The Fair, revisited!

If you've been a blog follower here for long, you know that we have this fair tradition. It sounds silly to call it a tradition, I know, but to little boys, it's a major event that they look forward to every summer. That qualifies, if you ask me. :)

My problem now is that my youngest is starting to ride rides. You know what this means, don't you? My excuse for not riding rides is almost out the window. Need someone to stay back with the baby in the stroller? You bet, I'll sacrifice for the family. Heh. Something tells me some boy is going to want me to ride the Scrambler next year, and I'll have no way of getting out of it.

If that's the case, I'm going to have to pass on the corn dog too. Hmm, I'm going to have to work this somehow. I do, however, simply adore watching other family members scream their lungs out, laugh somewhat nervously, and almost get sick riding every ride on the block. On family night, of course, when all rides are a buck. The macho stories after the fact are priceless.

Don't you worry, though, you can always count on me for that green slide. Once I'm past the touch-and-go steep stair climb with the toddler (after seriously backing up the line), I let loose and giggle all the way down that thing. And since Tyler messed up his tailbone on it once, it's all mine. Sweet. Jack Tyler entered his first ever Mini 4-H project this year. He chose to do a rock collection, complete with a photo album of him working on his project, and a chart describing collections that family members have started. I think we have a little 4-H'er on our hands. Or minimally, a newly-turned-nine year old boy that finds extreme satisfaction in collecting junk of all kinds.

Oh yeah, I can handle the carousel too (if I look straight ahead the whole time... surely this head turn was only momentary). I'm versatile that way. I'm sure you would have needed to be there, but this picture completely cracks me up. This little bus was the most mellow, slowest, safest, preschool ride in the whole place. Chase was so pumped up all night about riding everything, that - even on the bus - he had his hands up in the air, screaming his little head off the entire ride. Even the other preschoolers on the ride were looking at him like, "Dude, this is definitely not that kind of ride," but he didn't care. I love his enthusiasm!

So next year, here we come. I'm a momma who likes to remain relevant and at least slightly hip, and I have a feeling that riding fair rides somehow ranks in the grand scheme of things. Alright boys, at least I have a few months to mentally prepare myself. :)

Thirty-Six!

Happy Birthday today to the love of my life (and to one really good kisser!). We love you!!

Coming up...

This might be my favorite picture from this summer. It captures our daily life so well: hanging out after a busy night of VBS and baseball, glad to be together. If you want personal space, this family's not for you.

The boys started school last week, and I have lots of pictures to share. But before I do that, I have a few summer pics still worth mentioning. Stay tuned for our summer wrap-up, and get ready to hear about our perspective and purpose for this school year. I might even throw in my thoughts about our recent potty training adventure, and my new favorite recipe... if I decide to get extra crazy. :) See you soon!

Fall Baseball, comin' right up...

I just signed this cute little baseball player up for Fall baseball. I don't know what's cuter: the way he closes his eyes when he swings the bat, or his adorable bottom in those baseball pants.

He's not the best player on the team, but he's definitely coming along. At least now he's watching the ball instead of conversing with the crowd. He's onto the first "real" league, where you actually play a game with rules and all. Although there's a little more pressure, there's a lot more action too. Meaning that games aren't total torture / comical to watch. This momma could really get into a game, if only the two year old was just as interested.

We're looking forward to a much more laid back Fall ball schedule, which is only one practice and one game a week, as opposed to the four nights a week we juggled early in the summer. That's a good thing, because we'll have homework, you know. Oh, and the two year old.

The Boys Are Back in Town!

...and I've never been so happy to see this much laundry in my entire life. Things I missed while they were gone:

My minivan. Seriously, I never thought I'd say that.

My idea-givers for Chase. He has an imagination, but not nearly one the size of his older brothers.

My laundry sorters, dishwasher unloaders, and trash boys. :)

Our nightly Bible readings minus two very eager learners (they have a few chapters in Daniel to catch up on now).

Trey's sweet eyes and giggles.

Jack's insightful conversations and creativity.

The man that I married thirteen years ago this summer. He brings energy and entertainment to this house like only he can!

Their bags are unpacked and the laundry is slowly getting caught up. And I'm happy to report that Jack and Trey are great at entertaining a certain two year old who decided she wants to use the potty this week! They read, play and talk with her while she sits, and waits (I was upstairs putting laundry away earlier, and knowing that there's no time to wait, Trey even helped her to the potty himself!).

Ah, they're home, and I like it that way...

Missin' the boys...

These three are beyond excited to be on their first guy trip ever... a fishing trip to Wisconsin with my dad. Luckily Trey got the deodorant talk from his dad last week, just in time for a week of fish guts and a race to see who can go the most days without a shower. I'm back with the little ones who aren't quite ready to make the trip, and we've realized today (um, that would be day one) that our entertainment has left us for the week. I made the mistake of telling Chase that we would be doing some fun things of our own while the boys were gone, and he has taken that statement very literally. When I told him that it was time for lunch today, he said, "But I thought we were only doing fun things while the boys are in Wisconsin."

Yikes.

In other exciting news... after a run-in with the bathroom stall door at Chuck E. Cheese (don't ask... I knew I didn't like that place), I am spending my spouse-free time Googling images of broken fingers. My fun activity for the day was consoling a toddler and a preschooler in the smallest exam room ever while the doc stuck a needle - twice - through my black fingernail to try to relieve some pressure in my huge finger. I'm off for x-rays in the morning, but according to Chase, that sounds like a blast, so mark one up for his fun list.

Glad I could accommodate him.