Western Massachusetts

We went to western Massachusetts to pick up some berry plants that I had ordered. We planned the trip so that we could spend time with our cousins. Our trip was delayed by a couple of hours due to my hitting a large cobble in the road which flattened our front tire. The poor kids kept asking, why aren't we getting the raspberries? We limped home (we were already a half hour west of home when this happened) got a spare tire and limped over to our mechanic. You ask, why didn't I just change the tire? Run-flats....name of our tire....you can drive on it 50 miles. All very complicated. Anyways, we made it to pick up the berries and onto the cousins! There's Thomas looking pretty cute on Eric's digger. The boys are peaking out with Erica, their much loved cousin. She is so cute with the boys and they adore her. I have a feeling her mom was sort of like that with me and my siblings when we were about that age. I think Erica said she will be 10 this summer. We hope to go out again this summer to swim with them.

The same day, we picked up 10 chicks from the farmer down the road...pictures coming. We lost 4 hens and a rooster about 3 weeks ago so our egg production is way down....hence the purchase of 10 more chicks! We also caught one of Tina's roosters and he has happily settled in here to protect and torment our remaining 6 hens. Nathan has taken it as his job to feed and care for the chicks. They are in a dog crate in the cellar so he goes down and sits with them. He also feeds them morning and night. He does very well with them...more gentle than Thomas.

Mother's Day weekend

The boys spent their time playing with my old toys! The boys with their grandpa and finally the boys with their cousin, Jackson.

Thomas calls mouthwash: washmouth. I also told him not to back-wash into the water bottle and after his drink, he told me he didn't wash-mouth. wash something!

At my parents, Thomas was checking out the candy dish. He told my mother he was just nosing it. I think he meant smelling it.

More music in the morning

The first picture is of the boys in Dad's car waiting for him to take them home from Westwood. We took a flying trip down there yesterday morning to borrow the rototiller. What a smug smile on Thomas. The next picture shows Thomas playing a "trombone" and Nathan singing into his "microphone"...their own creations. The last picture shows yet another use for the hockey stick.

Music in the Morning

The Musician:

The Audience:

Nathan loves to sing and make music of any type. He sings when he plays, he sings in the car, he sings when he works and so on. Once at the library, a few weeks back, I had my back to the train table so didn't know exactly where the boys were but I started hear someone humming Tell me the Story of Jesus and I turned to see it was Nathan. That is their favorite hymn.

Nathan and Thomas love to hear stories. One of the quickest ways to bring a smile to their face is to say once upon a time.... The latest thing they have been doing (I think Nathan started this and does it by far the most often) to encourage me to tell stories is to have this running conversation with me that goes like this:

Nathan: what did Daddy say?
Me: blah blah blah
Nathan: what did Thomas say?
Me: blah blah blah
Nathan: what did Mommy say?
Me: blah blah blah
Nathan: what did Nathan say?
Me: blah blah blah
Nathan: what did Daddy say?
Me: blah blah blah
Nathan: what did Mommy say?
Me: Go away kid, your bothering me!

Laundry help

Here's Thomas hanging out the laundry. Totally his idea! I see he used his wagon to move the laundry out. About an hour later, Nathan took the laundry off! I was surprised to get so much help but so pleased.