Odds N Ends

I guess technically the majority of our days' activities can be qualified as "odds n ends", so this post could really just be titled "life". 

Edie loves to run off with Mary's fashion glasses, and that smile with her tongue half sticking out is a favorite of hers right now.

Edie is strong and active and independent, but she still asks to ride on my back usually at least once a day, particularly if I am busy in the kitchen and she wants to snuggle. That's her "pleased as punch" face.

Dema showed the kids several card games while we were waiting on the rainy days on their visit, and left them with several packs of cards and brand new card holders. They often play card games while they eat breakfast now, and Mary is slightly addicted to solitaire.

Catherine loves to get a super short summer haircut as soon as it gets warm. It took some convincing, but she finally got the stylist to go as short as she had planned.

Mary spent an entire morning sewing a bunch of new clothes for her Barbie dolls, finishing off with this meh dai so mama Barbie could carry her baby.

At some point in the last month or so, Edie got tired of waiting around for someone to come push her on the swing. Swinging is her favorite, and she can enjoy swinging a lot longer than any person can enjoy pushing her on the swing. So she figured out how to pump herself. That face? She's not upset. She's just pulling those swing chains and leaning into the pump with all her might.

This video is seriously worth watching. She's a beast. I don't remember exactly when the rest of the kids were able to do this on a swing, but it definitely wasn't at two, and probably more like four.

We stopped by the zoo last week for a free class on Monarch butterflies, and the kids insisted on stopping for a group picture in front of the elephant statue. They've never done this before. I think this is testament to how much they enjoy Mrs. Rife's blog.

Speaking of the zoo, during a visit on one of the unseasonably hot February days this year, we saw the big cats licking on giant frozen blocks, which they decided were "meat-cicles". Not too long after that, I started noticing full cups of water being left to freeze solid in the freezer. And then I saw Gussie, as "Edie's lion," crouched on the floor. All I can say is I'm glad they didn't think to make an authentic meatcicle.

And of course Edie couldn't let her lion have all the fun.

Gussie is creeping up on 50 pounds, so usually when he starts hanging on me and asking if he can ride on my back, I suggest we snuggle on the couch together and read a book instead, and sometimes I just have to let him deal with the fact that I'm busy. But once in a while his pleading face overrules my back muscles and I wrap him up for a short ride and he happily snuggles in. He usually brags to Edie about this for hours afterwards. But really it's a wonder I ever manage to say no to those freckles and eyes.