Adios August

Our friend, Julia G, is in the middle school band.  She let Caroline play her trumpet one day after school.

It was hilarious--Caroline puffing and spitting, trying to get the trumpet make a sound.

She actually got it!  A couple days later Brian let the kids blow his trumpet.   Lauren and Caroline thought that was great.

A little Play Doh button Caroline made.  She gets out the Play Doh and all the accessories now and then.  It keeps her busy for quite awhile when the big kids are at school.  This day she made Play Doh cakes and decorated them.  Julia made her hair flower, for one of the scavenger hunt items at Caroline's birthday party. 

Austin is always rigging things up and coming up with new ways to use stuff.  Here he is with Lego bubbles for eyes.  He (for not caring about clothes!!) wears his two Angry Birds t shirts every time they're clean.   They're his favorite!

Here's our little garden in our side yard.  Brian picked tomatoes one afternoon.  He gave Caroline one to hold, and told her, "Don't drop it on the ground..."  Weeeeell, look what happened.  Uh oh!

We have carrots, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and zucchini planted.  The zucchini plants were huge when we came back from vacation!!  Then, a naughty, naughty gopher decimated the whole patch.  Grrrr...  We were surprised to see a few leaves sprouting from the sad, barely alive plants. 

Now there are two baby zucchini on one of the plants.  Brian put up barricades--extra fencing he found lying around, and spare roof tiles (there's a pallet of them that was left here).  I don't think they do much good keeping the gopher away, but they do help prevent the birds from pecking the tomatoes.  We have some friendly blue jays in this area of the yard!  They don't fly away when we come by and don't seem scared of us!

Caroline and Lauren had their tents set up outside for weeks!  Sometimes Bailey would sleep inside them.

Here they were pretending Lauren's tent was a rocket ship.

Doesn't it look like a rocket laying on its side like that???  Not sure why the car is there; maybe to prop up the rocket's nose???

 Relaxing, watching TV together on a lazy Saturday morning.

 Austin is very into Lego Ninjago these days.  He studies the Ninjago products online, reads the descriptions and reviews. 

He, Lauren, and Caroline play Ninja a lot!  He is Kai, Lauren is Nia, and Caroline is Sensei Woo.  Ha ha ha ha!!!  They showed me a picture of Sensei Woo one time, and he's an old man with a long white beard.  Not sure how Caroline became him???

The Barbies went camping.  There campout lasted days and days.  And days and days!!!!  Lauren got so mad if anyone would move the Barbies.  Finally they got so messed up, I made her clean up the campout. ;)

Giving eachother rides in the Cozy Coupe.  Lauren's getting a little big for this, no?

Caroline showing the stickers she stuck all up her arm.

Don't run into Lauren!!

Ok, if Lauren's too big, Austin's waaaay too big!

LOL at his long legs sticking out of the car.  He can't even get the door shut all the way!

Julia has homework for PE--for the first time ever.  Her PE teacher said he suggests, if kids aren't doing sports, that they practice sit ups, push ups, and what they're learning in class, if they want a good grade.  Well, Julia, ever the diligent student, asked Brian to help her throw and catch a football.

She did improve. Austin was glad to help her practice.  ;)

Of course the little sisters had to get in on the game too.  Julia is very conscientious, and always wants to do her best--even in PE.  She's been faithfully practicing sit ups and push ups too!  I'm not sure I would have done that, when I was in school.  She says herself she doesn't think most kids practice at home.  Probably not!

Caroline got this kitty, Ziggy, for her birthday from Aunt Colleen and Uncle Marty.  She was playing he was her Baby Ziggy for quite awhile.

The fairy and ballerina with Baby Ziggy.  They were getting ready to put on a dance performance.

Lauren tried to braid Caroline's hair.  She taught herself how to braid the Barbies' hair, after I showed her once.  Caroline's wasn't so easy.  Lauren, frustrated, said, "I wish Caroline was a Barbie doll!"

I've told Austin and Lauren over and over (and over and over and over and over!!!) to put their backpacks in the mudroom.  Well, they do not listen.  They have gotten into bad habits. ;) 

They will move their backpacks when I tell them, but then I don't think about it.  So.  Lauren's often sits on the floor, and Austin's is always hung on his chair.  Even Emily (who comes here in the mornings) has claimed a spot for her backpack.  Guess she must have assumed this is where we hang backpacks?  It looks like this almost every morning before school.

One day after returning home from our walk to school, Caroline pushed the garage door remote button, then started laughing:  "There's our car with the funny fa-ace!"  Giggle, giggle.  She said the back lights are eyes, the license plate is the nose, and the car was sticking it's tongue out (trunk handle).

There was a bake sale and BBQ the night of Julia's back-to-school night.  Caroline and I made monster cookies for the sale (and plenty for us too!).  Yum!  She always loves to help put in the ingredients.

Emily is here for about 1 1/2 hours every day before school.  Usually the kids have lots of fun together!  Sometimes they argue, but mostly they get along great. 

 

Often they jump on the trampoline in the morning.  It's not even 8:00 and there they are, jumping and squealing on the trampoline.  Do you see Austin?  Often they play "Crack the Egg".  Sometimes they play inside, with toys or games, or have a dance party in my bedroom.  Emily said she is an athletic girl and likes hip hop dancing.  She said Lauren is a fashion girl and likes girly dancing, like ballet.  Lauren agreed!  They are pretty funny.

 

Emily likes to make Austin's and Caroline's beds and arrange the couch pillows nicely, when she comes in the mornings.  She says it's more fun to clean someone else's room than her own.  LOL  When it's time to walk to school, Lauren and Emily take turns riding in the jogger stroller with Caroline.  Both are old enough to walk--it's 1.3 miles one way--but both claim they get tired.  Austin wants to know when he gets a turn to ride.  Seriously?  He says he never got to sit when he was in the 2nd grade!  ;)