spectators

It occurred to me recently that my parents actually taught me how to play all those games I know how to play.  And that Dustin and I will have to teach the peeps how to play them all too!  Oh man.  I think there could be big money in something like Board Game Day Camp.  Aside from dealing the abject despair of someone's great loss every now and then, games are starting to be [lots more] fun.  Right now we play a lot of dominoes, checkers, Crazy 8s, and Candy Land.  I'm thinking this winter we can add Guess Who?, Uno, maybe Battleship (with rules; they currently like to "play" it).  Oh!  Animal Rummy!  Surely we can cultivate more game loving Spricks.

The neighbors across from us had some work done in their backyard last week.  Adam and Noah opened all of the windows, made snacks, moved chairs and bundled up to watch the action for a surprisingly solid amount of time.  Fresh air and happy, stationary little boys?  Yes, please.

a few moments

I love that Paige has the entire platter of cantaloupe in the first photo (the pic is from Sept but I just came across it).  Noah loves to dip pulled pork in yogurt.  Actually, he loves to dip everything in...anything.  He is our condiment baby.
The camera is mostly put away lately - not enough hours in the day.  I can hardly believe we're coming up on November (wasn't August just a few weeks ago?!).  Everyone is growing and going (and going and going).  Noah has said goodbye to his morning snooze.  This makes our mornings much louder.  He held on to it for a long while, but with tears, walks, popsicles and parental fortitude, I do believe they are a thing of the past.  The poor thing must be exhausted, keeping up with all his bigs.  This morning I watched him just running around the downstairs in a big loop, trying to follow anyone that came into his line of vision.  He doesn't want to miss anything, and puts his shoes on immediately upon crib-freeing each morning.  I imagine he will be the youngest to self-jacket and learn zippers - and maybe the phrase "me too!"

caterpillar and cache

The last visitor scored their own Lego cruiser and I can't recall this one's name, but they stayed for 3 days and left with all fuzz intact (whew).  I am hoping this year's caterpillar adventures have ended.  Paige has moved on to hunting blue tailed lizards (thankfully none yet caught).  We went to a fair a while back and it was a grand time.  S&P were hot, sticky and tired.  There were animals and snacks and cheerleaders and rides and even a Lego competition.
I found that Adam had appropriated the bathroom stool a while back; it was sitting by his bed one night when I did the usual pull-up-covers-kiss-you-once-more.  Favorite tool, car, allowance, bug book and Bob???  What little boy dreams are made of.

camping, but not really

We took the peeps to Vogel State Park last weekend.  The last time we went camping was a few  weeks before Noah was born (at one of our favorites, Sylvan Lake - everyone in CO should go there)!  That was a long time ago.  When we considered camping this year, we decided that a cabin was gonna have to cut it.  Maybe we'll reconsider for 2015, but for now it was the way to go.  Everyone was safe and in one place (our tent is too small for 6, and S&P aren't yet ready to break in their "kids" tent) and we had a sweet 3 days.  I loved all the bridges over creeks, Paige found caterpillars, Seth mastered marshmallows, Adam had pockets continuously full of rocks, Noah scampered about, and Dustin reveled in the breezy, cooler weather.  We came back both tired and rested at the same time.

And look!  God grew peas in our garden.  Seth is all about their timely consumption.

two-turning

Suddenly it got all sweltery a few weeks ago and the kind of humid that makes you remember why you wanted to go back to school right after Labor Day as a kid (can you believe school years used to start then?!).  Sticky-icky, jump in the pool and stay until your fingers and toes wrinkle kind of summer days.  We are so thankful that Adam was put into a boot (which is now off, wahoo), so he could still swim, shower, and rest easy at night.

In an unexpected twist, the flowers all started profuse blooming in late August.  And by that I mean - there were no blooms until late August, at all.  Not one!  Apparently I was still on Colorado time and planted them a wee bit late.  And I just noticed there is an iris (an iris!) blooming just this morning by our bedroom window.  Tennessee or Colorado, that can't be right.

Noah turned 2 and it was clear right away that he totally understood that it was his day.  On the way home from donuts, we heard him singing the Happy Birthday song - only a parent could understand those lyrics, but the melody was distinguishable.  After his nap he pulled a chair over to where my bag hangs and liberated the 2 candle and lighter.  He brought them to me and blew that candle out at least 30 times in 8 hours.  He got a scooter and a 2-year blanket and cupcakes and so many kisses.  Oh, Noah.  My giggly, wiggly Noah.  You are wonderful.