Birthday Boy

Oh my, how did this young man get to five so quickly? 

But he is still so very much my baby boy, the cuddly one who still loves his blanket, that five still seems rather little. But don't tell him that. 

He is my quiet one, my helpful one, my thoughtful one. His big sister can spend the ride to school asking a million and one sophisticated, intellectual, and rather nonstop questions, but he'll just sit quietly and later ask me something like, "Mommy, do birds know their own names? I mean, do bluebirds know that they are bluebirds?" Or another of my favorites, "Mommy, does God love pirates, too?" 

He and Caroline have a special thing; and he'll often go out of his way to help her or make her laugh. He is my buddy, and is quick to compliment my shirt or my shoes or just tell me I'm pretty, and when I pick him up from preschool he usually thinks to ask how my morning was. And he does all that with such boy-ness mixed in - guns, blasters, spaceships, burping, racing, jumping, strong, fearless boy. 

He had a wonderful fifth birthday. It was a great day, and an awesome weekend for all of us. 

Here's to another amazing year ahead, my best boy! 

Some Quick Takes

Hello friends, we are in the last push of school here, not quite single digits yet but can't get there soon enough. Busy!  Plus there has been some mild but weird and drawn-out virus of assorted sniffles, coughing, fever, rash, watery eyes, and malais, depending on the family member, circulating through us all, and I'm really ready to feel healthy again.  Anyway, here are a few moments worth reporting on lately. Well, there are many worth reporting on, but these have pictures. 

So many mornings I must get up and leave this behind. Or this,

Or this, 

I spend a lot of nights longing for the day I get my bed back, but these angel moments in the morning make it all worthwhile. 

Pokemon has descended in our home. Amy being the driving force, but Daddy and William are equally involved. I pretend to be interested. 

Nearly ten years into our marriage and D finally sprung for a gas-powered mower. We've always had yards tiny enough for the push reel, but after months of slogging through this rather large yard of crazy thick grass that never stops growing, he finally caved. We all love it - W in particular, who enjoys following behind picking up the clods of grass.  

Not the greatest pic as I had to crop out the other kids, but I was so touched by these two holding hands at their informal little spring concert this last weekend. They learn so many great Jesus songs at school and W especially sings them at home all the time. I was very proud that he finally had the nerve to join the group when they all "performed". 

Has the rest of the country been enjoying amazing strawberries right now, too? Omg, these are just California grocery store berries but they are so cheap, and so good! And never a moldy one in the whole two pounds. Wow. Anyway, made the best strawberry shortcake ever and could pretty much eat this for every meal. 

And, lastly, this afternoon D came home inspired and finally fixed the water dispenser on the fridge. Never in my life have I had water and ice on the fridge door before this house, but since it has been non-functional we all hardly know how to get a drink. It works now, oh happy day! 

And that brings you more or less up to date. There is a little boy around here turning FIVE on Friday, oh my! Will be back soon to report on that. 

Weekend Away

It might sound a teeny bit lame, but we have not spent a single night away from home (not counting D of course) since we moved in...nine months ago. We fixed that on Friday, with a road trip up the coast for a night in a hotel, dinner out, and aquarium visit. It totally wore me out, but we all had a fantastic time and I'm so glad we finally made it happen. Without further ado, I'll let the pictures do the talking. 

And I hope all the mothers out there had a lovely day today! 

Still Here

Howdy! Where did a week go? Just had to pop in to say hi even though I'm short on pictures. My phone was all filled up and I had to catch up with some back ups and deleting. First world problems.  But as a result all I have to show is the above advertisement by Amy, which was taped to the kitchen doorway all week, and left there because it made me smile. 

Busier than usual weeks for us here as we wind into the home stretch of school. The older grades have been going to swim lessons, with school, every afternoon. Of course they need parent drivers, so I have hauled my crew out during nap time several of these days to do my duty.  Kind of a Chinese fire drill, getting those kids to the neighborhood pool, changed, swimming, changed, and back to school inside of 90 minutes. But Amy has been doing well and this seems to be fun for everyone, even though I think it is still way too crazy cold for outdoor swimming. Though what does this displaced New Englander lately from South Carolina know? 

Anyway, that's been the dominating thing here lately. Will report more on all the rest soon!