Current Events

To sum up...

I start school again in exactly eleven days. I'm taking Constitutional Rights and Leadership and Professional Ethics. I'm extremely excited!

We're hoping to be in a house in a few weeks since our broker keeps insisting she can close our loan in two weeks. She's a magic broker, and don't let anybody tell you any different.

Byran purchased a motorcycle to help defray some of the fuel costs of using his work van all the time. It's unfortunately missing a few things to make it street legal. Or legal at all, really. Like, a license plate. We're working on it.

We're taking Sam and Dylan to Deception Pass this weekend, and we hope to break in Sam's fishing pole. I'm not sure what kind of fish they hope to catch, but I hope it's the kind one would ordinarily take a photo of and throw back. I'm really uncertain of my gutting/boning/pan frying skills. I mean, I mostly just don't want to.

But, how exciting!

Dylan just cut two teeth in his lower gums. They were big, ornery suckers. Dylan spent about two weeks sobbing uncontrollably and sticking his hands in his mouth. Don't worry, we gave him plenty of Tylenol and cold things for his mouth. Unfortunately, he also discovered biting. Which he lovingly only bestows on those he loves the most. Just ask Rachel...

Rachel has had, thus far, the most painfully boring summer vacation of her life. I'm not certain what we've done in the past that was so memorable, but I certainly feel her pain. Here I was, hoping for sheer boredom and have lacked any. She, on the other hand, has craved excitement and adventure and has been left wanting.

But, school starts soon. She'll be busy with that and making lots of plans for the fall. She has already planned out her Halloween costumes for the next three years, and has begun planning her birthday party (it's in February). Boy, can she think ahead! She's already developed a knack for check-lists.

I'd let her house hunt for us to add to her excitement level, but I think I'll let her be bored. To her credit, she is a wonderful helper with her baby brother, she has learned to make blueberry pancakes from scratch (and cook them on her own, too) and she has been learning many helpful household chores. She keeps declining my offers to show her how to clean the toilet. Rats...

My dear Anna has been holed up at her dad's, making up for lost time with him. She has been doing well! We see her less occasionally than we would prefer. Can you believe it: she's almost fifteen?! Soon, she'll be learning to drive! Or, rather, learning to stay in-between the lines and out of people's living rooms and off their bumpers. All valuable skills. We shall see how that transpires!

That's all for now. I hope our next post is about our new house.

The Grand Ol' Fourth

It's been our tradition for a few years to go out to Ocean City and Ocean Shores on the 4th of July. The first year, the weather was amazing. This year, the trip was a BUST. It was windy, cold, gray, and generally pretty uninviting. We did hang on the beach to play in the sand for a while, though.

Yea! Happy Fourth of July!

Rachel has a crush on a boy...oh, they grow up fast.

Dylan the warrior!!

Tough girl!

So, we left the coast and got a few fireworks and came home. We had a blast.

I know. Ha ha.

This is Grandpa Tom's. Our temporary abode while we wait for our own home. I just thought this looked cool.

Every time Byran lit one of these, Rachel would yell: "Fire in the hole!" Apparently, the kids had decided that that was her job.

Wall E ~ Third Of July At The Drive-In

I know most people go see a fireworks show on display on the 3rd of July. But, our genius idea was to take our kids out for a movie...outside.

Wall E was playing, and it was a darn cute movie.

I'm fairly certain that many of the buildings are no longer in use at the dinosaur Rodeo Drive-In. Who knows where this mysterious door leads?

Sam hamming it up for the camera.

Yup, there was a full playground complete with a swing set. That, complete with a concession stand and movie screen makes for kid heaven.

Rachel relaxing and waiting for the Big Show.

Sam snuggled in the back of the Vue. Kind of a tailgate pajama party. With chips and water.

Dylan amused himself by standing on Sam, facing the inside of the car and bouncing up and down and then kneeling on Sam somewhere uncomfortable and pummeling and slapping him. He repeated this exercise over and over again. I was rather impressed that Sam was not the least bit ill-tempered about it. He said, "Do you know what he's [Dylan] saying to me when he's slapping me like that? He's saying: You have no liberty! You are my step-stool!"

Funny stuff.