Happy Canada Day Everyone!

We had a great one – complete with a pool party, a BBQ, tattoos, flags and stickers, special desserts and T-shirts, hijinks and piggy-back rides... and a fun surprise for the boys as well. And I took pictures – lots of them.

Too pooped to post any more than this tonight, but watch this space for a whole lot of photos of our fun day coming soon.

And for anyone else celebrating today, I hope you all had a fun time too!

- L.

"I Steal Them!"

While I don't endorse stealing in general, I have to admit I've enthusiastically encouraged the "stealing" of my shoes at least. Lately, we've branched out into "Mommy's boots" and I get a laugh out of the boys clomping around the house in my winter boots while I'm fixing a meal shouting, "I steal them!".

Today my boys discovered the much coveted "Mommy's blue jean jacket!" was within arms reach, as was "Mommy's big jacket!". They needed a little help putting them on, but it was worth stepping away from the kitchen counter to assist. They even stood pretty still while I grabbed the camera, although Seth was looking a tad over it by the time I snapped the shutter. 

– Are you there God? Is me, Seth. 

Still, if you've seen anything cuter than this (at least today), I don't want to know. I'm not sure my eyeballs could take it.

- L.

"Mommy Fix 'Dat!"

For at least the past month, whatever you call the strip of metal that sometimes separates two rooms where the floor surfaces are different had started to become increasingly loose in the boys' room. One by one as the screws kept falling out (always accompanied by one of my boys saying "Uh-oh, Mommy! Loose screw!" and then handing me said screw), we ended up with only 3 screws out of 6 still holding that piece of metal down.

In other screw-related mysteries (and around the same time), the screws that held one of the drawer inserts in place on the bookshelves in the boys' room had also found their way out. Upon closer inspection one of the screws was never connected to anything to begin with which might have accelerated things a little, but with both missing it had become a hazard since the boys could easily slip the whole insert out and use it to stand on to get at other things. Also, it's not exactly the safest thing to be standing on in the first place.

And since my boys DO like to challenge a secure room they also managed to loosen the joints on one side of their wardrobe drawer, so with just a bit of a tug it was pulling the whole thing apart.

Last week I decided it was time to take a page from the toddler handbook in the form of "I do it self!".

I fixed the loose metal strip, the drawer insert and the falling-apart drawer. It took me less than 30 minutes using a screwdriver, some wood glue (for the drawer joints) and a whole lot of elbow grease. I felt so good once it was done and even better to realize that I really did "do it self".

And my boys were at least a little impressed too as it turned out, even though I thought they'd lost interest 10 minutes into the venture. Of course, I didn't realize that until halfway through making their lunch and heard them saying "Screwdriver! Screwdriver!" from the next room. I went to investigate and found they had built this:

It's a Duplo screwdriver, and I think a Flathead judging from the well placed breadstick on top.

And since it's not obvious from just one pic, here's another: 

Because yes, it swivels.

As I'm sure you can imagine, it became THE coveted item of the day as my boys took turns using it on all the new screws while saying "Mommy fix 'dat!".

Which of course made me feel like a bit of a super-hero... at least for one day.

- L. 

PS. Nate said the "M" on the screwdriver was for "Nate's motorcycle", Seth said it was for "Mommy". Cue a thoughtful pause followed by "... and is for Mommy too!" from Nate. Toddlers are beyond awesome with their thinking and logic and even though this stage can be infuriating at times, it's also hands-down the most hilarious.

PS. My boys also put together a reasonable facsimile of a toothbrush the same day, which I'm taking as a positive sign that the toothbrushing wars are nearing an end:

... although most likely it's Raffi related – but that's a post for another day.

It Would Be Easier To Get Mad At Them If They Would Stop Being So Cute

We've been through the food-flinging stage and back again and I thought we were mostly over it – and mostly we are, but every now and then when my back is turned and it's time to play "AAATS!" whatever is left on the plates tends to go airborne before I suspect a thing. 

Hence this:

And even though Seth was making some feeble effort to redeem himself here and even though Nate was making a silly face and had absconded with the evidence, I think they both knew they'd have to bring out the big guns: 

Because how can you ever be mad when they bring out the "fore, fore, fore...":

"FORE-STAINS!" 

'Dis work every time, everyone!

It really does work every single time and they know it! 

*sigh*

• • • • • • • 

In unrelated news the next week (even though they're wearing the exact same outfits so it kind of looks like it's the same day), the cupcakes Grandma Leslie sent over were a big hit! 

– I chooses "villanen". Sounds a little like villain, but is tastier.
Tastes sort of like vanilla according to Mommy.

– I chooses chocolate, everyone and despite messy reputation and messiness of chocolate
in general, I appear tidier somehow. Unless you look under table that is.

- L.

PS. I did look under the table and it wasn't pretty.

A Shocking Update*

– Something a little different here, everyone.

– Although I not sure what it could be.

– So maybe I just sit here a spell...

– ... until I figures out what it is.

*It turns out the slide on our new Nickel Fortress came with hidden feature in the form of a Van de Graff generator – at least if you happen to have inherited Mommy's fine hair.

Nate's hair is not affected, but he sure does love giving me a "shock-kiss!" when we're playing outside. In fact, he seemed a bit miffed this morning when he gave me a kiss and it turned out to be just the regular kind.

- L.

I Teach Them Things

Mostly good things, but on occasion I've been known to help out with a shenanigan or at least look the other way when shenanigans are afoot.

Other times it's a rainy, miserable day and I decide to make bean soup for lunch – and on a such a day when we're all going a bit stir crazy in the house I get ideas. This one hasn't come back to haunt me yet, but I'm sure it will. 

Enjoy!

– Look on my face say what you all about to be thinking everyone.
I just don't know 'bout that Mommy sometimes!

- L.

Awkward

Most nights my boys fall asleep in a fairly normal fashion despite two in a bed. Other nights things get a little bit awkward. 

I'm never quite sure whether to rearrange them or leave them as is, but so far I've always chosen to err on the side of caution and gone with the rearranging option. Sometimes it backfires, but tonight it (mercifully) did not.

The one thing I do know however is that it's always a good idea to take a picture first if you happen upon this much cute.

- L.