Summer and a Seltzer Tree

While picnicking yesterday afternoon, Isaiah proclaimed that it is now summer.  I explained that it is still spring because we are in April, but after April comes May, and after May comes June, and summer begins in June.  He then proceeded to explain something to me.

I: And then I will have a race, on the first night of June, on the 25th.

M: What's the name of the race?

I: It's the R.H.A.I.L.A.

M: Oh, is that a go-kart race?

I: No.

M: A stock car race?

I: We mustn't waste our time with questions.

On this same picnic, Isaiah accidentally spilled some of my seltzer on the grass, but he told me not to worry: a tree would grow there and sprout cans of seltzer on its branches.

"Twins"

Kateri plays with her friend, Guinevere, who was born the day before Kateri and was delivered by the same midwife.  Guinevere is the sister of Asher (same age as Isaiah) and Cecelia (same age as Bernadette).  Their mother, Rachel, is my dear friend who is also a La Leche League Leader and a Christian homeschooling mother.  Cool, huh? :)

Mad

Wanted momma, not dad.

Earth Day

Isaiah carries a fish in the walk from St Patrick St Anthony to the riverfront.

Bernadette video (fall)

Fall 2012 Daniel visits

Video backlog

Don't mess with me

I've got a spoon.

On the phone

Bernadette talks to uncle Pete on her supersized phone. And you thought your iPhone was cool.

A nap in the park

Body marking

Fun with laundry

You know you have three kids when...

you need two shopping carts to haul less than a week's worth of laundry.

Sunday best

Girls

Hello!

I wasn't tired after my nap leading up to bedtime (or Bernadette's yelling woke me) so I had to socialize with my siblings.

Baseball

Isaiah wanted to play baseball Tuesday night. Despite only a couple of brief attempts last year, he did very well. He had a few hits and was frustrated by the difficult and my erratic pitching, but it's clear he's paid attention to other kids and the games we've attended.

A visual, courtesy of Aunt Liz

Princesses

Yesterday morning, Bernadette wrapped some silk scarves around her head and shoulders and declared, "I'm a princess!"  She tried to enrobe Kateri, too, but met with resistance, so I persuaded her to make her dolls royalty instead.  She also told me I was a princess, but she didn't try to mummify me with scarves like she did Kateri.  Phew.

Last night, before bed...

M: Are you still a princess?

B: Yes.

M: What is a princess?

B: It's a song that's made up.

M: What does the song sound like?

B: Like grass!

M: The song sounds like grass?

B: Yes.

M: Do you realize you're talking nonsense?

B: Yes.

"Night of the trucks"

Art

This particular floor of Sol Lewitt wall paintings was boring in the kids' assessment.

I gots teeth

and I like to chew things.

Ready to roll

Reading inside the box

Sky

Matt: Can you see the stars?
Bernadette: I hear them stars.
Matt: you can hear them?
Isaiah: Daddy, of course stars can sing.

The hunt

 Uncle Pete helped hide the eggs.

 The kids found them.

Decorating eggs

Aunt Magda