People - from a Child's Perspective

Jaden is recently very into drawing pictures of "people." I just think it is so cute the way probably every preschoolers draws their first people pictures: a huge head with disproportional eyes, a nose somewhere on the face (in this case, under the mouth), and a mouth that stretches past the eyes; the classic arms and legs coming straight out of the head; and occasionally hands (with a thousand fingers) and shoes. And no matter who the subject of the drawing is, they all look exactly the same.

Here's his drawing of me:

Gotta love it!

Backseat Traffic Cop

Whenever we are in the car, Sam and I are so lucky to have our very own traffic cop on board, sitting right in the back seat. Jaden definitely keeps us in line and makes sure we are following the rules of the road at all times. Who needs red light cameras when you've got a three-year-old making sure you stop on red; and he's got tickets ready to hand out, if necessary. Here's some of what we hear from our little backseat traffic cop:

"Mom, the light is red up there. You should start to slow down."

J: "Dad, did you see that red light that you just passed?"
S: "It was a yellow light that turned red."
J: "But yellow means that you are supposed to slow down."

"Why are all the cars not going and the light is green?" (Then I had to explain that it just takes everybody just a minute to move their foot from the brake to the gas to get going again....geez.)

"Are we going too fast?... Are we going too slow?... Are we going the right fast?"

"Are those cars speeding? I think the police are going to give them a ticket. But not us because we're not going too fast, right mom?"

"Are we going the right way? I think we are supposed to go the other way."

"Why is everybody going so slow?... Why are we stopping?" (FYI: construction)

"Mom, there are two red lights up there, so we will have to stop two times."

"Don't go until the light turns to green."

"What number does that sign say about how fast we can go?" (He's always keeping an eye on speed limit signs).

By the way it sounds, you'd think we've had several run-ins with the law! But I assure you, we have not. And I hope our little backseat traffic cop continues to keep us safe on the road!

Summer, Swings & Ice Cream

Whose bright idea was it to go to the park right smack in the middle of a 100+ degree afternoon?? Oh yea, that'd be ME. And the boys couldn't have agreed more. They thought it was a grand idea too! Unfortunately the slides, tunnels, monkey bars - okay, just about everything - was too hot to play on (like I said, bright idea). But the swings were like baby bear's porridge...just right! And who doesn't love a good ride on the swings? They would have stayed on those swings for hours; don't worry, I didn't let them. We stayed just long enough to get a good dose of Vitamin D and tire the boys out for naps...but not before stopping for an extra special summer treat.

Such disappointment that the swings came to a final hault (or maybe it's exhaustion?).
And we finished off the afternoon with with cherry topped Dilly Bars (and snoozing boys in the backseat by the time we got home)!

We love summer!

Little Bitty Bookworms

I have two little guys who absolutely love books and will gladly hop in a lap to listen to a good story! (But they aren't picky -- the floor will do just fine if a lap is not available :o).