Highway Building

More pictures I found on the camera when I uploaded images. I'm not sure if PS or Buddy took these.

If it ever takes me awhile to open the door when you knock, this is why.



For some reason, Buddy (and Little Guy as well), love to use this tile by the door as their spot to build cities, etc.

Fairfax Corner Fountains

Our church group has a park day on Thursday mornings. We almost never go. We went last summer when we first moved here, but Princess Sparkley and Buddy complained that it was all babies and no big kids. So when the big kids were all back in school and there was no chance of them being at park day, we abandoned it. Now that it's summer again, we've tried to go. This is only the second one we've made it to, and only one other lady from church was there. The kids still had lots of fun playing in the fountain though. Although by kids, I don't mean Little Guy. Little Guy mostly sat at a table with me. PS got pretty wet. Buddy got drenched.


Click to enlarge.

Miniature Golf

Click on image to enlarge.

The kids created this miniature golf course through our living room the other day. It occupied them for quite awhile. They took all the pictures, so there are dozens of them.

Donut Thief

Little Guy just helped himself to everyone else's donuts. We stopped at Dunkin' Donuts on the way home from the dentist to congratulate Princess Sparkley and Buddy for being so brave, but when we got home, it was super close to dinnertime, so we ate dinner and then had only half a donut each because they were full from dinner and we saved the other half for dessert/night time snack. Little Guy came over awhile ago and said he wanted his donut. I told him to wait and we'd eat them in a little bit. The next time I saw him he came in chewing saying he ate a donut. I asked whose donut. He answered, "all the donuts." He'd gotten a stool, carried it over to the counter, opened the box and ate 3 half donuts with sprinkles. He left the regular glazed one alone. And there were two littler pieces that he ate the frosting off the top of.

Needless to say, donuts are a sore subject in our family right now. We don't get them very often and both PS and Buddy are slightly annoyed at Little Guy.

Little Guy

When we move the chairs from the table to vacuum (yes, carpet under our table again... argh), the boys like to think we've created them a train. Here's Little Guy enjoying it.






When Princess Sparkley was a baby, my brother ran for school board. This was the t-shirt we all wore. It didn't fit PS at the time (she was only 3 months old or so), but my nice brother made sure we got a tiny kid sized shirt anyway. Our kids have all enjoyed wearing Uncle Roger on their shirt and now Little Guy has grown into it. He calls it his Uncle Roger shirt.







I think PS took this picture of Little Guy on her bed with a stuffed pig.





These crack me up. When I had the shot framed he was smiling nicely, but he was also chewing a cookie so as he continued to chew... the picture changed.

Trip South

We headed to B's sister's house on the 5th of July. As always, we had a great time and the cousins mostly enjoyed playing with each other.


At Kangaroo Jac's... a place filled with all those giant air filled slides and jumping things.



Everyone loved this place, but Little Guy LOVED it. He ran all over the place, didn't care if a sibling, cousin or parent was anywhere near him and was covered in sweat by the end. Unfortunately I didn't get any more pictures. We also went swimming at their neighborhood pool after dinner. Fun times.


The freeway we drive on to get there and back is a pretty major route for east coast, north/south travel. Our family has always been pretty good at the license plate game but especially so in the last 6 months or so. Buddy got this board for his birthday. He's an expert and most days beats B for the most license plates... this is an incredible feat that I've never accomplished. He even saw a Hawaii last week!! In Virginia. We had to drive back through the parking lot and make sure he wasn't lying to us. There is was, Hawaii. And we saw 2 Alaska plates at the Potomac Mills mall last week, which, according to my new book, Virginia Curiosities, is the most visited tourist attraction in Virginia. That's sort of sad.


This is what the board looked like at the end of the trip. The license plates still visible are the ones we didn't see. Those that are red, Buddy got. Blue are ones that PS and I shared. The ones flipped over so you can see the state capitol name are B's. Little Guy just yells out whatever we yell, most often California because there's a mini van from California that is always parked on our block and the kids fight over who spots it first each day when we get in the car.

Slug

We found this slug the other night... ON THE STOVE! I am thoroughly disgusted. How did this thing get in the house, let alone onto the stove. Ick!

Fashion Show

Princess Sparkley organized a fashion show.


Little Guy going down the runway.


All three.

Little Guy, future computer scientist

Little Guy has apparently become an expert on the computer. He's playing Tux Paint... a free, downloadable art program for kids.

Fourth of July Fireworks

After church on Sunday we had BBQ beef sandwiches and watermelon, followed by Apple Pie Squares and vanilla ice cream. Then we waited for the sun to set and we headed out to our town's firework show. We were poorly positioned, not really knowing where the fireworks would be set off, and ended up having a stand of trees blocking parts of the show, but we still got to see a lot and enjoyed it. Midway through the show they had technical difficulties so for about twenty minutes we just starred off into the distance and watched the tiny firework show from the next town over. Then our fireworks started up again. It was a pretty decent show. The kids all covered their ears at some point. Little Guy went into it really excited, telling me that fireworks go "BOOM! BOOM!" He seemed to like it a little bit during the show but seemed a little scared. Afterwards he said he liked it and added, "Fireworks pretty."

Getting Ready for the Fourth of July

We made these following Marie at Make and Takes instructions.



Princess Sparkley made everyone Fourth of July Bug headbands.








We made drawings of the Statue of Liberty following this and this.
(Hat Tip: The Crafty Crow)



We made these sugar cookie, patriotic, fruit pizzas.