Just Another "Normal" Week

We've been busy this week. Such a beautiful week to be outside! We finished the boys' sandbox (except for the cover -- outdoor fabric was ordered tonight), picked lots of berries and had messy mayhem.

Yes, we put the sandbox together and sand was delivered on Friday. Clark loves playing in the sandbox! Although truth be told he prefers playing on the extra pile of sand right beside it. So much for building 4 sides to contain the sand. Gabe and Ty came out the other night and it did provide them all with plenty of entertainment while the adults worked on the garden. Currently we have a tarp as a temporary cover but it isn't very convenient so I ordered some outdoor fabric to sew a cover. Can't have the cats and chickens in the thing -- yuck. Clark does a good job chasing them out when he's playing in the sand.

On Saturday we went over to the berry farm and picked 8 pounds of blueberries, 2 pounds of red raspberries and a few black raspberries. Our red and black raspberries are wonderful here but not quite enough for jam. Made red raspberry jam Saturday that is delicious and froze the blueberries. Awesome what lots of blueberries does for the diaper! They should probably charge a surcharge for people picking berries with children. We tried to teach Clark to put the berries in the bucket but he still snuck quite a few directly into the mouth -- especially when we were in the raspberry patch. I felt bad until I saw a little girl his age with berry juice all over her face too. Obviously it is a universal problem.

For some reason we found Jack enjoys the comfort and peace that is the baby crib. Sometimes a cat just needs a retreat from the family I guess!


Grant still uses his cute baby smiles and coos to charm the dickens out of his mom! It works too!

Monday night we worked on staking the tomatoes in the garden with the Clarks. We have lots of zuchini, a few beans, some cucumbers and a very few grape tomatoes right now. The sweet corn is pollinating, the pumpkin vines are EVERYWHERE, we have a few muskmelon (little babies) on vines, and I am growing a monster zuchini to enter in the largest zuchini competition at the Iowa State Fair. I am sure I will lose since I didn't dedicate one vine to the cause but it should prove fun anyway.

Last night was date night and we had Betsy babysit again. She does very well with both boys. However (not her fault by any means) this morning Clark woke up and his room smelled funny. Yes, he had gotten out of bed last night and found his Destin (diaper rash cream). He now is very adept at opening lids of any type and he squeezed it all over his bedding, blankets and teddy. Normally not a big deal to mess up the bedding and teddy however, Destin has a special chemical formula that makes it STICK to everything and it is greasy as all get out! Luckily our washing machine on the heavy duty setting and extra rinse cycle got most of it out -- then Alan found some hints on the internet and I did another shot in the washer with vinegar added in. All is well -- teddy is back in bed tonight. Today we ran to Lowes to buy shelving for his closet -- he was very excited by that prospect. This way we can put some things up higher out of his reach and secure them better. Our son has a thing with lotions. When I asked him why he decided he needed to have his cream out last night he told me and showed me to put on his cheeks -- his way of saying putting on lotion for chapped cheeks and hands like mommy and daddy. I explained this particular lotion was only for the bottom. Oh well -- just another normal day!

Cool July Days

So far this has been a nice week -- weather wise and child wise.

I have decided to set some weight goals and lose what I gained with Grant (and then some). So, we have been taking morning walks in the park (Ada Hayden) around the lake. Sometimes we all go as family in the evening as well. Clark loves it! He walks for a portion of the way and then hops on the stroller seat to ride the rest of it. This means I go slow for the first portion while we examine bugs, birds, leaves, sticks, and watch out for bikes and the second half I get my workout in pushing both boys. We usually stop half way through for a snack of fruit and some water. Clark loves keeping an eye out for butterflies and now dragonflies as well.

He also loves the structure they made out of willow trees. It is really quite pretty and Clark and I play hide and seek.

On days this week when we haven't made it to the park (like today -- hopefully we'll go tonight) Clark still keeps me on my excercise plan. This morning after Grant went down for a fairly good nap for Grant (more on that subject later) Clark pulled out the Wii Fit Balance Board and exclaimed "No Shoes" -- this is Clark's name for the soccer excercise where inevitably I end up crying "no shoes" as people kick balls and shoes at my head. Clark laughs like nothing else at this game. He also likes other games like the hula hoop exercise (which I finally topped my sister's score today to be number 1) and he likes the jogging excercise because we run past waterfalls. He gets very upset when it looks like I may fall off the tight rope and yells "careful mommy -- don't fall!"

This week Grant turned 2 months old. Yes, sweet pictures of our baby boy -- but don't let these fool you he has an attitude completely opposite his older brother. He smiles and coos and even laughs on the flip side he can scream and fight sleep like none other. He can go from smile to feed me scream (red face and all) in a matter of milliseconds. Maybe we were just spoiled with an easy baby first. All I have to say is the cute little smile and coo warms our hearts and makes those other moments pale and fade.

Clark gets along fine with his new baby brother. He enjoys holding him and asks for that at least once a day. He also never fails to inform me that baby "is cry - e, mommy". Mr. state the obvious.

Today was a lot of fun too -- Clark was able to play with Gabe and Ty which he loves while Hollie and I worked on some red raspberry jam (you'll have to view Hollie's blog for those details). The jam looked yummy. Currently I am letting my mulberry juice strain to make some jelly tomorrow.

Summer Fun

What we've done this summer (so far):

We read lots of books . . .

Clark's new use for his old mattress . . .

Attended Scandanavian Days in Story City (Grant is there too behind the pig) . . .

Clark worked at taming kittens -- now we find them stowed away in the trunk of his tricycle . . .

Bowling . . .

Painting . . .

Attended cousin Gabe's Birthday Party (we made the cake) . . .

Jack and Grant playing together. . .

Put in a new refrigerator after the old one finally died with a loud clunk. . .

Staying out late to light sparklers and

catch fireflies . . .

Attended a friend's pool party . . .

Watched fireworks with Gabe and Ty (and Aunt Hollie and Uncle Carl) . . .

Just two brothers hanging out and having fun . . .