Two Funny Little Boys

Today was Sam's last day of summer vacation before his school starts tomorrow, and Marshall's school doesn't start until next week. It was a fun day for the two boys to play together without an older sibling interfering. I've never seen two more perfectly-matched little boys. They laughed and played all day long. Both of them remembered to say, "please," "thank-you," and "you're welcome" over and over again, without ever being prompted. Yes, Mom and Dad, your hard work is beginning to pay off!! There were no arguments or tears. When Sam wanted to play with Marshall's transformer, he said, "Sure," and Sam replied, "Thank you, Marshall." Here, they are reading the book, "Eight Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed," which they both know well, and "read" together in unison, laughing the whole time, especially when they made their voices really deep to say the doctor's words, "AND NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!!"

Papa decided to take the boys for a walk to see the swimming pool, while Mimi was fixing mac and cheese for lunch. Marshall, a year older than Sam, is showing Sam his "curbing skills." They came back tired and hot with pink cheeks and smelling like teenagers! After gulping lots of cold water....

...we had macaroni and cheese, pineapple, and cookies. Sam wasn't too sure about the shell macaroni, "Mommy gets the other kind," but he ate it anyway. We played on the deck, raced cars, played with the doll house (even though Macy wasn't here to make them!), and read lots more books. They loved the "pigeon" books. Then, they watched "Lady and the Tramp," or as Sam put it, "The Tramp and Lady"...They had to have the pillows on the floor, their favorite white blanket, and the shade down to make the room as dark as possible, while watching the movie. And for some reason, they wanted to be extremely close to the screen!

After "napping," and snacking on popcorn, they topped off the day with a walk to the park to feed crackers to the fish. Both boys---and Mimi and Papa---should sleep well tonight!

Macy and Marshall have their own Olympics!

It was an "active day" on Monday. Mom has gone back to work, so I was keeping M&M. They had been watching the Olympics and decided to perform for an audience (me). Marshall said they were "gymnasticers." The coffee table became their "stage." Activities included dancing and jumping.

Mimi-Macy Trip to Houston

This picture was taken Sunday morning before we left Houston. Macy and Ainsley had fun playing together this weekend. Macy can't wait for her to get a little bigger so she can teach her how to make tiaras with "foamy stickers."

To see what Ainsely is looking at in the backyard, scroll down! "Oh, I wish I were a little bigger."

Macy and her friend, Samantha, who lives across the street from John and Colleen came over to swim. They swam with Uncle John for about two hours, laughing and diving for rings on the bottom of the pool. Hurry up, Ainsley, and grow up so you can join us!

Happiness is being in the pool in Daddy's arms and Mommy taking our picture...

...and being spoiled by Uncle John with a red-iced donut for breakfast!!! It matched her cute outfit! She also had a pink donut! What happens at Uncle John's house stays at Uncle John's house!

Ainsley loved playing "Peek-A-Boo" with Macy!

Ainsley has learned so many tricks since a few weeks ago when I last saw her. She crawls everywhere, pulls up on furniture, has begun to really "talk," claps her hands, and loves to stick her tongue up and out of her mouth to the side like this!

Ainsley, I will see you again in three weeks. I love you and wish you lived closer! Macy, thanks for going with me to Houston. You were a great companion. I especially loved our bedtime stories and talks! I'm a lucky Mimi!

Macy, the Interior Decorator

Macy and Marshall wanted to play with the doll house. Marshall grabbed the "dad" and began planning a birthday party for him with a "fudge cake." Macy began arranging the furniture in the baby's room. She took the cradle and said, "Look, Mimi, I put the cradle at a DIAGONAL!"

Marshall lost interest, and decided to check out his feet!

Fun with Grandkids

This picture says it all!! Hayden, age 6, Macy, 5, Marshall, 4, and Sam, 3.

Macy and Marshall for Four Days!

Julie and Sean went to Las Vegas for four days. Julie attended a conference with her principal and some teachers for two days, and Sean got to go along. Macy and Marshall moved in for four "night-nights." They went to their church's "Adventure Camp" each day from 9-3, but we had plenty of time to have fun, fun, fun! We played the card game "Concentration," with Macy's new "Fancy-Nancy" cards, rode on roller skates, fed the fish in the park across the street, and noticed a brand new baby turtle along with the adult ones, made a pond at home in a large plastic bowl with rocks and sticks, even took baths with them, colored, played with stickers, ran down the hill in the back yard and around and around the trees as Macy made up games and Marshall tried to follow her rules, played with the doll house and trucks, built towers with blocks, and watched "Stuart Little," "The Lion King," and "Peter Pan," the bedtime movie of choice for THREE nights. Macy just about has it memorized! There was little time to take pictures, but here are just a few! (The house is just too quiet tonight!)

Both of them are learning to roller skate. "Papa, wait, I want to go with you to get the mail!!"
Papa had to walk like Tim Conway in that old Carol Burnett skit, taking little bity steps, so Marshall could keep up. It was an extremely hot day, and this activity took a looooong time!
They came home tired and hot, but Marshall never fell down! Neither did Papa!
The last night we had them, it was rainy, so we went to McDonald's to eat and play on the indoor gym, along with every other family in town!! It was extremely crowded, but Macy and Marshall played and played until Mimi could no longer take the noise! There were some older girls there, about 9 or 10 years old, and one of them began climbing up the outside poles on the gym area, which they are not supposed to do. Macy came over and told me about it and we talked about how dangerous that was. The girl's mother was too busy talking to friends to notice, and the next thing I saw, Macy was over there screaming at the girl to get down because what she was doing was "VERY DANGEROUS!" The girls just looked at Macy and laughed and Macy was very upset that they wouldn't get down. Soon, the manager came over and told the girls to get down, which made Macy happy! The most exciting part of the four days was seeing Mommy and Daddy at the airport!!! YEA!!!!!!
Marshall saying "Cheese," and just a little upset because the other kids wouldn't move so Mimi could get his picture!!

Julie's 33rd Birthday Celebration!

Sean is at camp with the church youth all week and Julie and Sean will be in Las Vegas next week for her birthday, so we celebrated tonight with dinner and a Mississippi Mud Cake. Macy and Marshall each put one of the three's on the cake.

Marshall gave the cake a "thumbs up" after EVERY bite!


And Macy did her favorite "Princess Pose," and then began dancing.


"Watch ME everyone, I'm doing a TORNADO DANCE!" (They recently saw the movie, "Wizard of Oz.") She began twirling and...

MORE TWIRLING!!

Macy painted a pink birdhouse for her mom's birthday present and was so excited about it.

After Macy had the spotlight for a while, Marshall decided to show off his muscles for us, and then----
He began telling us a made-up, spontaneous story about "Bear," riding his Sea-Do's, and the story went on and on and on and on.........HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!