Battleship

We played the game Battleship over vacation. Isaiah had never played before and was loving it. He needed a lot of help because he wasn't quite getting the idea of coordinates (I9, B5, etc.), but he loved sinking Daddy's ships. While we were playing, Sam was just wandering around playing with toys. Whenever someone would yell, "You sunk my battleship!" Sam would say, "You need new one? Me get you new one." Then he would run over to you with a pretend battleship. It was cute and entertaining.

Vacation...

Enjoying themselves in the Appalachian Caverns

There were several scary bridges in the caverns! This was one of them.

The big one LOVED his disposable camera.

Feeding the ducks... or himself.

On one of the trails through the rhododendron gardens, we ran into some old friends. Unexpected, but nice! Notice the sweatshirt and jeans. The temperature was a lovely 70 degrees up on the mountain. =)

Isaiah took this picture with my camera. The trees look like a heart!

Enjoying a picnic lunch in Roan Mtn State Park.

When we first arrived at our picnic spot, a very over-tired Isaiah was afraid of this tree. By the time we left, he decided he liked it.

It was very hot in town, or anywhere below 5,500 feet, but we found lots of opportunities to swim. This wonderful pool was at the state park, 15 minutes from where we were staying. Sam went down the little tube slide about 173 times, each time saying, "Me do that again," while choking on chlorinated water. =) We also went to a kiddie water park and went swimming in a river.

More to come...

Isaiah's 5th birthday

For Isaiah's 5th birthday, we were on vacation in Tennessee. He wanted to go to the Hands On Museum, which we had visited the year before. So we spent most of the day there, for his birthday.

I'm always amazed at Dan's cash register skills. Those days at Shop N Save really paid off!

Sam also tried on a pink unicorn costume (his choice!), but I don't think those pictures are meant for the internet. LOL!

Dressed as chipmunks... hiding in a tree, burying a nut.

At our cottage at Fairhaven, opening presents.

He chose a Thomas party for the third year in a row.

Carnival fun

Racing Daddy. The kid kept winning!

Super happy!

Waaaaaaaaaaaay past nap time.

Crazy kid sayings

• Before Christmas, Sam was hardly speaking at all. In the last 5-6 months, his verbal abilities have improved so much. However, he's still pretty hard to understand if you're not used to being with him all the time. In the car, I was telling Dan about Sam talking to the cashier and she couldn't understand him. Isaiah said, "Sam speaks... kinda Spanish." Too funny.
• Tonight we were reading the Bible story about Jesus teaching in the temple. At the end of the story, there was the question, "Where can you go to learn more about God?" (Obvious answers: Church/Bible/Mom/Dad) Isaiah's answer: "The internet?" I just never know what is going to come out of his mouth.
• We were leaving the gym the other day, and I was sitting in the car figuring out which errands I wanted to run in which order. Isaiah asked where we were going next. I paused then said, "Um, I'm trying to figure out what makes the most sense." Isaiah replied with, "Mommy, are you loading?" (referring to his games he playes, where the little loading bar shows up while the games are starting up.)

Fun summer times

Deer Lakes Park has a new water play area for kids. It's a summer must for families of little kids! The water is on from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If the water isn't running or stops running, there is a silver button on top of a blue thing that looks like a fire hydrant that you have to push to get it going again. That's a pretty good idea, so the water is only running when kids are there to play in it. Here are some pictures of the boys enjoying themselves tonight.

Update in pictures

Proof that even Spiderman sleeps. =) He got his face painted at Northway's car cruise the other week.

Had to get the other one sleeping too. He was leery of the face paint and didn't go for it, but loved the bouncy castle.

Sporting their new pjs made by Grandma. The big one has curious george and the little one has Thomas.

Making rain sticks at the library's story and craft time.

Trying them out.

Ashley and Nate's wedding

While Dan and I finished the great basement clean out, he climbed in the baby swing, wearing the little one's bike helmet and elbow pads, and fell asleep. Granted, it was around 8:00 pm.

Kids say the darndest things

Isaiah has loved being in the eagle's nest (childcare while shopping) at our local grocery store, Giant Eagle. He especially loves playing the Wii and other video games. When we were leaving the grocery store the other day, the boys and I were talking about the fact that Sam will be able to go in the eagle's nest when he's three.
Isaiah's comment: "Mommy, then you can mind your OWN business!"
Gosh, that one made me laugh. Kids use expressions in funny ways.

Summer reading fun!

Today we joined the summer reading club at our local library. I figured that since we're trying to increase our reading, we might as well make it fun for the summer. The boys get tokens for the books they read. Then at the end of the summer, they get to cash in their tokens for little prizes. Then (I didn't even know this), just for joining, each kid gets a free kids' meal at Applebees, a free kids' meal at North Park Clubhouse, and a free scoop of ice cream at Kaleidoscopes. They also get to enter a weekly drawing and a grand prize drawing. There are also scheduled activities for the kids. We're going to try going tomorrow. I'm not sure if Sam is too young, but we'll find out!

Reading

I've been reading several homeschool blogs. The one mom (of 9 kids, plus one on the way) reads to her little kids (age 7 and under) for two hours per day. That blew my mind when I read that! My boys are so active and wiggly that when we try to read books before bed, half the time I think they're not even paying any attention.
So a week or so ago, I decided to try reading to them mid-morning. They sat for about 30-45 minutes, riveted with the stories. I couldn't believe how much time had passed. If I remember right, I was almost late leaving for school because of that! Since then we've had several longish reading sessions. After lunch, before what I call quiet afternoon time, works well as reading time also. Then last night before bed, they sat downstairs on the couch with me for about an hour reading. I'm really amazed at how calmed down they get when we're snuggling on the couch, reading. Here are some of our favorite books from this week:

1. Twenty-One Elephants by April Prince - the true story about P.T. Barnum marching elephants across the Brooklyn Bridge when it was first built, to prove that it was safe to cross.
2. Tuesday by David Wiesner - a hilarious picture book with hardly any words. The boys and I were all laughing out loud at this one.
3. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats - Isaiah just can't get enough of this one. It's a very simple book with simple illustrations, but something about Peter's adventures in the snow really resonates with him.
4. How I Became a Pirate and its sequel, Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long and David Shannon - a great boy story. A lot of little boys imagine being pirates, and these books bring those fantasies to life. Wonderfully funny.
5. The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson - a magical night time book with simple yet interesting illustrations.
6. In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck - Curiously, Alice's room is not blue. Neither is the cup of tea, blanket, etc. that her mother brings her to comfort her before bed. All of a sudden, when Mom turns out the lamp, everything is bathed in blue moonlight. Pleasantly surprising. Excellent use of colors.

If you have any suggestions of books for preschoolers, I would love to hear them. What are/were your children's favorites?

Sam-isms

Yesterday, when Dan and Sam came to rescue me from the broken minivan (Isaiah was at Vern and Lorrie's):

Sam: Mommy, you park there? (Referring to the van parked in the middle of the road).
Me (a little exasperated): Well, I didn't do it on purpose!
Sam: Mommy, are you sorry?

During story time tonight:

Me, reading inside the cover: "This book belongs to Sam."
Sam (noticing that I wrote his name in the book): Mommy wrote in my book. That bad. No write in books.

And one Isaiah-ism just to round it out.

We were eating outside on the deck over the weekend and commenting about how our house needs powerwashed again:

Me: The last time we cleaned the siding, I was pregnant with Sam.
Isaiah: What's pregnant mean?
Me: Sam was still in my belly.
Isaiah: I remember when I was in your belly. It was scary and dark. I tried to find a light switch, but I couldn't find one.

And since I'm thinking of it, here's one from my pre-teen nephew:

Sam: Me go poo poo on potty!
Me: Ok! Everybody gets poo poo cookies! J do you want one?
J: How do they taste?
J's Dad: Like poo, J.

Hope they give you a laugh today.