Shut-ins

After the downpours forced us to stay inside all day yesterday, I can't say I'm sorry my two boys (particularly my one very spirited toddler) were in daycare for the other three rainy days this week. The poor teachers at Ethan and Adam's school looked so beaten-down at pickup on Thursday - I think three days of high-energy toddlers cooped up inside had really made them question their choice of profession. As I write this, the sun is FINALLY making an appearance, and we can't wait to get outside. Along with multiple choruses of "It's Raining, It's Pouring, The Old Man is Snoring" (complete with gestures, such as wacking oneself on the head during the "he bumped his head" line), here are a few things that kept us busy yesterday...

Building Lego towers:

Some very intense PlayDoh-ing:

Racing Dad across the kitchen:

Ethan was both a race participant and the official, shouting "Ready, Set, Go!" before every race. Good thing there wasn't a more impartial judge officiating, because he had many false starts on "Set" rather than "Go". Dad still managed to beat him a few times.

The good news is that the boys have really started playing together, and it's adorable. Yesterday morning, I was sitting drinking my coffee in (rare) peace and looked over at this:

How nice is that? No yelling, stealing toys, tackling ... of course, as I write this now, Ethan just knocked Adam to the floor and is pummeling him with "kisses" so I guess it's time for me to pay some attention / mediate. But these glimpses of true sibling camaraderie sure do melt a mama's heart.

Memorial

We celebrated Memorial Day in a fitting way - by paying tribute to Ben's Grandpa Howie (a WWII veteran) in a celebration of his life and lasting legacy. It was a special event, with a huge turnout (not surprising, given Howie's impact on so many people's lives). Our boys got to meet their (second) cousin Caz, who behaved like a champ throughout the service.

Our boys, on the other hand, didn't love the idea of sitting still or being quiet, so I got to spend most of the time outside playing in the mud with Ethan and his trucks. We did get to sneak back in to hear the music and see the slide show.

In addition to memorializing Howie, we also kicked off the summer by opening up the Waterford cabins, putting in docks, planting flowers, and reconnecting with relatives we haven't seen since closing weekend last October. The boys battled some mystery bug, which made for a couple of long nights, but it was an otherwise delightful weekend. Our little troopers seem to be on the mend, but not before passing their germs onto Daddy. Ben complains that I don't give him nearly as much sympathy as I do Ethan and Adam.

Flora

Our favorite photo subjects are clearly Ethan and Adam, but every once in awhile, we do take pictures of things other than our kids. I did a lot of flower planting this past weekend, and since I don't have a great track record when it comes to keeping green things alive, I got out the camera to document how pretty my work looked before I could do anything to mess it up. I know we're not the first people to have gardens, and that these aren't particularly special displays, but I was proud of my premier voyage into the world of flowers, so I had to share a few.

And one of my little gardening assistant, who has been oh-so-helpful in pulling up weeds (or perfectly good grass), digging up newly placed mulch, and ordering his Mom around in the garden ("This one THERE Mommy!"):

Banana Toes

Adam decided that his toes were more appetizing than bananas this morning...

Ethan thought he'd better give his tootsies a try too, and was frustrated by his lack of flexibility. More yoga for him.

Weeds

Our yard has exploded with dandelions over the last week or so. We thought the first few splashes of color were pretty; now we're thinking we need to act quickly before our yard turns into a sea of yellow. I guess Oliver has a thing for dandelions, so maybe we'll hire him to come pick them all. In the meantime, they make a nice backdrop for an Adam photo shoot.

Mommy Day

A belated Happy Mother's Day to all my fellow moms! Yesterday was my third Mother's Day, and I'd have to say it was my best yet. I slept in, read the whole newspaper, got some special little presents from Ethan and Adam (and Dad), went out to brunch with my men, napped, had some me-time at a great yoga class, and devoured sushi for dinner. A perfect day...thanks Ben!!

And in honor of Mother's Day, a special cheers to my own fabulous mom. I am lucky to have such a stellar role model, not only in motherhood but in living a meaningful life with integrity and spirit. I love you Mom!

Our Little Green Thumb

Ethan's had a lot of fun helping us garden these past few weekends. He's got his own little gardening set (which he calls his "tools") and a perfect outfit for the job, complete with sunhat and crocs. He was a little concerned that he didn't have proper work gloves like Mom and Dad, so he went and got himself a mismatched pair of winter gloves from the garage. He was very confused why we thought that was so funny...

Food Glorious Food

We've all been thinking a lot about food of late. Fully recovered from his monkey virus, Ethan has been making up for lost time/pounds by eating everything in sight the last few days. We're thrilled that his appetite is back and that he's resumed his role as the family garbage disposal. Ben and I have been busy getting our vegetable garden ready for planting, and dreaming about all the delicious vegetables we are going to grow, harvest, and eat this summer. We're both novice gardeners, and very thankful to have experienced green thumbs to help us out. Hopefully our lettuce, beets, zucchini, summer squash, delicata squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs will all flourish and delight. And our mini-est munch has been

exploring the joys of babyfood, with his first taste of rice cereal last Sunday. Since then, Adam's tried carrots and sweet potatoes, and seems eager to keep experimenting with new flavors. The rice cereal doesn't thrill him, but he is a big fan of the orange goodies. He seems to enjoy the process, especially trying to steal the spoon and feed himself (unsuccessfully).

The boys before Adam's first feast last weekend:

First bite...not so sure

This eating stuff is pretty fun!