Monday: memorial day

We went to the Memorial day parade today.  Joshua clapped the whole time for everyone and it was sweet.  He might not yet understand why he's clapping, but he just kept on clapping.  The bands weren't too loud for him either, which surprised me a bit.  He wants to march in a parade next year.

Isaac also did an excellent job, waving the flag that he was given or clapping.

We went home and I touched up the deck with paint/stain.  (It's a weird combo.)  Isaac started helping me and I was glad for the company and the help, but he was all over the deck.  He left after about five minutes and I was able to finish much more methodically.  (In other news, the power washer started without significant problems.  Yay!)

We finished off the day with family for dinner.

Sunday: thunk

THUNK...THUNK.

Ben and I hear this in the office shortly after the kids have been put to bed.  It's loud.  We rush up the stairs and I'm expecting that someone fell out of bed.

We hear Joshua making noises and go in.  He's still in bed but starting to cry.  After a quick, confused glance around the room we discover that the light fixture, a hemisphere, had fallen off.  Both of us were surprised that a) it didn't break and b) it bounced.

I sat with Joshua for a few minutes while he recounted, several times and in detail, about how the light went boom when he was in bed and it was scary.  But I expect it was very scary and he was either just asleep or just about to fall asleep, a time when everything can be a bit scarier.

Saturday: manners

We're all playing Legos in the basement.

Joshua: I'd like pizza.
Ben: hmm, you didn't have a snack.
Amanda: Would you like to go get some fruit snacks?
Joshua: yeah!
Amanda: Can you ask Isaac if he would like some?
Joshua: Isaac, do you want some?
Isaac: No.
Ben: No thank you.
Isaac: No thank you.

Joshua is half way up the stairs.
Joshua: Thank you Dad.
Ben and I smile at the random thank you.
Joshua: Dad, do you want some fruit snacks?
Ben: sure

Several things interrupt him and he ends up downstairs before getting the fruit snacks.
Amanda: ok, did you want to get the fruit snacks now?
Joshua: yeah! and for Dad. But not Isaac.
Joshua: do you want some Mom?
Amanda: no thanks.

Friday: a comedy in review

Today was actually a pretty good day.

As we were pulling into the garage from our morning errands, I mentioned that this weekend was garage sale weekend in our neighborhood.  Isaac looked slightly shocked and said something like, "Are they going to take part of our garage?"  I thought he knew what a garage sale was, but apparently had forgotten.

So after nap time we got on the bikes and took off.  We just saw our first set, far but not too far, and were going up a little hill when "pop!"  The first thing I thought was that my bike pedal had fallen off.  Dad just put new ones on; maybe something wasn't quite right.  I looked down, and the pedal was unsurprisingly still there.  Then I realized that the pedals were spinning quite freely; the chain had broken.  I walked the bike the short distance to the garage sales.

We pushed the bikes back home.  Joshua was ready to be home and already had his shoes off by the time I realized the chain had fallen off my bike again.  I had just hung it over the middle bar and thought it was fine there.  Apparently not.  I scooped Joshua into the stroller and we started looking for it.

We got almost all the way back to the garage sales before finding it.  Ah well, I had been hoping for some exercise anyway.  We were running and walking when Isaac fell and complained that his ankle really hurt.  Isaac went in the stroller and I carried Joshua the rest of the way (about two houses worth).

Isaac seemed to be able to put some weight on it and said it only hurt medium at home, so we elevated it with a cool pack for a bit.  He started walking on it shortly after that, so thankfully everything seems to be ok.

One of the things we got at the garage sale was Mastermind.  Isaac likes to be the person that hides the pegs.  He's getting better at figuring out how to do the pegs that tell if you have a right color/location, but he isn't perfect at it yet.  Unfortunately, this game kind of needs you to be perfect at it.  I've won anyway, sometimes due to Ben's help and sometimes because I was able to guess what he did wrong.

Thursday: somewhat of a graduation

I've been seeing all these pictures of friends' kids graduating from preschool this last week.  Isaac did have a ceremony, but today was his last day of preschool

He's been excited about the last day for a week or so now, but apparently had some tears at nap time.  I understand them though...new things (like summer break especially) are fun, but it can be sad to know that something else is coming to an end.  I only got a picture with one of his teachers as the other wasn't there today.

Joshua might understand what's going on; I'm not completely sure.  I've said that he's done with the wobbler room and that it is summer vacation, but I haven't mentioned that next year he's in the 3 year old room.  Although he had some good times there, he has been rather sure about not going back for a few hours at a time lately.  Hopefully he just forgets.  I only got a picture of one of his teachers too.

To celebrate, we went out for dinner with ice cream.  Such excitement over ice cream!

Wednesday: DeGraaf

We went to DeGraaf Nature Center today.  Isaac liked taking pictures of the flowers.  Joshua enjoyed taking pictures too, but is still working on getting things centered.  It is nice having me in some of the pictures, even if several only have part of me in them.

Tuesday: picture

Joshua wanted to take several pictures today...

...of almost matching shark sandles.

...of him, Bear, and his medal.

...of me, Bear, and his medal.