLY shows in his behavior. He sleeps, and he's fine...he doesn't and he can be a really terror. He is in the "zone" where he doesn't want naps, but still NEEDS them. Definitely a bit of trial at times, but we are working on it.

Yard Fun

I've covered myself in dirt!
Because Adam was having issues cranking (he'll get it), we bought cheapie water pistols!

Pirate Adam on lookout! Adam loves to play pirate and the slide is his "ship" - he likes to be Captain Hook!

Andrew

Working on my laptop
Dipping chips in salsa - he's a dipping maniac now...he was dipping my queso tonight everything on his plate...bread, chips, graham cracker....

Andrew is also quite the car boy - he loves to "vroom" all his cars!

Andrew Driving

I'm driving!
Look at me!

This was Andrew last summer - what happened to my tiny baby?

Adam's First Flight

Adam went on his first flight with Daddy on Tuesday - he LOVED it. He is already asking to go again! Daddy started with what he could NOT touch...an important skill!

I did it!

Ready to go - isn't my headset so cute?
I could so fly this!

Card Making

I went to a card making class the first week of July and these are my products. They are doing one a month and I'm quite excited!

This was SUPER hard

The twine was SO hard to get in!

Water Guns

Adam's rocket ship - this a pool float, but Adam is in love, so it is backyard fun now! He routinely blasts off to the Moon!
Chasing bubbles!

Adam's new water gun...Uncle Billy sent this...Adam can't quite crank it yet, but he'll figure it out!
Help from Daddy

Bubble gun - Uncle Billy sent this from Andrew...Andrew loves it...as long as someone else runs it so he can chase the bubbles...he is constantly begging Adam to use it!

Oh, and Adam's throwing skills

Today's Walk

Adam loves train tracks, so this switcher obsessed him...it, ,of course, is locked...he sure tried though to move it!
On Daddy's back

Fun at Tim and Kris'

We were over to a friend's house.

Andrew checking out the water feature...Adam was so obsessed they ended up having to turn it off...just oculdn't leave it alone!
Adam pulling Luke. He also pulled Andrew

Andrew pulling Luke (didn't go well...couldn't get the message to him)

Luke pulling Andrew...as a note, Andrew outweigh Luke, who is older!

My Men

Playground Fun