Stewart

Too busy to blog?

| Stacy

It seems so!
This weekend we celebrated the kids’ summer birthdays with our family.
We were blessed with a rain free afternoon and lots of fun.

She has more product in her hair than I do!
But she looked so cute!

“Why did I get a receipt?”

Even ANGEL got gifts… from everyone!
Must be nice being the BABY! 😉


Hmmmm. This is when I told her to stop sitting on the table.
I think she was trying to see if STANDING on the table was allowed.
😛
Can you see the orange lips they all have from orange pop?

Their new favorite thing are the gymnasts at Seabreeze [see post below].
This is the Veggie guys being acrobats!
Is frosting a legitimate art media???
Singing away!
“YUM!”

More yum!

And this photo is from Sunday. We went to what was possibly the NICEST wedding EVER, EVER. After the ceremony, but before the receiving line, the newly married couple showed “music videos” of each of them growing up and then a full set of photos of the two of them. They had an entire song’s worth of photos of the two of them, and they’ve only known one another 18 months! I leaned over to the friend I was sitting with and said, “I couldn’t tell you the last time JB and I had our photo taken!” So when we cleaned up some for the reception… we had my mom take one.

The Boys' Blessed Birthday Bonanza!

| Stacy



The boys chose Life at the Pond as their theme for their party. Only a handful of guests had heard of this wonderful Christian radio program, but that didn’t phase the boys.
We had allowed the boys to invite all their friends and we were delighted that all but one family was able to join us for the party. I think we had 52 people… but I did lose count!

We started at Methuselah’s Paint Station. We painted rocks. This wonderful idea came from a friend at church on Sunday afternoon as I shared how much Beau wanted a “painting party.”






On to Bill the Duck’s Obstacle Course.

My kids have such wonderful friends. Really. Not once was I thinking, “Oy! That kid is a piece of work.” In fact, what I was thinking over and over again was, “Wow, these are great kids. We are so blessed!!”
I was imagining it from my sons’ points of view.
Here they are with almost 100% of their friends in their yard playing with them.
That has to be one of a kid’s dreams come true.
Can you imagine looking around and everyone you see is someone you love?

Time for the pinata. We failed to name this “attraction.”
Five and under got to hit it without the blindfold.
Six and over wore the blindfold.
But it seemed a lot of them had impeccible aim and a stiff neck.
[They were peeking!]
At the end, we let Champ and Beau take a few extra swings to try to get the job done!

After presents we headed back to the WATER PARK. 😉

Everyone was so patient while they waited their turns down the waterslide and slip and slide.
I just love all these kids so much!


Hamming it up a bit for the cupcakes.


Angel was there, too. But she was busy dragging Poppy around by his fingers. I think his left arm is longer than his right one, now.

The Boys’ Blessed Birthday Bonanza!

| Stacy



The boys chose Life at the Pond as their theme for their party. Only a handful of guests had heard of this wonderful Christian radio program, but that didn’t phase the boys.
We had allowed the boys to invite all their friends and we were delighted that all but one family was able to join us for the party. I think we had 52 people… but I did lose count!

We started at Methuselah’s Paint Station. We painted rocks. This wonderful idea came from a friend at church on Sunday afternoon as I shared how much Beau wanted a “painting party.”






On to Bill the Duck’s Obstacle Course.

My kids have such wonderful friends. Really. Not once was I thinking, “Oy! That kid is a piece of work.” In fact, what I was thinking over and over again was, “Wow, these are great kids. We are so blessed!!”
I was imagining it from my sons’ points of view.
Here they are with almost 100% of their friends in their yard playing with them.
That has to be one of a kid’s dreams come true.
Can you imagine looking around and everyone you see is someone you love?

Time for the pinata. We failed to name this “attraction.”
Five and under got to hit it without the blindfold.
Six and over wore the blindfold.
But it seemed a lot of them had impeccible aim and a stiff neck.
[They were peeking!]
At the end, we let Champ and Beau take a few extra swings to try to get the job done!

After presents we headed back to the WATER PARK. 😉

Everyone was so patient while they waited their turns down the waterslide and slip and slide.
I just love all these kids so much!

Hamming it up a bit for the cupcakes.

Angel was there, too. But she was busy dragging Poppy around by his fingers. I think his left arm is longer than his right one, now.

Instant Messaging

| Stacy

Okay – my son is having too much fun on IM.
Here is his conversation with my cousin, Cathy.
Where it says Stacy, you have to remember it is my 7 y.o. son.
What you can’t see are the emoticons he had a blast using to punctuate his comments.
I almost peed myself laughing as I read this.

Stacy says (7:43 PM):
Hello? Hello?
Cathy says (7:43 PM):
hi hiw are you
Cathy says (7:43 PM):
how
Stacy says (7:43 PM):
good.
Stacy says (7:44 PM):
it’s Snappy Wappy Stew, here.
Cathy says (7:44 PM):
hi stew
Cathy says (7:44 PM):
what are you doing todayStacy says (7:44 PM):
i’v got some guests over now
Stacy says (7:45 PM):
i’m just kidding
Cathy says (7:45 PM):
well you go hang out with your guests and i will talk to you later ok hunStacy says (7:45 PM):
i said, “I’m just kidding”
Cathy says (7:46 PM):
oh ok
Cathy says (7:46 PM):
sorry i did not see thatStacy says (7:46 PM):
La, la, la, where is my hairbrush?
Stacy says (7:46 PM):
Have you seen it?
Cathy says (7:47 PM):
no i have notStacy says (7:48 PM):
what did you have for supper?
Cathy says (7:49 PM):
ribs and potatoes
Cathy says (7:49 PM):
what did you haveStacy says (7:50 PM):
i had pasta with, oh boy, i can’t stop thinking about food, pasta with red sauce
Cathy says (7:50 PM):
that sounds really good
Stacy says (7:50 PM):
yummy

You have just sent a nudge.

Cathy says (7:51 PM):
so what are you doing tomorrowStacy says (7:52 PM):
😛
You have just sent a nudge.

Stacy says (7:53 PM):
😛 😛 😛
Stacy says (7:53 PM):
you there?
Cathy says (7:53 PM):
are you having fun with the happy facesStacy says (7:54 PM):
those are like when you lick your lips. that’s what i’m making
Cathy says (7:54 PM):
oh ok i seeStacy says (7:54 PM):
i like doing nudges
Cathy says (7:54 PM):
i see thatStacy says (7:54 PM):
do you?
Cathy says (7:54 PM):
yes
Cathy says (7:55 PM):
do you want me to send you a nudge
Stacy says (7:55 PM):
sure

Cathy just sent you a nudge.

Stacy says (7:55 PM):
😉

Stacy says (7:56 PM):
what are ribs?
Stacy says (7:56 PM):
are they like shrimp?
Cathy says (7:56 PM):
its pork on bonesStacy says (7:56 PM):
oh, i get it
Cathy says (7:57 PM):
yeahStacy says (7:57 PM):
what’s your favorite color
Cathy says (7:57 PM):
green whats yoursStacy says (7:58 PM):
purple, orange, and that’s it!
Cathy says (7:58 PM):
thats good
Cathy says (7:58 PM):
i like those colours too
Cathy says (7:58 PM):
by the way in canada we spell colour that wayStacy says (7:59 PM):
Okay.
Stacy says (7:59 PM):
bye! I gotta go give my self a shower
Cathy says (7:59 PM):
love you
Stacy says (7:59 PM):
we talk tomorrow?
Stacy says (8:00 PM):
[emoticon with hand waving hello]
Cathy says (8:00 PM):
yes we can hun love youStacy says (8:00 PM):
😀

Sesame Place

| Stacy

Sesame Place was a blast. The LORD blessed us with just amazing weather. After the cold, rainy May we had it was such a treat to be so hot!

The park was a zoo on Sunday, as it was Passport Members Bring a Friend Day and western NYer’s suck-it-up-and-make-the-best-of-it day.

Beau loved the rides and the waterslides, trying out a few new ones. He found that he had aged out of a few attractions, but he handled both that and the food restrictions with grace and maturity. He was outstanding on our trip and recieved great praise from us. And some fancy markers. 😉 He squeezed in a few last times through the 7 and under attractions, knowing it was his last time.

Champ had a super time, as well. He loved the rides and tried a few new waterslides. He enjoyed being 5 and his last year on a number of attractions. Five is really a perfect age for the park. Old enough for everything, but young enough for everything, too. He ate like a Champ, too!!!

Skeezix didn’t like the rides as much as we thought she would. She got scared a bit, and didn’t love the waterslides, either. But she did have a lot of fun, and loved the water attractions. She and Champ both got picked to be Elmo Dancers, and she was so cute! She was NOT so great in the car, but man can her smile light up a room! ♥

Angel hated the rides. Even on the Carousel she wanted us to hold onto her. She did enjoy the water attractions but NOT the slides. She had NO potty accidents the entire trip. YAY! She ate more french fries this week than most people do in a year. Gag me.

Our dear friends the Skoorbs, came as well. Their little Bear and LaMB are the other adorable girls in the matching bathing suits! At any given point there were a dozen little girls in said Target bathing suits! We have good taste! 😀

Thanks for looking – and watch the video! Go to the second half for the dancing! 😉









Another week!

| Stacy

I should say, “another week of winter!!!” Boy it has been cold. We did enjoy a mild day on Tuesday, thankfully, as Beau and I went to a 5½ hour field trip on the Underground Railroad conducted in the city. It was a wonderfully educating trip. It was mostly over his head, but he behaved respectfully and I loved it. Here is Beau and his buddy, Frederick Douglass.

My newpasttime is watching groundhogs. I spend a lot of time at the kitchen sink or at the school table in the dining room. Both settings afford a wonderful view of the backyard and the goings-on of our resident groundhogs. I am now working to get pictures of the happy, GROWING family. Harvey, Helen and the kids are reluctant to have me capture their images. I will get back to you. Just call me Dian Fossey. Or not.

Champ’s doing fantastic with reading. His sentences this week included silent letters, “The dumb lamb knows how to climb in my lap and nestle.” He thinks it is a bit odd to have so many silent letters. Um, yeah, so do I!

Skeezix is a trip. She offered to “put the wrappers on [sic] Angel’s shoes.” She meant if I put the shoe on, she’d do the velcro straps.

I forgot to share this photo from Mother’s Day. After a fun craft of tracing hands during Sunday School, she decided to replicate the project… on my dining room chair. This is her saying, “Not me.”

And Angel. Funny little kid. Champ is trying to teach her animal sounds. *sigh* They all sound so much alike!

While we went to the Underground Railroad, the kids hung out at our friends’ house. Afterward we all hung there for dinner. Angel and her fried Bear went for a stroll.
And Champ, not aware of his own strength, bumped into Skeezix, and well…