Sawyer Night

I dropped all the kids off for the birthday party. When I got home I found that Sawyer had wasted no time after the family had left in telling Daddy "Let's go to Dairy Cream now."
So they did. Daddy biked with Sawyer in the bike seat. But now it was time to start the real Sawyer Night.....


All the kids were gone to a sleepover. The van was empty. Wait! There's a Sawyer back there. I think he needs a slushy for Sawyer Night.
"It's wed, (red) Mom."


We decided to show Daddy the wonderful wildlife refuge we've been going to.
Daddy: It feels like we're going into Jurassic Park.


Although it was Sawyer's job to show Daddy the way, it was just too hard to drink a slushy and lead at the same time. So he was always just behind us, minding his drink.


At the lake shore we saw a crayfish. And then the camera died. We missed the shot of holding the crayfish and seeing the eggs it was laying. And we missed the shot of 200 caterpillars doing a mating dance. (really! I'm never risking low batteries again!)
When we got home, Sawyer got to fall asleep listening to Daddy and I practice music for church the next day. It was a good Sawyer Night.

A River Runs Through It....

Where is Tristan asking to go?


Into the wild raging river that flows through our town. This time of year it is swelled to it's limits. But that doens't matter to a kid.


Turns out their courage was abated a bit, after getting their feet wet. In the
freezing cold water.


Kiki stayed well on dry land.


Like Father....

like son.


Like Sister...


like Brother.

\
The grass was as tall as a Sawyer.

There are two things they do here, in tribute to the river, as a given party leaves.
First you raise an offering of water in salute....


And then you kiss your hand, in thanks.


After our visit to the river, we came home to Kiki's favorite: Tuna Melts!

"Do I have to eat the salad?"


Now it is afternoon and Kiki is gone again. Another sleepover at Lea's house with all the kids. If I didn't know how much fun she was having, I would feel just like Daisy. It's just not the same, without a Kik, or a Greyson or a Tristy. But we have a Sawyer! I wonder what adventures we'll have with a Sawyer tonight?

How It's Done....

There are lots of How-to's in this post. Starting off with how-to make bread.

First you smash it.


Then you throw it.


Then you place it.


And Greyson places it too.


Next in the kitchen category is how-to use a salad spinner while holding a four-year-old:

In the Sawyer category we have, how-to get Mom to hold you during Bible Time:
Did it work?

And in the Bible Time category, we have how-to pout when you don't accept Daddy's answer (oh-no!)......

This is a Greyson pout.


This is a Tristan pout.

Also in the category of disobedience, we have how-to take a picture of your brother getting into chips. For proof. That he did eat chips for breakfast.


Next in the category of Picture Taking, we have how-to take pictures of your animals outside, without asking mom for the camera. She'll just find the evidence later.....



Our last entry in the category of Picture Taking is, how-to surprise your brother: "Sawyer, that's the orange that Daisy licked".


And last of all, in the category of "Awwwwwwww"...is how-to bless a mommy who wakes up with a migraine:
"Mom, remember yesterday when you said you'd make me spaghetti tonight? Well, you don't have to make it anymore."

A Raspberry Breakfast

This is what you would have heard around our table this morning. None of which was uttered by me:

"If you touch it, you eat it...." "Didn't we use to pick these ones at Grandma's house?" "One of my eyes is bigger than the other one..." "I miss picking raspberries at Grandma's. And Strawberries." "I'm Raspberry Man" "Mom, has anyone ever been struck by lightening and not died?" "Do you think if we move, that Daddy will let me get another dog?" "The rest are Mommy's!- "

And here's what all of that looked like....






And here's the face of someone that just fed bacon to the dog. Not scrap bacon, but good, hard-earned, lucky-to-have-it bacon....

Photography by Tristan

"Mom, can I have the camera?"
"What do you want the camera for?"
"To take a picture of Sawyer."
"Be careful."

So, here's....

Sawyer helping mommy peel eggs.


Sawyer as he will look in 2 years....


And Sawyer as bidden by Tristan to "look at me!"

New Condo

What got Sawyer up and outside so early? In his Sundayschool pants, and Greyson's too big jacket, no less?


And why is Greyson gathering greens in some random field? (That's actually our yard, sadly.)


Why, the new Dino Condo, of course!


Complete with eating area...

And a heated (when it's a sunny day) pool.

What We Did at the Belley's

Trish and I worked on end of the year school stuff, while the kids played and Kiki did this:



Then we stopped for snack. Can you guess what flavor?


After playing outside, the kids came in for lunch. Can you guess what else they are doing? (Hint: it registers NO brain waves).


Then they got candy treats for dessert. Sawyer was not happy with his. Imagine!


Then Ethan and Tristan drew on the back deck. Sawyer is in the background and here is how he feels about NOT drawing on the back deck...

I think it's time Sawyer had a nap, or some snappy correction. Maybe both.