Broken rules

We actually went and saw fireworks this year. "What?!" you say? Yes, it's true, we don't do it every year. 10pm is not only a late hour for my kids, it somehow draws out the worst in my kids when they go to bed 4 hours past their bedtime. They get it from their mother.

But this year, their mother ignored the fact that the ride home and the act of getting them in their beds {with their teeth brushed} was going to be more of an undertaking than both their parents might be able to handle on that particular, hot day. She put her foot down and told their father that they were all going. Meltdowns or not.

The girls actually paid attention to the fireworks, for the first 10 minutes. Then they were distracted by their newly found privilege of playing on top of the car. So, their mom and dad left early and, as chance would have it, still got to see the grand finale just before they pulled out of the very crowded parking lot where they would have been stuck in traffic for another 15 minutes with a baby screaming bloody murder. So it all worked out fine.

Previously that day the girls and I drove to Gregory, MI to my great uncle's house for an Allen family reunion. Now, Adam and I have a thing for funny signs and I just had to snap a pic of this one.

Yes, there is a Hell, MI.

And, what 4th of July weekend would be complete without fattening, junk food? Smores cookies were my newly found, very American, sweet treat that I couldn't help but bake.

Wait a minute...

... Is she too cute?

Another Graduation Pic

Sacked

No, Adam didn't get fired. Kira sacked out on the bench on our front porch one hot afternoon. This is what her summer was like. Poor girl. The heat was too much for her some days and she would voluntarily lie down in random places, but most of the time in her bed, for a nap.

Yes, It's True

Adam is done with medical school. And, yes, I am {very} late to post this terrific news.

May 15th, 2010 was his graduation. July 1st he began his 5-year residency in Orthopedic Surgery. I can't tell anyone reading this in words just how proud I am of him. Besides the birth of our 3 children, this is the biggest thing we have accomplished in our lives.

WAHOO!!!

Dirt Delivered

We built 4 big planter boxes to house our garden and were in need of some good, black dirt. After it was delivered and dumped in the boxes, the mess on the street was enticing to these two little girls. What the heck... getting dirty is good for the soul.

And yes, Adam did throw dirt at Kira's face with a shovel. And she loved it.

Not Quite Sure

We gave Ava rice cereal (at Adalin's bidding) for the first time two weeks ago. It made me wonder if Ava will ever be able to eat solids b/c she hadn't a clue on what to do with that mushy stuff.

The Winkies at their finest

The girls come out of their bedroom with these underwear covers on their heads, cracking up. I want to ask what on earth they were thinking, but I already know the answer to that question:

Adam periodically puts [clean] underwear on Kira's head when she is getting dressed and not expecting it. The things they get from their father...

Crossroads Village

Adalin's school had an end-of-the-year field trip to Crossroads Village in Flint. She was beaming with pride seeing all of her classmates in a public place such as this. We got to see a blacksmith do his work, an steam powered saw cut a log into boards, an old doctor's office and all the old-fashioned tools those docs used to use back then. We rode the antique train there too, which was fun (it was actually a bit scary... the train car would shift side to side, especially when traveling over bridges.)

Pretty Funny

I came across these things that Adalin said almost 3 years ago. I had written them down, but I don't think that I ever blogged them! She was 2 1/2:

8.31.07 Adam took off his shirt after working out at the gym and Adalin, seeing his armpit hair, said, "Daddy, why do you have mustaches under there?" 9.8.07 I put Adalin on the toilet and she fell in a little bit, but caught herself. I said, "Whoa, you almost fell in." She thought for a moment and said, "Yeah, I did, then you would have flushed me to [pause] … Heavenly Father."