Super Saturday

Several weeks ago, we got a call from my sisters husband. He said he was going Rock Hounding, he wondered if Mike and the boys would like to go along. The unanimous answer was "YES!!" Apparently, Rock hounding is when you meet a group, and go to a certain location. Then you are free to break rocks, and take the rocks home. (Doesn't this sound like the perfect activity for 2 little boys?)

We gathered goggles, gloves, and tools for breaking the rocks. Excitement was in the air!

The boys had a great time!

I feared they would come home filthy! I even sent an extra pair of clothes, and shoes for each boy (including Mike!) Surprisingly, they were quite clean.

They say they would like to do it again!

A video to show Adam in action! (You can't see it, but Mike is holding onto Adam's shirt. He was completely safe!)

Matt admitted after the trip that he was a little hesitant about the boys being there. He feared that their attention would not hold to the activity (little does he know how my boys love to dig). However, the only problem they had was at lunch the boys wanted to eat their dessert first.

I think it was a quiet ride home!

What a super Saturday!

Like Father, Like Son

Once a year, our school has an event with EMU (a local University). We go and set up a silent auction and they set up a fun night for our school. They have informational booths, fun games, and a rock climbing wall (for adults and older students).

I was working with the silent auction, when Mike came up to me and handed me his wallet, phone and other things in his pockets. He said, "Austin and I are going to climb the wall." It didn't hit me until that time, that Austin was now considered an "older student."(meaning you had to be in 3rd or 4th grade). So I left my stand to go watch this event.

Austin got a little ways up, and decided it was time to go down. Mike got up further (far enough to ring the bell at least--maybe about 1/2 way up the wall) and decided he would come down as well.

Austin was very excited that he was able to do this! I think it was a great experience to do this with Dad!

Pictures I Love!

I still have some pictures around the house of the boys from when they were little. There are a few that I just love, and can bear to think of taking down yet.

This picture was taken just before Christmas in 2004. Nothing really special about it, I just love it. I have it on my dresser mirror and enjoy seeing it everyday.

This one was taken October 31, 2004. I was at Church helping with the Hallelujah party set up. Mike just grabbed the camera and took a picture of the boys in the leaves. It is still on the entertainment center.

Mike went out with the boys and bought them sunglasses. When the came home he, again, grabbed the camera and told the boys to make muscles with their sunglasses on. How cute is that?

Now, Mike is known for taking multiple pictures of the same thing, because at least one is bound to turn out, right? So, the took some more, continuing to tell the boys to make muscles, and came up with...

I love how Austin is looking at Adam like, "What are you doing?" I love how Adam looks like, I just don't care! I have these on my refrigerator. However, these are also on Mike's school webpage. Only difference is, he somehow made them flip back and forth so it looks like the boys are moving.

So Austin's Children Know...

I was talking to Austin yesterday, as he was doing some chores. We were talking about how much money he makes for doing chores, and how much I made for doing chores as a child.

Austin said, "When I have children, I am going to pay them $100 per chore." I thought, "Wow!! He is going to have to have some great job! I may want to work for him. Then I started calculating how much I would make for just doing everyday things..." He interrupted my thinking by saying, "No, maybe I will just pay them $2 per chore..."

I have to say that still isn't bad! Dishes, laundry, cleaning, bathroom,....the list goes on and on and on.

He FINALLY Did It!!

For the past couple of summers we have gone for bike rides, but Adam always had his training wheels.

NOT ANY MORE!!

Today was the day. Mike took off the extra wheels, and Adam took to riding his bike like a pro...well, sort of. There were times that he ran into the curb, or had to catch himself from falling. But, he was a great sport about it. He went up and down the street for quite a while this afternoon.

I know his bike is way to small for him, but I think it comforted him knowing that he was able to put his feet down. When he is comfortable, we will move to the bigger bike.

I have to say, this feels like one major achievement!

Breakfast

Last summer the boys did an enrichment program done through our school system. Austin chose to do "Chef in the Making." One of the activities for this program was to paint and decorate a serving tray. Up to this point Austin has been using it in his room to try to organize things.



Wednesday was my birthday. After school on Tuesday, Austin said he had the perfect present for me. He went to his room and got the tray that he had made last summer. He told me he wanted to make me breakfast in bed. I told him that was very sweet but he would have to do this on a weekend. I reminded him that the rest of the week he had to get ready for school, and some days I needed to get ready for work. He agreed, the weekend would be best.

Since he had a few days to think about this, he decided it would be a good idea to write down what I wanted for breakfast.

This morning he was up bright and early. He got Mike up to help him with the temperature of the griddle and cutting the bread.

I could hear them working out in the kitchen.

Then my breakfast was delivered right to me.


He did a good job. It was very tasty!

There's Always A Surprise...

...when Adam comes home from piano lessons.

Several weeks ago the boys came home with a story about lambs in the basement. How they got to hold and pet the soft baby lambs.

Last week, Adam came home with a great story. Apparently, the electricity went out part way through the lesson. Adam said they were burning candles in hopes that it would give him enough light to play by. It didn't work that well. So, they moved to the "store" so Adam could spend some of his points. I have been told that they were shining a key chain flashlight so that Adam could try to find what he wanted to buy. That was an exciting day!

Naturally, with all these exciting things happening at piano, yesterday when they walked in the door I asked, "What happened at piano today?" Adam was so very proud to have bought a brand new...



LUNCHBOX with his points. He was eager to show me all of the wonderful features of this treasure.

Not only is this a lunch box, but it is also a lunch box with a ...

SANDWICH BOX that goes in the SANDWICH COMPARTMENT!! Does it get any better than that?? Adam was very happy to have his lunch packed in this today!

On a side note, I think Adam really did enjoy the lesson where the electricity went out. The reason I think this is due to the fact that Mike told me Adam asked to have the lights turned out so he could play a song in the dark.

What could be the surprise next week?