Working for $1

First, they made a mess (which also conveniently covered the front porch with soapy water)...

...then they worked hard scrubbing it down. They also helped wash three cars!

In the end, Oma and Papa gave them each a dollar and took them to the dollar store!

Brady and Papa

Brady and Papa had some quality time last week. They played some Sequence, made sun catchers, and chilled on the (recently cleaned) front porch...

Rudy and "Omee"

Somehow, I only managed to get pictures of Rudy and Oma and Brady and Papa last week. I'll have to work on that! In any case, Oma and Papa were glad to see that the boys still remembered them even after going an entire four weeks without seeing them.

Raspberry picking in the backyard

Love this picture!

Twizzler Time

Twizzlers were on sale, so Papa and Brady made a special trip to the grocery store. A few days of those and an ice cream treat as well...makes for a really fabulous drive home for Mom... ;)

I guess it's a grandparent's right - to sugar-up the kids and then send them home, right??

Canyon Trail #2

We took the neighbors for a hike on our favorite trail. Once each kid got their meltdown out of the way early in the trip, the rest of the hike was great!

Rudy couldn't quite stay awake...

Today's Chuckles

Things that are making me laugh this week:

1. When I go to get Rudy up in the morning or after nap, he holds up his blanket and says "Mo-more?" (One more?) and then takes one last chew before he puts it down and is ready to get up.
2. Brady's 1000 questions. Why are they sour (Sour Patch Kids)? Why do you like them? Why do you not like the black [licorice]? Why is the red cherry?
3. We're outside playing. Rudy kicks a little basketball, so I ask if he wants to play soccer and try to kick it back to him. He screams, "NOOO!" and runs into the garage. I figure he's pouting, but then he comes running back with a soccer ball and says, "Kick!"
4. Brady's complete lack of sympathy: "That's a pretty small boo-boo, Uncle Brian."
5. Rudy's word combinations - Me dressed. Rudy eat. Blanket gone. Feed Bubbles.
6. The way Rudy says his name: Ro-day
7. More questions from Brady: Where is Brian? Why did you get here first? Why is your job not as hard as Brian's?

Pool time

Yes, we do have a junior Olympic size neighborhood pool that JUST opened, but it's almost as much fun to play in our kiddie pool in the driveway :)

Chores

We tried to institute a chore chart with Brady, but we're not very good about sticking with it. He is in the habit of making his bed in the morning and he's always been great about keeping his room [relatively] neat and picking up his toys.

It used to be his 'chore' to feed Maggie, but Rudy seems to have picked up that one. Of course, I'll never be the one to explain that it's a chore, not a treat :)

Sweet Dreams

It cracks me up the various positions we find them in when we check on them at night. They always look so relaxed and chill!

Night at the lanes....

We went bowling with "the neighbors" Sunday evening. Brady took his game pretty seriously (perhaps a little too much so...seems we're raising quite the competitor!).

Rudy, on the other hand, could not have been less concerned with the bowling...

Four little monkeys

When James and I first got married, our very first neighborly neighbors lived in the townhouse right next to ours. Even though we moved away 7 years ago, they're still (and always will be) "the neighbors."

They visited us from the Chicago this weekend and the kids hit it off immediately - no bashfulness here!

Sydney and Brady were so excited about sleeping in the same room. (Don't worry - different beds!)

Sydney brought our boys each a "lolly" and a new pair of shades. Together, they made up a pretty slick bunch.

We had fun just hanging out - kind of like old times, except a lot louder and more chaotic with four little guys. It's great to have such great friends!

Foul language

Everyone has a story about their kids using inappropriate language. We have fairly regular conversations with Brady about what is appropriate and what is not...and I'll always remember his first and most shockingingly inappropriate phrase: we're getting ready to head out the door when he was about 2.5. I was gathering various supplies we needed for the day and he was patiently waiting by the door, shoes on, ready to go. Finally, in the most casual voice, he says: "Let's go, *itch." He even repeated it when I asked him what he said - he had no idea it was inappropriate! I have NO idea where he would have picked up that little gem...can you imagine coming from this sweet face:

I was once again reminded of this treasure of a story this afternoon. We were playing outside and Rudy hands me a ball and says, "*itch." What? He repeats and then turns around and grabs his baseball bat. Ahhh...Pitch! [sigh of relief!]

My little...elephant?

Rudy was (surprisingly) climbing on something today. I pulled him off and asked him if he was a little monkey...

Nooo...
No? You're not a little monkey? What are you?
[elephant noise]
You're a little elephant?
Yup!

Look what Rudy learned

He picked up this new song from Brady's friends...

Belly Buttons

James took the kids to a festival this weekend. Rudy and one of his friends were apparently comparing belly buttons. I love his hand-in-the-pocket, finger-in-the-button stance!

I wish I could have read their minds!

Counting with Rudy

We were in the car on the way to preschool yesterday. Brady is singing (Dance, Dance...as usual!) and Rudy is saying what sounds like "to to tree tree".

The following conversation follows the trend of many dialogs I have with Rudy:

R: to to tree tree
K: choo choo train? Did you hear a choo choo train?
R: Noooo! to to tree tree
K: You didn't see a choo choo train?
R: Nope. [pointing out the window] to to tree tree
K: What do you see?
R: Trees!
K: Oh, you see the trees?
R: To to tree tree.
K: Oh...you're counting the trees? One two three trees?
R: Yeah. Yu-ess! Trees!

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In case it hasn't yet become obvious, I'm attempting to use this blog to journal a bit about the joys, trials, and tribulations (thankfully there are more joys than trials and tribulations!) of my life with my kids.

I've never been successful at keeping a diary, but I am great at taking tons of pictures. (Notice great at taking tons of pictures, not great at taking tons of great pictures.)

I have snippets of "Bradyisms" that James and I have written over the past 4 years, but nothing consistent. Brady asked us last week what funny things he used to say, and I froze! Couldn't remember a single thing - and he was (is) one funny kid! Remember: turn the dark on, cover you up, and buckle me out?

I figure if I'm taking the time to post the pictures here I can almost as easily take a few minutes to share all of the stories that I keep meaning to jot down. We'll see...

My new favorite pictures

We needed to get out of the house and there was a break in the drizzly weather. We went exploring on the golf course, where Rudy and I had seen a beaver the day before.

Ssshhh...we're hunting for beavers!

"Fishing" - they kept catching bigger and bigger fish!

Rainy and cold

Another dreary, chilly, drizzly day. Seems like we've had a lot of those lately. James is out of town. Oh - and we're trying to save money on gas by not driving to town on non- preschool days. I think we'll make it through the day, but it might get a little rough around here this afternoon!