Jack is THREE!!!

Happy Birthday, my dear Jack!  My sweet boy who is affectionate beyond belief, who loves a little too hard, whose kisses are suspiciously wet, who has no desire to potty train.  You have my heart, little Dozer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the photo dump, but I couldn't limit the cuteness.  I love you, Jack Man!

A new 'do, thank you

Back before I had kids, a couple in our church left their daughter with friends to go on a vacation.  While in their care, she got ahold of some scissors and gave herself a new 'do.  The couple in charge were understandably terribly embarrassed that this had happened while she was in their home.

When I heard about it, I laughed.  Hard.  I thought it was hilarious.  Remember, I didn't have kids back then.

Since we've moved here and Ella has her own room, I have allowed her to keep scissors in her room because she does a lot of crafts with yarn.

I thought, "Oh, she's old enough!  She's responsible."

She would NEVER cut her bangs up to her hair line.  Would she?  She would never cut one side to her chin when she's been wanting to grow it out so badly.  Would she?

I didn't have the heart to discipline her.  It's punishment enough that she has a haircut that doesn't allow for her newfound love of pigtails and braids.

To tell the truth, I like her hair short, though not exactly like this....  And I still thought it was pretty funny, though I kept a very stern and sad face while I was talking to her about it. 

Silly girl.

Leaf Sledding

Did you know that leaf sledding is the next great olympic event?  On our last day with the Hickoks,  the kids were playing outside and Steve Daddy got the idea that they could sled down the hill using flattened cardboard boxes.

 

 

Well......not so much.  I tried this once.  In college some friends and I found a huge piece of cardboard and decided that we would sled down this very steep hill on it.  In summer.  We took it to the top of the hill and all piled on with visions of the awesome ride ahead.  And we sat.  Clearly the problem was that the cardboard wasn't slick enough, so we found some vaseline and gunked it on.  And we sat.  Clearly the problem was that we needed a running start, so we did a "ready, set, GO!" and leapt aboard.  And didn't go anywhere.  Clearly the problem was that too many of us were trying to go at one time, so we took turns running and leaping aboard.  And got battered and bruised for our effort.  Clearly the cardboard just wasn't the right cardboard, so we went searching for the kind of cardboard that's shiny on one side, but since the only piece we could find was not big enough to fit both cheeks of one of us, we gave up.  But we knew that, clearly, it would have worked had the right cardboard been big enough.



The kids had great fun, even if they didn't go anywhere.



But the wheels didn't stop turning.  Steve Daddy came up with plan B. Sleds!



They had a ball. It was perfect.

The girls wanted to push Miss Lydia.

 

 

And Lily cheered everyone on. Abnormally long arms she has....


The kids had such a great time.  It was hilarious to watch and heart warming to hear them laughing so hard.  It was a good reminder that it doesn't take much to have a fantastic time.  A couple of friends and a piece of cardboard. 

And maybe a sled or two.