Mr. Yucky

After a while, you just begin to accept it.

A sneek peek

 

I've been slowly toiling away at a children's book for Stephen and Rockam called "Obey"... I know, it's a really dry title and subject matter, but I'm trying to make it humorous so that its wisdom will stick in their brains, hopefully reemerging for practical use throughout the day. Stephen already recognized himself in its pages. "Is that Stephen?" he'll ask. "What am I doing? Am jumping in muddy puddles? Am I NAKED??"

 

 This page, once I find the right font, will say: "Should I obey later?"

 

I'm obviously struggling to make realistic human extremities.

Bouncing

Family fun day at the farm

Restoration House hosted a fun fall gathering at Christian Way Farm after church today.

 

Stephen and Rockam shared a tractor seat.

 

 

 

Stephen found one of the kittens he enjoyed so much a month ago. They went on a wagon ride together, powered by mom. The kitten didn't enjoy the reunion as much as Steve.

 

While there was still daylight, the boys enjoyed the new mini golf course. Rockam kept trying to eat the rocks though.

 

 

The course is decorated with antique farm machine parts.

 

 

A little tractor train.

 

 

Rockam preferred this duck to the kittens.

 

Joe says that the duck seemed to prefer him to some of the other, more rambunctious kids.

 

Nature fest at Jeffers bend

A new (true) cousin!

While Kiana is like a cousin to Stephen and Rockam, she's actually their first cousin, once removed. But over Labor Day weekend, we got to meet this little sleeping beauty, Tzurielle Parrino.

 

She definitely favors her Nicaraguan-born mama, Cristiana, but I think this photo has a hint of what Stephen looked like in some of his earliest photos... see below: 

 

 

Oh, and one last cousin-related photo--- We got to enjoy ice cream at Malley's with Joe's mom's first cousin, John Martin and his family, who are lovely inside and out!

 

 

 

Catching up with cousins

 

These are a month old now, but I realized I hadn't posted from our August 11 trip to Chicago for my grandmother's memorial. This is Kiana Tilsch, my adorable baby cousin.

 

She, Stephen and Rockam played together so well that evening at my Uncle Doug and Aunt Nilda's house.

Bird watching

A little excursion to Jeffer's Bend. This week, Stephen's preschool class is studying the letter "B" so I let him bring the binoculars and a bird book to school.

 

There weren't too many birds out at that time of day, but we saw an interesting bird in the pond... a plover or piper of some sort?? Sorry, my iPhone doesn't zoom enough to capture it.

 

After a little hike through the woods, we posed for a picture.

 

Stephen's first day

The quintessential first day with backpack pose.

 

Stephen at his seat.

Working hard to stick things on.