BOY TIME=MAMA TIME

Tanner and Sam are REALLY PLAYING with each other.

Ok there's lots of bossing by Tanner and some "I'm not getting my way" screaming by Sam

BUT I AM TOTALLY WILLING TO TOLERATE THAT. I love watching Tanner help Sam with things he can't do and I love watching Sam "grunt" at Tanner and rub his belly to sign "please" for Help! Play-doh is a big hit with both boys!

Wrestling...another big hit...they are in the same weight group...if you're wondering!

A little computer time.

Sam is in the "It's funny to disobey stage"

and

Tanner is in the "Oh I forgot the rule because Sam was doing it stage"

thus the party on the table.

Snapping beans...they love shucking corn too!

The Birds and the Bees...at the Zoo!

If you haven't been to the Birds and the Bees exhibit at the zoo...it's amazing! I am NOT a HUGE fan of birds or bees...if I'm being TOTALLY honest but the birds were beautiful not creepy like I imagined. The boys loved trying to get the birds to eat on their sticks. Tanner was very SERIOUS...he had a method and did not want to be bothered. Sam was WILD... he was yelling at the birds...saying "down, down" and waving his stick around like a sword!

Happy 4th of July!

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY
Phew, we have had a busy weekend!
Uncle Wes and Aunt Virginia came in town so they came to the HighPoint parade with us Saturday morning. Tanner really looks forward to decorating his VEHICLE of choice (the scooter this year). You should see him shopping at the dollar store!

We ATTEMPTED the REDBIRDS game, but neither Chris nor I recalls who was playing or what the final score was and Chris who does not SWEAT was pretty SWEATY by the end of our night of chasing children....I MEAN watching the Redbirds game.

We enjoyed the fireworks with some friends and their annual 4th of July party that by now we just invite ourselves to. My
BLUEBERRY DESSERTwas a hit! It's SUPER EASY!!!
Here's the recipe:
1 20oz can of crushed pineapples-bottom
1 20oz can blueberry pie filling-middle
1 box yellow cake mix-top
3/4 stick of melted butter (i know)
1 small pkg. crushed pecans-ver top
Directions: Dump into 9x13 pan in the order listed , pour melted butter on top of cake mix. BAke on 350 for 30-45 minutes.

Splishing and Splashing

Does anyone have a WET FLOOR sign we could borrow????

Best Advice About Boys

ADVICE ABOUT READING TO BOYS

When Tanner was little I took him to the G-town library for baby storytime. Most of the babies sat in their mommies laps and listened...

NOT TANNER...

so I think the librian could see my frustration that my crawling 5 MONTH old couldn't sit still (none of the other babies crawled for quite some time).

She told me just to keep reading to him even when he crawled away...even out of the room...so I started do that instead of stopping when he left the room...and slowly but surely he started stopping for a peek...and before I knew it we were reading for long periods of time and his attention really grew.

Tanner LOVES books now...I really think I might have just stopped after a book or two without her advice but instead I kept the TV off and just read and read and read.

THE RESULTS

this is how tanner's bed frequently looks when he goes to bed and wakes up
Of course I do the same thing with Sam...but he really LOVES FOR TANNER TO READ TO HIM!!!

A few of our favorite things...DOWNTOWN

The boys love the FIRE MUSEUM!

So today we...

Played at the Fire Museum

then

Played in the water park/fountain on Main Street

and had a picnic!!

Luckily they were doing construction to the fountain so a a few of them were the perfect size and strength for Sam!!

UNPLUGGED

OFFICIALLY UNPLUGGED FOR THE SUMMER!

Anyone who knows me knows I am SUPER ticky about TV watching(video games etc.) so I decided to UNPLUG my kids (Sam doesn't even watch TV yet) from electronics for the summer...at least in our home!!!

It has been really great and really easy! I am amazed at how creative Tanner has been. He made a list of things he wants...

To Go, To Make, To Do, To Read

SO...right now our house looks like lots of

GAMES, BOOKS, CRAFTS, PROJECTS and SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!!!!