Boys and Dirt

I don't think you can have one with out the other.  My apartment stayed very clean before I got married and then became a lot messier after having John.  Now, my house is just a breeding ground for dirt and other dirt-like particles.  I made the rule awhile ago that food was only to be eaten in the kitchen or dining room.  Surprisingly, even though we have the rule, I am constantly sweeping and vacuuming what looks to be food-like particles and dirt all over the house.  I have come to the realization that boys just can't help it.  In my years of teaching I have come across only two boys who didn't enjoy getting or being dirty.  Not my boys.  My boys constantly play outside in the dirt, find water to make it mud, then proceed to smear the muddy mixture all over themselves.  When it isn't mud they like taking a bucket of dirt and pouring it over each other's head.  I used to look at kids in stores with dirty little faces and say to myself that I would NEVER go out with my kid like that.  Now I understand and feel the other mother's struggle.  I kid you not, I will give the boys a bath Sunday morning, get them ready for church, put them in the car clean and, by the time we make the 5 minute trip to church, they both have messy faces.  How can that be?  Baby wipes are my best friend.

I enjoy having boys, but a nice, clean girl would be nice.  Until then I will continue to live in a house full of messy, fun-loving, LOUD, dramatic, high energy boys.

Sprinkler Fun...Well, Maybe Just Sprinklers

We had a rather warm day last week and I decided to get out a sprinkler that a lady in our church gave John for his birthday.  We had been working out in the yard all day, and some sprinkler time seemed to be just what the boys needed.

John was very hesitant about the water.  I find this funny because he loved the sprinklers at my parent's house last summer.

While John held back, August walked right up in the line of fire.

Then he got really upset with the sprinkler sprayed him.  He just stood there screaming, all while he kept getting wet.

We finally rescued him, but it was pretty funny.

Then John decided to be brave...

and take advantage of his new found courage.

But Hans got his revenge.

Overall John had a good time.  The jury is still out on Gus.

A week with Grandma and Grandpa Fiene

On Easter afternoon Hans' parents came to visit.  We were all excited to see them.  John jumped right in telling them all about Thomas the Train and all the trains he wanted.  It didn't take him long to start begging his grandparents to watch some Thomas DVD or a Wiggles DVD.  Beware.  If you come to our house you will be watching these.  This is John's way of bonding with his beloved guests.

Grandpa reading Pinocchio to John and Gus.

On Monday, while Hans was in bed with some sort of stomach bug, the rest of us went to the zoo.

We just had to take a picture with the elephants.

Playing the drums with Grandpa

Grandma took John on the carousel.  John ended up riding another animal since the giraffe didn't go up and down.

When we got back home, John decided to snuggle with his dad.

The rest of the week was a lot of fun.  We went to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, played with the boys and enjoyed each others company.