Home inspections, big backyards, and pen pals

This has been an exciting week! Monday was the home inspection at the new house. We were there for over 2 hours - the inspector was there for over 3 - and the boys were very patient throughout the whole thing. Everett and Paxton goofed around in the backyard, and rolled around on the carpet. Spencer was very interested in what the inspector had to say, and listened intently while he brought us around the house to show us his findings. With Spencer's memory, I'm sure that he knows just as much about the needed repairs as we do.

Along with the inspection, we took notes, made measurements, and starting planning our renovations. The boys decided where the swingset would go. We fantasized about grilling on the huge back patio.

With the inspection, appraisal, and financing all in place, now we wait... Wait, pack, and go back to life as we know it until it's time to close. We had a playdate yesterday at the splash park, and the boys just exhausted themselves playing in the water and the sand. This weekend we're heading to a barbeque at some friends' house. Paxton is good friends (and email penpals) with their son, and it's really sweet to see the relationship growing. Spencer has two penpals now too, through good old-fashioned snail mail, and it makes checking the mail every day even more exciting .

Happy Birthday Paxton

6 years ago today, my Pak-man was born. Every birthday, every year, I go over it all my mind: The birth, the baby, the first year. Paxton's birth was the one where everything went right. It was fast, REALLY fast. It was quiet and peaceful. Because of some complications, both Spencer and Everett's deliveries required about a zillion people in the room. But with Paxton, it was just us, the midwife and a nurse. He was the only one of the three that I got to hold immediately after birth. It was the only time that Mike got to cut the cord. It was like a movie birth.

As a baby, he wore his heart on his sleeve, and he still does. He cried a LOT in that first year, but he laughed a lot too. He was passionate and adventurous and funny and smart. He's still all of those things too, and so much more. A snapshot of Paxton at 6: He loves to tell jokes and plays games. He's a computer whiz. He loves his family and his friends and his fish. He loves math and science and learning new things. He loves to laugh. He likes riding his bike, running around till he's red in the face, and trying any kind of new sport. He has a huge heart, and shows it in a million ways.... from the way he surprises me with a big out-of-the-blue bear hug, to the time he used his own quarter to buy Everett a Barney doll from a yard sale, just because he knew he'd love it.

We love you Paxton!! To the moon and stars and back.

Why I love homeschooling

One of the reasons anyway...

Paxton wanted to write his thank-you notes for his birthday gifts today, so we sat down to do them. He really does them by himself, and my job is to answer questions about spelling and punctuation.

He was on his third card, and suddenly turned to me and said "Look! I think that's the best 'G' I've ever made!"

I get to be there.

Party time

Well thanks to Ally, Paxton's party had a rough start.... Wednesday I made the cake, only to have her snatch and eat it off the counter while it was cooling. Yesterday I made another, in between dealing with the blood and the vet and chaos that ensued when she sliced her tongue by licking a can.

By afternoon though things had settled down. The party went VERY well, and I think all the kids had a great time. Paxton was nervous at first - so nervous he didn't even eat any of his cool cake - but he warmed up in short order. He had a blast playing all the games, and cashing in all his tickets. He loved playing with his friends, and he got some really neat gifts. Spencer used his tokens sparingly, and was the only one who still had some left at the end of the night. He spent most of the party hanging out with his friends, and playing racing games. Everett loved all the little car rides, and fed his tokens to every one he found. We stayed for over 3 hours, and were happily stumbling out to the car when Everett got whacked in the head with the door. I went back in for some ice, and he fell asleep on the way home... holding the ice to his head.

Today we hunted for bugs with Paxton's new bug kit, played with his new army guys, and ate ourselves silly on leftover cake and candy. It's a happy happy Friday.

A few of my favorite pics :)


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A boy and his guitar

My parents were cleaning out their attic, in preparation of selling their home. One of their finds? My old guitar, a prized possession when I was in elementary school.

Spencer has been wanting to learn to play the guitar. My parents have been wanting to get rid of their old stuff. It was a perfect match. I nearly started crying when I saw how excited he was when the UPS driver pulled up.

He has barely set it down, picking out notes, strumming and humming and singing away. It needs a new string, but is in otherwise great condition for its age. Spencer is taking great care of it, carefully putting it in and out of the case every time he wants to use it. I'm so excited for him to learn how to play it, both because I just really enjoy the sound of a guitar, and because I know it'll give him a great sense of accomplishment to master it.

My baby's growing up.

Happiness

Having a ball

This weekend was filled with neat things, large and small. First, we heard about our house offer... but chances are, if you're reading this you already know all about that! We're all very excited to be buying a house, and I'm particularly excited about picking all the tile, cabinets, appliances, paint, etc. Fun stuff!

We also went to Walmart, where soon-to-be six year old Paxton picked his present: a spiffy new bike. He rode it off and on all afternoon. Last night, we tried out our anniversary present from Sandi and Mich.. an icecream maker ball. The icecream was delicious, but even more importantly, the boys had a blast rolling the ball around to make it.

And today, I made the lipbalm that I've been wanting to make for months. Paxton helped me fill the tins, Spencer helped cap them, and Everett helped by keeping Daddy busy. He reached a finger into the colorant I was using - bright red, no less - and proceeded to spread it all over his body. When they say a little bit goes a long way, they're not kidding.

I've uploaded some new pictures to Photobucket under August http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/thriceblessed/ and just in case you didn't notice, I have a fancy new blog template too, courtesy of Erunginung. :-)

Homemade pizza, and my son, the calculator

Spencer was in the mood to cook yesterday, so we made a trip to the grocery store and got some pizza fixings, some cookie ingredients, and the making of a graham cracker and fruit snack they saw on Zoom. We all made our own individual pizzas for lunch, even Everett. It's always fun to make pizzas, and they were GOOD, really good. We made the graham cracker snacks last night, and the cookies today.

Tonight we were sitting around the table talking about fixing up houses, and going over the potential budget for one particular house. We'd come up with $18,000, and Paxton - who's still not quite six - said, without missing a beat, "If it's $800 to fix the air conditioner that will only leave $17,200." He did not get his head for math from his mother, of this I am sure. But it's a skill he enjoys, and takes great pride in. I thoroughly love hearing what calculation he's going to come up with next.

Fall is coming

It has been a quick summer - a good summer - but we're looking forward to cooler days again. The boys' homeschool group is getting geared up, and they'll be having a "Not back to school party" in a few weeks, as well as lots of field trips. There were some field trips throughout the summer too, but we were too busy hibernating, watching tv, and playing to go to most of them. :)

Some of my favorite summer pics (and a few other random ones just because):


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What we're learning from Spongebob

Spencer has been watching tv with the captions on. I'm not really sure why (and have never gotten more of an answer than "because I like to") but if the tv is on, it's a pretty safe bet that the captions are on too. They read along, they laugh when there are mistakes, and they ask me questions about what they're seeing. I realized today that not only do the captions say WHAT people are saying, but also how it is being said. Spongebob said something "fondly", Patrick sounded "trance-like," someone else was "snide." We talked about what all those things meant and how the way you say something can change its meaning.

Learning is everywhere.

Reading

We went to library yesterday. I love our library, both because it's close and because it's huge yet inviting. The kids played in the play area for a good hour before we ventured out to actually look for some books. Their picks this time? Everett got the book "Bark George" because he liked the dog on the cover, a story about Maisy, and a book about flying on an airplane. Spencer got another stack of books about construction vehicles, and car mechanics; and Paxton loaded up on Judy Blumes, a Spongebob book and a book about Amelia Bedelia. I went looking for him this afternoon, and snapped the above picture when I found him.

Now that it's summer, I'm seeing all these ads for summer reading programs, and getting a jump on reading for school, etc etc etc. I'm glad that none of those things are a concern for us, and that our summer (and our reading habits) will seamlessly blend into the next season.

Weekend Projects

It never fails that several months after Christmas, one of the boys will find a gift that was put on a shelf and forgotten about. This time it was a book about battery science, complete with battery and wires and motors just waiting to be played with. Paxton and I made a battery operated robot bug on Friday, then Spencer and Mike built a motor and made a doodle pen. Cool! Yesterday, we had a lazy Saturday morning breakfast of pancakes and eggs (made almost exclusively by the kids) and then spent most of the day out and about. First up were trips to Target and Trader Joe's; then to a boat store, an auto-parts store, and Home Depot... all for supplies for Mike's truck-tweaking project. Something to do with the air intake. The boys were very patient throughout all the store hopping, and were particularly in awe of the boat shop, that had everything from boats and trailers to kneeboards and tubes and water-skis. When we got home, Mike brought his project into the kitchen table so he could be social while he worked on it. Everett was more than happy to help, and the older boys got a kick out of the test drive around the block once he was done.

Swimming, playdates, and scorpion parties

July is almost over, and we're getting ready to ease into another month. We seem to go from insanely busy to nearly a stand-still, but the past couple of weeks have been pleasantly in between. We've gone swimming more than once, which is an odd experience in 110+ heat - the water is like bath water. The boys are getting more and more confident in the water, and I'm enjoying watching them learn... Paxton by jumping and kicking and sputtering and trying again and again and again; and Spencer the same way he learned to ride a bike: slow and steady. Everett is loving the water too, and has discovered the fun of jumping off the edge into our waiting arms.

We went on a playdate last week, and had another yesterday. Sandi, Mitch and the kids came down and watched the boys while Mike and I went out on a (exceedingly rare) date to the movies. Spencer apparently suggested a surprise party for our return, and we came home to a house decorated with streamers, paper balloons, and my personal favorite: giant paper cut-outs of scorpions. At least we can laugh about it.

Other random kid-related news:

Everett is talking up a STORM, and there is nothing he won't repeat.
Paxton is about to turn 6, and is trying on a new attitude for size
Spencer is currently fascinated with physics, and spending a lot of time playing with a new protractor.

We're still searching for another flip house, since our last one fell through, and spent yet another afternoon driving around scoping out possibilities. We've had our moments of frustration, but won't let ourselves lose momentum.

Everett

I stayed up way too late last night, going through old pictures of Everett to make a montage. Spencer and I were both crying by the end... him because the old pictures made him miss New Hampshire, and me because, well because it's exhausting to visit all of those feelings of love and wonder and heartbreak and happiness and pride all in one sitting. And set to music, no less. I love my boys so much. Here it is if you want to take a look.


Everett Michael

The lazy, hazy days of summer

The past few days have been some of the laziest days we've spent since we've moved here. And they have been wonderful!! I don't understand what the fuss is about when it comes to the heat. We just stay inside and don't even notice it. :) The boys and I have watched movies; played Playstation; played trains and racetracks and Sorry; challenged each other to online games of pool and chess; looked up hummingbirds and honey bees and spiders; watched Cyberchase, Zoom, and the Suite Life of Zack and Cody; played with pretend food and cooked real food.... And just generally enjoyed each others' company.

Happy, happy summer!!

Family, the Grand Canyon, and tarantulas

Mom and Dad arrived safely back in New Hampshire this morning, after a wonderful, whirlwind week here in AZ.

Mike ended up getting the entire week off, so it was a happy - and welcome - vacation for all of us. They came late last Saturday night, and Sunday was a day of hanging out, catching up, and taking them on their first-ever trip to IKEA. We browsed for an hour, and I believe it was the first time that none of the boys had a meltdown by the time we headed out to the car.

On Monday, they headed up to Camp Verde to see (and stay at) their new house. We took them out to show them our first fix-up house on the way. The deal has since ended up falling through, but that's another story for another blog.

Tuesday was the 4th, and we headed up north to join Mom & Dad. Their house is completed, but empty, so we sat on camp chairs and stretched out on the new carpet. We played pool in the clubhouse, and board games in their living room. The view from their house is beautiful, and we were able to watch fireworks right from their driveway. We could see them going up and everything. The boys really enjoyed it, and Paxton liked the fact that because they were so far away, they weren't very loud at all.

On Wednesday, we all drove up to the Grand Canyon. It was a first for us McGrails, and we were not disappointed! The view was amazing, and we stopped at several look-out points before hiking a short way down the Bright Angel trail. It was quite a feat with 5 young kids (2 of them under age 3) but they did great!! Everett pointed out the mule poop every few steps, Paxton took pictures of a hawk we saw on one of the cliffs, and Spencer was having so much fun that he wanted to keep going after we decided we'd better head back. I can't wait to go again when the boys are older, and we can hike all the way down and camp out and everything. The ride back to Mom and Dad's took forever since we made about 92 bathroom breaks, but it was well worth it.

On Thursday we enjoyed a lazy morning and an awesome afternoon rain storm before heading home. We took the scenic route home and it was incredible! It was literally like we were driving through different countries... my favorite being the rolling green hills that made feel like we were going throught the Swiss Alps. I took pictures out the window like a tourist. Mike nearly gave me a heart attack when he suddenly gasped and slammed on the brakes. The emergency? He saw a tarantula crossing the road. We turned around and went back, and all piled out of the car, camera in hand. We watched it cross the road and go onto the shoulder. It stopped to let us look for awhile, then went on its way. It was actually quite beautiful up close, and very graceful when it moved. A couple more side-of-the-road potty stops, and dinner at Burger King, and we were home.

Friday morning, our bug guy came bright - VERY bright - and early in the morning. He's going to be coming more frequently since it is summer, and we have now seen three scorpions in the house. We were supposed to be going to our home inspection in the afternoon, but as I said above, it was a no-go. We did meet with a contractor though, so it wasn't a total bust. He was a great guy, very professional, and formerly homeschooled :) I'm sure we'll be using him on future projects.

Mom and Dad came back down here yesterday afternoon, and we were able to spend a few more hours together before we saw them off. It was a GREAT week! Now we just pray that their house in NH sells quickly, and that the next time they come, it's for good. And today we're resting, hanging out together, and still trying to figure out the best way to spend Mike's last day before he has to go back to work.

New friends and visitors

Last Saturday, we experienced our first real summer day at the zoo. They have a splash area for the kids during the hot months, and they had a good time cooling off. We went with some new friends.. Someone I actually "met" online a year ago, who also has a son Everett's age. We found we had a lot in common, and had a nice day watching and playing with the kids. We met bright and early at 8, so we'd have plenty of time to explore before we were ready to retreat home to the a/c at lunchtime. On Thursday, Sandi and the kids came over for an extended playdate. Spencer was so excited about it, he could barely sit still all week. She was supposed to be an extra in a movie shooting nearby (but her scenes ended up getting cancelled) and planned to spend the couple of nights at our house instead of driving back north. Thursday the kids were off the wall, and settled down just long enough to bake muffins and watch a little TV. Friday was much calmer, and everyone played and colored happily together. They drew picture after picture, and cracked themselves up making flip books of rocks falling on people's head, and in Isaac's case, puppies hatching from eggs. :) I watched all 5 kids without a hitch while Sandi went to an audition, and Mike did the same while she and I went out for a girls' night out to paint pottery. Last night was pizza, and another lazy walk through the commons before bed. It has been a great visit, and has made the wait for our next visitors - Mom & Dad, who are coming TONIGHT! - go even more quickly.

April Fool's

Last night, Spencer and I had the following conversation:

Spencer - Mommy, what's that holiday in April?
Me - Easter?
Spencer - No, the one where you play pranks on people?
Me - Oh, April Fool's Day
Spencer - Yeah, April's Fools. Can we pretend it's April Fool's Day right now? I want to play a prank.

Through his giggles, he asked me to put a rubber band around the sprayer on the sink, so whoever went to turn on the water would get soaked. This was of course, completely within earshot of everyone in the house. I did what he asked, and two minutes later he and Paxton came to me with a cup, and were just doubled-over with laughter. "Mommy, can you wash this cup for us?" Giggle giggle giggle. So I went to the sink - with great aplomb I might add - and turned on the water. The beauty of it was that it barely hit me, but instead drenched Mike who was trying to load the diswasher. The kids found that absolutely hysterical, and found the fact that Mike then grabbed me and positioned me in front of the spray even more hysterical. It didn't matter that no one wasn't expecting it. The laughter from the kids - real, hard, honest-to-goodness, belly laughter - made it a moment to cherish.

Father's Day

Summer has been unfolding way too quickly already. I'm going to have to start updating more often! On Wednesday, the boys and I joined another homeschooling family in a field trip to the Ceretta Candy company. We got a little tour of the factory, learned about the process, and bought & brought home several pieces of carefully chosen candy to share with Daddy.

On Thursday, Aunt Didi came over with the kids, and the boys had a blast playing with their cousins (as they always do) The energy was extra high this time though, and things didn't settle down until we all hunkered down in the living room to watch Napoleon Dynamite. They stayed for dinner and everything, and we had my personal favorite, pizza from Garlic Jim's.

Saturday was a little bit crazy. Spencer woke up with a cold (which I'm officially blaming on the play area at McDonald's, which we visited on Wednesday) We spent the morning cleaning and moving furniture to prepare for the carpet cleaners that were coming in the afternoon. Next was a trip to the vet for a check-up for Ally. Besides being 15 pounds overweight, and starting to show some signs of age, she is really quite healthy for a 12 year old. After we got home, we all hung around to watch and chat with the guy cleaning the carpet. We'd chosen a cleaner that used a non-toxic cleaning method, as opposed to the soapy extractors, and it was really pretty cool. After he'd finished, we went to go look at our new house. We'd been looking for almost two months for a fix-up to invest in, and we finally found one. The contract has been accepted and signed, and now we're just waiting to hear on details like closing dates. We walked around, took pictures, and took many notes on where to start. The boys are excited about the prospect, and look forward to starting a business as a family. The house made us hungry, so we had dinner at Denny's, followed by a quick trip to the grocery store for sundae fixings and all the ingredients we needed for Mike's requested Father's Day dinner of burgers.

Father's Day itself was quiet and relaxing. The boys had already given Mike his presents on Saturday night - they couldn't wait - and we enjoyed one of them Sunday afternoon. We got him his favorite movie ever, Duel, on DVD, and we all watched it together. The boys were riveted. We also played with their new playdough, built with blocks, and enjoyed our burgers. Bedtime was early... The boys were worn out from another busy weekend, and I finally admitted to myself that I have caught Spencer's cold.

Paint, slime, and other happy messes

So the heat has driven us inside, and it's turned out to be a huge blessing for all of us. The boys have rediscovered their big bin of paint (complete with several kinds of paint, about 8976234 different paint tools, and lots of paper) After several days in a row of dragging it in and out of the toy room, it's taken up residence in the floor of the dining room. They've been making masterpiece after masterpiece. Sometimes it's not the masterpiece they're after, but just the experience. And we're enjoying it together... the lovely, squishy, messy, joy of creating. They have some really cool stuff that you can mix with paint to create putty. It's actually more like slime than putty, and is lots of fun. Our carpet - of a rental house, no less - is bearing the evidence of our play. It's now speckled with multi-colored flecks of paint in addition to the ever growing mystery stains. The carpet cleaning guys are going to have to come sooner rather than later, but it's a small price to pay.