Getting Back in the Groove of Things

It seems I've fallen off the blogging wagon again. Not on purpose at all, but just because we've been staying busy. I'm still getting used to this new school schedule. This summer we had our weekly and daily routine down pat. We got into a good rhythm, and it really worked well for us. But don't you know that just as soon as you get good at something, it all goes and changes. So true. So, now I'm adjusting to finding a new rhythm. We'll get there. But in the meantime [grandparents], bear with me while I'm slacking on the updates! ;)

Here's what's been going on with my guys:

They are both obsessed with direction. Like, "what buh-wection are we going, Mommy?", "Are we going to the wight or the weft?", "That car up there isn't going the same buh-wection as me. He's going stwaight." And so on and so on. If you ask them to raise their right hand, they can both do it correctly. ....but you have to ask which one is right before we ask which one is left, or else they get a little confused. ;) hey, we're working on it.

Do you remember the old "aren't you glad i didn't say banana?" knock-knock joke? Well, they also have recently discovered knock-knock jokes, which they think are the funniest thing EVER. And truly, I'm not sure there ever has been anything as funny as listening to them tell a joke to each other or anyone else. We laugh so hard our stomachs hurt. Here's how it usually goes:

Ben: knock knock (complete with hand motions, knocking)
Drew: who's dere?
Ben: owange.
Drew: Aren't you glad I a nana?

Followed by immediate uproarious laughter as if they really do get the punch line. Which is then cause for even more laughter since we next ask them "do you get it?" And then they think that the words "get it" is the joke. Even more screams. It's just hilarious.

They are still helping me cook almost every day at least a little. Its usually messy, but they sure do feel so proud when they sit down to eat something that they know they helped with. And I love giving them that feeling of responsibility and pride in themselves. The other day Drew was still napping and Ben wanted to help me finish getting dinner ready to go into the oven. So we pulled the chair up and I let him stir away. He looked over and saw the bag of flour sitting there, and reached his hand in and said "oooooh, I wike sugar, Mommy." So I gently said "Ben, that's not sugar. That's not going to taste good, and you don't need to eat that." To which he says, "No, it is sugar. I need some." Seeing that this battle wasn't worth fighting about, I just said "okay, but you're not going to like it." So he sticks his whole hand in the bag of flour, pulls out an enormous fist full and shoves it into his mouth and all on his face. He chews and swallows with this awful look on his face, and I said "it's not very good is it? Maybe we should've listened to Mommy, huh?" And he looks up at me, all covered in flour and confused/grossed out look on his face, and said "See? I DO wike it." Priceless.

That's it from our world these days. Here are a few pictures of our last days of summer...maybe the best one of my life. Enjoy!

Impromptu playtime in the sprinkler

Playing in the pool in the backyard

At the Day With Thomas the Tank Engine in Nashville (they even got to ride a real life-sized Thomas!...a very big deal in our house!)