Say Goodbye -

to those lazy days of summer.

Oh sadness, not quite ready for that. :(

This summer our kids have especially loved building forts.

If there's a blanket and something to hang it on, before long it will become a home to the imagination of my children.

Outdoor Fort:

The Community Lower Level Resting Place -

Lou's new place of residence.

Little C's new abode in the neighboring tree.

Ruckus feeling a little bummed and confused as to why his fort must remain on the ground.

Summer always goes by too quickly and it is always a crazy, busy time, but I love it.

All four of my children are quite expressive and make me equally mental/filled with joy day in and day out.

Little C has started school and is adapting perfectly like usual. He is such a social butterfly but was a little disappointed when he discovered there are only three other boys in his class. The worst part came when he said, "and none of the girls are cute either."

Oh poor, deprived child. :)

Little C is trying harder every day to hide his sweetness, little stinker,  but it still out shines him by accident. My mom told me his attitude should disappear little by little by the time he's 19. I told her thanks for the comforting words :). When The Beloved and I attended his school open-house here is the letter he had written introducing his family:

I am going to tell you about my family. My Dad likes to tease a lot. He teases my mom, my brothers, and people he doesn't even know. My mom is the hugger of the family. At first it isn't that bad, but after a while it gets really annoying. My little brother Lou is so, so so, so so, annoying. He always asks in the middle of the night if I will draw him a train.

I like to play video games, ride bikes, skate boards, and watch TV.

The End.

I think he ran out of time to include Ruckus and the baby. On his brain storming sheet he did say the baby was nice and loving, but Ruckus got a similiar report to the rest of us.

I have decided that except for the portion re: The Beloved and the baby, he must have been copying his neighbor's paper. I happen to know first hand that we are 85% completely enjoyable, 10% disagreeable, and only maybe 5% annoying.

And although The Beloved teases, it should be taken as a sign of his never-ending love and affection. At least that's what I tell myself. :)

Lou and Ruckus are becoming better friends, but still appear to be at war more than play. Often during the day I find myself yelling over and over again,

"Just love each other!"

They are hilarious though, and I enjoy eavesdropping in on their little conversations.

Lately, Lou has been incorporating the words  - really kind of - into his sentences.

For example:

That bug was really kind of scary. I really kind of stepped on it hard though and killed it with my shoe.

When Lou speaks he holds his arms up in the air, pokes his neck out, and shakes his head a little bit. Kind of like he is always trying to prove a point. ;)

Ruckus has been adding the words  -all day - to the end of his sentences.

"Mom, I'm poopy all day."

"I can play trains all day."

"I eat chicken nuggets all day."

Also, imagine those sentences from Ruckus being said in a low, growling voice with roars in between each word. Funny little fellow.

 P.s. he hadn't been poopy all day, he just says that. :)

And, our baby is just still the sweetest dream ever.
 He is big. Big, big, big. But rockin' the cuteness.

He loves to cuddle and have long conversations filled with oooows and ahhhhs.

Farewell Summer.
See you in a year.