Snapshots

 H has started math at school!  I was surprised!  I think we will use Handwriting Without Tears this summer and try to work on correct  letter formation.  He definitely has his own way of writing!  Notice his name at the top...I think he started on the wrong side of the page!

 Throwing rocks into the creek after our walk.  I think Pop and SweetHart started this routine when they were here.  It has been so nice now that it is lighter later.  

 Living room tents.  H thought the idea up and then wrote a note for us (on the paper on the floor) so we would remember to build a tent after rest time.   We read books and had snacks in it.  I love how a tent or flashlight/glowstick can make even the most routine activities so fresh and exciting!

 An afternoon visit to Nanny's.  The boys had made cards for her (93rd!!!) birthday, so we took them over and then had a great time playing outside and playing Play-Do.  

 H usually plays quietly or watches a show at rest time, he doesn't really nap anymore (he tells me that at school he stays awake and whispers to the other kids that don't sleep either), but he fell asleep this weekend!  I took a picture and then woke him up!!! Otherwise he would probably not be able to fall asleep until 10pm!

He told me "Look!  This is how flingoes (flamingoes) stand." 

 "Look!  I at knight!" (I'm a knight!)

Fun craft at Michael's with our new buddy Alex, and then fun playing at McDonald's.    

It's a(nother) boy!!!

 Meet Horton:

 The newest little boy in our family!  He is almost 8 weeks old and already fits into our little family like he has always been here!  Very playful, loves attention, already taunts Tatum and then runs under something to hide, likes to attack my feet, and the boys love him!

I didn't really plan on us getting a new pet, but our landlords ended up with a pregnant stray, and he was just too cute!  I'm so glad I couldn't resist!

 H loves to snuggle with him, play with him, and mostly to make him dance and sing (Horton is pretty tolerant thus far).  For the first few days H insisted his name was going to be Kitty.  He's coming around to Horton...

C loves to snuggle with him and carry him to his food or litter box.  

It used to just be Tatum watching the nightly dinner show in the hopes that something yummy will fall.  Horton quickly found a little box to sit in to watch the show too!  He doesn't seem to have any interest in our food, but seems to just want to be in a little spot where the rest of us are. 

Horton quickly decided that our treehouse (that the boys don't really play with too much anymore anyway) is just for him,  he likes to climb in it, on it, and play with the strings, leaves, and ladders that are on it.  Everyone has a good time watching the Horton show!

The treehouse also makes the perfect spot for a quick catnap with his favorite toy in the warm afternoon sun.  

Snapshots

 I just had to laugh at this, C was crying and very upset because he just couldn't find his hat....

(He was laughing pretty good when I told him it was on his head!)

 Picking flowers for the house, H put water in his bucket, picked the flowers and then arranged them in his bucket.  C stuffed his flowers down in the water.  His flowers didn't last too long.

 St. Patrick's Day love!  

Always, these two are the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow!  

 H drew a pretty flower for me

 C drew "a semi circle"

As KK noticed, he drew a lot of semicircles!

 St. Patty's selfies

 Tatum was very eager to "help" me cut out fabric.  (making another sunshine blanket.  Who doesn't want to be wrapped up in sunshine???)

Practicing the "stink face" one afternoon.  We entertain ourselves well....

Pop and SweetHart, part three

Making "Camel apples" (H's version of caramel apples).  

A fun and easy activity to do with the boys, and a fun treat to eat!  We might need to make more! 

Bedtime stories.  I think all of the adults were more worn out than C and H! 

We had said our goodbyes on the morning Pop and SweetHart were to leave, but that afternoon, I got a text that they were still here!  Their flight had been canceled (although they weren't too sad because they had gotten to meet Uncle Si from Duck Dynasty at the airport), and they were going to stay one more night in Monroe.  I hadn't told the boys that they would be at our house, and when H saw them, he clapped his hands and said "This is the best idea ever!!!"

A Picnic in the bedroom.  

They were cooking us some very good food.  It was a great picnic and all was going well until Tatum decided he needed to chase his tail in the middle of the picnic and right into SweetHart's lap!  We were all laughing, and then the boys started cooking again just like nothing unusual happened.

 Some good after school snuggles.  Being five can be tiring!

And some after school clapping! 

C is very into baseball caps these days, and very into anything to do with Pop.

We love you, Pop and SweetHart!!!  Come back soon!!!!

Pop and SweetHart, part two

We had to head out to Black Bayou with SweetHart (she loves it there!) and Uncle Bryan. 

 Reflections in the water, it was a beautiful, but overcast day.  

 H, SweetHart, Uncle Bryan and C.

H thought it was hilarious to hide in the vines of the arboretum and surprise Uncle Bryan!  

That afternoon, after pizza at Nanny's, we sent SweetHart and Uncle Bryan home to chat and watch C while he rested, and me, Pop and H headed to the circus!  I thought H would like it, but wasn't so sure how C would handle the clowns, loud noises and costumes, especially since he has a near panic attack each time he sees someone in a large costume.  We thought this arrangement would be better, at least until he is a little older.  

 H loved the circus!  (I did too!)  So much to look at and see!  He happily munched on popcorn and waved his light sword the whole time!  

 He turned to Pop at one point in the circus and said "This is the greatest!  Did you think it up?"  

He said his favorites were the twirling ladies (when they were twirling in the air, he remarked "It's a miracle!") and the motorcycle riders that did flips in the air.  The last act was the human arrow.  They lit his cape on fire and then launched him in the air.  As we were leaving, H asked "Is anyone going to light me on fire?  I don't want that."  

It was a great time, and he is still asking about when we can go again!

Dr. C was ready to give Pop a check up after supper.  A bandaid on his arm and checking for birds in his ears.  The thermometer kept saying that Pop was mad, though...Pop was a good patient and got the "all clear." 

Pop and SweetHart, Part 1

They came, they came!!!  We were all so happy to have Pop and SweetHart here!  Extra love and snuggles, good cooking, a little fixing here and there, tending to business matters and more!   

C was "helping" Pop fix a drawer for me.  Thanks Pop!  (Its always nice to have someone help fix things!)

 C just needs somebody to "Hold you"  (C's version of hold me please) sometimes, and he loooves Pop, so he was happy to get some extra snuggles when he felt the need.  After Pop and SweetHart went back home, I was telling C to put on a different pair of shoes so he could put them on by himself, but he was adamant about a certain pair of shoes that he wanted and said "Pop can put these on me."  

 Paper airplanes!  We had fun making, flying, chasing and catching these!  When Tatum gets involved, it gets a little wild, but we had a great time!  They even showed us how to fold some to do loops.  I think the adults enjoyed the paper airplanes as much as the kids (and dog)!

 Stories with SweetHart. 

Love!

H picked some beautiful petunias (all flowers are petunias to H) for SweetHart from across the street from us. 

Smelling the purple wildflowers at Yellow Park.   

 Did I mention how much C loves Pop?  

I've discovered that if you want to make C really happy, give him Pop, give him Pawpaw, or give him a 'cozy' clothes to wear!  (Cozy clothes = sweat/jersey pants, and a "pretiful" shirt (one with "ABC's" (letters) or a big picture.)

 Swinging and giving fives.

Swinging/tickling with my boys!