Way Back When, Or, A Few Months Ago

I was looking back through my pictures and realized there's a whole lot of memories I forgot to blog about.  I'm sure you appreciate that if I wait any longer these moments will be forever gone from my memories,.  I just lost too many brain cells growing babies to think I could remember this many things.  It's one of the reasons why I started blogging in the first place!

Please pardon the flashbacks.  Better than hot flashes at any rate - which I am sure are only a few years away!

Big E, Little E, What Begins With E?
Easter, Eggs, and Elephants, E, E, E...

Once upon a time, it was Spring.  Which around here, looked a lot like winter, and the fall before that.  We did as much as we could to make things seems like they were coming to life inside the house.  Outside, things were just drowning in downpour and darkness!

You'll notice I went for the terrarium look this year.  'Twas a happier option for keeping the littlest of fingers at bay.  Or at the very least, it made more noise when El' Destructo was at work.

I need to give kudos to our babysitter, Rachel for making the very fun dyed eggs with the kids.  Maybe she'll teach me how to do it next year.

Sorry, there weren't actually elephants. Maybe next year.

Bake Your Own Sunshine

We tried embracing the wet and rainy-ness by making perfect comfort foods as often as possible

Pictured here.:  real corn bread with honey, followed by the most sacrelicious maple-bacon scones. I told you there would be bacon in the next post featuring food!

Mmmmm.   Bacon makes everything better.  I might have to revisit this recipe soon, who says scones aren't summer food!  

The recipe is actually just a maple-oatmeal scone which, I am sure, was fabulous all on it's own.  I'd like to think I improved it by 26% by adding bacon. 

You can find the recipe here, and then bake a pound of bacon in your oven, chop it, and add it at the perfect time.  Then men in your life will thank you for making scones manly enough for them to enjoy. 

Another Birthday Boy
And in between all the other things going on, this little guy had the nerve to grow up and turn five on Easter Sunday.

2006

2011

We didn't have a big shin-dig this year, but we had some family fun, and it included a bouncy castle - but, as I have lamented in the past, I didn't bring my camera.

As is usually the case, these two celebrated their birthday together.  They go way back.

Does this make you want to cry, Loni?  I might.

Tyson and Jackson both had the nerve to grow up, and I can't quite make myself believe that in a few weeks they will be starting school.

Look at my muscles, Mom.  I'm tough.

Oh Tyson, you are so sweet- in the most manly, big-boy, tough-guy kind of way. I know it's tough to figure out how your cousin who is 3 weeks younger than you could be taller, but not older.  You'll get the hang of it one day.

You are easy-going and are consistently hilarious.   "The world is coming to a bend.!"  has to be one of our favourite Tysonisms.

You are gentle and strong.  Dad and I love it that we can count on you for a big good morning hug and a kiss, just because you love us so.

Your smile always wins!

You are ready to start school.  I'm so excited for all you will learn this year.  You already have a good start with knowing your alphabet and your favourite word:  T-Y-S-O-N.   I am so lucky to get to be your teacher!

But please, don't grow up too fast, little man.

Saying Yes Takes Practice
Some other good times:

Bubble baths in the soaker tub.  Saying yes to bubbles is always the right choice.  Saying yes to the big tub in my bedroom is also something I have finally learned to say yes to a lot.  Soon the days of tubs and bubbles and little Santa Claus faces will be behind us.  I hope I will have learned to say yes to a great many more things by then.

Ho-ho-ho, Merry Christmas!

I also said yes to playing games with the kids more often.  Probably not as often as I could have or should have, but I attempted to say yes to that more!

Full Confession:  I am not a good game player, in fact I am not good at playing anything, except for the piano and even that could be debated. It's not because I'm competitive or a sore loser, but because my hyper-productivity gene kicks in at about the 15 minute mark, and I find it hard to stay focused on the game/play and not start folding laundry or making scones - or something.  I have always been a teensy bit jealous of my Mom's ability to play.

Jenga is a perfect  >15 minute game!

I hope I get better with age.

Note to self: make time for more games...maybe add it to the Fall List of fun.

The Best is Yet to Come
I'm trying not to panic that the last few weeks of summer are upon us.  Panic has a way of eating up the joy in the room.  We are making good headway on our summer list, and making the most of many moments.  We're even making new friends doing it all, so there's solace in that.

We finally have summer weather; it may even stick around long enough to make some more hot weather memories.  Solace can be found there too.

I find solace in solace.

In fact, looking back helps me remember that for all the imperfect moments that I don't blog about, my socks are blessed clean off with good things.

Memories uploaded.

I am surrounded by good things, most of them: people.

Now, we keep moving forward - there are more good times ahead.