Unfiltered

Most kids tend to be brutally honest and Ian had 2 conversations the other day that show the way he thinks and how the filter between the brain and the mouth has not yet developed.

Ian:  Jeanne, how old are you?
Jeanne: I'm 60.
Ian:  Is that older than the mountains?

Next conversation:
Ian was sitting on Grandpa Jim's lap going through a bag of parade candy that consisted mostly of Frooties and Tootsie Rolls.  He came across a larger Tootsie Roll and said, "Hey, Grandpa!  This one's fat like you!"

As harsh as those conversations sound written out, they were quite hilarious at the time.  We all had a great laugh as we cherished this cute age and the innocent way they take in all of their information and process it...and then blurt it out.  But honestly, how can this face not make your day completely light up?  Here he is on his first day of preschool.  (Of course we can't have pictures without little brother in them!)

Saki-It To Me

Our last trip to Fargo had us visiting a Hibachi restaurant for the first time.  The kids (well, the adults too) had a blast watching the chefs flip the food on the hot griddle in front of us, do tricks, make us laugh, as well as have "saki" squirted into their mouths.  (The adults got saki, the kids got soda, but they liked it anyway.)  They tried sushi for the first time & liked it.

At the end of our fabulous & filling meal, we were treated to a birthday song & fireworks for our nephew, Tyson's, birthday.  He also got to wear a Chinese dragon head during the light show.

 

 

Laney already has it planned that we're going there on her birthday...

The pictures on the wall are of birthday guests.  The whole room is covered in them!

 

Thank you, Noah!

Yesterday was the day that 21 month-old Noah saved me from complete embarrassment. 

We were all getting ready for church and it started to get to that time that everyone was running around needing something and distracting me from finishing getting ready myself.  I was in the process of picking out shoes.  You know...putting on 2 different shoes and looking in the mirror sideways or standing on one foot to decide which one looks better.  So usually, the shoes are very different in how they feel on my feet, and yesterday they were not.  So in the middle of my deciding, I was distracted by ponytail making and clothing choices and a late sleeper.  Just as we were about to leave, Noah was playing around in the entryway & was pointing at and standing in one of my "trial" shoes, which made me realize that I was still wearing 2 different shoes.  As I laughed at how funny I looked and how cute it was that he showed me, I couldn't help but feel really relieved that I didn't walk into church with 2 different shoes on. 

Hereditary

I have proof that there are more things that are passed on to your children than just looks and health-related issues.  Apparently sleeping habits and positions are also included. 

(They even make the same snoring noises when they snooze!)

No wonder they got the nicknames "Slump" & "Lil Slump".

 

 

Also note the "gift" of being able to sleep with an awake child in your lap.

Heeere fishy, fishy, fishy!

On our down time this summer, we were able to take some opportunities to go fishing with the kids, and there's not much that can keep boys away from worms, water, boats, and slimy wriggling critters on hooks.  Here are some pictures of their best catches.

 

 The Sunnies were quite huge on Aunt Rita's & Uncle Drew's lake...

along with the bugs & appetites of the mosquitos!

 

 



AJ was pretty excited about his first Bass catch

 

Not only were the Sunnies big, they were beautiful colors!

 

Ian & cousin RJ - I don't know if they caught it,

but they wanted a picture with it.

 

Wally the Walleye made for yummy fish fry!

 

The fishies were biting like crazy!  My cousin Dylan

was busy keeping up with hooks.

 

The good news...this boat is great for fishing & fun.

The bad news...we almost sunk when the plug came out while skiing.

Even worse news...the body of the boat cracked by the motor & can't be used until fixed.

Anyone know how to fix a fiberglass boat??

 

What I learned this summer...

1.  I still enjoy fishing, waterskiing, gardening and doing the things I did as a kid, and even more so now because I have the privilege of teaching our kids.

2.  After reading a book entitled, "Raising a Spirited Child", turns out I'M actually the more spirited one!  At least now I can explain why I react the way I do & how to use that in a positive way toward my family.

3.  Our kids are growing up really fast & are spending more time with friends.  Activities must be chosen carefully to attempt avoiding words such as:  "boring", "unfair", and "can't I do ______ instead?"

4.  Ian is going to miss having older siblings, and Daddy especially, around everyday.  Preschool comes at a good time!

5.  It took 2 months to get the kids to finally sleep in & now I have to try to get them back on a "school schedule" and getting up at 7am again.

6.  The bugs are bigger in Northern MN & the mosquitos are VERY hungry up at Knight Lake!

7.  When the kids pack their suitcases for vacation, they can't blame me for their outfits chosen or things they forgot that were on their list of things to pack.

8.  Principals really don't have "summer's off".

9.  I should buy stock in band-aids and sunscreen in the summer.

10.  I enjoyed time with my family and our relatives and friends this summer.  I am SO grateful to God for helping me find my way to where He wanted me to be.  I really feel blessed to have so many wonderful things in my life & I am constantly learning how to appreciate it even more and live in the moment and joy of it all.

"I slipped on a bunny"

I came down from bed this morning wearing a neck brace and that of course, doesn't go unnoticed by anyone.  Every once in a while, my body decides that it wants to throw me a curveball and while I'm sleeping, it goes crazy.  I woke up this morning in pain (not completely unusual) but also found it hard to move.  Grr, my neck went "out" again!  So, to keep my muscles from going completely insane until I could get into the chiropractor, I put on the brace.  So when the kids asked me this morning what happened, I said, "I slept on it funny."  With a puzzled look on his face, AJ asks, "What?"  I repeated it & he laughs and says, "Oh, I thought you said you slipped on a bunny!"   I guess that makes sense!  I could say that it would actually make me feel less old and strange about myself if I got hurt by slipping on a bunny rather than getting hurt in my sleep!