Painting and taxes...what a combination

The boys were restless in the house so I took them swimming at Nena and Papa's and took the laptop along to see if I could get some tax work done. Ah yes...this might just be the answer. Got a good amount done.

Then we went home and took our late afternoon walk around the neighborhood and it was nice an cool for a change so I got an itch to paint the front door. So the big boys road their bikes up and down and Asher sat in his little car and played in the water and dirt and had a ball. They were all GREAT! And I actually got the door painted, praise the LORD! Still needs a few more coats but looks so much better than before. Yes! Then the boys went over and helped Tico and Gabi with their renivation of their front yard. They had their own shovel and hoes out and loved it. Tico and Gabi were so wonderful to let them help them! You don't get better neighbors than those that will include you children!

But afterwards I felt so sick, must have been all the fumes, so Sean picked up some dinner for me on the way home and I fed the kids something easy and off to bed. Mommy was so tired!

A typical rainy summer afternoon

I thought I would document what a day in the summer was like for us so that years from now I can look back and remember. (probably more information below than any of you ever wished to know...LOL)

Big boys up at 7am with more energy than I can imagine, running around chasing and playing while over and over I repeat, "be quiet boys, Asher and Daddy are sleeping." They are doing kung fu and who knows what else. I wonder whether going to Borders for storytime is really going to work. Thank goodness Asher sleeps until 8 because he's going to have a late nap today. We take the dog out: boys in their boots and I hold Asher while he tries to jump out of my arms to run around with the boys (yet he's still not really walking yet). We have breakfast and the boys watch a leapfrog learning video (LOVE THESE!) while I take a shower and get ready. We head to meet Tina and her girls and my neighbor Nicole and her little girl at the Borders storytime. The boys love it, Boston participates in all the activities and Dallas enjoys finding books and sitting down to read. They beg me to buy several movies and books and I explain they can count their money when we get home to see what they can buy. We head home for Asher to take a nap. Boston and Dallas and I paint and read some books and have lunch.

When Asher wakes up we head to Nena and Papa's to swim before the rains. We get some good swimming in before we hear the thunder and quickly dress to get in the car before the downpour...made it just in time! Get home and put Asher back down for a nap (2:30). Boys and I read some more books and then it's time for an afternoon movie (today is "Hunchback of Notredam 2") Of course popcorn is included. While they are busy I run around getting everything that needs to be done in the house today: laundry, dishes, put things away, etc. After the movie we build the ultimate track with our Geotrax set. Ah yes...I love building tracks. Today's is very cool. They then play another 30 minutes with this while I clean up the patio and some other things. Asher wakes up at 5:30 and we go for a walk around the neighborhood (boys on their hotwheels and Asher in his car I push with dog on a leash). Of course we have light rain the whole time and we are all pretty wet, but we have fun anyhow...desperate to get out of the house! Home again (1/2 mile later) and time for dinner. I prepare while he boys play trains and after dinner it's clean up time. The boys are very cooperative in cleaning up. First the patio (which they had already messed since I cleaned earlier), then the playroom, then their bedroom. Maybe one day they will realize it's easier to just keep things clean...LOL...or they will just be boys and enjoy making messes! We skipped baths tonight since we went swimming in the pool this afternoon. Then we all sat on the couch and read some books, while Asher tried to crawl over all of us and then try and sit in my lap and close the book.

Daddy made it home just in time for good nights (he had to work a little late tonight). Songs, drinks and bed. Then the work really begins in the office for Sean and I....LOL

Boston reading to Dallas

Well he's not really "reading" it yet but improvising I might say. The boys play so well together and I always enjoy catching moments like this. I especially love how they take care of each other. Like when we go swimming at Nena and Papa's house
Boston always likes to take a treat from the treat drawer and always makes sure to bring one for Dallas. Little things like this that are a true display of brotherly love and it makes a mama so happy!

Rain Rain Rain

Summer's in Florida are hot...no not just hot...melting! I've always said I'd take a hot summer over a freezing winter though. So if we are going to do anything outside we try and do it in the morning and then do water type activities in the afternoon (like swimming or sprinklers.)

But the last few weeks the other thing Florida summers are known for have arrived...the RAIN! Monsoons of rain. Every afternoon it rains and pours and thunders and lightenings and I LOVE IT! There's nothing like a good thunderstorm. I get so excited. And my boys are the same way. No one scared in this house. We love to sit on the patio and watch it. I especially love it when it's raining while we sleep. Ahh...the best sleep listening to the rainstorm. But today there was no lightening or thunder so while Asher was taking a nap I let the boys ride there hot wheels in the rain. Boy did they LOVE it. I also picked up these adorable boots on sale at Target last week (they have really come in handy with walking Dillard in the backyard with all the mud from the rain). Boston was trying to make the water splash up like it was doing in my car today on the way to Asher's swim lesson. The boys loved how all the water would fly up onto the window. The little things in life that make them happy.

Alvin...Simon...Theodore

I took Boston and Dallas to see Alvin and the Chipmunks today (my mom watched Asher for me since he didn't last very long last week at the movies.) We had a great time. Boston was very into it. Dallas got a little disinterested in it at the end and was ready to leave but he made it through. Boston was singing their songs all day. He LOVES going to the movies. He was smiling the whole time!

Charlie's Steakhouse dinner

Tonight Sean's boss took us out to dinner to Charlie's steakhouse for all the extra hours he had to work (and that I didn't get to see him.) His wife was there along with the other manager and his wife. We had such a great time! I had never been there and the filet I had stuffed with blue cheese was amazing! Mike and Sean decided to take the Charlie's challenge-a 50oz steak-that if you finished you got a Charlie's Steak Knife. I think it was a bonding experience or something...50oz! Crazy. Well they both did it and we all had a great laugh. I also got to have a peanut butter cheesecake with chocolate topping..yum!

Dillard playing and boys painting

Dillard is really starting to act her age (puppy playfullness). Since we've gotten her we've been working on her fetching balls, jumping to get frisbies and just playing around. She's starting to get the hang of it. Now each morning she wakes up wanting to play. I bought her a tug a war toy and she loves it. Boston really enjoys playing it with her. It's a workout for both of them!

After taking the boys swimming at Nena and Papa's house today I put Asher down for a nap and the boys and I headed out to paint. Since they don't have painting clothes I just let them paint in their underwear. Grandpa bought them each a bucket and paint brush and they went to town. They painted a pretty good amount and then after about 10 minutes Dallas went to play in the dirt and 15 mintues Boston was riding his hot wheels down the back yard hill. So mommy was left to sweat out the painting for a little longer. They did a great job painting though!

Happy and Sad Marble Jars

I started a new thing in our house a few days ago that I had heard Lisa Welchel mention when I heard her speak and was reminded of it in her book. It is working wonders in our house. I bought marbles to put into two small glass jars and filled them halfway full and put a happy face on one and a sad face on the other. If they do something that pleases God they get a marble moved from the sad jar to the happy jar. If they do something that makes God sad I move a marble from the happy jar to the sad jar. When they fill up the happy jar they get a prize. It's a joint effort, not a competition, that's why we are using just the two jars. It's working so much better than I ever imagined. Works better than spankings!

Daddy's office, painting and pizza

Sean had to go into work for a little while this morning and said he would take Boston and Dallas with him. He thought he would only be gone 1 or 2 hours so they would have some fun. They were SO excited.

Right as they were leaving I put Asher down for a nap and Sean's parents came over to start painting the house. It's in desperate need of painting and since it's summer and Sean's dad teaches they have some extra time. I started on the house numbers and the front door frame while Dale started cleaning up the cob webs on the rest. The rain came in and we headed to the patio to put up the new stuff for the screen. Asher really enjoyed all the attention without the other boys there. While Grandpa was hammering he grabbed his hammer and copied him. It was cute.

Then he was really enjoying playing peek-a-boo with grandma. The faces he was making were so funny!

Meanwhile Sean had left at 10am and ended up not getting home until 4:30 because of some things that came up at work. But the boys did great and enjoyed everything about daddy's office. They even had lunch ordered in with the other employees that were there.

Once they came home we headed to the Millenia Mall to meet Sean's parents for dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. This is now my new favorite restaurant!!! Wow. I have never had pizza with salad on top of it. Amazing. I really loved the Pear and Gorgonzola (pictured right) and the white pizza. YUMMY! Then we walked down to the apple store to see how long the line was and wait was 6 hours. Forget that. So I called Wes to see if I could get the hook up since he works for AT&T, but he said they are sold out so I called Meegan and I'm heading in tomorrow to get on the wait list. No lines for this mama!

TGIF

Asher with Lisa giving her some kisses

So Asher finished off the week and now will only be taking lessons once a week. Now I will swim him over to the steps, he will turn around, give me the BIGGEST smile with the occasional "mama mama," and then swim over to me after I say "ready set GO". I then pull my hands back and he rolls right over. Then I tap his left shoulder and say "ready set go" and he rolls over and finishes the swim to me. So cute!


I also got the carpet cleaned for the whole house today for free! Mystery shopping sure is great!

Sean's parents came over and painted some new things to hang out to protect the screen since the boys are always pushing it out.