Saturday: Laura Ingalls Wilder

I've read the Little House on the Prairie series a dozen times or so.  I just finished Pioneer Girl, which was the original basis for most of the stories.  It is geared towards older readers and has more truth and less fiction.  It is also annotated, which was lovely.  The annotations gave glimpses of what really happened or just a little more information that modern readers wouldn't know.

It kind of makes me want someone to write up my life.  I've kept journals on and off from around eighth grade, when we were required to do it.  Readers wouldn't get everything that happens in my life or some of my deepest thoughts, but sometimes the most interesting things are what happens in a normal life.  So if you know of someone looking to write an endearing biography (semi-fictionalized or not) about a normal person, send them my way.

Friday: opening

Today was a day of openings.

Joshua opened the fridge by himself for the first time.  So I now have a separator in the bottom shelf, and they can both put their own drinks away.

Isaac opened the rear hatch of the car by himself.  (He got it all the way up, not just unlatched.)

Thursday: family

Nathan and his family came up for most of the day.  We started with some donuts.  Since it was cold and lightly raining, we had to rethink some of our plans.  We went to one church playground only to discover that they are closed during the summer.  So we went to the Nature Center, but then I remembered that there was another church playground across the street from it.  Happily, it was open.  Happily, it was perfect.  Not too big, not too busy, and the kids could run around.

At one point they were playing follow the leader.  (This was Isaac's favorite part of the day, by the way).  Later one only Isaac was playing follow the leader...he lead and didn't seem to care that no one was following him.

We picked up lunch and ate at home.  The kids played.  It was nice.

Wednesday: cuteness

Amanda: Isaac, you're cute.
Isaac: Well, when I look in the mirror...I don't think I'm cute.  But I'm glad you think so.

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We received a boxful of Legos yesterday and the boys really wanted to inventory it.  So that was their activity of choice several times today.  I figured if they did it then Ben and I didn't have to later.

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After lunch the boys decided to try and make the TV come alive.  They did a dance and a yell/chant.  It didn't work.  The TV remained inanimate.

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We cut down some tree branches.  I dragged them up to the driveway where Isaac cut them into smaller pieces.  Joshua pushed them to the other side of the driveway on his riding toy.  Since the branches were now on the opposite side of the yard waste bin, Isaac moved the yard waste bin so that pushing the branches to the other side made sense.

Tuesday: puppy dogs resting

...although not for very long.

At story time last Wednesday the leader asked if we had any dogs at home.  (Joshua said his name was Puppy Dog.)  Isaac said, "Two."  I almost smacked my forehead.

Sunday: Wild Chef

We went to Wild Chef for lunch for my birthday today.  It was fun.  The boys seemed to enjoy it too.

The fire was a bit scary, but they made it.

Fort Wayne: day 3

On Sunday we went to a splash pad with a river.  Liz had previously posted it on her blog, and it looked like a lot of fun.

It was a lot of fun, although the water was really cold.  There were several different areas to go around in though, so the kids were occupied for quite a while.

We got home, ate lunch, and then packed up to go.  Joshua was very tired by this time and not playing very nicely with others, so he just got to play while they ate and then he ate while they played.

JJ woke up from his nap after we left and said that he wanted "more Amanda".  I love that he can say my name...it was super cute.