Just a Few Things....

It's summer time and I am finding every manner of bug imaginable inside the house. Roaches, ants, flies, night crawlers (I hate them the most), millipedes, spiders, and on and on. If it creeps and crawls it's within these four walls. I am oddly sanguine about it. Surely they will all just march themselves back outside without infesting our home, right? Perhaps beekeeping has calmed my jitters when it comes to bugs.

Georgie checking out a fly in one of Normy's very cool birthday gifts.

It's summer time and my baby boy turned five. FIVE. This is astounding. He is talking more and more each day. Not just words but phrases and sentences. He grins and his face splits in half, proof that somethings will never change with each year that passes. He received birthday cards in the mail from my aunt and grandmother during his birthday week. For days on end he carried those to cards clutched to his chest dancing around the house chanting: "My birthday! My birthday!" He is sweet and stubborn. He hugs me and tells me, "Missed you, Mama" Which in Normy-speak means "I love you." He beats up his sisters in joyful play. Gleefully body-checks every child within  a three-foot radius. He loves puzzles and building things. He is obsessed with marble runs and anything with wheels. And now thanks to his crazy parents, he LOVES He-Man. Sure it's a violent cartoon, but at least there is a moral at the end of each episode. ;-)

The first of many shamelessly purchased birthday cakes!
What's shown here is NOT his Official Birthday Crown but one of the dozen "party hats" made for all the kids.

It's summer time and I am once again reminded to try to Play More & Clean Less. This has been my motto for three years running. And now that Normy's preschool days are behind us, each and every day is our own to claim however we see fit. The freedom is intoxicating. We still have some semblance of rhythm most days, but between flood waters keeping Smoochy working odd hours, sunset at nine o' clock, and play-dates that extend well past "nap-time," we seem to be carving out a new rhythm. Life is good.

A new rhythm that includes plenty of time with my new camera! My hubby is terrible at scheduled gift-giving. Birthday, Valentine's, Mother's Day, anniversary, nada. But, the man ROCKS at crazy spontaneous gifts. Like, the SLR I have been coveting for YEARS that materialized in his hand Sunday afternoon. I'm so excited about it I can hardly stand myself. I had pretty much decided I was done birthing little Smoochys, but I may have to change my mind just so I can have one more newborn to photograph with this camera. I tell ya', the thing is smarter than me.   It definitely takes better pictures on auto than I can by manipulating all the controls. I had spent enough time with my old camera to get the best results fully manual. I have a lot to learn with the new one and have been digesting the manual the last few days. I can't wait to really feel comfortable with it.  But, in the mean time check out some of my favorite shots:

OK, this is a lame post, but today is a catch-up day around the house, and I thought I should get caught up here too. Washing, cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, cooking... Catching the f up so we can go out and play for the rest of the week! Love to all!