Thursday, August 16, 2012

July 2012

Here are pictures of some of the fun we had in July after we got back from our big trip.

Rachel and Lizza playing in the gutter during a big rainstorm.  We actually had kind of a rainy July, which was really nice. Every kid should be able to play outside in a rainstorm once in a while.2012 07 13_1123

Cynthia stayed inside because she was really busy taking care of her babies:2012 07 17_1115

Either that, or she was doing a set-up.  Sometimes when I can’t find her, I’ll call out “where’s my Cindy girl?”, and she’ll yell out from somewhere in the house, “Right here!  Doin’ set-up!”.  And then I’ll find her like this:2012 07 29_1082

Henry caught the spirit of fort-building from Lizza, and decided to build his own fort.  He spent so much time on it, and was so excited to show me all the different rooms he had created in his “fort” – there was even a puzzle room (that little area on the floor marked off with pillows) with a stack of puzzles all ready to go.  He told me the big bean bag was their “coloring room”, and he had already supplied it with coloring books and crayons (for in the morning, he said, in case they felt like doing a little bit of coloring before they got up).  And of course I had to let them sleep in the fort that night, because he had carefully set up beds for him and Rachel and Lizza, dragging in all their blankets and pillows from their room.  I was proud of him for setting it all up all on his own.  2012 07 19_1108

Miss Cynthia, in the pantry, with a lightsaber:                                  2012 07 22_1103

And if that’s not scary enough, here she is doing her best Gollum impersonations:

Rachel and Elizabeth’s new favorite thing is to dress like twins every day.  It went great the first day (because they had matching dresses), but they are running out of things to wear that match:2012 07 22_1107

Oliver and Tristan, hard at work in the yard.  I was attempting to teach them how to work the lawnmower and the trimmer.  I like the idea of them being able to do it always, but I’m debating whether it’s worth it or not – I’m still trying to figure out how the three of us together took 3 hours to mow and trim, when I can do it in less than 2 all by myself.  So I guess I need to view it as a learning experience for them, and not so much as a helpful experience for me (yet).  I know sometimes I put off teaching my kids things because just doing it myself is always faster than stopping to teach – I need to get better at that.    2012 07 23_10992012 07 23_1102

A friendly painting session.  Mostly I just love Lizza’s face:2012 07 24_1089

Henry loves doing “study time”.  I write simple addition problems on a paper, and he uses the color tiles to figure out the answers:                                                                    2012 07 24_1097

He also loves doing Sheppard Software on the “pumputer”, as he calls it.  They have so many great games for teaching kids the states.  Of course, Henry’s favorite ones are the puzzle games – in this one all of the states are bunched together over on the left side, and he has to drag them over to where they belong on the map.  He loves to save the littlest states for last, because he thinks they are so tiny and cute.

Cindy doing some reading on the couch in Rachel’s robe, which she stole.  Tristan took this picture of her, and I love it because she looks like a big purple marshmallow:2012 07 24_1563

Henry shares a room with Rachel and Elizabeth.  A few nights a week, when I go up to check on the kids before I go to bed, Henry’s bed will be empty and I will find him up on the top bunk with Rachel.  It would be easier for him to climb in with Lizza on the bottom bunk, but he knows Rachel will never kick him out.  2012 07 25_1086

And speaking of the special bond between Rachel and Henry, their birthday was on July 30th.  Rachel turned 8 and Henry turned 4. 

The other kids had spent weeks making homemade presents to give.  They were pretty excited to get started with the present opening first thing in the morning:2012 07 30_1063

A super-hero book for Henry from Oliver:                                   2012 07 30_10662012 07 30_1071

“The Happy Animal Birthday Book” for Rachel, from Lizza;2012 07 30_1072_edited-1

Plus several other random things (a paper butterfly, a cup made out of paper, a re-gifted toy that may have already been Rachel’s, and a paper jewelry box with a necklace inside).  Mostly Lizza just likes to wrap as many presents as she can:2012 07 30_1075

Oliver was also quite generous with Rachel – he painted her several paintings, and made her that Super Girl special power arm that she’s wearing:2012 07 30_1078

Later that morning they got to open presents from Mom and Dad:2012 07 30_2097

2012 07 30_2103_edited-12012 07 30_2105

Cynthia was so jealous of all of Henry’s new Avenger toys.  She had already stolen his Captain America socks.2012 07 30_21102012 07 30_21112012 07 30_21122012 07 30_21142012 07 30_2117

Enjoying their new stuff:2012 07 30_21212012 07 30_2125

Later we went to the pool for a birthday picnic lunch with our friends.

Lizza with the birthday kids:                                                    2012 07 30_2129_edited-1

2012 07 30_21382012 07 30_2151

Playing Colors:2012 07 30_2155_edited-1

Rachel and Henry had picked homemade pizza for their birthday dinner.  I don’t have very much experience with this, but I bought some tiles at Home Depot to use for pizza stones, and it turned out really good.  2012 07 30_21582012 07 30_21602012 07 30_2161

Rachel with her coconut birthday cake.  Since it was her 8th birthday, she had requested a white cake with white frosting and white candles.                                                     2012 07 30_2166

Henry had requested the famous dinosaur volcano cake:2012 07 30_2165

Which is the exact cake Rachel had on her 4th birthday.  Which was the night Henry was born.  It was nice to not be going into labor while making the cake this time.2008 jul 30_2162

Here they are one year after that, on Henry’s 1st birthday and Rachel’s 5th:2009-07-30 048

And the year after that – Rachel turning 6, Henry turning 2:2010 jul 30_3225

Last year they got two birthday celebrations:2011 07 24_00342011 07 30_0186_edited-2

And here the birthday friends are this year – my 4-year old and 8-year old:2012 07 30_2167

Cynthia was so excited about the lava on Henry’s cake.  I have a feeling I’m going to have one more of these to make someday.2012 07 30_2170

Happy Birthday to Henry:                                                       2012 07 30_21732012 07 30_2175

Happy Birthday to Rachel:                                                    2012 07 30_21832012 07 30_21842012 07 30_21902012 07 30_2193

Here is Cynthia doing some after dinner dancing with some cardboard figures of Ironman, Captain America, and Incredible Hulk (She wouldn’t stop stealing Henry’s new toys, so I cut out the pictures from the back of the boxes they came in, and she was happy about that):                         2012 07 30_2201

And of course, the best way to end a birthday is with everyone reading on the couch together:2012 07 30_2203

3 comments:

Beccarigg said...

Okay, in all seriousness, I really need to come spend a week at your house and have a Mommy apprenticeship with you so you can show me how you create such an incredible atmosphere for learning. It seems to come so naturally to you and it's something I would really love to work on. I just love that Henry is learning his states and seems like he's borderline reading already! And the math problems with the tiles, genius! Maybe you could just write a book about creating a learning centered home. You are truly an expert at it!!

Love your kids so much by the way! I've been out of the loop in the blogosphere so I'm just starting to catch up and I've "missed" your family :) Cindy's gollum impression made my day! I'll definitely be showing that to Taber tonight! Also loved all the birthday pics of Rachel and Henry through the years. How cool for them to have that. Oh and while you're writing your book you should add a special bonus at the back that shows how to make that sweet dinosaur cake. Awesome!

Diane said...

More fancy birthday cakes...

Laura said...

those cakes are making me super, super hungry, just so you know! and that picture of rachel with her arms draped over the other kids like she's somebody totally famous is fabulous!