Memorial Day 2012

Historically, our Memorial Day holiday has consisted of either being sick as dogs or stuck in a torrential down pour. We were long overdue for a good Memorial Day. This year did not disappoint. We packed up the kids (literally--Ben got backpacked and Joey got frontpacked), met up with Ryan and Mindy and fam, and set out hiking Battlecreek Falls.

The kids loved tossing rocks into the stream that ran beside the trail.

Ben just tolerated the hike. I think it made him nerveous to be seven feet up in the air, strapped to Aaron's back. As long as the snacks kept coming, he seemed to put up with it.

Joey is right at home in his front pack so he didn't make one peep.

Pop Quiz!

I worry that years from now, when the boys ask to go through our family photos, I won't be able to tell all the baby pictures apart. Can you?? Take this "Who's Who?" quiz and see if you can identify Baby Hank, Baby Max, Baby Ben, and Baby Joey. Don't cheat--no peaking at the answers below!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

ANSWER KEY:

     Baby Hank = #4 & #7
     Baby Max = #1 & #6
     Baby Ben = #2 & #8
     Baby Joey = #3 & #5

Sunday Best

After six weeks of sequestering Joey at home to avoid germ exposure, I was super excited to be able to return to church together. Dang! I can't stand how handsome these boys of mine are all dressed up for church!

I had to include this out-take...so sad you just have to laugh!

No Deal

After a particularly looong day, I texted Aaron and told him that he should feel lucky that he GETS to go to work....sitting in a quiet office sounds like paradice compared to referee-ing endless fights (we don't say "poopy butt"), yelling at the kids to eat their lunches ("fruit snacks don't count as real fruit"), and cleaning up never-ending messes ("squirt guns are for playing outside"). And then this little boy will flash me his sweet baby smile, and I think to myself, "I am the luckiest person alive."

Loving on the Baby

I love when I happen upon my boys in a moment of rare brotherly love and affection...makes me feel like, just maybe, I might be doing something right.

Ammo

I feel like I'm balancing the fine line between being the cool mom that lets her kids dress themselves, and just plain being the white trash mom whose kids run around looking unkempt and dissheveled.

At the very least, I thought this picture of Max, who insisted on wearing his rain boots and swim googles on our morning trip to Costco, might be good ammo to use down the road in case he ever becomes embarassed to be seen in public by his dear Mommy.

Hank's Diarama

A few weeks ago Hank came home with a homework assignment: research an animal of his choice, prepare a brief report to present to the class, and create a diarama. Hank and Nana Grover worked hard together, learning about African elephants, memorizing a few key facts, and gathering all of the materials for his diarama (you have to imagine it when the vegetation was fresh). For being his very first little project, I thought it turned out great!