Thanks for Joining the World, Ollie

Most days Josh Oliver would rather be a bump on a log than do any sort of errands with me--even fun ones. 

I generally can't even talk him in to going out to eat lunch because he just wants to eat a boring lunch at home.

I'm pretty sure he would turn into a hermit, only coming out to go to school or to his gran's, if I let him.

Today, though, was a good day for the two of us!

I convinced him to be happy, or at least act like he was, about going on a morning walk/bike ride with me.  Usually he pouts and starts riding his bike at a turtles pace half-way through, but today he rode speedy quick and didn't complain once!

In return I let him wear a batman mask while he rode and treated him to a cookie at Panera afterwards. 

After he ate his cookie and we were leaving Panera, the girl who checked us out gave him an extra cookie--just because! 

Oh, how lucky!

Next we went to Penney's where we found a pair of new shoes for him. 

That just put him over the edge with happiness!

I took total advantage of his good day and got a ton of my errands done--which meant I got to spend his school time taking a nap!!

It was lovely!

I may just be able to pull him out of that hermit shell of his!

Get Us Out of Here!

A couple of weeks ago, Linda and I took the kids to a corn maze.

We needed something to get them out of the house and burn off some energy.

It was a good idea in theory.

Instead we spent our morning nagging. 

I don't know how many times we said, "please don't walk so fast," "you have to stay together," or "if you can't see us, you are too far ahead." 

I'm not sure if we were more concerned about losing the kids or the kids losing us.  Either way we were not risking getting separated!

Olivia and Josh Oliver also spent the majority of the time complaining that it was too hot and they were tired of walking.

Frankly, we all were!

By the end of it all, the kids were telling us to have someone come rescue us, but neither one of us wanted to make that embarrassing phone call! 

Finally, after an hour, we made it out. 

We definitely underestimated how complicated it would be!

Once we were out, we let the kids roam around among the hay bales while Linda and I parked it at a table and chatted.  That was more along the lines of what we were hoping for!

In the end, we also discovered that they had a much more manageable kids maze that we turned them lose in.  It totally made up for the stress of the big maze!

Even with all the nagging, whining, eye-rolling...it really was a fun outing.  We at least ended it on a good note.

I'm glad we took them, although we decided that if we went again we would either have to ditch the two youngest or skip the big corn maze altogether.

The older three would probably just rather ditch us and have a go at it alone!

Bugs

We apparently have skitterbugs in our water-filled sand box.

I never actually heard of skitterbugs, but Henry assures me that is what they are.

Whatever they are, the boys love collecting them up!

Dance Party!

Brad turned 40 this year.

Gretchen threw a big dinner and dance party to celebrate.

Ben and I are no dancers, but we were that night!

Ben even managed to come home with a hole in the knee of his pants--too much craziness on the dance floor!

It was so much fun!

Fun at the Arcade

A couple of weekends ago, we had a family day at All Star Sports.

The boys always want to go, but we never do.

We only let them ride the boats once--the water was disgusting--and we nixed miniature golf--it takes entirely too long--but they got to do the go-karts and laser tag all they wanted.

They also got to play in the arcade.  

That's their biggest draw.

They love trading in their tickets for the junk toys.  It makes me cringe, but they love it!

We very rarely go there, but we definitely got our fill that day!

Children's Garden

I took the boys to the new Children's Garden.

It was the neatest place--lots of little details everywhere.


There were so many things to see and do there.  

Henry, however, spent most of his time standing as still as a statue, watching the butterflies or gazing into the pond at the Blue Gills--he likes to be as specific as he can!

It was a fun day!

Another Skating Party

The boys are starting to show me up on the skating rink.

I get the impression that Henry even thinks, dare I say, that I hold him back.

That's ridiculous!

When I asked him if he wanted to couple skate with me, I was greeted with silence.  Finally, he said, "Well.....actually I'm skating pretty fast" and off he went.

He is actually a pretty quick skater, but he could have humored me for at least one go-round!

I never fall--I pride myself on that--but this time Luke knocked me down TWICE.

One time when he fell, he totally bowled two girls over.  I asked him if he was trying to find a girlfriend.  He thought it was funny, but, when he later tripped me, I couldn't help but wonder if he was getting me back!

I even tried to impress them by spinning with them super fast in the middle of the rink.

Henry, was so unenthused he told me "no thanks."

Luke tried it, but it took some persuading.

It's hard not being cool!