Nine years old!!

Well, we have a nine year old. Just like that. Someone pointed out to me a couple weeks ago that at age nine we are at the halfway point (theoretically) of a child's life at home. NOT excited to think this way. 

He got up so so too early on a school day. By the end he was totally exhausted.  He builds up SO much for such things that he is obviously saddened as their end approaches. But he said it was the best bday ever. 

Lesley and I went and ate lunch with each of them that day, working from home. 

Yes they like some school lunches and as crazy busy and tired as we are these days, we welcome the chances to NOT make lunches in the morning. 

Ate at favorite restaurant that night. I really like this little series of pics of both boys at restaurant. 

On the following Friday we had a bunch of friends over, play bball at school and had pizza and ice cream. 

Crazy but fun fun times.  And I am so happy and thankful to be doing this with Lesley. 

Transition

I want to think that being eight and on the brink of nine is a time of transition, with proof in the fact that one day he has gel in his hair, a flat bill, black button up shirt unbuttoned over white t shirt and stylishly ripped jeans... And the next day he will wear PJ pants, same t shirt and mom's old tan cardigan so he can be 'comfortable for his big test'.

This pic is this evening after a little bball. 

Same shirt (he's getting some new ones for bday) and he wore these PJ bottoms for the test today. 

Phone dump

The barred owls we live in our yard. 

A rare but wonderful visit with friends since birth. 

One day in a hike. 

One day on a basketball court  

One night when Heath passed out in the car. 

One morning when I made Heath brush his teeth for two whole minutes. Torture!  

One day when I had a mustache.  I do this only for Les and for a day.  

Barred owl again. 

Bball court again. 

One mirning. 

Hike on friends property on the Chickahominy. 

Heath at swim practice. 

Boys boarding their first solo plane!

Where they went: to visit Granna and Grandad. 

Heath after combing hair. 

And alder... 

Capturing the season's transition in the carport scene. 

I finally threw these shoes away yesterday after they were quite a bit more worn than this. But I took this picture because he for the past two or three months has refused to wear his new shoes, continuing to wear these, because he wanted to "save" the new ones.

Alder

)We played some basketball on this warm morning before school. Man oh man how we love this boy. Almost nine...

(And a shout out to Heath who is unfortunately weathering a high fever today.  And another to mom who is with him on her spring break when she wanted to be so productive. I love y'all too!)

.....

The update. Three hours later...  Alder too. More thanks to mom. This is how it happens. This how weeks fall apart. 

Basketball

Alder's team, which I am helping coach. First year for us both: he's a rookie, I'm an assistant. We are both enjoying it. So far, undefeated. Halfway done with season. Here's some of the team, totally cutting up. They play great together. Buncha good kids. 

Bedhead

Lately Alder puzzles about 'just why his hair is shaped so weird', blaming it on the way it's cut. I tell him, 'it's not the way it's cut. You have a bed head'. And he has had a bedhead for most of life aside from the occasional special occasion. So I will help him comb it, which starts with sticking his head under the bathtub faucet. And he claims to still not like it but I know he appreciates it and is realizing that truly there is nothing wrong with his haircut. Or the shape of his head. (nor having a bad head every now and then) So today, when we were having the same conversation in the bathroom, I said, 'look, I will take a before and after picture.' When I took a before picture he had the puzzled, grumpy look on his face. And when I took the after picture I told him to smile. We got a good laugh out of this. He pointed out that it was like the advertisements where the people lose a bunch of weight: in the first picture they look really sad and slumped and in the second picture they look happy and the light is prettier. This was fun. Here's the before and after:

By the murals

Richmong is rich in murals and we love them:

http://richmondmuralproject.squarespace.com/murals-2015/

And here are a few pics with a couple of early ones in the project :

(with Granna and Grandad)

BBall

Alder's starting basketball this season and I am assistant coaching.  He was very tuckered out today from a busy and fun weekend, but we got some good one on one time to practice at school. So lucky to be so close to their school with multiple courts, paved, with 8 and 10 foot goals. 

Book series update

Looks like chili dog isn't doing so hot. 

Or... Is he?

Alder is working on a book series called...

Chili Dog and Onion

He has only written one book so far and Onion has already taken a lickin from the chili blaster because he ate 50% of the food. 

Swim Meet #2

Just look at this gang. 

The pre-meet cheer round up.  Coaches Katie and Peter in white shirts.

Alder stepping up for a freestyle swim.  

Actually he's about to come out of his skin to shred down the pool. That stance is a bluff for the other swimmers. 

Heath swam freestyle this meet. Alder, freestyle, breast stroke and backstroke. 

Birthday Weekend

A quick update on ALOT thats being going on.  Heath's school field trip, which I chaperoned (dad) was to the zoo.  Here are the monkeys...

These boys were a total mess.  They love each other and loved turning the zoo inside out.

And, we have an eight year old now!  How did this happen??  Alder wanted a sleepover with a few friends, sleeping outside (tent), and with lots and lots of time playing together on screens.  So we let them gorge themselves on minecraft cake...

and minecraft, via mobile devices owned, brought and borrowed…

They so fully enjoyed each other.  Only one, plus Dad made it through the night sleeping out side; frield in tent, dad on deflated bouncy house, which was a wonderful place to sleep.

Altogether, we are feeling so fortunate.  These boys are growing so fast, learning so much about life and are happy in this world, happy together.  So fortunate.  We have a big Summer ahead.  So, more to come.

Land O Lakes Infinity

Alder wanted to see if the box of land o lakes that the lady was holding on the land o lakes box, also had another lady on it holding a land o lakes box....... and on and on and...

What a dissapointment.