Right before Memorial Day weekend Aaron and Emily came up to visit. They caught Lani on the tail end of her visit. It was fun to have them all here at one t
ime. Lots of fun!!! I had so much fun playing with Adele. She is so adorable! The boys all ADORED her. They all vied for her attention constantly, smothering her with kisses and hugs until she had to protest in self defense. Poor girl, its hard to be so loved. Ansel loved getting toys for her. He wasn't picky, he thought Adele would love everything (which she probably would, its us parents that have problems!) He would give her baby toys, legos, balls, random pieces of debris, food. He really kept us on our toes. He loved having them in HIS house. He would run around constantly saying "unca aaron" or "where unca Aaron" poor Aaron had many little bo
ys wanting his attention the whole time. Calder kept him on his toes by his "drive by wrestling moves" just when aaron was getting comfortable. Calder loved it when Uncle Aaron would say "Okay, rules of the game" he thought it was great. It has become a permanent saying in our house now. All I have to say is "okay, rules of the game." and the boys start smiling in anticipation. It great. "okay, rules of the game, we sit quietly in the doctors office and eat our snacks" It turns those mundane directives into such fun. I don't really understand why, but hey, if they think sitting quietly in the doctors office is fun because I said "rules of the game" before it, then I am not going to question it! Thanks Aaron!!While Aaron and Emily were here we did many outdoor activities, even though it rained quite a bit. The boys still talk about going to the park with Adele. I tell them, maybe in July. I am sure what they really want is uncle Aaron to push them in the tire swing again. But, Emily and I had fun on the teet
er totter. Kids? What kids? Its nice to have kids so you can have an excuse to play on the playground without any funny looks! I mean, really, do you ever out grow swinging? It's way too much fun!
Lani came to visit us, the boys could hardly wait. After all, since Christmas the guest bedroom has been dubbed "Lani's room" or more correctly "Yani's room" by the littlest boy and the name has spread through the rest of the family. I even find myself at times, calling it Lani's room too. Boy, the influence of a two year old! She and BJ really made an impression. He had to be where ever Lani was. I was completely taken out of the picture. Whenever I tried to help him with something it was an emphatic "No, Yani do it!" She had an extra appendage her entire visit. I think that trip to Nebraska when he was 5 months old must have cemented the bond. Lani was IT. We had a great time while she was here. We went to several water falls, on hikes, to the beach, etc. It was so much fun. One of the most memorable was our second trip to Multnomah Falls with Lani and Aaron and Emily. We hiked to the top of the falls. It rained on and off th
e entire hike. When we got to the bridge overlooking the lower falls, the boys discovered that falling debris was more interesting than beautiful waterfalls. There were little drain holes that they would stuff pine needles down and watch them come out into the water below. Hours of fun... Really. On the way up the trail to the upper falls, Levi and Calder discovered some earth worms wriggling across the trail. They each scooped up one and made plans to feed them to the fish we'd seen in the river below. But, as time went on, attachment grew. They were no longer food, in their minds, but their beloved pets! It soon turned into a rescue mission to save the worms. Levi's desperate plea was "Wormy is my friend, we have to save him!!" So, it began. Lani helped them find a flat, pitted rock that had small puddles of water on it from the rain and the resusitated their worms in this make-shift worm hospital. Soon they set them free in a place they deemed worthy of their worms. Ansel was upset when he realized they planned to let 
them go. He had really wanted to feed the worms to the fishes. No affection wasted there.At the top of the falls, Ansel unloaded all of his pockets. Apparently he had been collecting rocks along the way because he knew there would be water ahead. The boys busied themselves sailing rocks over the falls. They were soon gone, and they had to resort to tiny pebbles that Aunt Lani excavated out of the high walled overlook spot for them. It was a frenzy. As the saying goes - water, rocks and worms -- thats what little boys are made of. Well, something like that!
Levi is on his third Little League team this year. They chose the name "Seahawks" (don't tell them that's a name of a football team) He, of course, loves hitting. . . but he also loves playing: catcher (cool outfit!), 1st base, pitcher, 2nd base, third base. . . . well, essentially anything but outfield! So far he has gone through two hats, torn his shirt, and did a good job staining his white pants. Why do they make WHITE baseball pants anyway?!?!? That has to be every baseball mom's question, as she scrubs grass and mud stains from white pants for the umpteenth time. Our baseball photos will be very realistic this year. They played a game BEFORE the pictures. . .groan, sigh, mutter. Does anyone know a first grader who does not LOVE to slide to any base reguardless of need?!?!
Calder and Ansel have also caught the baseball fever. They are constantly playing baseball together. Ansel has taken to carrying around a ball and bat everywhere he goes- Just in case! He can be heard frequently saying "pitch it mommy?!" and "run the bases!" And if no one is around, he just pitches it to himself. I have to admit, he does a better job pitching it to himself, than I do.
Calder is our budding sidewalk chalk artist. At 4 1/2 his happiness is easily comeby. Just give him an apple and some chalk and his imagination runs wild. Here he has depicted one of his greatest loves. . . . . . A Jedi battle!! Obiwan is fighting a robot (that is the little TV antenna-like drawing in the right hand corner). You can see by Obiwan's great big smile that he must be winning the battle!
ime. Lots of fun!!! I had so much fun playing with Adele. She is so adorable! The boys all ADORED her. They all vied for her attention constantly, smothering her with kisses and hugs until she had to protest in self defense. Poor girl, its hard to be so loved. Ansel loved getting toys for her. He wasn't picky, he thought Adele would love everything (which she probably would, its us parents that have problems!) He would give her baby toys, legos, balls, random pieces of debris, food. He really kept us on our toes. 
ys wanting his attention the whole time. Calder kept him on his toes by his "drive by wrestling moves" just when aaron was getting comfortable. Calder loved it when Uncle Aaron would say "Okay, rules of the game" he thought it was great. It has become a permanent saying in our house now. All I have to say is "okay, rules of the game." and the boys start smiling in anticipation. It great. "okay, rules of the game, we sit quietly in the doctors office and eat our snacks" It turns those mundane directives into such fun. I don't really understand why, but hey, if they think sitting quietly in the doctors office is fun because I said "rules of the game" before it, then I am not going to question it! Thanks Aaron!!
er totter. Kids? What kids? Its nice to have kids so you can have an excuse to play on the playground without any funny looks! I mean, really, do you ever out grow swinging? It's way too much fun!
