Backyard Campout

On Thursday night, we decided that it would be fun for the boys to camp out in the backyard on Friday night. Seth told the boys to come up with a camping list. He said, "Don't forget the important stuff." Then, he encouraged them to come up with some creative things to do.

Here's the list the boys created.


Seth laughed when he saw the creative activities:
"Roll the tent with toliet paper" Jonathan
"Spank Daddy" David
"Wrestle Daddy in the tent" Thomas

The kids before the campout:

Some excited kids:




Watching a movie in the tent:

Enjoying S'mores:


Breakfast:

Wrestling in the Tent (Thomas didn't actually wrestle... but then, I never saw anyone spank Daddy, either):

Toliet Papering the Tent:



Taking a break:

The Campers:



We all had a fantastic time. We finished off the morning with a Giant water fight.

Big Fat Cry Baby

The boys have been torturing each other with name calling lately (I know you are shocked.). I am constantly reminding them not to call each other names. It is usually awful things like Poopy Face or Cry Baby.

Tonight, Jonathan came running downstairs to tell me that David called him a name.

"He saaaaaaid that I had a big fat cry baby in my belly!"

"THAT is not true. He called me a GIRL"

I said, "What?"

"If you have a baby in your belly, you are a girl and I am NOT a girl!"

Ahhhhhh... well, of course, that is the worst insult ever to Jonathan. It wasn't the "big" or the"fat" or even the "cry baby". If there's a baby in your belly, you are a girl. Jonathan can be called many things but not that!

Smoky Mts Family Photo

We went to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park today with family. We went to have a picnic, a family photo, and to play in a creek. It was so much fun.

Unfortunately, I had camera issues. I got a few pictures of the kids and family but my camera started having issues during the photos. I only got one picture of my family that is not blurry. By the time we took the bigger group shot of the family, my digital camera wasn't working. (I think I may need a new battery because this one is not lasting very long anymore.) I am counting on getting pictures from other family members. (Thankfully, another person was taking pictures of our family. And, I had my 35 mm camera for the extended family pictures.)

Here's the one non-blurry photo of us. (Sure wish Thomas wasn't scratching his nose! He seems to do that a lot these days.)

Saturday Snapshots: Tennessee Vacation

We are visiting our families. Both sets of grandparents have pools so we are getting in a lot of swim time. The cousins are having a blast playing together. I am taking tons of pictures. It is hard to pick a handful to share.

Jonathan with 3 of his cousins showing off the hiking sticks they decorated


Elisabeth cooling off in a kiddie pool


Thomas jumping off the diving board


Gran and Daddo swimming with Elisabeth


Thomas and David making bubbles

Father's Day 2009

For Father's Day, the kids and Momma made Daddy a book. The book had a letter in it from Momma, interviews from the boys about Daddy, and artwork from all of the children. The kids worked really hard on the book and were excited to give it to Daddy. I'll post the interviews soon. They are precious.




The Book


Jonathan's comic strip -with Daddy as Super Dad

David's picture of David and Daddy holding hands

Thomas's picture of Thomas holding hands with Daddy and Momma

Elisabeth's Drawing

What's that Smell?

JA: "What are you thinking?"

Seth: "I'm thinking about how bad Jonathan smells."

Jonathan: "Probably because I went through the sewer pipe."

JA gives Seth a confused look.

Seth: "It was just a storm drain. I mean, it was 75 yards long under a road... but it was just a storm drain."

2nd Grade: Before and After

Today is Jonathan's last day of Second Grade. I took a picture of him on the first day of school and on the last day.

When I found the picture from September, I laughed. He's wearing the same shirt!

Here he is on the 1st day of school.


Here he is this morning before school.

Here is another picture of him after he grabbed his book. Everyday (starting after birthday in April) Jonathan takes a book from the "Diary of the Wimpy Kid" series to school. He reads on the bus and he reads when he has extra time in class. I cannot tell you how many times he has read these books. He keeps reading them over and over.

He has come a long way this year! At the beginning of the year, he told me he loved math and didn't like reading "so much". Now, I can hardly get his head out of a book. It's such a joy to see him love reading.

Strawberry Festival: Junior Parade

This afternoon I walked in the Strawberry Junior Parade with my kids. We walked with my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. The Strawberry Festival is celebrating its 100th year. Participants in the parade could choose any theme from the last 100 years. Our group choose the "Strawberry Round-up" Theme.

Momma and the gang before the parade started


Waiting for the parade to start


The sign holders


Two cuties in a wagon


My friend Jill (who has an awesome blog called Barnes Yard-she posted a few more pictures there, including some of her cuties)


Thomas and David with Abbigail (who was with a Dance group in the parade)


Enjoying popsicles after the parade


Tomorrow, Jonathan is walking in the Strawberry Festival Grand Parade with is cub scout group. He is really excited about that. I am sure I will have lots more pictures to share.

Look-Alike Brothers

Who says the boys look alike?

(You can click the image to enlarge it-

you know, if you can't see the similarities.)

Mother's Day Pictures

For Mother's Day, my husband gave me the gift of getting my kids picture made. We headed to Olan Mills (located in K-mart) with the kids dressed in what they wore on Easter. They were such dolls!

Here's my husband and the kids (minus one) after getting the pictures taken.

Here's the little guy that refused to be in the picture with dad.

After getting our pictures made we went to my favorite pizza place, American Dream Pizza.

I picked up the pictures today and I just love them.

The Owen Bunch:

The Boys:

Elisabeth:


Jonathan:

David:

Thomas:

Elisabeth:

One more of Elisabeth that just makes me smile.

Overheard at the Owen House

Tonight we all went to David's preschool graduation. After the kids were in bed, this conversation took place.

Jane Anne: "I don't know if you get it or not - but things like Preschool graduation - they are a big deal to moms. Every minute of tonight was special to me."

Seth: "Ya, you're right, I don't get it."

California Cowboy

This came completely out of the blue and caught me off-guard. This is a 30 second conversation with Thomas, my 4 year old with the attitude of a 500 lb gorilla.

Thomas: "I don't want to be in this family anymore."
Daddy: "What?" <--- see? completely off-guard
Thomas: "I said I don't want to be in this family anymore."
Daddy: "Oh. Well, what family do you want to be in?"
THomas: "Hmmm. Well, I don't want to live in this state anymore."

at this point I think he's either going to tell me he wants to move back to Washington, move to Tennessee or Alabama. There really are no other choices. Except...

Daddy: "What state do you want to live in?"
Thomas: "California."

I didn't see that one coming.

Daddy: "What family will you be in in California?"
THomas: "I want to be a cowboy. I'll live with the cowboy families."

in California.

Seth Then and Now

Seth is 35 today!!

Here's what he looked like when he was 2.


Here's a picture of him and Elisabeth earlier this week.


Be sure to check out his Birthday List and my Thursday Thanks Tank.

Elisabeth's Diary

Jonathan: "If Elsie had a diary, I know what she would write."

Momma: "What's that?"

Jonathan: "My brothers are crazy and they think I am."

Now that's Creative

Thomas loves to dress up. He has a regular playdate with a friend and on the weeks they are at our house, they always dress up.

Thomas dressed up as Batman yesterday. Thomas does not like bows. (I guess bows are too girly.) He always asks me to tie knots and not bows. Well, yesterday since it was Sunday, Seth was home.

Thomas -
"Momma, will you tie it in a big knot like Daddy does?"

Momma -
"Thomas, I don't know what you mean."

Momma to Daddy
"He wants a big knot. What is he talking about?"

Daddy -
"Thomas, do you want the knot with the loops?"

Thomas -
Yep! The knot with the loops... but not a bow!"

Daddy smiles slyly as he ties Thomas's costume strings in a bow.