My Little Vegetarians

My wee ones and I were in the backyard this afternoon enjoying the nice weather.  Tucker had been playing in the sandbox and then in the hose.  The little dear then turned the hose on his little sister.  She got a good dosing but only screeched for a moment before spashing in the puddle it left.  Tucker headed to the tomato patch and my sweet darlings were both eating their vegetables; Tucker was eating tomatos and Kora was chowing down on leaves from the patio.  Ah the little dears.

Hiking with E

My friend Angie and I took the kids to Zionsville for a little hiking.  Tuck and Elizabeth had a ball.  We started at the playground where we rode horses and played on the swings.  Then we did some hiking.  The trail started out really nice, wide and graveled.  We made it to a gazebo overlooking a muskrat in the wetland; the kids thought it was cool.  Then we continued on the trails which rapidly deteriorated for stroller travel.  Kora was a real trooper on her 4x4 adventure over roots and a devils backbone trail. Then we found some acorns.  I had the kids looking for a special one with a “hat”.  Elizabeth found hers and put it discreetly in her pocket.  Tuck on the other hand, gathered every one he found and put them in every pocket he had.  His pants were already too big and the weight of the dozens of acorns wrecked havoc on gravity.  (Now, two weeks later, we are still finding acorns around the house.)

Here Tucker was putting acorns into my pockets. 

We had a picnic lunch and then played some more on the playground.  There was a little shelf there and the kids were “selling” ice cream.  I asked Tuck what the specialty was and he ordered up a sundae with chipmunk ice cream.  Delicious.  They were really into their little soda fountain with a make believe place for everything including all the sauces and sprinkles.

And then we walked into town for real ice cream.

Tuck was a mess.  This was his first cone.  He loved it. Here is Elizabeth and Angie enjoying theirs.  E was so neat and polite.  It must just be a girl thing. Kora loved mine.  I had chocolate walnut and it was so good.  She agreed.

On the walk back we sang a lot of songs.  “Ole McFarmer had a farm” was a particular favorite.  He had chickens, pigs, multiple cows, and even a rhinoceros.  Kora fell fast asleep to our serenade.  Did I mention Tuck’s droopy pants?  He just could not keep them up and we started calling him Cool J.  Angie was doing her best rapper stance.  I love these people!

LiveJournal Tags: Tuck,Elizabeth,hike,ice cream

Peek-A-Boo

This is Kora inside the house while I was out on the deck.  You can see the reflection of the deck in the window.  I thought the effect was kind of cool.

She has done this before and we are stuck outside because we can’t open the door without pushing her over.  Since she is still not very stable we just have to wait her out.  Or go around the house thru the front door and physically move her out of the way.    

What a sweet pea.

Tucker’s 3rd Birthday

Oh my goodness, Tucker is 3.  He was so excited about his birthday this year.  It finally clicked that this is a big deal.  The night before Daddy put up his new swing on the swingset.  This kicked off the official-ness of the day. We made such a big deal about his birthday gift and how special this day is.  That night when we tucked him in we told him Good night and he told us Happy Birthday.  It was too cute.  Then the minute he woke up he announced that it was his birthday.

When given the choice of cookies or cupcakes he chose cookies so he took cupcake shaped cookies to Missy’s to share with all of the kids.  I think they turned out pretty good.  And tasty too.  When we asked him what he wanted for his birthday the answer was the same for weeks: chips… and bubbles.

That night we had all the grandparents, uncle and cousins over for a party.  We had pizza and cake out on the deck.  The weather was so nice after such miserable heat all summer (a record number of days over 90 in August, I think it was more than 20).  Tuck opened his presents and loved them all.  He got police “guys” and bubbles from from Nanny, toy bins and a chalk board from Nana, games from Grandma Connie and Grandpa Jake, clothes and a fishing pole from Uncle Scott and family, cowboy boots from Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Sharon.  These were a big hit and he wore them the next day to Missy’s much to her dismay since he could not get any traction in them and was falling all over the yard. a tornado tee from cousins Dash and Blake.  This was  huge hit.  The ball floats and he can hit it in mid air.  He was so successful that he nailed Daddy and Papaw with the golf ball.  Luckily it is foam.

And the biggest hit of the night was the sandbox from Papaw and Gamma Deb.    He only came out of it long enough to blow out candles and have one bite of cake then back in he went. Papaw really knows how to do it because he brought a load of the finest golf course sand you have ever seen.  It is so soft and nice. He has plays in it every chance he gets including in the mornings while I am trying to get him loaded in the car.  We have learned to shake him down before he comes in the house after the first night when he loaded the bathtub with sand.  Our poor septic system will never be the same.

Watermelon Slices

I have been fearful of giving the kids watermelon slices.  Turns out I was justified.  We had this watermelon for days with good intentions of feeding it outside to large groups of children.  But alas, out of site, out of mind and we never got it out of the fridge downstairs.  So finally I broke down and cut it up for Tuck and Kora. 

      

They loved it and finished off half of it at one sitting. They both had juice running down their elbows and chins and big grins on their faces.  It was a hit.  But alas, next year we will have to find one with seeds.  What is summer without a watermelon seed spitting contest?

My Silly Mr Potato Head

Dear Tucker.

I feel like I have been keeping up better with Kora’s monthly reports and have been neglecting you.  I have all sorts of posts developed in my head but I have yet to actually get them done.  Here we go.

You are my sunshine, Son.  You make me laugh every single day.  Who else would have taken the potato head pieces and done this?  You are a nut and I love you so much it brings me to tears.  I am so proud of you.

I love our snuggle times every night before bed when you sit on my lap and insist on playing in my hair.  Then Daddy and I tuck you into bed and we blow each other one last kiss before I shut the door.

You have started telling me “I missssed you”.  The first time was at Walmart; you and Daddy had only been to the sporting good section while Kora and I picked up some soap, but it made my heart swell that you thought that was too long to be away.  Now you greet me every morning by saying it and it makes me smile each time.

You are the blondest little boy I know and so handsome to boot.  You have been outside so much this summer and the tanner you get the whiter your hair seems.  And your little “buttocks” is nearly as white.  With your tan you are literally my little redneck boy.

You are my favorite little boy.  Pssst!  I love you!!!

Tuck Loves Cake

I made a cake and Tucker helped me clean up.

    

Yummy!  It was delicious!