Little and Cute

Sawyer told us very seriously and more than once last week that he'd prayed to God to make him "be a four and a half years old forever." When we asked why he said, "because I am little and cute." Duh. And goodness knows -- right or wrong -- cuteness comes with distinct advantages and he needs all the help he can get!





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Breaking apart

Sawyer held out for a long time tonight to have me sing him a song and scratch his back before he went to sleep. As I did it, I said, "what do you do when I am not here?" He said, "daddy does it." Then I asked, "what are you going to do when you go to college?" (He is really hooked on the bedtime back scratch!) His eyes got really round and sad and he said, "does our family have to break apart when I grow up? I don't want to break apart. You're the best mommy in the world."

Made me cry then and it makes me cry now. He is definitely high on my list of best things in the world too.


We have had a great couple of days of being iced in. Lots of Legos and arts and crafts and eating and snuggling...and prepping for Ridge's 7th birthday tomorrow...and let's let lose a few more tears to that!

Some photos from the long weekend. Sawyer, go get your boots...



Surveying the damage that left us without power for a few hours when some in our neighborhood went without all day or two...


Painted and adorned Christmas trees and made snowmen.


This is about as cutesy and Pinteresty as I get.


On a stroll, surveying the damage.





Yeah...they had a full on race in a completely empty Home Depot Garden Center during the snowpocalyps.




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More Old Man Ridge quotes

Tere is away on business. He called this morning to say hello and ask how we all were doing.

Ridge talked to him first.

T: Hey buddy, how are you?
R: Well Dad, I'm backed up again. Guess it was all that cheese I had yesterday.

Kid you not.

He also told my Dad today while riding in his car on this rainy Monday, "I'm not gloating, but my Mom's car has a sensor so it knows when to wipe the windshield."

I am taking this as a reminder to be very intentional with what I say to him. Let's not waste time on fun facts about the car's capability or what constipation is and how it happens!

Grammy and Opa were sweet to spend this Fair Day with the boys. Here is the elder (ly) son captivating Grammy with his Alvin and the Chipmunks joke book.



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Sawyer's new do

The DAY AFTER getting a haircut, Sawyer decides to take a pair of scissors to his own head. He has long joked about giving himself a haircut, holding up my tweezers. Not so much a joke this time!



He was super excited to see Uncle Kyle at the haircutter. That guy was super confused!

Biking to School

I am having some of the same emotions I had when he left for Kindergarten.






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State Fair

This year's trip to the fair was one we will remember. In addition to seeing the new Big Tex (which is every bit as creepy and scary as his now-charred predecessor),



we were on the opposite end of the park from our car when the sky fell.



Soaked to the bone. It was comical.

Petting zoo and corn dogs were a huge hit. Oddly, sawyer is scared of the rides. Ridge can't get enough. We watched this one go down worried Sawyer would puke at any moment and wishing it would stop. Ridge was grinning ear to ear while Sawyer just looked miserable!



Ridge and Tere did their annual fun house visit



and Sawyer liked the auto exhibits.



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Just Like St Elmo's Fire

Sawyer came into our room (when he was supposed to be sleeping which is coincidentally when he uses his sweetest voice and is adorable looking in PJs) last night, handed Tere this fine instrument and asked him to play something beautiful for his bedtime. That man pulled off a very recognizable Mary Had a Little Lamb on that broken down, 5-year-old plastic sax.

Swoon.





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Santa and the Halloween Eggs

Sawyer, while browsing the Halloween aisle at Target:

Mama who comes at Halloween? Does Santa come hide the eggs at Halloween?


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Dance party ready

I've been clearing out outgrown clothes and unused toys and books in Sawyer's room. He pulled out Ridge's old Elvis Halloween costume tonight and asked, "how come I never wear this? It could be good for a dance party...or Kung fu."


And to think I almost set it free!!!

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Cuties for my Cutie

We have arrived. He is peeling his own oranges (and not wetting the bed)! Keeps him out of trouble (the orange peeling)...like a little guy Rubix cube. Can you overdose on vitamin C?


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Ridge's Red Ryder

Our big boy saved his tooth fairy and other funds and got himself a Red Ryder BB gun that he shot for the first time today in Gilmer. We tore up a few paper plates and soda cans. It was fun!


In other news related to Ridge's personal finances, $5 was withdrawn from his jelly jar to replace a (really cool Iron Man) lunch box he lost on the THIRD day of school. (He bought his lunch on day 2.)

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Spray Park

Look how big this guy is. Seriously! Freeze him already!

We stopped at the spray park, which I thought they had outgrown but I thought wrong (shocking, I know), after the dentist Friday. Entertainment options are limited when it's 104 degrees out and even your pool has gone warm.

In other news...Ridge has a cavity and apparently VERY tightly spaced back teeth. :(


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First Circus

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Playing Chest

Ridge joined the chess cluster (learning enrichment group) at the end of the school year. He had a lot of choices but wanted to try his hand at "chest." Of course.

He is quickly becoming hard core and playing Tere every chance he gets. (I don't know how.) He quit calling it chest but still refers to Bushups and Palms.


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Always up

Stay cool this summer

A random tip offered at 6:30 am to a sleeping mother..."when I want to cool off my arm, I breath on it, but I use my nose breath not my mouth breath because it's hot."


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Why boys toot

According to Ridge: "your teeth send stinky smells to your bottom and they can come out if there is too much."


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Mama maintenance

Ridge cleaned up after himself tonight and has taken a turn for the ultra obedient so I complimented him on it and he says, "I'm being nice so you don't go coo coo because when you go coo coo, it freaks me out." He sensed my being at my wit's end on this, the 4th and final night of one of Tere's Seattle trips.

Here he is after his haircut today.



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A Ridgely Bear on the loose at the Dallas Zoo

Guess who got lost during the kindergarten field trip yesterday? This guy...



He found a police officer (Or a police officer found him? I am not sure.) and got reconnected with the group within five minutes. I understand the chaperones were panicked. His teacher didn't know until later. I am rather glad I didn't know until it was resolved. Scary. Hopefully he learned a lesson...in a safe and familiar environment. He doesn't seem at all upset by it, only embarrassed that he got lost...he was aiming for the restroom but clearly got very off course.

Puzzler

This guy whips together a 60-piece puzzle in about five minutes.



He quotes a montage of movie lines as he goes. (With this puzzle it's mostly Cars lines.) It is very odd to observe...and of course super cute.

He also now refers to going #2 as "dropping off my dinner." (Always got to work in some potty humor. That's how we roll.)

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Location:Puzzler

My little old man

Me: "Did you find your lunchbox today?"
Ridge: "Sadly, no. I'm sorry mom."

"Sadly no?" What 6 yr old says that?


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Photo Book

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Trying again w/the Spring Break Photos

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Baller!

Ridge killed it in the first game of coach pitch baseball! He only got to bat twice (because many kids take three pitches from the coach and then hit from the T). Both times he hit it past the baseline on the first pitch! We were BEAMING with pride!

Again with Ridge and sweetness

Tere and I have not been feeling our finest this week...coughs, fevers, sore throats, etc. Naturally, it's been a crazy busy week. The other night Ridge says, "let's have quality family time...in my room! We can play games!" It is terribly sweet. But neither of us felt very playful. We explained this to him. In response, he made us both pallets - me on the bed, Tere on the floor - and read to us.

Love love love

Every night, Sawyer wants me to scratch his back and sing him a song. (God bless his love-triumphs-over-tone spirit.) So, he and Ridge are sharing a bed on vacation and tonight I went to scratch and sing and Ridge pops out of his spot in the bed. I assumed he was running from my singing voice. He started scratching my back and said, "I think you like this too." he is going to make a fine husband one day. Here is what we get to wake up to.



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What are the odds

Who loses both of their top front teeth in bounce house incidents? Ridge does! Here is Tere searching for it. R is anxious about whether or not the tooth fairy can find him in Durango and without the tooth...despite the APB I put out in the bounce house, the tooth was not found.


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Career choices

Ridge and I stopped to watch the heavy trash operation on our way home from school today. As we drove off, "mom, I think I have decided what I want to do for my career..."

An impressive crescendo to the four years of Sonic.

Ridge's future

Ridge declared over the weekend that he was going to Sonic instead of college. He says, "that's what Daddy did." It would seem Saturday's trip to Sonic really made an impression. Tere told him, as he has before, that he worked there in high school. That caught his attention. I can just see these Slushyland illusions running through his head. Really, who could blame him? "Software Consultant?" "Enterprise Resource Planning?"  But "Slushy Maker, Car Hop?" That's living.

I love his view of the world.

Political Update

Sawyer: George Washiter and A Blinkin were the first presiders.


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Big Baby

It's been a long time since I photographed my big baby sleeping. I thought tonight's display was noteworthy. He quit wearing a shirt at bedtime a few weeks ago...mid January, when everyone starts shedding layers. Now medieval weaponry is making its way to bed. My quirky little man. So much love.



Another little Ridge funny. This evening when we loaded up to go to the gym, he warned "you know, they don't have the specials anymore." There has been a generic "specials" banner outside the gym for a week or two and he has been eager to check out said specials. Specials are also the special activities at school like PE, music an art. So aware, that one. Always looking out for our best interests. Well, apparently the specials sign has only blown over so there is hope for us yet.


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Mary had a great big head

I laid out clothes for Sawyer yesterday. They were never-before-worn hand-me-downs from the Mitchell Boys who have average-to-small heads. A few minutes later he is screaming...."help me, help me!" I go in and ask, "what's the problem?"

S: This shirt is stuck on my head like Mary.
Me: Mary?
S: Yeah, Mary...Jesus' mom.

Stew on that.