a great day to be out

I have been ignoring my kids today. Not completely. I have kept an ear and eye on them through the open windows of our house. The weather is beautiful, and it was one of those days in Texas that no one should have to spend inside. My boys have loved it outside. Without any real help (a little advise here and there doesn't count!) from me, they have carved two pumpkins, made two bows with arrows, built two huge castles/towers with wooden blocks, fought with swords in complete armor, and are now working on creating a scare crow out of PVC pipe and one of the jack o' lantern's heads. I am looking forward to the results.

Well, here you go...

The boys found the weight of the pumpkin difficult to support, so they came up with this creative solution...an upside down scare crow! I doubt that I would have thought of that! Way to go, boys!

new project

As the boys were choosing their bedtime books last night, Astro A ran across the ABC book we made for him when he was three. We took pictures of A doing something with or about objects starting with each letter of the alphabet and printed each picture on its own page with the letter and words describing the picture...you get the idea, right? As we were going through the book last night, we were amazed to see how many of the pictures look like Little O, especially the ones of A's profile. We couldn't get over it! When Astro A took the book to another room to show T, Little O looked at me, and with a trembling lower lip and tear-rimmed eyes, he asked why I had not made one of these books for him?

What a bad mommy I am!!! I could offer no adequate excuse, so I begged his forgiveness and promised to get started right away. My only problem is that the brand new printer that I used to make A's book is now 6 years old and very temperamental. (ok, maybe psycho is the better word.) I usually use an online printing company or don't print photos at all, so it looks like I need to research those photo albums that I have seen on Shutterfly and other places. Do any of you have any experience with these types of photo albums? Can you suggest a good company?

A Year of Color -- Almost Wisteria

A Year of Color -- Almost Wisteria
Originally uploaded by welive.welearn.

I haven't gone out with my camera to look for the color wisteria, so this is all I have for now...

Boats on the Thames

Boats on the Thames
Originally uploaded by welive.welearn.

I like the way the grays of the water and sky are broken up by the bits of color from the boats.

a few more from our trip

River Thames
Originally uploaded by welive.welearn.

boats on the Thames taken on our walk with Grandpa

clean again!

clean again!
Originally uploaded by welive.welearn.

We love Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo as a bubble bath!

muddy brothers

muddy brothers
Originally uploaded by welive.welearn.

I had to grab the camera before I grabbed the hose!

mud bath

mud bath
Originally uploaded by welive.welearn.

I gave them permission to use the water hose, stayed inside to pay some bills, and came back out to find two very muddy boys! They had a great time and didn't even mind me hosing them off again!