Mail Call

It's the most exciting time of day.

 

All the boys wait like expectant little puppies for the mailman to stop at our house.

And, oh-the-excitement when they get something for themselves, in this case, new magazines.

Rebuked

In a moment of exasperation with the kids, I asked (aloud), "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Stephen responded, "Well, you went to the hospital and had us."

LEGO, the Band

 

 

 

 

Nesting

It is the quandary of mothers the world over: where to put the baby?

 

 

The baby doesn't really care.  He/she is content with food and warmth. 

 

 

Some opt for just meeting the basic needs: shelter from the elements and safety from predators.

 

 

Others take time to look around for just the perfect place: shelter, safety, and beauty, too.

 

 

 

What a perfect nursery!

Overheard

Jonathan:  I told someone in the nursery that we were going to have a new baby at our house.

Doug:  Will the new baby be a boy or a girl?

Jonathan:  It will be a girl.  She will be named Dope-y.

Under Construction

Twenty-eight weeks today.

 

I was feeling a bit ambitious when I posted my 20 Things for 20 Weeks a couple of months ago.  Approximately 4 of the items have been completed so far.

 

But things are looking up. 

Item #1: Remodel the bathroom(s) is well underway.

 

Doesn't everyone want a toilet on their front porch?

There's a part of me is truly inspired by lovely images on Pinterest or the super-duper-DIYer couples with amazing blogs on house transformations (notice I wrote "me" - my husband, the voice of reason in the family, isn't interested at all).  I really would like to learn to use power tools and create with wood and build something to be proud of.

 

At the moment, however, it's all I can do to keep up with laundry, learn my kids their three Rs, and stay relatively sane.  DIY home remodeling is not really in the cards for me at this stage of life.

 

 

So I was extremely thankful when after series of I'll-call-you-next-week-contractors,

we hooked up with Randy. 

 

 

 

He knows about Pinterest.

He cares about details.

He has 6 kids.

 

 

He's been great with the "helpers" around and even let Stephen assist with prying off the old tile.

Matthew enjoyed playing in the new bathtub in our living room floor.

 

 

And he's uber-patient with The Supervisor (a.k.a. Josie).  When she disappears, I know right where to go.  She always climbs his ladders, inspects his tools, and is anxious to know what's happening.

 

I can't wait to share the finished results.

American Grafffiti

Meet our resident graffiti artist.

 

 

While I'm, ahem, a little particular about keeping writing instruments out of reach,

a workman at our house isn't.

 

 

Josie found a Sharpie and went to work.

 

 

Quite impressive, huh?

 

 

I'm just glad I haven't made it to my major repainting yet.

 

 

It's a good thing she is so cute.

Free Scoop Day

 

 

I think this look says it all.

Project Week

Since I wasn't distracted by blogs and websites due to internet/phone issues last week, I had a chance to complete some tasks around the house.  Taking advantage of the stash of diapers in our garage, I created a masterpiece of stacked boards out of Harm's Way (a.k.a., Jonathan) that eventually got painted. 

Andrew thinks bike-riding requires too much effort; Matthew likes his until his pedals fall off; Stephen just acquired a hand-me-down bike but the wobbles worry him.  While I painted, I suggested that they practice so that they could have their own NASCAR races.  That was the trick, and from then on, they were hooked.

The result of this burst of energy?

Two new valances/curtains

An organized closet for The Dormitory

Painted baseboards

Daffodils

         

          I wandered lonely as a cloud

          That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
          When all at once I saw a crowd,
          A host, of golden daffodils;
          Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
          Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

          Continuous as the stars that shine
          And twinkle on the milky way,
          They stretched in never-ending line
          Along the margin of a bay:                             
          Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
          Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

          The waves beside them danced; but they
          Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
          A poet could not but be gay,
          In such a jocund company:
          I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
          What wealth the show to me had brought:

          For oft, when on my couch I lie
          In vacant or in pensive mood,                          
          They flash upon that inward eye
          Which is the bliss of solitude;
          And then my heart with pleasure fills,
          And dances with the daffodils.

          - William Wordsworth 1804

Opening Day

It's a new season for the Hamill Boys' Lemonade Stand.

 

It also happened to coincide with the neighborhood yard sale which greatly increased traffic.  These faces were irresistible, and they even offered curbside delivery.  The boys cleared $18 for their efforts; not a bad start.

A First For Me

I've read about.

My husband says he gets it a lot.

But it was a first for me.

The kids and I walked into a showroom today and a man immediately says, "You don't have TV, do you?"

Of all the idiotic things to say (and, I've heard a lot), this has to be the top.  I find it hard to believe that any human would choose the offerings of our nation's major networks over some alone time with their spouse.  But apparently, it's the norm.

"Sorry, honey, not tonight.  I have to watch The Bachelor to fulfill all my fantasies." or "No, dear, my needs are sufficiently met by watching the commercials of major sporting events."

If you follow the logic then one would assume that the natural solution for teenage pregnancy would be to simply supply each one with their own television or for OBs to simply give their patients TV Guide and say, "Have at it."

Sometimes I despair of this world in which we live.

April Fools

The boys have always loved April Fools tricks.  Usually we do something food related (Tricky Tacos), but I was fresh out of ideas and enthusiasm this year.  Then I remembered that I told the boys they would get their Easter baskets when they got back from Mississippi so I decided to fix up some faux treats.

 

In the interest of equality, everyone got the same thing: three paper eggs and a chocolate-colored bunny.  There may or may not have been quivering chins from the eldest son.

I quickly explained what day it was and there were real baskets to be found; all was well.

Can children who are allergic also enjoy an Easter bunny?  Thanks to Indie Candy, yes, they can.  I splurge once a year on these safe treats because everyone should have the pleasure of biting off a rabbit's ears!