Grandma and Grandpa to IC!

Last week Grandpa Steve and Grandma Lu came to visit us from Idaho. We kept them busy with card games, barbecues, a trip to Chris' office, a visit to the Science Museum, Happy Joe's pizza, running through the sprinkler, climbing trees, shopping for school supplies, riding bikes, swimming at the pool, dinner at the Saloon and live music on the Ped Mall.

(I think they might need a vacation after this vacation...)

It was a great trip and our only regret is that we didn't get a better picture of the kids with Grandma and Grandpa (see above!).

Go Climb A Tree

There was a point in my life, not so long ago, when I was convinced that Ben would be the first of my children to break a bone.

Now I think it's a toss-up.

(NOTE: Since this blog is the closest thing to a childhood scrapbook that my children will have I think it's important to note that Maggie gets very agitated when Cate and Ben climb this tree. She is determined to find a way to scale the trunk and join her siblings, preferably by herself. Tonight she dragged a little 3-legged stool from the playhouse over to the tree, bounced with frustration and said, "MOMMY! HELP ME! HELP ME!"

It's hard to be the little sister).

TOMATOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's the Deal?

I recently stumbled across a great deal for Crocs and ordered a pair each for Cate and Ben.

They finally arrived last week and much to my dismay, they didn't fit.

Me: ARG! Cate, I can't believe that your shoes are too big and Ben's are too small.

Cate: Don't worry Mom. I'll grow into them. And, maybe Ben will shrink.

First Annual Outdoor Movie Party

I had a great childhood. Really, I did.

My biggest complaint is that for much of it we lived out in the country which meant that I always had to wait for a ride, was often the last to be picked up from school events, and was stuck at home on snow days (thoroughly convinced that all of my friends were huddled together watching movies and drinking hot chocolate). Although we had a few neighbors, we had to drive into town to trick-or-treat and playmates (besides my brothers) were scarce.

I'm sure this is part of the reason why I am so attached to my current neighborhood.

I love that my kids can can walk to the park and, starting next month, they will walk to school. I love that in a few years we'll be able to ride our bikes downtown. I love that my kids can spend the afternoon climbing trees and that there is always someone for them to play with. I love that my neighbors who no longer have kids at home indulge my kids and their endless questions and let them rides bikes on their driveway.

I loving living in a real neighborhood and there have been a number of neighborly precedents set on our street already--Christmas parties each December, Halloween potlucks, and bike races on the 4th of July.

And with the hope that we will create another tradition, on Saturday night we hosted an outdoor movie party for the kids in our neighborhood.

It's hard to say what Cate and Ben found most exciting: staying up late with their friends, watching Toy Story in their lawn chairs, making homemade ice cream sandwiches, or the all-you-could-eat popcorn and M&M's.

Working on the ice cream sandwich assembly line

The menu, courtesy of Cate

Watching Toy Story

Girls with glow necklaces

Tiny Dancer

Maggie loves to play dress up, especially with Cate's clothes and shoes. The only frustrating part (for all of us) is that she insists on getting dressed without help ("I DO SELF MOMMY!"). This makes each costume change painfully slow but worth it when she does manage to pull on a skirt or pair of shoes without help.

Peek-A-Boo

Go Big or Go Home

We picked our first vegetables from the garden on Sunday. Cate and Ben were beside themselves with excitement.

After filling a basket with jalepeno peppers, cucumbers and banana peppers they immediately jumped on their bikes, pedaling furiously, in order to show off their haul to the neighbors.

(NOTE: I include the final photo as proof that the cucumber leaves are, in fact, bigger than Ben's head as mentioned in a previous post).

Gotta' Love Iowa City

As part of the Iowa Book Festival last weekend, Cate and Ben were able to "meet" their favorite book characters, including Clifford, Amelia Bedelia, Maisy, and Curious George.

Maggie was intrigued by the characters but not enough to be photographed with them.

Keeping Cool on a Hot Day

Overheard...

On the way home from the 4th of July Parade in Moscow, VT.

C: I would like to be in a parade.

Me: That would be really cool, wouldn't it?

B: Yeah. I would like to be in a parade too. I would like to be a horse.

Time for a Geography Lesson?

While on vacation last week, we overheard some great backseat conversations between Ben and Cate.

My favorite occurred as we were driving up towards Mt. Mansfield after spending the day in Burlington.

Ben (gasping in amazement): Cate! Look! I see the Grand Canyon.

Cate (very patiently): Ben, you can't see the Grand Canyon. It's not in this part of the world. It's in Africa and we're in Vermont.

Stowe, Vermont

At Ben & Jerry's

Getting ready to go boating on Lake Champlain

Milking a cow at Shelburne Farms

Outside the Malt Shoppe (photo credits: Ben K.)

Zooming down Mt. Mansfield via the alpine slide

Cate and Ben admiring the hot air balloons, as seen from the backyard.

Getting ready for the flight home. (Maggie saying, "Abracadabra!")

We just got back from a (much needed) vacation in Stowe, Vermont.

Chris traveled every week during the month of June and so it was nice for all of us to have a week of (almost) uninterrupted family time together. (The house where we stay doesn't have internet access and Chris receives spotty coverage on his Blackberry. While the absence of technology made him a bit anxious, it was great for the rest of us).

The minute we got off the plane the kids were completely, unequivocally attached to Chris. Maggie refused to let me unbuckle her from the car seat saying, "NO MOMMY. I WANT DADDY." This preference for Chris also extended to, well, just about everything, which meant I changed precisely two diapers over the course of the week and attended to very few bedtime duties, which definitely felt like a vacation for me.

As we drove up to Stowe the first night Cate asked, "Daddy, what are we going to do all week?"

Chris, ever goal-oriented, replied, "Well, we have two goals for the week. First, we're going to have fun. Second, we're going to eat ice cream every day."

And I can tell you that we certainly accomplished both of those goals.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Everyone seems to like our new kitchen chairs.

Except Maggie.

Our previous set had low rungs, placed at a perfect height for little people interested in climbing on chairs they would otherwise not be able to reach. Once on the chair, one could then climb on the table. Once on the table, one could perch next to the fruit bowl. Once seated comfortably, one could then nibble little bites out of each apple before returning them to the bowl.

The new chairs, which lack suitable rungs, are a source of frustration for Maggie.

I have a million reasons for not wanting her to climb on the chairs: She could fall off. She could tip over. And, most terrifying, she may never want to sit in a high chair again.

Maggie will not be deterred by my logic.

M (pointing to the chair seat): I SIT.

Me: No Maggie. If you want to sit at the table, you can sit in your high chair.

M (bouncing up and down in frustration): I SIT DOWN.

Me: I'm sorry Mags. You can sit in your chair.

This goes on for a while and eventually she seems to lose interest. I go into the other room and switch out the laundry.

When I return to the kitchen I see Maggie, sitting on one of the new kitchen chairs, swinging her feet contentedly, wearing a triumphant smile on her face. One of Cate's little chairs rests by her feet.

Looks like Ben might just have found a new partner in crime...

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary...

The garden.

Oh my.

We saw Chris' grandpa, an avid gardener, over Memorial Day and filled him in on our recently planted 6x6 plot of wholesome family goodness.

His eyes got big as we described everything we'd planted and he commented that it might be a bit ambitious for a first time garden.

He was right. This garden is huge.

Outrageous.

Overflowing it's little chain link (hopefully rabbit proof) fence.

Think Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors.

This picture was taken one week ago and with the hot steamy weather we've been having the plants are now, at least one foot taller than they appear here.

The leaves on our cucumber plants are bigger than Ben's head. (I admit the kid has kind of a small head but these leaves are huge).

Cate and Ben were giddy with excitement this morning when they noticed little baby jalepeno peppers and baby green peppers starting to sprout.

The only things that are not thriving in our garden are the pumpkins, watermelons, and sunflowers. I have two theories as to why this might be the case. First, we started these from seeds (rather than starter plants). Second, I might have inadvertently weeded out the seedlings while tending to my little garden a few weeks ago.

I guess I should have googled images of "pumpkin seed sprouts" before heading outside.

So far it's shaping up to be a good learning experience for all of us.