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Smart Kid.

I was working (playing?) with Burke this morning (a fun Disney workbook), just telling him what the directions say on each page. We get to this page:

It says to count how many of each bug there are and then trace 19 and 20.

He immediately points to the cluster on the left and says, “That one’s 19.” I ask, “How do you know?” He says, “Because there’s one missing right there.” and points to the lower right corner of the bug picture on the left.

I know I’m biased because I’m his mom and all…but I’m kinda wowed by this!

Makes My Monday: Forts

Grandpa and Nana have the best stuff to make forts!

Maybe There IS Something…

Burke and Maggie attended Bible School last week…where they learned new songs and sang them the whole week (at home too). I recognized some of it, and they were so excited about it…so I bought the CD of songs. I surprised them by playing it on the drive up to Vermont…they sang along to all the songs – it was really cute!

On the way to watch the Vermont Lake Monsters (Baseball) last night, I popped in the CD in again so they could sing to Nana and Grandpa.

Grandpa was driving my car – thank God – because a car going the opposite direction lost control and was careening directly at us. Grandpa was able to swerve and miss the other car – without hitting anything or rolling the car. (I’m not sure I would have handled things as well…which is why I’m so glad he was driving!!) The near-miss with Bible School songs blaring on the radio gave us all a slight pause.

On the way home, (after listening to other things for a bit), I popped the CD back in …and we were presented with a breathtaking sunset.

(Note the rain off to the right)

I think we’ll be listening to this CD more often…

Saturday Snapshot: Swim Lessons with Aunt Meghan

Aunt Meghan is a life guard at the local pool here in Vermont. She also gives swim lessons. Private swim lessons before the pool opens to the public!

Maggie is *determined* to learn. It’s awesome to watch πŸ™‚

Aunt Meghan and Maggie

Logan and Burke

Headed to Vermont

You can’t see her, but Maggie is there too…

You can’t see him, but Mike’s not 😦

A week in Vermont…with the kids…without Mike. Good thing Grandpa, Nana, and Aunt Meghan (and probably Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jason) will be my ‘back-up’ parents for the week πŸ™‚

Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to everyone who commented on my Penzey’s Spice Giveaway! I now have a whole bunch of yummy things to try out!

Lori G. – you are the winner!! Congratulations!!

I know where you are, so I’ll get some spices to you πŸ˜‰

If you didn’t win, and you haven’t tried Penzey’s Spices yet…I highly, highly recommend that you try!

Book Review: A Reliable Wife

I just finished reading A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick for my book club. After reading so many Debbie Macomber books (that are fast-paced and get you to where you want to go), it was hard for me to make the mental change at first. I mean, seriously. The entire first chapter is one of the main characters waiting at the train station. No joke. In that first chapter I found myself thinking, “Does this guy have an editor??” because he repeats himself so much it’s annoying. (I GET that he doesn’t like what he sees when he looks in the mirror – you only have to tell me that once.)

Aside from that (and figuring out how to just skip all the stuff Mr. Goolrick tends to repeat), I actually enjoyed the story. I didn’t relate to any of the characters, but I found I wanted to know what was going to happen to all of them. There were parts that dragged for me – possibly because I kept getting interrupted while reading; probably because of the aforementioned repeating.

It was fairly…shall we say…graphic (only so I don’t get the pervs hitting my site while searching the web), but not too over-the-top “graphic.” I’m not a guy, so I have no idea how realistic some of the thoughts one of the main characters has…but WOW if they are πŸ˜‰

I hesitate to recommend the book. I’m glad I read it because it was entertaining and made me think a bit…but at the same time, there are so many other books I’d recommend before it.

Way Back When-esday

Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Go on over to see who else is playing – and join in too!

When Burke and Maggie were still under 2, I was kind of a schedule freak.Β  (It was the only way to keep my sanity!) When one slept, the other one did too. When one woke up, the other one had to as well. When one ate, the other one did too. You get the idea.

We were up in Vermont (for Thanksgiving? Christmas? The Twin’s first birthday? I can’t remember which now…) when the kids were between 10 months to a year old. It wasn’t nap time yet, and I’m fairly certain that Maggie wasn’t the least bit tired…but Burke was slowly nodding off. I was in the other room doing something and yelled in to Mike to not let Burke fall to sleep.

He did the best he could…

"Keep him awake, huh?"

(I suppose this should have prepared me for when Logan didn’t wake up when he fell out of the rocking chair…but it didn’t!)

Veggies!

Just a random gardening update πŸ™‚

The second garden is 7 weeks along.

Second Garden - 7 weeks along

The melon vines are spilling over the back edge πŸ™‚

Melon Vines

We’ve already eaten some beans from it!

Beans on the Vine

The kids helped me pick a few:

Picked Beans

There are peas – even though I was sure we planted them too late.

Pea pods

And peppers!

Peppers

Hot peppers too.

Hot Peppers

The strawberries never took. And I’m fairly certain that one of the plants that we think is an herb we put in is actually a weed…but I haven’t confirmed that yet.

We have some tomatoes growing (semi-wild) where we grew them last year, so that’s cool. And the First garden is doing okay as well … no veggies from there yet, but I can’t wait!!

Makes My Monday: Vacation Bible School Bliss

Burke and Maggie started Vacation Bible School this week. This is their second year doing it, but Burke was still a bit apprehensive about things and wasn’t sure he wanted to go. (Logan volunteered to take his place LOL! –ooh, side note about Logan below–)

I reminded him about how much fun he’d had last year and showed him a picture that was taken (still on our fridge LOL!), and he finally got into it. *phew*

Remember how I’d just switched churches last year? And I had gotten the stink eye from some of the members of our former church? I also didn’t know very many people, so I didn’t really feel as though I belonged (which is stupid, I have just as much of a right to be there as anyone else…it’s open to the entire community.) Anyway…this year is SO.MUCH.DIFFERENT! The same person who was unfriendly last year was welcoming (even remembered my name!) and helpful this year. And I’ve gotten to know so many more people in the community that I was saying “Hi!” to people left and right and people were waving at me…I’m absolutely giddy that we’re home.

And to top it all off, Burke and Maggie had a blast and both of them can’t wait to go again tomorrow.

My entire Monday is Made.

Cheryl over at Twinfatuation hosts this one. Head on over to see what else makes people’s Mondays (there are always some really good ones!)

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Side note about Logan: Logan attended Sunday School for the first time yesterday! When the children’s time arrived and the kids go to the front of the church, Maggie bolted (typical), Burke revolted (also typical), and Logan tried going up (not as typical). I told him that I wasn’t comfortable with him going up right now…did he want to go play in the nursery? Na. Did he want to go to Sunday School? YEAH!!! So I told him we’d ask. Since it’s the summer, the class is 3 year olds through Kindergarten, so he’d be in Maggie’s class (Burke still isn’t going down…)

So I took all 3 kids down and told the teacher that Logan was going to be 3 in September, but that he was asking to go to Sunday School…so would it be all right if he came..? She said “SURE!” Logan plopped right down in the circle (while Burke clung to my legs) and proudly proclaimed his name when it came around to his turn. When I left to go back to the service, Logan was just fine. (Burke came back up with me.) Burke claims that he’ll try to stay down there next time…he was surprised (and I think a little envious) when Logan came out with the project they’d done LOL!