Thursday: Birthday party!

Today was birthday party day!  Isaac was so excited.

Joshua was pretty cute too.

Isaac got a Magna Doodle - well, a different brand, same thing.  We have a tiny one and both boys play with it a lot.  Joshua has already enjoyed Isaac's present.

Before the party Joshua was playing a game that involved opening a door, skipping to the bathroom, skipping back, repeat.  I enjoyed the rhythm his feet made.

Wednesday: this and that

This morning Joshua wanted to draw.  He drew on paper, then on the chair, then on himself.  Happily, we used ultra washable markers and everything cleaned up easily.

We decorated Isaac's cake.  Well, I frosted, Isaac sprinkled.  We're collecting quite a collection of sprinkles, since it seems we get a new bottle every birthday along with some at Christmas.

Joshua worked on his "circuit" for about a half hour.  He needed help getting the pieces on the board, but did a lot of the other connections and all of the designing.

We also got the birthday balloons today, which were a hit as normal.  However, at dinner Ben mentioned that Helium is actually a non-renewable resource and that at current usage we have a surprisingly small amount left.  (Some estimates put it around 15 years.  It was shorter, but they just found a large deposit.  Hence why he knew this.)  I thought it was renewable/easily made...I'm not sure if we'll get any more helium balloons.  Party balloons make up 5-7% of the current usage, but it was unclear if the balloon helium is left over from the purification process for important applications or if some of it is used directly for balloons.  I know it's a small statement in a large economy, and might not even matter, but we can find other fun ways to decorate.

Tuesday: bike, yesterday

Here's the family picture from yesterday. :)  I really like it.

Today we went to water the flowers by one of the association entrances.  Isaac rode his bike.  He did a pretty good job; he needed many pushes, but could keep his momentum pretty well.

On the way to the gym, we had the following conversation:
I: Will you be happy when you go to Jesusland?
A: Yes!  I'll see Jesus and Grandma Julie.
I: What if you and Dad die but Joshua and I are still here?
A: You'll live with Uncle Nathan and Aunt Liz.
I: In their house?
A: Yes, with Evelyn.
I: Someone else will be in our house?
A: Yes, it will be sold.
I: I won't have to go to the gym anymore?
A: Well, you might have to run and bike more.

...anything to get out of going to the gym.

Monday: ice cream

Today we started out with some light yard work.  I say light, but to Isaac it wasn't.

He didn't chop up the whole pile, but probably spent a good fifteen minutes cutting up the branches for me.  Joshua enjoyed playing.

The activity of the day was ice cream, so we went out for FroYo again, after the tree branches were all taken care of.

I told them it was time for ice cream, and after that about once every two minutes Joshua would say "Ice cream!"  ...just so that I didn't forget.  He also knows the sound of the ice cream truck, even though we've never gotten any from it, and likes to remind me about ice cream when he hears it.
The video is a bit hard to hear and understand, but then so is Joshua even when he says it "clearly"

Tonight the adults went out to celebrate Cheryl's birthday.  It was a lovely night.

Saturday: nap time

Friday: J day

Today's activity was to have a J day.  Inspired by Joshua.

We did some jumping.  We ate jelly beans, pb & jelly, juice, and made some Jello.  We sang Jingle Bells and I've got the Joy Joy Joy Joy down in my heart.

And we made Duplo Js.  Isaac took pictures of them.

Thursday: gymnastics final

Ready for a picture/video overload?  Joshua stayed with Cheryl so I could watch Isaac better on "Parent Day".  Isaac seemed so grown up.  He wasn't really all that good, but he understood what to do and gave it a good shot.

The time started with stretches.  (He's in the middle of the picture with his back to me.  Black shirt, orange socks.)

Then to the vault.

Next station was uneven bars

The thing I noticed here, although I saw it some at the vault, was that Isaac interacted with this other little boy.  Quite a bit, actually.  This might have been one of my favorite things to see.

Next up, floor and tumbling.  I missed getting the summersault, but then there were log rolls.








And finally the balance beams

Blooper:
Isaac does a dive off the vault.  Too much of Ben in him I guess.

Wednesday: life

Today.  Isaac wanted to play the hop-hop-whee frog game that I took a video of Joshua doing last week.  I told him it would be boring, but he really wanted to.  So we went to the store after gymnastics.  Afterwards he told me it was boring.  We played one other game, but Joshua was ready to leave so it was we had to do it quickly.  We stopped at the bakery for cookies, and then Isaac didn't want to walk back to the car.  He pretty much had a meltdown.  He's never had such a bad one in public before.  But he walked back, possibly with his eyes shut half the way in a pretend sleep.

When we got home the painter had started.  Isaac again watched quite a bit.

We finally made a compost bin.  I just ordered the worms, so we'll see how it goes.  Both boys enjoyed helping me drill holes, and it was a good project because the holes didn't have to be in an exact location and it was easy to make the holes.  I might have to think of more things to drill.

It currently has a few veggies/fruit/egg shells, but it is mainly paper and cardboard right now.  The website recommended getting the stuff in the bin a week or so before getting the worms.

Isaac wanted to squirt the junk mail.  I thought it was hilarious.

Hmm, I didn't say much about Joshua.  He climbed into his high chair while I was washing the tray and almost gave me a heart attack, but did a successful climb.  He enjoyed his bagel for lunch, but then was really hungry at dinner because he had only eaten his bagel.  The boys were helping me make dinner and it was Joshua's turn to add the water.  Joshua flopped it in, barely keeping it in the bowl and Isaac and I both laughed.  He also played a game with me where he would take a puzzle piece, run away and put it down, and come back.  I'd ask, "Where's _(the fire truck)_?" And he'd run and get it and put it in.  Over and over and over.  It was a pretty easy game on my part though, so that was nice.

Tuesday:with pictures

Circuits were a big hit again today.  Fan launches, lights, all sorts of things.  I'm not completely sure why it was moved to the couch, but whatever.  Oh, I forgot to mention yesterday that Isaac noticed the resistors that are in the speaker and was able to accurately identify them!

Joshua was enjoying watching Isaac, but also likes getting his picture taken.

I found this jumble in Isaac's bedroom.  What prompted him to take down all his empty hangers?  Did they make good marble manipulators?  Questions I probably will never find out the answer to.

New bike helmets!  Joshua hasn't actually worn his in a "dangerous" situation, but you never know when a head injury will happen.  We water the neighborhood flowers on Tuesdays, and I signed up partially to get Isaac to ride his bike.  I had to force him to do it, but then he did a great job.

This is the bubble toy Joshua got for Christmas.  I think both boys enjoyed having Isaac use it more, because Joshua can't get as many bubbles out yet.

Monday: Isaac's big news

It was so big, that we made a video to share with Ben.



After this circuit, he proceeded to make several others, learning about short circuits.  It was rather fun.  Then I went to make lunch and he and Joshua made the fan spin off the motor.  We've done this one before, but they were rather excited to discover it themselves.  And yes, Joshua really likes this toy.  He works on his fine motor skills of snapping things together.

I'm feeling better today.  I had a low grade fever this morning, but the meds kicked in and the rest of the day was fine.  Not awesome, but fine.  While Isaac was at gymnastics, Joshua and I went to get some pictures of a quilt.  My map app said there was a park nearby, so we headed over there.  Turns out, it was a cemetery.  While I would be fine with my headstone in a picture, I didn't think it was very appropriate.  So we walked all over the large cemetery until we found the unused portion and got some pictures.  The weather was nice, but windy.

Sunday: Happy Father's Day

Today, instead of celebrating Father's Day in a semi-proper fashion, I helped Ben and Dad live up to their fatherly potential.

I went to church this morning, not feeling all that great but hoping I was just tired.  About twenty minutes into the service I called it quits, packed up the boys, and dropped with off with Ben while I went to bed.  And shivered.  The dumb thermometer wouldn't give me a higher temperature than 97.9F, but there was obviously a fever coming.  I waited about 15 more minutes and took Ibprofin.  My temperature continued to increase, peaking around 101.2 when I added in the Tylenol.  I've been running a low grade temperature since then, continuing with the medicine.

Now here's the thing; Ben's back was in more pain than normal too.  He made it through lunch, we had our house cleaner play with the boys instead of clean, and then my dad came over.  He brought the boys out for ice cream and played with them a bit.

Thanks to the Dads, who come through to help out even on their "special" day.

Last Saturday: mini reunion

Last Saturday the boys and I went to a mini-reunion on my mom's side.  It was a lot of fun.

Both boys got a tractor ride.  Joshua wouldn't let Uncle Dave steer.

I love this picture.  (Aunt C, I ordered a print for you today.)

Isaac loved the tractor ride.  He really wanted a second one, so we'll have to go back some time.

Picture paparazzi

Three of the four girl cousins.  (There are ..10 boy cousins?  This is the first time I remember meeting the girl cousin from Texas, and I just can't remember if there is a boy too.)

...and a delicious lunch.

Saturday: racquetball trivia

Today's biggest news is that a racquetball hit me squarely in the arm, leaving a welt.  In honor of the welt, I've decided to give you some racquetball rule trivia.  Ben and I have wondered these questions for a long time, but finally looked them up.

1. Unintentional carries are allowed.  This is a new rule change.  See 3.13b
2.  A short serve includes balls that bounce on the short line.  See 3.9b
3. A screen serve must pass close to the server's body.  See 3.9i
4. The ball is in play until it bounces twice.  This means that it can be hit by player 1, hit the front wall, hit the back wall, bounce, hit the front wall, and may still be hit by player 2.  See 3.13e

Other things that I didn't know but learned by glancing through the rules...
1. You can call a screen during play.  See Rule 3.14.a4
2. There is a rule modification that may be adapted such that if the ball hits the front wall between one and three feet it may bounce twice instead of once and still be in play.  The lines should be marked on the front wall.  See rule 6.3

Here is the document, in case you have a burning desire to learn about racquetball rules now.

Friday: geocaching, wedding

Today we stopped on the way to the library to do a quick geocache.  We got to the spot and started to look around.  I didn't see anything.  Humph...hopefully not another bust!  Then I saw something, so I leaned into the bushes.  Bother, it was just a piece of trash.  I looked around a bit more, and saw more trash.  Isaac started to tell me, "Mom, get the red thing!"  The red thing?  Apparently the cache was under the trash.  Isaac was pretty excited to have found it.

This afternoon we went to a wedding.  It was a lovely wedding and nice to catch up with people.  I didn't get any pictures, but everything was beautiful.

Thursday: deck

We finally got our deck fixed.  (It still needs to be painted, but that's another day.)  Isaac was out of it this morning so we didn't go to gymnastics.  I went back and forth several times about going, but in the end think I made an ok decision.  It probably would have been fine either way, really.

Anyway, the carpenters got here and the boys sat down to watch.

Joshua lost interest rather quickly, but Isaac watched for all three hours.  (That's the only reason I think skipping gymnastics might have been the right call.  He doesn't seem like the type of kid that would sit watching the deck be fixed for three hours straight.)

Joshua came back near the end.

And now all the bad boards have been replaced!  Furthermore, they used screws instead of nails, so if they ever need to be replaced again it should be easier.  It's one of those things I'm glad we paid for...I'm sure we could have done it, but it might have taken a whole weekend (or we only would have dealt with the worst of the boards).

Wednesday: marble mazes

This morning Joshua and I went to the downtown game store while Isaac was at gymnastics.  They have a back room with lots of demo games.  Joshua didn't really get into it as much as I was hoping, but we did pass the whole 40 minutes there.  He enjoyed doing one game with a slide in it.  He says "Hop, hop, whee!"



I finally took a peak in Isaac's classroom too.  There are uneven bars, a low balance beam and a tall one, lots of mats, and a little trampoline.  It's nice to have a bit of an idea of what's there.

The activity of the day was to make marble mazes.  It didn't take as much time to make as I was expecting, but that's not always bad.  They're in Isaac's bedroom for now...I expect we'll play with them a bit this week and then they will go away.





Oh, and I learned at lunch today that dirty gems need to go in the sparkler upper.  Then they will be sparkly again.

Tuesday: continuing on

We took the tape off the art from yesterday.

Isaac went to gymnastics.  He didn't come out quite as excited, but told me more about what he did.  Somersaults, log rolls, and laughing at the teacher by the monkey bars.  (Monkey bars?  I wonder it if it is really a different kind of bar.  He's mentioned a high one and a low one, so maybe he means uneven bars.)

Joshua had a low fever at noon.  I gave him some meds and he was good to go...he didn't have one at bed time by when the medicine would have worn off, so I think we're over it.

Monday: an odd day

Today was odd.  It started out rather normally and we went for Isaac's first gymnastics lesson.  He seems to have liked it; they didn't let parents in during the lesson though.  He said he liked it and the second thing he asked is if we could come back tomorrow.  I have found out that he didn't like the monkey bars or the trampoline, but I haven't found out what he did like.  I haven't been in the room, so I don't even know what the options were.  But he enjoyed it.

During the hour Joshua and I went to a nearby coffee shop and got a donut.  We watched some construction while eating it.

And then Joshua came down with a fever as we were leaving.  I had forgotten that he probably had one the night before, or that he woke up in the middle of the night and I gave him more medicine.  (I know, things I should have remembered.  But he woke up fine.)  By the time we were home it reached 104.0.  It came down only a bit so I then gave him Tylenol too.  I could tell when that finally kicked in because he started commenting on the TV show that he and Isaac were watching.  He still had a fever, but was better.  Joshua actually had a fever the rest of the day, even drugged up, so we'll see how tonight goes.  Surprisingly, he still ate a lot.  It was only Cheerios, but it was a lot of Cheerios.

Our activity of the day was to do some painting.  Joshua enjoyed getting the paints out and painting for about two minutes, but then he was done.  I probably would be too if I wasn't feeling well.  Isaac enjoyed it much more.

Tomorrow we'll take off the tape and see what they end up looking like.