This is a E- less post.

So, um... That's some unattractive concrete that was under our floors. And some slightly more attractive feet of some super - awesome - helpful men!
We have had some flooding in our home.


Through it we have had a pretty wonderful experience. Our friends and family have been SO AMAZING. Jumped up to help, tear out damaged floor, move stuff. Offered homes to stay in, meals have been shared, childcare while we work. Nothing precious or irreplaceable was damaged and we are already on the way to repairs.



So blogging about kids has taken a backseat for the moment. (They are still cute.) Actully all other stuff should take a rest while we will hammer in some flooring, and replace a bit of the walls, repaint, and hopefully move back in before school starts.

Many times we have been awed by how God is at work in our lives, and how he orchestrates all things for our good. Even things like basement floods. There have been so very many things to be thankful for. We are learning, growing and being improved every day. ( And laughing with our friends as well. I'm not sure having a flood should include fun like this! )

Wordless Wednesday

What Baby E is up to - OR- Little E is such a boy.

Ten things the Littlest E spend his days doing.

1. Putting dolls in the toilet.
2. Looking for a reason to put on shoes, and go outside.
3. Asking to get pushed on the bike or scooter.
he calls them both "car." and he calls any other vehicle "car".
4. Searching for a ball. or a snack.
"bah." "nack!"
5. Trying to climb anything.
6. Chasing Mom.
"up."
7. Imitating the Big E's.
Especially getting into bed with a "book!".
8. Hitting something with a stick
9. Hitting something with a sword.
10. Wishing he wasn't in the carseat

Miss E's Quotes.

"When we get a dog,

I think we should get a...
Golden Re-fetcher."

"I'm looking for rocks...

with crystals inside,

Lighting Rocks."
(Thunder-eggs a.k.a. Geodes )

"Is my marshmallow

Silver-Brown yet?"

Big E - Play Legos.

Little E - Copy Big E.

Big E - Tell Little E

"That's Amazing!"

Little E - Smile with Pride.

Little E is so impressed with his siblings. He doesn't want to do anything without his brother and sister. Big E is especially good at keeping him happy. And to repay him this kindness, Little E is good at destroying anything left where he can jump hop or climb to it...

He's a very curious little brother...

Build Your Own S'mores Bar.

I love Choices. My fridge is full of sauces, mustard and condiments.
Choices for S'mores. Now that is - Brilliant. Delicious. Sticky.





We had multiple flavors of "chocolate" chips.

(because they melt better than a big chunk of chocolate bar anyway)

and we had some choices for fresh fruit.

White Chocolate and Raspberry was very nice.
Banana and Butterscotch was super tasty too.
Teeny Tiny Peanut Butter Cups - Awesome.

Interestingly, all the kids wanted to try some of everything on their s'more. Now, why didn't I think of that?

Big E. A milestone.

The age of editing stories on the fly is over.
Reading a new book from the library, and suddenly "stupid or fat" or some other rude thing to say. Or sometimes I disagree with just one idea in story. Or sometimes I'm just lazy.

Big E can now read fast enough to correct my omssions in stories.
"Mom, that didn't say 'juice. It said 'Beer'."
Thanks, Calvin & Hobbes.

The end of an era.

happy campers

Baby E loves Everything about the outdoors.

the grass, the dirt, the sticks.

the sticks especially.

He's grown into a toddling little boy overnight.

Running after the big kids. Arms outstretched.

Talking and making baby signs.

"Ball." "Bird." "Boat."

He learned to sign :Thank You: this weekend.

Sat in his little camp chair, asked for s'mores, played badminton, chased balls of all sizes and types, paddled a boat with mommy, climbed all over daddy, explored the tent...

Baby in the Sink.

Sometimes we give our babies baths in the kitchen sink.

It's a beautiful cast iron double sink with drain boards on both sides. I remember my sister getting baths in it. (Unbelievably it was more than twenty years ago...) Sometime I'll have to dig up some photos of that.




Here is the newest bathing beauty.

Baby E was so serious, intent on transferring water with the measuring spoon.

I couldn't get him to even look my direction.

However - Daddy has surprising attention grabbing skills. And loud chicken noises too.

Changing. Growing. Learning.

June... It's passed so quickly.
Just like our whole year - very fast...

I'm sorta tired.
Like the end of a MAJOR acomplishment tired.
First Grade for one boy. Done.
Preschool for one girl. Done.
First Year of Cuteness, Eating, Sleeping, Diapering, Teething, Snuggling. Done.

It's been so much action that it takes me a while to even make sense of it all.
Life is zooming by. ( And I don't want to be in a hurry. )

It's a constant blur of dirt. and books. and outgrown pants. and snacks. and laundry. and butter.

I want to slow down this summer. to enjoy every kiss. and every sticky hand. and stories. and hikes. and not too much else.


Apparently being tired makes me babble. and lose track of what I wanted to say.

g'night.

Mother's Day

Sweet Kids at the Zoo.

They make me a Mother.

Even when I want to run away from them and hide.

Even when they are smelly.

Even when they give me the EVIL eye.

and Attack things with sticks.

and Scream. (that's Baby E's new special skill.)

Even then they are still my best most amazing gifts.

Baby E's Birthday

Birthday Tea Party

Photos from Miss E's Birthday

Miss E describes Snoring...

Miss E walks into our room, looking very tired. "Brother E is making this snarly noise while he is sleeping... And I don't like it. "
"It's like bumps in his nose. And I don't like it..."

Gardening and Sunshine

Today we got some very nice spring weather.

All the E's were out in the freshly tilled earth.

We even had some friends over.

I aimed to clean the odds and ends around the yard, weed the strawberries, mow under the blueberries and plant the vegetable garden.

I pulled out five weeds. . .

Big E and his friend did some stick collecting. And tractor climbing.

Miss E played puppies with her friend.

And Baby E tried to eat a slug.

What a great day!

Easter Pictures

Easter

mmmm...

Breakfast in bed.

Chocolate Easter Eggs with little Chocolate Chickens inside.

Thanks to Great Grandma Maggie for those.

Followed by cute outfits, great morning at church, and a delicious lunch.
Baby E decided to sleep through hunting eggs,
and the big kids got to play with cousins most of the day.
A beautiful celebration.

Baby E is ONE!

Birthday Town.
Population One.

Miss E is officially FIVE...

that is all.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

We are celebrating St. Patrick's Day with GREEN Eggs.

Chop two large handfuls of spinach. Cook gently over medium heat in a sauté pan with a bit of butter, salt and pepper.
Whisk together eggs, and a splash of milk. Add one pinch of kosher salt and one grind of black pepper for each egg.

Add to sautéed spinach. Lower heat, cooking eggs until almost done. Add shredded swiss and mozzarella cheeses.

Serve warm with toast and a pinch. ( for those who forgot to wear green )

This was very popular with the kids. Miss E was my kitchen assistant, and they all loved eating it. And it was a good time to teach the E's about a very important question

"Do I have any spinach in my teeth?"

Miss E on Mad Survival Skillz. YO.

We have discovered Man vs. Wild on netflix recently...
Bear Grylls is a dude who gets dropped off in wilderness situations, and demonstrates how to survive and get back to civilization... He crafts a shelter, hunts for food, navigates wierd terrain, etc.
The kids are pretty impressed.
Everytime we are out hiking "Oh, look! I can climb this like Bear Grylls!"
"Bear Grylls would eat that if he had to survive..."

About 30 seconds into an episode, sweet Miss E announces "I hope he kills something soon!"

Yes, you might want to take her on your next trip to the wild.

Giant Robot

We were taking a snack break from cleaning,
Across the Universe by the Beatles came on Pandora,

"Nothing's gonna change my world..."

Big E's skeptical response -

Nothing is going to change his world?
What if a giant robot came and destroyed a building?
That would change his world.