April 2012

When you start blogging about pictures that happened over two months ago, the pictures are all new and exciting to you, too!  Let's get poor April finished up here...

We went to the science museum in Syracuse one windy Saturday.  Lincoln had fun playing with the big building blocks...

But probably not as much fun as Evan.

Funny light.

The little kids couldn't understand most of the exhibits, of course, but they had fun hanging out with Daddy and walking all over the place.  We wrapped up our day there with an IMAX film, Born to Be Wild, that fascinated Evan and I and completely freaked Lincoln out.  It does have to be a little scary to have life-sized elephants running at you from the ceiling of some place.

 Rilla being generally fabulous, in the tutus Aunt Bet bought.

Evan, with his spiffy bunk bed.  He built one on a custom order, and decided, while he had his tools all set up, he might as well make another one.  "Because it will only take a few more hours to make two than to make one."  Ha, ha.  Well, the customers are very happy with their order, and we now have a beautiful bunk bed for sale (not cheap).

The ladder...

There's even a spiffy little shelf for the top of the bed, for a few books and a clock.  (The little boy it was destined for reads as much as my red-headed bookworm).

Another Vaughan visit, when Livie and Tori came home from Adam's Center with us.

See?  Cheyenne smiles nicely for her Aunt Livie.

Rilla, with the ever-present book (or two).

Lincoln, drawing carefully.

Cheyenne, being Vanna White for Evan's new dump trailer!

It goes up!  And down!  And dumps things!  Evan is ecstatic.  No more renting dumpsters or cadging a trailer from fellow contractors.

Evan, intent on some project...

And his little tail.

Staking up the salix alba.

A family project, as they all are.

Even making popcorn requires the family to be onlookers.  (I just noticed the fabulousness of Rilla's footie pajamas with her brown meeting shoes.)

We bought an air popper when Scottie was visiting in April, and it's become a Thing to have popcorn in the evening, whilst Daddy reads a book aloud and Mommy does dishes.  Or, Mommy sits and listens to the book and tries to ignore the general dishevelment of the surroundings.

Lincoln likes to wait for the first pop.

I just missed the excited gasp of First Popcorn in Bowl.

Coloring nicely.

I decided those little bare piggie toes were too edible not to record for posterity.

Of course, once I got the camera out, I got lots of these shots-- Lincoln hopping up to "See!  See!" what was on the camera.

The Bunk Bed Goes on an Outing.

Here it is, all painted up in its slate blue, no-VOC milk paint glory.

It really is a beauteous thing.

So is the bouquet the little chocolate-mustachioed boy presented me.

Too pretty to be called "weeds"!

Lincoln with his baby.  He's not too fussy which one of the dolls he gets to cuddle, but he likes having one with him.

The kids love climbing the crabapple tree out front.

The little stenographer.

I love how serious he gets with a notebook.

Little apple girl in the evening sun.

Lincoln doesn't want that paternalistic arm around him.

Rilla, however, perseveres.

Elliott had his kindergarten musical in April.

Elliott, with his underwhelming costume.  I thought Evan did a fantastic job, spray painting the cardboard and cutting it to look like a stink bug.  However, every other kid had much more elaborate costumes.  I'm not sure why this surprises me anymore.

However, my kid was the most amazing kid there by a long shot, so we won't worry about the costume.

Every time I asked him to say his lines at home, he slurred all the words together in a fast monotone.  Imagine my surprise when he got up there and spoke them clearly, distinctly, and at a proper volume!

This is how he spent much of the musical-- hidden behind Emily's wings.

Then there was a wardrobe malfunction-- his costume started falling off.

Yup, there he is with his hands all comfy-cozy down the front of his pants!

This little chrysalis...

Became a butterfly!  The kids were completely impressed with that.

Then, a trip up to the farm!  We walked up to the woods to pick leeks Sunday afternoon.  Here is one of the (extremely noisy at 5:00 a.m., not that I'm bitter) roosters, taking a stroll under the hay elevator.

Totes Adorb, relegated to behind the barn.

The leek-picking crew!

Rilla was in charge of the basket, which filled her with self-importance!

Hey, *I* got a fairly genuine smile from my daughter!

Pausing, before beginning the long trek across the hay field.

Rubber boots were a must.

Rilla, being extremely brave with Penny.

Gilbert, chilling out.

Elliott and Orianna, buddies just like they were when they were The Twins five years ago.

Tori Alice (not her actual name) did most of the work of digging, "helped" by young chilluns.

Dutchmen's britches!

A tree.  We wondered what kind it was, so I snapped this extremely helpful picture for future identification.

Ashley lifting Gilbert up.

Little tree hugger!

The kids really got into grubbing in the dirt.

The photog.

Then, walking home.  Alas, we had to leave right away, so I didn't get to eat any of the leeks.  But 'twas fun to go watch them being picked.