tue, 9/7...day 250

Walked into Niall's room the other morning and saw Clown sitting bolt upright on his bed, her usual smile on her face. He must have propped her up there when he got up in the morning.

Just struck me as so cute. I love how attached he still is to his dear stuffed friends. Especially Puffer, Picachu, and Clown - most special of all.

mon, 9/6...day 249

I tackled a few of the big "clutter spots" in the house today, since it was a day off from work and school, and (yay!) I wasn't still sick.

As my reward, I found a big Tupperware with all kinds of old papers and pictures from when Kellen and Tynor were about 8 and 4, including these photos that my friend Susi took (cool panorama shots, from a trip to the Children's Museum). Kellen is on the left, then Max (Susi's son), then Tynor.

I mounted them on scrapbook pages so they won't get hidden away again. Love them!

sun, 9/5...day 248

I had a nasty cold Friday and Saturday, but today I felt much better! So I spent part of the afternoon attacking the Giant Blackberry Forest that is threatening - once again - to take over our side yard. Got lots of pokes and cuts along the way - ouch.

But the boys came outside too - since I was there - to help me clear blackberries and to play, so it was good for all of us after a LOT of inside time (and screen time) while I was resting up from my cold the past few days.

We've let the blackberries go for so long that there are actually ripe berries now - meaning that there are canes from last year that we never cut back. Whoops. So as another perk, I picked some berries while I cut down the canes, and ended up with enough to make a little pie and a very little crisp. So we got a tasty treat as a reward for all the work.

sat, 9/4...day 247

Cory's latest dress-up craze has been to wear various "robes" to be a Jedi or other characters in Star Wars.

I forget what this one was actually supposed to be (bad mom!) but his creative choice in colors and combinations is delightful. :-)

fri, 9/3...day 246

I never win anything, but that doesn't stop me from adding comments to my favorite scrapbooking blogs that are having giveaways.

And today...I was actually the random number they chose! Could've knocked me over with a feather. Fun!

thu, 9/2...day 245

Love this photo of Niall with his friend Connor. (Taken yesterday after school.)

wed, 9/1...day 244

First day of school - off to a great start! Cory felt right at home in Steve's class, and got started making a nametag and then practicing his name in cursive.




Niall goofed around with friends in the courtyard, then headed into class when the doors opened, found his cubby and his table, and settled right in. With the same teacher, same classroom, and (almost all) same classmates, it's like the end of last year was just yesterday!

A gray, rainy morning segued into a sunny, warm afternoon. Sieglinde and I met the boys after school and they played with friends on the Big Field for an hour or so before we headed home. Loved watching Niall and Connor roam around together, and Cory ran his little legs off, finding friends here and there. Tired boys tonight!