Peaches, Mud, Horns and Corn Dogs

As summer winds down slowly, we are relishing the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the fresh (however hot) air and all our yard has to offer. Amidst the busyness of summer my roses have been sorely neglected so McGee and I went outside to give them some TLC while Miss Em took her (short) morning nap. We also had many small peaches to pick up off the ground and the Geraniums needed a drink of water - these were the two jobs assigned to McGee as I think pruning shears are still a no-no for 3 year olds. McGee was excited to help mommy and dressed himself ready to work - from his scarf from Auntie Michelle down to his new favorite red boots. I'm not sure he understands that fleece scarfs and rain boots aren't necessary in August, but they are fun.


Watering is his favorite job and we can often find him in the backyard turning on the hose to "wash the tractor/bike/lawnmower" or fill up a spray bottle or squirt gun or two.

He found himself muddy after some splatter from the strong stream of the hose, but that just meant more fun as he washed it off.

After Miss Em woke up, our little sunshine girl and her brother had fun exploring in the kitchen cabinet and found old sippy cup lids, plastic travel cutlery, and my breast pump containers. It was this last find that McGee enjoyed turning into a horn and going around the house blowing into it saying, "Honk, Honk!". He tried to get me to take a turn but I politely declined. It was just more fun watching both of them and capturing it with my camera (I've used a different way of uploading the photos & you can click on any of them to see them more clearly). The pictures of Em I love because it shows thoses chubs we call legs that I absolutely ADORE!

The morning ended with more fun in the sandbox and washing McGee's John Deere quad in the backyard before a delicious lunch of leftover pasta, rice, sauteed zucchini and steak. A fun, bubble-blowing filled bath followed (Miss Em tried so hard to blow bubbles like her big brother did) and then it was nap time. Awww...nap time...it used to be so easy, but now McGee fights it somedays. Today was one of those days. Fortunately he eventually went down and when he woke up he went with Papa, Daddy, Uncle Matt and Brady to the State Fair. They had a blast!

When McGee and Daddy arrived home around 9:00 pm tonight I heard the door open and then his little feet running through the house and down the hall until he found me. He ran in, gave me a big hug and said, "Mommy did you miss me?" I said, "Yes, of course I missed you." He said, "Oh good, because I really missed you too!" then he snuggled in for a big close bear hug. Could life be ANY better than this? Later he told me about a ride he went on:

McGee: "We saw the cows and then there was this teeny, tiny little boy and I made him SOOOO happy because I went on Sarge with him and I made him REALLY happy because I went on Sarge with him!" Daddy later explained there was a car ride and that McGee went on it (with us $4 lighter in the wallet I might add) and rode on a car that looked like a jeep (Sarge is the Army jeep in the movie "Cars"). McGee did ride with another boy, but Daddy remembers him as being taller than McGee. I love the perspective of children - maybe this boy just seemed younger and McGee therefore believed him to be "teeny, tiny". On a side note: after attending two fairs this summer (post still to come on the first fair), they cost of attending is just outrageous! I'm glad we don't have teenagers yet wanting to go on lots of rides, fortunately McGee is happy with just riding the shuttle buses, seeing the animals and exhibits and eating typical fair food of corndogs and ice cream. :) A truly fun day!