It's all good . . .

Our Happy 4th of July

FOURTH OF JULY: PART I

On Thursday there was a free carnival at Ft. Stewart for soldiers and their families, and so after only an hour of sleep, Kevin loaded into the car with us and we headed out.  (Just so you know, I told Kevin that we didn't have to go, but he really wanted to do it for the kids, even though he was SO tired.) 

On the way there, I drove through a massive rainstorm, and I kept thinking, "Great, we dragged Kevin out of bed, the kids are all excited, and we are going to drive 45 minutes to get there, only to find it rained out."  Luckily my pessimism was not rewarded, and not a drop fell on the carnival the whole time we were there :).

Once we got there, we had a great time, even though the rides were a little questionable.  The kid ones were so low to the ground, they seemed okay, but as dare-devilish as I am, I was NOT setting foot in one.  Kevin did take Lily on the Gravitron, but decided that it was not a good idea to mix all that spinning with no sleep.

The kids had a blast though; they rode on every little kid ride, ate funnel cakes and cotton candy, and even got to play a carnival game.  It was everything Lily wanted it to be, and Derek was in heaven.  We had the best time watching them, and I included a little video of them on the rides, just so you can feel like you were there :). 

We spent the rest of the night taking it easy and trying to let Kevin get some sleep.

FOURTH OF JULY: PART II

Today we decided to relax, so that we would all have have energy for tonight.  We spent the day napping, cleaning up, and playing games.  The I baked a yummy cake and got some other food ready for our BBQ.  At 5pm we headed to my friend Valorie's house, and a bunch of us got together to eat and hang out while the kids played.  It was really nice and low key.

Then the group of us headed across the Savannah River to watch the big fireworks show.  Derek was pretty tired and grumpy, but John and Victoria took him for a walk, and then Kevin and I traded off holding him until the fireworks began.  It was a great show, and Lily especially loved it.  And we were able to make it out fast enough that we were home by 10:30 pm.

It was a great holiday, and it was well spent together and with great friends.  I hope all of you had a wonderful Fourth also :).

Delicious Lemon Sponge Cake

I found this recipe in one of my old Family Fun magazines, and I just had to make it for our 4th of July picnic.  It was a little complicated, but turned out so yummy!  Enjoy!   LEMON SPONGE CAKE RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	The Cake
	1 1/4 cups flour
	2 tablespoons cornstarch
	Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
	7 large eggs, at room temperature, separated (save the 7 yolks in one bowl and 6 of the whites in another)
	1 1/2 cups sugar
	2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
	2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
	1/4 cup orange juice
	1/4 cup lemon juice
	1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
	1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
	Citrus Glaze
	3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
	2 tablespoons butter, extra soft
	1 teaspoon lemon juice
	1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
	1/2 cup orange juice

1.Set out a 9- or 10-inch-diameter tube pan with flat (not fluted) sides. Leave the pan ungreased; the cake will grip the sides as it bakes and rise higher than it otherwise would. Heat the oven to 325° F.

2. Sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt into a bowl. Sift the mixture a second time and then set it aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1 cup of the sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice. When you're done, the mixture should be thick, light, and greatly multiplied in volume. Then mix in the lemon and orange zests and juices and the vanilla extract on a very low speed for a few seconds, just until blended. Set aside.

4. In another large mixing bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until the whites are thick and quite foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar while continuing to beat the egg whites on high speed until they are stiff and glossy but not dry, like a meringue (about 7 minutes).

5. Working quickly but gently, use a large rubber spatula to smoothly fold a third of the flour mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Next, fold in another third of the flour mixture along with a third of the beaten egg whites. Finally, fold in the rest of the flour, then the remaining egg whites, until the batter is evenly combined and no streaks of flour remain. Scrape the batter evenly into the tube pan and smooth the top with a spoon.

6. Bake the cake on the center oven rack, without opening the oven, for 50 minutes. When done, the cake will be a rich golden brown and a thin skewer or toothpick inserted into its center will come out clean.

7. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack (if you keep the cake right side up, it will compress). Leave the cake in the pan until it is completely cooled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

8. To remove the cake, run a thin-bladed knife up and down around the outside of the cake as well as around the center tube. Gently lift the cake from the pan by the tube. Then run a knife under the cake.

9. Invert the cake onto a plate and remove the tube. Gently rub your fingers around the side to remove any loose crumbs (it will make the finished cake look more attractive). Finally, invert the cake once more onto a serving plate so that it is right side up.

10. For the icing, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and about half of the orange juice in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well, gradually adding more OJ as needed, until the glaze is smooth and fluid. Generously spoon the glaze over the cake, letting it run down the center hole and sides. Slice the cake with a serrated knife (a parent's job) and serve. Makes 14 to 16 servings.

For a printer friendly version of the recipe, go here.  And this is a picture of how mine turned out . . .

Teeny Tiny Tans

I have a mug that says, "These aren't freckles, they are just a whole bunch of teeny tiny tans."  I have always loved that, and even more so now that Lily has the cutest little freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks.  I think she is so gorgeous, and I swear, I just know I am going to be struck down because of my pride, but you have to admit, she is pretty cute ;).

Lily, although she is still struggling a little with obedience lately, has been so funny as well.  She has the most amazing imagination and is always lost in some sort of adventure.  Usually she wants me to join in, which is pretty fun.

The other day I was talking on the phone, when I realized that I couldn't hear Lily anywhere.  Unlike my fears of destruction when I can't hear Derek, I was afraid she had fallen asleep, and I was right.  I found her curled into a ball in a nest of pillows and blankets. 

I couldn't wake her up for two hours - not good.  Not only does she not usually take naps, but when she does, she wakes up horrendously grumpy, and then can't fall asleep at night.  She didn't get to bed until after 10:30pm that night.  Now can you understand my fear of finding her asleep?

The most fun thing, although it has meant a lot of work for me, have been the craft projects she has wanted to do.  You see, Lily decided that her stuffed dog really needed a pillow to sleep on.  Soon, he also needed a blanket, as well as a leash and a scarf.  So, I found some fleece in my fabric box, and we went to work, cutting, tying, and stuffing.  And it actually turned out pretty cute . . .

 

But it didn't end there, because Lily decided that "Ducky," her stuffed duck, also needed a bed, and a pillow "just big enough for her head," and a blanket.  And so yesterday, during Derek's nap, we pulled out the fabric and the sewing machine, and I went to work.  (I did have Lily do all the stuffing and other small things that were safe.)  It also turned out very cute, and Lily was so happy, that it was totally worth the effort.  What we won't do for our kids - he he!

 

Life with Derek

That silly little boy of mine always seems to be getting in some sort of trouble or other, whether it is climbing on the folded up exercise bike in the corner and then crashing to the floor, or reformatting our computer with three quick swipes at the keyboard.  These were a few of the silly things he did this week . . .

I have often told my friends that I continuously have to "Derek-proof" our house.  As this picture illustrates, what good are the child locks, when he just pulls the cupboard open and reaches the DVD's anyway?  {sigh}

Thank goodness he still hasn't just climbed over the gate blocking the kitchen (although he has knocked it over a few times).

Derek also has developed quite the love for anything Star Wars (His dad couldn't have had anything to do with that - he he!).  His favorite is playing with lightsabers, and we just happen to have a "Derek-sized" lightsaber.  He can run around and play with it, and yet all our furniture, pictures, heads are safe :).  He especially loves to jab it toward someone and say, "Stand back!"

My favorite thing though, was the other day when he crawled onto my lap with his lightsaber in hand, and then fell sound asleep.  It was adorable!

Derek has also been testing out his sneakiness in the middle of the night lately.  This has been made easier for him since Kevin has been away at night a lot, and so his side of the bed is empty and ripe for the taking.  Frequently I have woken up in the night, not only to have him lying next to me, but on a completely different pillow, since he doesn't seem to like the huge one Kevin is using :). 

And then a few nights ago I was up late working on the computer, and when I went in to look in on the kids, Derek was missing out of his bed.  I found him curled up in my bed, sound asleep.

That's my silly boy :).  He definitely keeps me hopping.  

Going Back to my Youth

  

Last week I had the exciting opportunity to go to Girl's Camp for a few days.  (For those of you who don't know, our church has a week long girls' summer camp every year to teach basic camping/survival skills and build unity.)  I was so very excited to go, as I LOVED girl's camp when I was young, and so even though I wasn't able to be there the whole time, it was a blast!

The camp was in the back hills of Georgia, about 3 1/2 hours away, and I drove up early Friday morning to join the rest of the group.  After getting lost a few times, from both bad directions and a confused navigation system, I finally found my way to the camp site. 

The best thing ever was when I first saw my girls.  Each one of them shouted out, "Sister Brown, you came!" and then they gave me a huge hug :).  Soon I was going with the girls from one activity to another, whether it was camp certification, leadership training, playing at the lake, or learning different Polynesian dances for the Luau that night.  It was hot and exhausting, but I just loved being there with the girls.

That night we had a big luau with the best food and some really fun performances from the girls and the leaders.  (My friend Victoria (who was a camp leader) and I learned a Samoan slap dance that was so much fun!)  We ended the night with a talk from our bishop, who had come up for the night.  It was a wonderful way to end a great week.

Saturday morning was all about cleaning and packing, and getting everyone ready to go home, which was pretty interesting after how late we all stayed up the night before.  The drive home was great though, because the girls I drove home were so much fun.  I had brought my entire CD collection with me, and we just kept changing from one CD to another and singing along at the top of our lungs. 

All in all, it was so much fun, and even with the heat, the creepy bugs, and the mouse infested cabin, I had a great time and it brought back so many great memories.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH . . .

Obviously, if I was gone for two days, that meant Kevin was back home taking care of Lily and Derek, and I have got to say that he definitely earned the title, "Super Dad."  Here are some of their many fun activities:

• Playing at the soft play at the mall
• Going to see the movie, WALL-E
• Eating "slumber party cookies" - snickerdoodles that Kevin baked himself
• Swimming
• Reading stories together
• Renting a special movie just for them

He definitely spoiled them, but it was so good that they were able to get special time with their dad, since his work schedule is so insane right now.  It sure was wonderful for me as well, since I didn't have to worry about them one minute while I was away, knowing that Kevin had everything under control.

The Big, Huge Pillow and Other Crazy Adventures

I wish I could take a picture of the pillow I mentioned in the title, but it would mean I had to get up, and that would mean that I might not make it back to the computer :), so instead, I will just explain about it, that and our other adventures.  Oh, and I apologize for the lack of pictures - I don't know how I went an entire week without taking any.  That is so not me.

BIG HUGE PILLOW- For Father's Day I had found Kevin what I thought would be the perfect pillow for him - he has been searching for quite some time.  It had memory foam on the outside, with pillow fluff on the inside.  What I didn't realize until I got it home from the Costco in Charleston, however, was that it was HUGE!  But I thought, Kevin is a big strong guy, it will be perfect.  But then, when he went to try it out, it was so fat, it not only didn't fit in a pillow case (even king size), but it didn't give at all. 

This led to the adventures of "Build Your Own Pillowcase" - which, amazingly enough I whipped out in about 30 minutes (minus the 30 minutes my sewing machine was on the fritz).  A custom made pillow case did not solve all the problems however, and so on 4 separate occasions, Kevin opened the pillow, pulled out stuffing, and had me close it up.  It is finally perfect, and although it still may not be the perfect pillow of his dreams, it was quite the labor intensive Father's Day gift for something I bought already made :).

FATHER"S DAY - Poor Kevin had to work on Father's Day, and so there was no celebration.  Quite sad, but he didn't seem to mind since we had spent the day before having fun as a family.  The one really crazy part of the day happened at church.  Lily was so excited to sing for her dad, and since Kevin knew this, he was going to try to get away from work for just enough time to see the primary kids sing.  Knowing this, I grew quite concerned when the program only listed a musical number by the youth - no primary. 

Sacrament meeting was about to start, so I raced over to my friend who is the chorister, and asked her if the kids were singing.  She said they were told they didn't need to this year (Craziness, but that isn't my point right now, but really, no little kids singing to their dads?  What has the world come to?)  It was then I realized that Kevin would already be on his way, and since I hadn't brought my phone, I asked around to my friends, borrowed one of theirs and snuck out to call Kevin. 

I caught him in time, but the disaster hadn't been completely averted - Lily STILL thought she was supposed to sing.  At the end of the meeting, she turned to me quite sad, "Mom, when am I going to sing for daddy?"  It broke my heart.  She did get to sing to her dad though, later that night when he finally got home from work.  Hopefully next Father's Day will be a little better.

THE POOL VS. SPRINKLERS - We are truly taking advantage of the pool this summer, and even took the kids four times last week - two of the times took them alone, and I was pretty proud of myself - he he!  Well, Derek has decided that he LOVES the pool.  He swims all over the place in his life jacket without anyone holding him.  He jumps into the pool to us over and over.  Lily, however, has gotten even more afraid of the pool - we don't know why, but we are hoping she will get back to her brave self by the end of the summer.  At least she will swim with her life jacket on.  The pool is great, and then there are . . .

Sprinklers.  Derek HATES them!  We went to a friend's birthday party on Wednesday, and Derek would not get near the slip-n-slide or the kiddie pool.  Lily loved it, he was so afraid.  It was like when we went to the sprinkler park, as he sat there on the bench watching the other kids play.  So strange. 

PHOTO SESSION - I had the most fun time at the beach the other morning.  I took family pictures for my friend Jennifer.  She has 8 children, and so it was pretty intense getting it done, but they were so great, it was a blast.  We met at the beach at 7:30 am so we could try to get the right lighting - it still wasn't early enough for this time of year, but we got lucky to have some clouds.  They were so awesome, because they made it on time, and that is with a 45 minute drive there.  Wow!  Check out some more of their pictures on my photography blog :).  A few weeks ago I did an individual session for a sweet little girl in our ward.  She turned 8, and so they wanted something special.  Also a very fun shoot.

SUMMER DOLDRUMS- Lily is really struggling with not having her preschool friends and activities, and so she has been quite bored of being stuck with Derek and I all day every day.  Because of this, I have been trying to do something fun every day, whether it is going to a "Granny P" presentation at the library, the soft-play with friends, or an afternoon movie with treats at home.  We even went to our apartment bbq yesterday and won prizes, however, it isn't working too well, and I think it is because she needs a break from us.  She does have a drama camp coming at the end of July, but we'll see what we can do in the meantime.   I sure wish we had a yard.

Well, I could go on, especially about Derek and some potty training adventures I have been having, but I'll save that for another time - maybe by the end of the summer he will have "potty power" and I can tell the whole story.  But, since I am now falling asleep, and this post is way too long for no pictures, I'll say goodnight :).

Beating Kevin at His Own Game

Last Saturday, in our attempts to get in some good family time, since Kevin had to work on Father's Day, we spent the afternoon playing Mario Party with the kids.  Derek had been begging us to play for a few weeks, and we finally relented, but what we didn't see coming was the outcome of the game . . .

Yes, the winner was LILY!!  Lily, my five year old girl, who has only played for real maybe three times, beat my unbeatable husband at Mario Party!  It was so amazing, we had to take pictures of her winning as "Princess Lily."  (He doesn't lose very often - there is a reason we take pictures of it - he he!)  We were all pretty amazed, and she was ecstatic - and I must say that it was the best I have ever seen Kevin take losing at a game. 

PS. Yes Rob, you may have never beat Kevin at Mario Party, but somehow Lily did :).  I know, I know.  But hey, maybe that means there is hope for you.  Oh, and if you look closely at this picture, I ended up in last place, which was funny, since I was in first almost the whole game :).

It's Always Fun Grandpa (and Grandma) Comes . . .

I love that song, and it is so true.  Whenever Kevin's or my parents come to visit, it is so wonderful, not just for us, but especially for Lily and Derek.  We live so far away, that they rarely see their grandparents, and so it is a special treat when they get to be with them.  This made it all the more exciting for my parents to come visit us this past week :).  Our adventure began with . . .

Picking Grandma and Grandpa up from the airport

Lily and I picked my mom and dad up from the airport on Thursday afternoon,and it was even more special because it was my mom's birthday.  Lily was SO excited, and she asked me every 30 seconds when their plane would get there.  After our fun reunion, we headed back to our apartment and had a birthday dinner and celebration.

 

My Mom's Birthday Party

When Lily woke up this morning, the first thing she told me was, "Mother, it's your mom's birthday today!"  Lily had helped me make the cake earlier in the day, and even put up a few decorations.

We spent the evening talking, playing with the kids, and eating birthday cake.  Yum!  (And I even put a little coconut on it for my mom, since it was her cake and everything - he he!) 

Kevin's Promotion Ceremony 

It was so nice to have my parents there to help entertain Lily and contain Derek, plus, they really loved being there to experience it all.

Swimming!

 After dinner on Friday we all went out to the pool.  The weather was perfect, and the water was even nicer.  Lily tried really hard to be brave and swim without her life jacket, and Derek kept trying to swim around with nobody holding him - pretty funny.

The Beach at Jekyll Island

On Saturday morning, while Kevin got to go play golf with some friends, the rest of us went down south to go the beach at Jekyll Island.  (We even got my friend Victoria to come along, since her husband was playing golf with Kevin.) 

Once again, the weather and water was perfect, and since we got there so early, we had no crowds to deal with.  Lily had a blast playing in the waves with my parents, who were so happy to be playing at the beach instead of being in the cold in Idaho.  Derek, on the other hand, stayed far away from the water, and played in the sand or tried to run away :).

After we finished up, we had a picnic, complete with ants, and then spent some time wandering around the shops and mansions on the island.  Derek decided to take his nap then, and he was pretty cute in his stroller, while I tried to keep him from falling over.

Playing With Grandpa Roy 

The kids were all over Grandpa Roy all week to do tricks with them.  He would tickle them and chase them, show them the turtles, take them to the park, and he even took Derek for a walk everyday - which was much appreciated by me and Derek :).  And hey, Grandpa's are really good at playing cars too.

Playing With Grandma Lynn

Lily especially benefited from playing with my mom, because she would not only read her book after book, but had the patience to sit for hours playing Playdoh or beads, etc.  They even planted daisy seeds to replace Lily's dead sunflower.  (I am always amazed at the patience grandmothers have, because Lily's grandma Valerie can do the same thing.  Maybe it comes with time.)

Church on Sunday 

In all the times my parents have visited, they haven't been to church with us, and so it was great to get to introduce them to people - plus, my mom not only entertained Lily during Sacrament meeting, but she also got to come to Young Womens with me.

Charleston Adventures 

I have been to Charleston, South Carolina quite a few times now, but had yet to see/do any of the touristy things, other than the aquarium, and since my parents wanted to see it too, we headed there to spend the day.  We decided on taking a carriage ride tour, and it was great, not only because we learned a lot and saw a ton without me having to find it all on my own, but we were in the shade and didn't have to walk.  (It was VERY hot, even though it was only 10am.) 

Lily and Derek were sucked dry of all energy by the heat, and so my mom kept them happy by giving them gummy frogs during the tour :). Derek fell asleep on me after trying to play with the diamond ring on the women in front of us for a while, and Lily entertained us all by constantly saying, "Excuse me Guide, I have a question."  Her questions turned out to be, "Why is it so hot?" and "What are all these buildings for?"  I love that silly girl!  After we finished downtown, we went to Costco so I could stock up :).

Helping My Mom Get Her Blog Running Again 

We had some technical issues, and now that they are fixed, I am really hoping she will start posting regularly on her blog now :).

Lily's Date with Grandma and Grandpa 

Since my parents knew they would be in town a few weeks after Lily's birthday, they sent her a coupon for a birthday date with them, and so on Tuesday, they headed to Build a Bear to have some fun.  Lily made her bear, and I guess it was so cute, that my mom was crushed that she couldn't take pictures. (She had her camera, but her CF card was in my computer - oops!) 

After they created "Sarah Marie" - whom Lily was very excited to add to her doll collection - they played at the mall for a while and got some ice cream.  (They even picked up a surprise for Derek, a mini Lightning McQueen to add to his "race car" collection.)

It was such a wonderful week, and as always, it was so sad to see them go.  Thanks for coming Mom and Dad!!

Staff Sergeant Brown

On Friday Kevin had his promotion ceremony for Staff Sergeant.  It was very exciting and he truly deserved it, which also added to our happiness.  My parents just happened to be in town, and so they were able to attend, which made it all so much nicer for me, since it meant I had four extra hands there to help hold Derek and entertain Lily.

The ceremony itself was very fun, because we had Derek pin him.  (Lily got to do it when he was promoted to Sergeant, and I did it when he became a Specialist.)  I helped Derek remove the old rank and put on the new one, and then he proceeded to try and attach the old rank to anything that would stick to the Velcro backing :). 

All the soldiers in the room thought it was hilarious, especially when we took a picture with the three of us, and Derek held out the rank in front of him, proudly showing it off.

After the ceremony, we headed to B&D Burgers for a celebratory lunch, and then Kevin got to come home early.  What a wonderful experience, and I am so proud of my amazing soldier!!

PS. The only black mark on the day, was when I was heading out to the car, and my toe got bit by fire ants.  It was so horribly painful - I am so glad they only got my toe.

The One About My Crazy Kids

I realized the other day that with all our visitors and big things happening at our house, I have been neglecting writing posts about my silly kids.  They are so funny, that I just can't let their silliness pass without recording it.  Let's get started, and I warn you, this may be long . . .

*Lily has been wanting to play pretend so much lately, but more specifically, to play pretend with me.  We have played everything, but yesterday she told me, "Mother, you pretend to be the mom, and I'll pretend to be the daughter."  So funny.

*Lily has been calling me "Mother," and only "Mother," ever since Mother's Day.  I still laugh to myself everytime she says it, because it just sounds so formal, and yet so adorable :).

*I think I have mentioned before that Derek loves the phrase, "I never!"  Lately, Kevin and I have taken to asking him, "You never what?" - to which he answers, no matter what he was crying about, "I never play Guitar Hero game!"  It's awesome.

*A few weeks ago, Lily asked me if she could make her very own "dish."  (She did mean that she wanted to make a plate, she wanted to make a food dish - she must have picked up the phrase from the Food Network.)  So I asked her what she wanted to make, and she proceeded to make a concoction of brown sugar, pretzels and a jumbo marshmallow, with whipped cream on top.  He he!  It was so fun to watch.

*Derek can eat 3 or 4 bananas a day.  When I go grocery shopping, I have to grab one out of the bag right after we pay for them, just so he can eat it right away.  It is even funnier, considering his reaction to the first banana he ever tasted.  Silly monkey!

*Derek will sometimes play in his bed for quite a while before he goes to sleep, but Lily usually falls asleep almost instantly.  Last week when Madeline was here, Lily was sleeping on a mattress on the floor, and when we came in one last time to make sure Derek was asleep, this was what we found.  The silly guy had crawled into bed with his sleeping sister :).

*Speaking of silly sleeping kids, when Rob and Angela were over, we put our kids to sleep in our bed, and then would move them out to the living room once everyone else was going to sleep.  One night, after tucking them nicely into our bed, we came back in to find that they had made a "nest" in the middle of the bed to sleep in instead :).

*A few weeks ago, Kevin came home from Walmart with a new pirate t-shirt for Derek, and then realized he had nothing for Lily.  Thinking on his feet, he pulled my new dish scrubber out of the bag and said it was her present.  She not only bought it, but she was so excited that she wanted to take it for show and tell.  After we explained that it already had soap in it, she settled on taking a picture of her with it instead :).

*Derek has been obsessed with sports since birth, which probably has something to do with his dad indoctrinating him from infancy, but it is so funny to see him tell us what sport is on TV.  The other day Kevin was watching soccer (which is actually very rare), and Derek said, "Slam Dunk!"  To which, Kevin replied, "No Derek, that's basketball."  Derek answered while pointing at the TV, "No Daddy, that's soccer."  So he knows his sports, he just has to get his phrases right :).

*Derek has also started "bowling" all the time.  He will find anything remotely close to the shape of a bowling pin, and then grab a ball and try to knock the down.  One time when he used full juice bottles, and unable to knock them down the normal way, he took the ball and whacked them until they fell over.  I guess he really wanted a strike :).

*On Saturday, Lily came to me and asked, for what was the 3rd or 4th time, if she could write her story, "Lily's Fish."  I decided to drop everything and let her do it, and so she dictated the most adorable story to me.  Then I had her illustrate it, and because I wanted to go all the way, I scanned in the pictures and she is now patiently waiting for her published work to come in the mail.  Thank you Blurb!

*Derek's other main obsession is with race cars - particularly Lightning McQueen, but any car will do.  He walks around hold as many as he can, he lines them up, he races them he rolls them down the ramp on his Little People Garage.  And of course, he usually has to get tucked into bed with a few of them :).

*I went to the sprinkler park with the kids on Monday, and Lily absolutely loved the water.  Derek, on the other hand, just sat on the bench and watched the kids play, except for the few times I forced him to run through them with me.  Could this really be the same bay that loves the swimming pool?

*Lily is one of the most outgoing children I have ever known.  She will say hi to anyone, and although we try and teach about strangers, she really is friendly to EVERYONE.  Other little kids are her favorite though.  The other night we went to Kevin's softball game.  She sat there on bleachers calling out, "Isn't anybody going to bring some kids?  I really need a friend to play with.  Please, somebody bring your kids." 

Later, after playing with a few kids for a while, she moved on to Kevin's company commander, and proceeded to talk to her for about 15 minutes, about everything from cumulus clouds, to telling her all about her little brother.  Lily found it especially exciting that Captain Hadlock flies airplanes.

*At the same softball game, Derek was his normal self, wild.  First, he tried to run away trying to find an opening in the fence so he could get on the field.  When he did find it, he ran up onto the pitcher's mound and giggled like he was in heaven. 

Later, while safely strapped in his stroller, he kept screaming, "I play baseball with daddy!"  I felt a little sorry for the guy, and so I let him out to play with Lily and some other little kids.  Within 2 minutes, he had fallen twice on the bleachers, and once right onto his head, leaving quite the nasty mark from the concrete.  And yet, with all of that, he was still livid that he got put back into the stroller.

*The best part of the game was when Kevin took both kids out on the field and let them run the bases.  It was so cute, and they were so excited.  And of course, since he is Derek, when they were almost to home plate and Derek knew it would be over for him, he bolted the other direction and tried to escape into the outfield.  Luckily Kevin is as quick as lightning too :).