Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, July 9, 2012


Outside my window...  sunshine, breeze, boys on trampoline, laundry on the line.  Summer :D

I am hearing...  boys talking and playing.

I am thinking...  about the crazy storm last night!  We don't get big electrical storms very often, but we had quite a show last night, from about 2:30 to 4:30.  And the nice thing is that we've had so much rain recently, there wasn't really any worry about fires starting.

I am praying...  for the boys.

I am thankful...  for a busy weekend that all went well.  Details?

Friday - the boys worked for my dad (splitting wood) in the morning, helped set up risers for the choir concert in the afternoon, and then Wyatt and I sang with the choir in the evening.  It was an outdoor concert (tricky, singing outdoors) and went well.

Saturday - Wyatt and Tate flew (with CAP) to Chehalis and got to fly gliders (and help put together and launch gliders) and then flew home.  That deserves another post!  Since they were gone all day (and yes, thank-you-very-much I took them to the airport at 5:30am!) Gunnar and I went with my parents to visit the baby... and her parents ;D  Love this cute look she gave her grandpa.

Sunday - after church, Kerry took this pile of kids

to crawl around inside this B-17 bomber,

visiting town for the weekend.  Very cool.  While I stayed home and mowed the lawn.

I am wearing...  flip-flops, gray shorts, and a red tank-top.  Yes, our summer has finally arrived ;D

I am creating...  trying to plan a quilt with some fun batiks my sister gave me for my birthday.  The boys will be spending a few days with her, later this week, so I'll have lots of time to sew!

I am going...  for a walk.

I am looking forward to...  some quiet time around the house.  Sort of...  When the boys were little and more demanding, sometimes I felt like I was drowning.  But now that they're older I don't feel the need for a break so desperately.  Still, I know they're going to have fun with Aunty Tami, and I hope to get a lot done in their absence :D

In the kitchen...  BBQ tonight!  Made a raspberry pie, have some Sticky Ginger chicken marinating, and my folks are coming over.

in the learning rooms...  silence ;D  Actually, I'll probably do some planning while the boys are away.

Around the house...  dust!  How???  And piles of library books that are almost due.

The Mother Load...  I've been making lists most mornings and putting the minions to work before releasing them to play, with good success.  One thing I'd like to get done is a bunch of weed-whacking, but the &(%&#$ electric weed-whacker doesn't hold a charge very long.  I'm hoping to tidy up our own little fire-pit area (haul some junk away, whack the grass down to a mow-able level, and move the compost pile elsewhere.  You know... just a walk in the park (see my eyes rolling?)

Noticing that...  Tate is doing SO WELL with the implant.  He's wearing the Neptune today, though not concerned about being waterproof, just to get used to using it.  A-MAZ-ING.

One of my favorite things...  not having anything on the schedule today :D

Something funny to share...  while we were visiting at my brother's house, baby Naomi was awake and alert for much of the time, and Gunnar wanted to hold her.  As long as he was looking at her and talking to her and she had his attention, everything was fine.  But watch what happens when he looks away...

And then THAT LOOK!  She gave him that LOOK that says, Well...


What a crack up!

A Bible verse...  Isaiah 33:6
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.


A few plans for the rest of the week...  CAP meeting, two check-ups, one orthodontist visit, and Tate's Aural Habilitation therapy.  Then bye-bye boys - off to Tami's :D

A peek into my world...


The view at the end of a walk with Gunnar...

What, Doesn't Everyone?!

Warning, warning... lots of pictures ahead ;D

Did you have a good fourth?  We sure did!  Friends from church invited us to their annual potluck-dinner and fireworks-on-the-hill at their farm.  Gunnar and I decided that cupcakes were essential.  Specifically, red-white-and-blue cupcakes, so we mixed up some vanilla cake batter, divided it into thirds, and dyed two of them.

We used a lot of food coloring.  A LOT.

The goal was to layer the batter (red, then white, then blue) in the little cups, which - let me tell you - sounds a bit easier than it actually is.  But we got some cool effects, anyway ;D

 I thought about leaving them plain, but what's a cupcake without icing???

Meanwhile, the boys were getting ready for their third annual burning of El Guapo's house.  I thought for a moment about trying to convince my non-American readers that this was an important part of our culture that needs to be respected, (just like we told the Chinese exchange students that hanging spoons off your nose is a Thanksgiving tradition), but I wouldn't do anything like that.

If you haven't seen the movie The Three Amigos this probably won't make any sense to you.  Then again, even if you have seen the movie, this doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  But it's fun.  So there.

The boys construct a cardboard house and then assault it with little fireworks tanks.  So buckle up, because here we go...

The attack begins.

And it continues for some time, because El Guapo's cardboard house is strangely fire-resistant.

Finally, it succumbs to the flames.

But, really, Wyatt... why are you taking cover behind a rock?  Do you know something we don't?  Maybe, that Tate has disassembled several of the contraband fireworks he purchased and reassembled them into something he hopes is higher powered?

Yes.  El Guapo's house was no match for Tate's home-made explosives.

But wait, El Guapo is trying to escape...

... in his rocket-powered car...

... hotly pursued by...

... the military.  And thus, El Guapo meets his end.

With those formalities over, on to the BBQ :D  Our hospitable friend, the Gibsons, have a beautiful farm situated on high ground in a big river valley - perfect for relaxing in the shade and taking in the view.

We could see all the way to mountains (very hazy in the picture, but clear to us) in Canada.

The boys found a great old maple...

... too good just to look at ;D

Later in the evening we all headed up the hill behind the farm, to wait for sunset.  That's our wonderful hostess, Emily, on the right.

Can you guess what Gunnar is saying?  Is it dark enough yet?  No.

Plenty of time to hang out with our church friends, talk about anything and everything, and watch the sun sink lower.

And lower...

Until, finally...

... even though it's not really dark yet...

... yes, you can start with some roman candles :D

Dan and Emily provided an assortment of showery, rocket-y, sparkly fun!

And let me tell you, sitting in the middle of acres and acres of hay, we were all feeling very thankful for all the rain we've gotten in the last couple of weeks.  While so many places are hot, or even burning, we couldn't have started a fire without a flame thrower.

The boys saved a few roman candles for the end :D

Gunnar looked like the Statue of Liberty ;D

And while we were lighting off ours, the neighbors were setting off some HUGE ones!

Looks like Gunnar has a giant light saber ;D

Tate, what are you DOING?!?!

Greatest accidental photo of the year!  Caption???

Absolutely mind-blowing fireworks display!

Subsequently, Wyatt's head exploded.

Testosterzone Fourth

The boys and Kerry headed out to the reservation to buy fireworks this morning, absolutely giddy with excitement, visions of explosions filling their heads.  Tate called back over his shoulder, 

Mom, you know all that rain we had yesterday?  That was a gift, from the LORD!

Yes, hallelujah, the fire danger is low, here.  

Happy Independence Day!

One Week Old

I know, I'm only the aunt.  So I'll slow down on the baby pics, I promise.  But...

Could.  Not.  Resist.

TIWIARN*

Gooooood morning.

It's the fourteenth day of summer, isn't it?  Isn't it???

Because it's hard to tell when it's 53F (about 12C) and has rained almost an inch already today, and it's only 10:19am.

(UPDATE: 1.10 inches by 5pm, unless it rains some more...)

I'm underwhelmed.

But, in the hope and expectation that summer will come, I give you this public service announcement:

I'm off to make jam.

That will be all.

*This Is Where I Am Right Now

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, July 2, 2012

Outside my window...  cloudy and cool and looks like it might rain.  If you can trust the forecast, summer is coming on Thursday.  But right now?  56F.  No, I am not kidding.

I am hearing...  the washer and the dryer.  Too cool and humid (and no breeze) to dry on the line today.  What I don't hear is the boys.  Should I be worried?

I am thinking...  of how to prioritize the projects I want to get done :D

I am praying...  for my new niece (have I mentioned her enough?!) to get "settled" into a good routine.

I am thankful...  Kerry is swamped with work right now!  Thankful for it, and praying it continues!

I am going...  Wyatt and I have choir practice tonight, prepping for an outdoor concert Friday evening.

I am reading...  taking my time with Vishal Mangalwadi's The Book That Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization.  It is fascinating, and makes me wish I was a lot smarter!

I am looking forward to...  fourth of July at our friends' farm, Friday's concert, and some sunshine :D

In the kitchen...  I'm taking the night off, since we have rehearsal.  I did some extra cooking last week, to take freezer meals to my bro/SIL, but I think we've eaten through most of the leftovers.

In the learning rooms...  clock ticking...  peace and quiet.  I'll get in there and do some planning soon, but we're all taking a very welcome break.  Tate is working so hard on getting used to his CI, that he certainly doesn't need any additional work right now, although part of his therapy is fun.  We're listening to a book-on-CD from the library while he reads along in the book.  (Ben and Me)  Thankfully this one DOESN'T have music behind the narration or sound effects, making it much easier to discern the words.  Tate's doing great :D

Around the house...  mini-blitz this morning.  The boys and I tidied the downstairs areas; vacuumed the living room, dining room, family room  and stairs; cleaned two bathrooms; and got the stains out of the carpet where the boys have been using black shoe-shine.  Must come up with a better solution for that process that doesn't cause a big mess!

The Mother Load...  I'm sharing it with the boys ;D  Also have third load of laundry going, have been to the library, the consignment store, Value Village, and the grocery store.  I have a lot of books to add to our library - need the boys' help carting them around.  And we have a house-guest coming Friday, but he's completely easy-going - great to have around and no stress :D

I am wondering...  how others of you handle disciplinary issues.  I had one boy-who-shall-remain-nameless go toe-to-toe with me last night and defy me to my face.  As far as I'm concerned, you stick your chin out and tell me NO and you can expect the sky to fall.  Rapidly and with great force.

Something I want to remember for later...  the juncos, nesting in the grass, right beside the driveway.  Three (four?) little babies!

One of my favorite things...  the birthday chocolate I'm still finishing - Lindor milk chocolate balls.  Oh, bliss.

A Bible verse... 

The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;

He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.

He will be the sure foundation for your times,

a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;

the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33:5-6

A few plans for the rest of the week...  rehearsal, Tate's therapy appointment, CAP, fourth of July BBQ and fun, Friday's concert, the older boys flying (powered and glider) on Saturday, and more I'm probably forgetting!

A peek into my world...

 

Wake Up and Smell the Hummus...

I finally figured out how to embed a video, and it's not of my kids ;D

I think it's insane, if not bordering on criminal, how the public school agenda tries so hard to push every single student to aim for college/university.  Doesn't it seem obvious that not every person has the academic skills to succeed there?  And that many people who could succeed, have other interests and goals?  Or that not everyone thinks it's a great idea to start your adult life with a crushing load of debt?

Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks these things.  Check it out.