Random spring break fun

I'm cleaning up the photos on my cameras in preparation for my trip to Africa, and I found lots of stuff from our Spring Break. Seemed like a good time for a random stuff post. Stick around to the end for an adorable dog/preschooler interaction!

I'm not confessing anything, but it's possible we all stayed up a little late some nights during spring break. Ryker is not one to sleep in, so he catches up on zzzz's with random naps around the house. Personally, I love it when my "baby" falls asleep on me, which he did twice during spring break. 

Abby's look of concentration.

As incentive for doing well in music lessons, Abby's amazing teacher made her this tutu. She had to earn the individual sections of tulle. I was somewhat surprised and delighted that she wore it twice right away, and she plans to run in it at the Girls on the Run 5k. I think it suits her to a "t." 

I think those might be long, runners legs. Abby is doing very well in GOTR. Running might be her thing!

Abby, Carley and Ella in their dress-up clothes. Spring Break = time to catch up with old friends. 

The kids on their golf cart. 

Their dog, Zeke. Ella told me he really wanted her chip. 

But she wasn't teasing him with it or anything!

She just didn't eat it for a really long time. 

Plus, she kept talking to him about it. 

Poor Zeke. He realizes he's never gonna get that chip!

We had a great time. But we may never be invited back. Ryker wrecked this four-wheeler and nearly killed their son. Okay, it wasn't really THAT bad. But it could have been. Thank goodness for helmets, a patch of grass in the right spot and angels! 

Ryker enjoys jumping on Gracie. Our day at the zoo was a flop. The zoo was closed, so we hit the playground for a bit and then DQ! 

Pure joy

Today, I should be doing about a million other things. But I got distracted and then inspired and I simply MUST share my walk down memory lane! I am cleaning out folders on my computer to make room for photos and videos from Africa. (So I am at least accomplishing something!) And I came across these. 

The background on this story is that Abby saved up her money, and we took her to Chicago to American Girl to buy her first big girl doll on Memorial Day weekend nearly two years ago. It was an amazing experience, and she enjoyed it. But not as much as she thoroughly loved what is to follow that she discovered on our walk back to the parking garage. It was a loooooong walk, and we were almost there. 

But Abby sees something. Something that looks kind of like a hobo. A bike with a big painted box on the back. And she stops. I'm so glad I took a photo of this, of all of this because just looking at these brings a HUGE smile to my face, such a precious memory! 

Here she is, tiny and alone in the city sidewalk -- compelled to look at this....this thing. 

Her stopping and looking inspires others to stop and look. I'm thinking she's a little strange. Well, I know she's a little strange. But the momma bear in me is thinking, "Don't get too close to that hobo or whatever." I was thinking worse, like it was some child predator in a box. I was definitely skeptical, but what's new!

I think this guy on the left is thinking the same thing I'm thinking. I can tell by the look in his eye. He doesn't stop. Abby looks at us with pleading eyes; she doesn't want to leave. She has to KNOW what's in that box???

Hesitantly, we let her. It's a puppet show, and she LOVES it! My then 7-year-old is in heaven. As she dances with her new doll, I can't help but snap photos of her. She is absolutely captivating! Some people stop to watch simply because of how adorable she is, or at least that's what I deduced! 

Here she's smiling with her teeth. She never did that for like three years! But she can't help herself. She's not thinking. She's simply....enjoying. Laughing. Loving. 

I'm STILL skeptical of exactly who's in the box, so I take this photo for a little follow-up research at home!

She loved imitating the puppets with her doll, dancing along to the music that's playing from somewhere inside the box.

She's undeniably having the time of her life!

Ryker finally can't take it anymore. Her joy is contagious, and he decides to move in. But you can see...he's a skeptic like his momma! And there's Abby, smiling with her teeth again. See the guy on the right. He is snapping a photo of the puppet. 

In a classic move that Puppet Bike is known for, the kitty dives down and gets her own camera and takes a photo back...here's my kids' reactions:

Ryker, with a half smile, is still a bit hesitant. Not Abby, though. She apparently knows a good thing when she sees it. 

I still haven't seen these puppets, because I'm shooting from the back/bike side of the box, so I swing around for a look. Wow. I was expecting something different -- spectacular, I guess you could say. Not so raggedy and grungy. 

Look! Kitty wants to see me, too! Oh, my! Kitty doesn't even have eyes!!!

But that doesn't stop her from putting on a heck of a show! 

With her sidekick.

Abby gets brave. she wants to see the man behind the act. Ryker, too, but he keeps it a few steps back!

Ditching the doll so she can dance along with the puppets.  

Please don't leave, Abby says. This is SO much fun!!

Good-bye, Puppet Bike! After she grabbed her doll and we walked away, she held my hand and said, "Thanks for letting me stay for that, Mommy. That was the most amazing thing ever!" 

If I had only known -- a few dollars tipped to Puppet Bike was much more economical and rewarding than a trip to American Girl! 

What a timeless lesson? All the money we think we need to spend on our kids, but it's the simple joys in life that leave the most lasting impression, that bring the most pure joy. Abby taught me something on this day: Slow down and enjoy life, look for the simple and embrace the artistic. And for goodness sake, don't be such a skeptic! 

Boys and blue jeans

If you have a boy who is three or younger or hope to have a boy someday, I'm about to tell you something very, very important. Because if you're smart, you'll buy up every pair of boys jeans you ever run across at a garage sale or resale shop size 5 or larger. 

Because at least in our house, jeans just don't survive. Which is actually kinda still shocking to me since my boy seems to grow an inch a month. The fact that he blows out knees faster than his pants turn into high waters is illogical and should be illegal. But it's a reality. Last year, he had no pants left at the end of the season. He fared better this year (assuming he doesn't wear jeans from now until June!), but only thanks to a sack full of jeans from a friend. How her son managed to have so many pairs of jeans that survived can only mean three possible things: 

1. His school has no recess. 

2. He grows an inch a week. 

3. He goes to a private school and wears a uniform five of seven days a week. 

It's not summer yet, but we have seven relatively intact pairs of jeans (a couple are worn but no holes yet!) and two pairs of pants. I assume they fit, but I also thought the size 7 jeans I sent to camp on Monday night fit, and apparently he couldn't pull them over his thighs, so who knows!

For contrast, here's a display of jeans that didn't survive. They fill an entire drawer in his dresser. There are 14 jeans. They are perfectly fine, except for the knee/s. Some of them lasted to the very end of the season, getting lots of wear. Others seemed only to survive until lunch recess on their first day. No amount of bribery will work in convincing your son to be kinder to his clothes. This is simply a fact of life, like the sky is blue and the Cubs will never be world champions. 

We organized Ryker's room today. He has a fair amount of shorts, and also a large stack of jeans with holes in the knees, which will make very nice shorts should we come into a shortage, I guess like if there's a laundry picket at our house. As for the seven pair below, I hope I see you (and you fit Ryker) in the fall. 

Sure signs of summer

Ryker's skin cannot be found. Here's how he returned after camping last night with his dad and some other scouts at New Salem. Yes, boy and dirt are synonymous this time of year. 

Abby begins to chase and catch insects. Here is a baby lightening bug she found this morning. 

Shoes are a unnecessary. Grass comes inside the house. Oh, and dirty paw prints can be found all over my floors. 

And the dogs are pooped by 10 a.m. and nap away during the warm afternoons. Plus, if you say their names, the boy dog doesn't budge, but the girl dog gives you dirty looks. :)