Outside Everything

And BOY does it feel good. They are finally old enough to go outside and entertain themselves. And they do, a lot. Except when they don't. But luckily, we can take some of our inside activities outside.

Like painting. Painting rocks, yes, rocks, has become a favorite pastime. It's great on windy/breezy days. They don't blow away.


We've commandeered several of Dad's old t-shirts as full-time smocks. Works great.

Focus. Concentrate. This one needs some sunblock too. Nothing's ever perfect.

Sheepdog Trials

Every spring, our town hosts one of the biggest sheepdog trial events in the nation. Despite its import in the sheepdog world, it neglects to attract large crowds. Just the way we like it. Last weekend we spent the morning watching these dogs herd sheep through a series of gates and pens. It was fascinating! No. Really. Just like Babe.



We let Lu experiment with the camera. Of course, Dolly was her first subject. Not bad for a first-timer.

New Tricks

This is Lu's new favorite thing. When I took this picture a couple of weeks ago, all she could do was climb the door frame. Now that she's been practicing, she can reach up, hold onto the top of the frame, and hang for a while before repositioning herself and climbing down. If someone wants to walk through the door, she lets go of one side and clings to the other (like climbing a coconut tree) and shimmies down. The other day she actually said, "It's lucky I have sweaty feet!"

The Emotional Twos

The exuberant smile on his face belies the terrible two-year-old seething just under the surface. He is one big ball of emotion. Either he is all joy, or he is all sorrow. There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth in this house (not all of it his).

So you've got to enjoy the good moments when they come. In the backyard, he is in his element. The wood pile is a favorite place to go. I have gone out there more than once, worried that he's hurt himself since I haven't heard him in so long, only to find him sitting quietly on an old stump, like the boy in The Giving Tree. Only Phoenix's is already chopped down.

"Look Mom. A leaf, that I just violently ripped off the bush over there."

So cute. I have to mention also that he has hit the "Why?" stage with a vengeance. He just woke up the other day asking "Why?" to everything. Here's an example from tonight at bedtime:

Phx: Why did Daddy leave me?
Me: Because he's tired of hearing you whine and cry. Now you're stuck with me.
Phx: Why is he tired of hearing me whine and cry?
Me: Because no one likes to hear whining and crying.
Phx: (As I'm trying to leave the room) Why doesn't anyone like to hear whining and crying?
Me: Because it hurts our ears.
Phx: Why does it hurt your ears?
Me: (Definitely leaving now) Goodnight Phoenix.
Phx: (Calling after me) WHY does it hurt your ears?
Me: (Out the door) Goodnight Phoenix.
Phx: (Yelling from his bed) Come back! Let's talk about the whining! I want to talk more about the whining! . . . .

Graduation Day!

Lutece graduated from preschool last week, which I think is one of the silliest things ever. I mean, preschool? One-day-a-week preschool? Still and all, we were there to support her, because, you know, someone had to drive her home :) And because we love her. And because we want her to be excited for Kindergarten next year . . . even if it is "Home Kindergarten," as we have started calling it. And because, well, have you seen that face? I happened to snap a shot as she was walking up the aisle.

They showed a little video of the graduating kids, being asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. Lutece said, "A zookeeper." When asked why, she responded, "Umm, it seems like it would be fun."

Phoenix's Room

. . . has something for everyone. We seem to congregate there after quiet time, mostly to help Phx clean up his room. Also because, well, it's a cozy, wonderful room.

And it's the only room in the entire house that has carpet, which normally wouldn't be an attraction (to us at least), but it's a nice new carpet, and it's in a cozy room.

"It's time to clean up now Phoenix."

Perhaps you didn't know my son was a super hero. Flash Phoenix. That's what they call him.

Reading, Writing, and Linguistics

This was hanging on Lu's footstool in front of her door the other day. I walked past and did a double-take. For those of you who are not 4-year-old-writing-literate, it reads "Lutece's room. Don't. No. No."

They've been doing "Kindergarten Readiness" testing at Lu's preschool this last week. I found this out when I went to pick her up on Thursday and her teacher was very excited to see me. "She read six words in the test! Did you know she could read? Have you been working with her at home?" My first reaction was seriously, "Hmm, just six?" Actually, we stopped working on the reading a couple of months ago because she just didn't seem interested and I didn't want to push her. But in the last couple of weeks, she's started to show interest, so we've been reading short books each day. It turns out, there were only six words in the test. She read them all.

And last, but not least, this one comes from Phoenix, who is in the throes of potty-training. While going to the bathroom the other day he said, very matter-of-fact-ly, "Dad, pee comes from your penis. And poop comes from your poop-ness."

I scream! You scream!

Have I mentioned how much I love Spring? Oh. My. But I do. It was an ice-cream sort of day. But we didn't eat any today. Nope. These pictures are from about 3 weeks ago. That's how far behind I am in my blogging. So sorry to my faithful readership. All 6 (?) of you. Anyway, today was the sort of day that you *could* enjoy ice-cream, you know, if you ate any. Just pretend like we did.

"And just one more thing." Always the finger, for emphasis.

And of course, there's Phx too.

Pondering the delicacy of ice-cream on a warm Spring day (not today . . . but it *could* have been. Just imagine it was.)*

Wonder where he gets it from.

And once again, this it the best I could get of the two of them together. It's near impossible to get a good "group" shot (if you can call 2 a group). I have to settle for this.

*I think I need to lay off the Terry Pratchet. I'm starting to sound like him a bit. Ach. Crivens.