Lounging around.

Max has got a cold and has been fussy today.

(He was in a pretty good mood when I was taking these shots, though.)

Pick me up, Mama!

Today Gabe wanted to do his own science experiment.  He froze a bowl full of water with glitter in it.  (I'm actually not sure what scientific principles were demonstrated, but he did take the initiative of inventing a project, so that's something ...)

Here's the picture he drew today of SpongeBob and Patrick as Ben 10 and Kevin Levin.  He also wants me to mention that Buster ate one of his flip-flops today.  (That is Gabe's major news of the day.)

Daddy's back into the groove of advising at his new job!  But, today's our last day of health insurance from the old job, and the new doesn't kick in till December ... ... Suffice to say, this is a stressor.

Dan and Brian were laughing about my facebook post about hating video games.

Just when you think it's safe to clear the brush from your yard, Killer Babies stalk their prey.

Back to the back yard ...

Max must have remembered last night, because he was actually pointing at the back door, and then the swing.

Such a big boy!  Hoping this cold will be mild, and that we'll all get some sleep tonight!

Braving the back yard.

We don't play in our own back yard very often.

Here is why!!

I asked Gabe to make sure Max didn't get hurt while I was messing with Buster.

When I turned around and they were gone, I realized that Gabe had picked Max up and carried him back inside to protect him.

Buster's a great big, excited puppy with sharp claws and in a constant state of teething.  But all we really have to do is chain him up.

We'll have to do it more often, because Max loved the swing!

Nathan saw us out there and had to come check it out!

He seemed a little uncertain at first ...

But the babies caught on surprisingly well to the concept of hanging on.  Gabe and Joe had fun pushing their little brothers ... gently.

Poor Maya feels left out in these situations without a natural partner.

Max started falling asleep on the swing, so I took him in for a nap.

Our chickens are out there.  (They actually look less like chickens and more like ... dinner.)

We have a nice back yard.  We need to chain Buster up more often!

Sunday fun-day.

We started the day with a trip to Fiesta for some Mexican/grocery items, then hit Pei Wei for lunch.  (We only eat out as a family every couple of weeks or so, but always here!)

The system:  We order (Dan and I split an order), then I take a nice long walk with Max to neighboring stores while Daddy manages to eat at least half his meal.  (Because Max is not really manageable at the table.)

Then Daddy takes Max while I eat my half.  (Not posting fortunes this time since a couple got lost under the table -- yucky.)  We brought Joe home a fortune cookie, but he didn't want it since he vomited after eating Chinese food yesterday.  Ugh!

We hit the party store afterward.

Came home and put kids in pools ...

Max's aversion to sitting in the water doesn't appear to apply to swimming pools.

Especially with his brother for entertainment!

Brian styled Max's hair ...

... and we set off for Granny and Gramps'.

Another great meal.  What a great day!

Max's first pair of shoes.

Today we bought Max his first pair of shoes at Wal-Mart for $9.  He's been walking around barefoot all summer, but in a couple weeks we are having professional pictures taken at a park, so I figure he'll need a pair.  He walks in them very well!

Then we went to a jewelry party at Bev's house.  I was excited that I could now put Max down to walk before we made it to the door, since his new shoes would protect his feet from the hot cement and pokey sticks!  But my plans were derailed when he decided to use this opportunity to walk directly into her flower bed (instead of the house) and disassemble all the yard art.

The party was hosted by Jessica, my cousin Adam's wife.

Grandma picked out a pair of earrings.

Max had some yummy snacks ... For some reason he seems to have taken an increased interest in his belly button this week.

Daddy assembled Gabe's weather station today.  I'm mad because it's brand new and the thermometer always says it's 48 degrees F.

Since today I put on nice clothes and makeup and brushed my hair, I thought a picture was in order!  It's nice to go to a jewelry party and think about beauty for a day (when I'm usually just scraping by with hygiene).

In other news, Max won't let me give him a bath anymore.  (This was taken last night.)  I'm not sure why, since the last time I successfully bathed him before the protests started, he had a splishy-splashy good time.  Then the next day he started screaming the minute he realized his water was running!  So now bathing Max is a job for Daddy and Gabe.

I guess it's something personal.

More pictures of my little cutie in his new shoes tomorrow!

Educational fun!

Gabe is working on improving his penmanship.  I found this Spider-man handwriting book to help him practice.  'E' is for Electro, and he pulled out his Electro toy while doing his lettering!

For our unit on Mexico we went to a couple of local Mexican markets!  I've always just passed by them before without taking much notice ... They're bigger and nicer than I expected.  (Although I wouldn't buy any meat there, even if I was eating meat.)

Here all the kids are carefully observing (and, well ... killing) ants in the barn.

Then Buddy decided to do an experiment with potassium nitrate, sugar and fire.

Max and I were sitting a bit too close.  When Dad jumped up and got out of the way, we did too!

It created a fireworks-like display.

Here's our dumb dog, getting a bit too close ...

And here's Maya, wearing the dress Mom and Dad brought back for her from Spain.

Goodnight!