Wrongo

While visiting friends in NY, all our kids were sitting about a foot in front of the TV just craning their necks up to see the screen. Tim started lecturing about the reasons why kids sat so close to the older style TVs and how that was no longer a problem with the plasma TVs because of blah, blah, blah (insert science jargon here).

I agreed that I had never seen our kids just plop down right in front of the TV anymore since we got our plasma.

Of course, then I found Eleanor doing this. Apparently I spoke to soon.

I guess in the end we are all just looking for an all encompassing, full vision cinematic experience.

Accessories

When Gillian was born I declared that she could get her ears pierced as soon as she was old enough to ask for herself. Tim really likes earrings on girls and I certainly don't mind them. But when she turned five and started asking for the piercing I found myself incredibly reluctant.

I just kept looking at her and feeling like she was just perfect the way she was, I didn't want to change a thing.

But she was persistent and it is her body and I don't actually have a problem with it, so we agreed to let her get them pierced.

I have to say, that I fell in love with them. I can't imagine her without them now and she loves them and she looks just adorable.

Eleanor as a Only Child

Now that James and G. are in school I am able to gear my kid activities to my messy two year old's level rather than towards the older kids. I have to say, El is tons more manageable (i.e. less spontaneously messy) now that I can give her supervised, scheduled messes to make.

Dumbing It Down

So we were all in the car and El was making cute little nonsense noises in her car chair to pass the time.

Tim said to her "Those little noises are so cute, Eleanor."

James, afraid that might confuse her, turned towards Eleanor and interpreted, "He means he likes the sounds your vocal cords make."

Halloween

I'll confess right up front that these pictures are a little Eleanor heavy. I can't help it. She was just so cute in her little leotard. Plus this was her first real Halloween (i.e. totally got it) and so it is not completely unfair that she dominates the pictures.

She did a great job with the trick-or-treating too. Of course she did a less good job with the other trick-or-treaters. We ran into a particularly scary group of costumes and she started screaming and running away. The poor thing was completely terrified, shaking in her little shoes, and I was just laughing through my comforting words.

It never occurred to me to prepare her for the non-super hero costumes.

Back to School/First Day of School

Gillian started kindergarten this year and did so with absolutely no problem and no looking back. She was so ready.

James was characteristically stoic about the change in school and seems to be adjusted smoothly.

Eleanor cried all the way home when we had to leave James (they are very close). When I say it is nap time she always replies with "Then Jems! Then G!" She knows right after nap we go pick up the kids.

Buffy is shocked at how much easier one child is than three. Especially when that one child is two rather than an infant.

King of Callus

James is very dedicated to building and maintaining calluses on his hands. If there is a tree, pull up bar, or monkey bar near by, that is where you will find him as he attempts to harden his hands.

James checking out his callus to see if it needs more work.

Yup, it definitely needed more work.

Our New Addition

Tim has created a sweet workout space in our basement compliments of Craig's List and Harvard boys who are graduating and need to get rid of their "stuff."

The kids have really enjoyed the equipment and have loved working out with Tim and I. It is so odd to hear your five your old telling you she is going to the basement to do some dips.

Just So Cute

Eleanor wearing my three year old dress (or rather the dress I wore when I was three).

Eleanor has adopted James' Lissa, which he tries to be cool about.

El is such a monkey. All the kids love "hanging."

Soccer

We put this kids in soccer this fall and they both enjoyed the experience although we only seem to have pictures of Gigi. Oops.

They each got a trophy at the end of the season and as we drove away from James' last game, he looked down at his trophy and said, "Mom, for some reason, I feel really proud and satisfied when I look at this trophy."

Yeah, I guess that just about sums up why we do thing.

Her coach called her Little Miss Pink. Any idea why? Pink shoes, pink socks, pink shorts and shirt most days and most importantly...a pink ball.

She actually did a pretty good job except on the days we put her hair in braids (as pictured below). She would get too distracted twirling the braids to remember to chase the bal

Mom, Will You Get Me Some Paaahhhh...?

I have always been a big pie hater. To me dessert means chocolate and fruit has absolutely no business being considered a dessert.

But this summer I converted to the religion of pie: a complete and total conversion. I have even abandoned my affiliation with most chocolate dessert in favor of the fruit pie.

So this summer was the summer of pies. I tried tons of recipes for the fillings and crusts and have come up with a few absolute favorites. We have had a really good time with it.

I took pictures of some of my earlier ones because I was so pleased that I had actually made one.

Apple Picking

We have an apple tree in our communal back yard and everyday Tim would take the kids pick an apple to eat. Eleanor has the same love of apples as J and G have. They (the apples, not the kids) look wormy and gross, but it turns out it is just dirt that easily washes off. These pictures of from the kids picking enough apples to make a pie with (they went a little over board). They are perfect pie apples.

I love Eleanor's face in this one.

Millions of Peaches. Peaches for Me.

Help!

For about a month this summer we would hear Eleanor's cries of "Help!" echo throughout our very echoy house. Inevitably we would find her hanging by her forearms either here at the computer or the bathroom sink. You think she would learn to stop pushing the chair away. Perhaps it was one of those "all fun and games until your muscles give out" type of things.

Some Light B & E

I am still up to my old tricks of locking us out of our house on a regular basis. One of these days I am going to hide a key outside. These pictures are from the first time we locked ourselves out in this house. Super hot day, I was looking particularly rough (jeans with tons of holes and a really baggy Tim shirt) and James had a bloody nose.

Luckily (for anyone who wants to Break and Enter our house) our bathroom window is broken and James is now old enough to get in with just a boost up.

4th of July

It turns out that the Fourth of July in Massachusetts is as big as it is in Utah. Each town has its own fireworks display, lots of parades and activities for the kids etc. This year we just stuck with the fireworks. It was actually the first "real" fireworks the kids have ever been too.

Originally we camped out on the grass, but as you can see from this picture, James had an allergic reaction (it was fresh cut you see) and was pretty miserable. So we moved to the paved basketball court.

Gillian eating her dinner.

James eating his dinner.

Tim eating his dinner.

Eleanor waiting.

(this is the least blurry Eleanor picture we could get)

Gillian waiting.

James waiting.

Gillian during the fireworks.

Tim during the fireworks.

Eleanor during the fireworks.

James during the fireworks.