Larry and Kermit

We have some new pets. 
Hermit crabs!!

The kids got these as a gift from Gramma when she was here weeks ago, but the pet store was out of crabs that day.  It worked out well anyway since, being the planner I am, I didn't have the slightest idea how to care for them.  A few websites later and I felt better and when the pet store got more, the kids picked their favorites.

Chloe's is Larry and Evan's is Kermit.

Meet Kermit

The kids are "mesmerized" (Evan's word) to say the least, and spend hours just watching and waiting for the crabs to move.  Too bad they are mostly nocturnal, but with a little loving prodding, they move around during the day too ;-)

This morning Evan woke up to discover that Kermit moved out of his old shell and into a new one!  Wow! 

Niagra Falls

We live 100 miles from Niagra Falls  and we've never been there as a family (mostly because of the passport laws being different now). A couple of weekend's ago, Todd's brother's family was in town and they invited us to join them for a day trip. So, we said yes.

Between the wind and the mist, my hair was in my face the entire time.

The American side is not as impressive as the Canadian view, but to the kids it was something amazing no matter what.

The one event we did was the Cave of the Winds -- not actually a cave at all but rather a series of platforms and stairs at the bottom of the American Falls.

You have to dress to get "damp" so we did.

Then the bravest folks can go up to the Hurricane Deck where the Falls are literally right in front of your face and the mist is not mist but rather.... a hurricane.

Cami and Courtney with Evan and Todd, about to head up to the highest point.

Todd and the kids, and another excited person.

Afterwards, we were considerably more damp than expected ;-)

And like any good amusement park experience, the 'can-we-do-that-again?' questioning began.  The kids wanted to go back up without ponchos on.  Okay.

Soaked to the skin.

After drying out a bit, we decided on the Aquarium nearby.  It was small but really nice. 

The ride home was pleasant.  The kids had a neck-pillow fight in the back seat and were in hysterics for about 45 minutes -- belly laughing until they cried over and over and over..... :-)

When we got home, we had time for bedtime books.  The new sharks the kids picked out at the gift store were lined up on each end of the couch, and that was the end of our day.

Chloe Keeps Up

Todd's Axial Crawler isn't as fast as Evan's new Stampede, but it still zooms.  Chloe has learned rather quickly how to operate this piece of machinery so she can keep up with her big brother.  I think she does pretty well, considering she's only six.  And she's proud of herself too :-)

TEN

Evan has been so excited and anxious to turn ten that it seemed like second Christmas for him.  He counted down the days and hours, he could hardly sleep at night, he was constantly saying, "When is it going to be my birthday?!?!"  Then, finally it was July 9th.

Evan opted for one big expensive gift from us instead of a party with friends.  He has never enjoyed crowds or having lots of people watching him open gifts.  So, we set up a grand event for the big unveiling....

He is always begging for more rechargable batteries since the 12 he has are never enough.  So we go him three more packs with a tag attached.  "Hmmmmm..... what could these be for?"

We handed him a small box with the remote control to..... something.  It had another tag on it asking, "Hmmmm.... what could this be for?"

So he stuffed in batteries and turned the dial on the remote.  We had hidden his big gift in a box in the hallway, so when he used the remote, he heard it and ran to grab it out.

He has wanted a hobby-grade RC of his very own for so long, and now he got one!!

This is the new face of TEN.  Watch for it throughout this post.

So he turns it on and tries to rev it a bit, and nothing happens.  Again and again we try and still nothing.  It worked fine when we tested it.  It obviously worked when he heard it making noise in the box, but here on the floor, nothing.

So began Evan's tenth birthday.  :-(

Breakfast was a sad occasion.  We all ate and got ready for the day while Todd spent the next two hours troubleshooting and making phone calls....

It still wasn't working.  We needed a new plan to make the tears stop.  We gave Evan a wad of spending cash and I took him to a really nice toy store to buy whatever he wanted.  That worked well enough to get his mind off being sad and have something to do.  He found an airplane building kit, a mosaic to put together and a flip-book making kit.  Lots of stuff to do.

Also a ginormous robot arm.

One of the first smiles of the day!

We also had to take a brief moment to update Evan's overnight growth (obviously, you get taller that night).  He is 50 pounds and 51 inches.  He wears size 1 shoes, size 7-8 shirts, and size 8 slim pants. I can still pick him up, which he makes me do, and also can still carry him around, which he makes me do.



Bryce came over with the boys so we could have a little dessert time together.  Evan requested chocolate pudding for the morning and brownies for afternoon (this is our new idea instead of birthday breakfast which is too much work).

He told me he doesn't like to smile for pictures anymore.  Hmn.

Bryce got him a big monster truck just like the one he had when he was five (and long ago broken and gone).  He was overjoyed just holding it!  He said, "This brings back so many old memories...."

So the day wasn't a total waste, and that night he knew his truck was in capable hands -- our friend is an RC toy expert -- and so far it seemed the problem was with the remote, not the truck.  A bit of relief for our sweet guy as he fell asleep on his birthday.

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Here are a few pictures from the day before his birthday, opening mail.

"I don't like to smile for pictures Mom."

Packages from Gramma are always a great excuse to pull out the pocket knife.  This gift box was filled with goodies and Evan loved them all!

He was also blessed with a fun goodie box from Granny earlier that day, but I didn't have my camera.  A paint kit, wooden picture frame for displaying his art, a mosaic, some Garfield comics and assorted other art stuff. 

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So, yesterday Todd called Evan from work saying he had a fully functioning truck fixed and ready to run -- we could come get it now, or wait till after work.

Which one do you think he picked?

Luckily there is a huge field and a gravel lot to play in where Todd is working!

Shouting and shaking the whole time!  "This. Is. AWESOME!"

TEN!

He is happy now :-)

Days with Ajay

I am so blessed to have a sister that I adore who lives but a few blocks away.  She comes over with her precious cargo so frequently that I have to say there is a strong sweet bond forming between me and Ajay as a result.  (Baby Zakary currently wants nothing to do with me, or anyone else for that matter, as he loves his mama very much right now.  And that is as it should be ;-)

Bryce and I have watched and waited for the cousins to come to a point of really connecting with each other though, and I'm sure this is the year for that love to emerge.  Chloe, who has always been very attentive to Ajay, is growing even more so -- preparing playthings for him, setting up  zones for him to free range in, and sharing her most favorite things.  This did start out as completely selfish on her part (to keep the little one out of her way, naturally), but it has changed.

Evan has always been a bit more reserved about the whole relational thing -- answering in one word responses to Ajay's many questions or just staring at him silently.  The love shown has been subtle and simple -- a shared toy here or there, trusting the little one to handle precious display items, or just randomly deciding to give him things.  But now, they have started to play together, real interaction on both sides to which Evan exclaims, "That was fun, let's do that again!"

I hope these two have a long and fun-filled future together as so many cousins are lucky enough to experience.  It seems to be headed that way.  And maybe Ajay will let me kiss and cuddle him until he's going on ten, like a certain other boy I know and love.