Time with My Boy

Helena is at full-day Vacation Bible School all week, so Benjamin & I are having lots of Mommy-Son time: playing with balloons, knocking down towers, and playing under the table.  Today we went outside with my idea being we'd wonder around the park, looking at sticks and leaves and the like.  

Benjamin had other plans:

We watched the construction workers for at least 15 minutes.

We also sat with the statue of Herman Northrup Frye for at least 10, patting his book, rubbing his arm, and waving at people as they walked by.

He is really so much fun.

The iRobot Scooba

Our neighbors were gone for the last 10 days, and while they were gone, they let us borrow this beautiful machine:

The iRobot Scooba

This version of the iRobot doesn't sweep and doesn't vacuum - it MOPS!  Plus, it really works.  Could there be anything more glorious?  Our floors haven't felt this good ever.

Family Music Nights

Some friends gave us their extra keyboard this week, and tonight was our first Family Music Night.  The idea was for John to play the keyboard and the rest to sing, dance, and play other instruments.  It quickly turned into the three of them monkeying around on the new toy and the mom sitting on the couch watching.  Still very enjoyable!

Dinosaur Zoo

Helena has been quite interested in dinosaurs for some time now, so when the theatre just down the street started to show "Dinosaur Zoo", going to see it was an easy decision!

The show is set up so the "zookeeper" teaches you about dinosaurs while the dinosaurs come out.

When a puppeteer/zookeeper ran out and announced that the T. Rex had gotten loose, Helena yelled "I want to go home Mommy!"  After a tight squeeze, a promise that I would protect her, and a reminder that the dinosaurs are just puppets, she calmed down.  But it was amazing how life-like they were.

After the show the baby dinosaurs were out so we could see them.  Helena was very brave when touching the baby triceratops and baby duck-billed dinosaur (the hadrosaur), but she stayed safe by only touching the blanket of the baby T. Rex.

For our wonderful niece Anamarie

Our niece recently emailed us, asking us to come visit soon and telling me that she loves the blog.  There's nothing like that for encouragement to get back on here!

So, Anamarie, these pictures are for you.  We try to have dinner picnics once a week, and this one took place on a rooftop garden.  I wish you could come eat with us!