Category Archives: Family

While cleaning out the basement last weekend, I found a box of party favors that we had ordered for Sean's birthday party last year. They didn't arrive in time for the party, so we stashed them away on a shelf and then promptly forgot about them. But now that they've been found, the kids have been playing with them all week.

The kids were playing in the sprinkler the other day, and decided to try and get a drink from it. The water jets out of those tubes pretty hard, so I'm surprised they actually tried this.

Here are just a couple of pics that I got when I took the kids to pick peaches a couple of weeks ago. The peaches were delicious - I made about a dozen jars of peach jam, and froze the rest for when I make peach butter a couple of weeks from now.

Carter's got a new hat that she is very proud of. I think that she looks so cute in it. Especially in that third photo - she looks like such a little geek! Like father, like daughter.

Doesn't this photo remind you of 70's cop shows? It makes me think of Chips, or Miami Vice, or TJ Hooker - something along those lines. I think it's the swept-back arm that really cinches it for me.

Just a cute photo of Carter making a silly face when Lori asked if she could take her picture. I don't know for sure, but I'd put money on the fact she is probably saying "poop" as this shot was taken. The use of the word "poop" is just about the funniest thing she's ever heard, and it's the punchline to every joke she ever tries to tell.

Nothing much to say here - just a cute photo of Carter that Lori snapped sometime last week. Those are Sean's slippers, but his feet have grown too big for them - which is a fact that makes him very unhappy. He'll struggle a long time trying to get those things on before he gives up. So to see Carter just slip them on no problem seems to be a bit of a thorn in his side.

Sean and I went on our very first camping trip last weekend. It started out a little less than promising (it rained all morning while we were getting ready, and was still raining when we left), so I was surprised by how well everything went.
		On the way to the campground, Sean was playing a game in the back seat where he would cover himself with beach towels, and they he would want me to pretend that I had forgotten him at home. After a few rounds of this game, he actually fell asleep under those towels, and slept until we got there.
		When we first arrived at the campground, it was still pouring. So we put on our raincoats and got our tent up as fast as we could, but we still ended up getting soaked. At that point I just said to myself "the hell with it!", and told Sean to go nuts. He looked confused for a minute, and then he decided to go for it before I could change my mind. He jumped in every muddy puddle he could find, and enjoyed himself tremendously. He was going around showing everyone that he had "the dirtiest socks in the universe!" He was quite proud of them.
The next morning we played on the playground until it warmed up enough to go swimming. Just recently, Sean has finally learned how to swing by himself, so that he only needs a push to get started and can then keep himself going by himself.
		We made s'mores that night - I think this was Sean's first time eating one, even though he's been talking about them for months. All told, He ate three s'mores and I was nervous that he was never going to sleep. But once it got dark, he actually asked to go to bed, in fact.
		When I woke up in the morning, I looked over at Sean, and this is what I saw. Teddy bear on his head, and mouth wide open. So cute. Moments later, he woke up and rubbed his eyes. He climbed on top of me and gave me an enormous hug, then said "I love camping with you, Daddy."
It made me so happy - I love those moments when he and I really connect. Of course, once we got home it was right back to fighting with his sister and getting in trouble, but it was somehow easier to deal with after the wonderful weekend we had shared together. I hope we get a chance to go again real soon.

I was playing with the kids last night, and tried something I had never shown them before - that trick where you pretend to separate your thumb into two pieces. It totally freaked their beans. They couldn't figure out how I was doing it, and Sean kept trying to pull his own thumb off until I told him that only grown-ups could do it. He then proceeded to try and pull MY thumb off. It was a ton of fun. Now I've got to try and remember all of the other kid-fooling tricks I used to know.

I took Sean camping for the first time this past weekend. There were a couple of rough moments, but I think it's safe to say that he loved it. Each morning he woke up in the tent, gave me a huge hug, and said, "I love camping with you, daddy!" We played at the playground, went swimming, made s'mores, jumped in puddles - it was just a great time all around. I've got some pictures, and I'll get them posted over the next couple of days.