1st day 4th grade

I talked him out of his pokemon wristbands. He was so excited! When he was packing up and trying to decide what he needed he grabbed his watch that GG gave him in case the clock was busted... so he's ready.

growing fast/ family fun

They grow up so fast. One minute they are sitting up by themselves (that's right he's a sitter!) and the next they're "chillaxin" on there big boy bed listening to tunes...lazy, lounging in there pajamas at all hours of the day...
and challenging authority :)
This is "family fun night," which I am afraid has become something of a tradition. At some point I give up or change the rules because I can't peg anyone (including the four-year-old).
I know they look like easy targets, but you try it.
Camille makes a case for keeping her old flip flops which she dug out of a give away bag.

water skiing girl

Just a typical day on the lake with grandchildren harassing their elderly grandparents (see Dad, I mentioned you)This girl can ski. In all fairness, it would probably be harder to fall than to stand on this cool new ski, but none the less, we were impressed.

She would kick it out to the side to go back and forth. She just figured it out!
Good to know these things work. Even with waves he would just bob along. It helps, I'm sure, that he is naturally bouyant.
I don't want you to see this and get the impression that we spoil him- kissing him and hugging him and the like. This was a rare show of affection, and we explained to my dad that this type of thing will spoil a child... make him soft... oops!

cutie

This is for Grammy and Grandad and Nanny and Paw paw. This is what your genetics look like all mixed up together- not bad...

...but who's going to take the blame for these rolls :)

"Drama King"

I know she looks innocent, but let me give you an example of a night at our house. I was making spaghetti (I'll pause for that to register...) and Camille came to me with a picture she had drawn of a stick figure. She said it was a pic. of Knox and asked if I could write "Knox is such a drama king" to which I said "Are you mad at Knox?"

"No, I am just being funny."

"Is Knox upset about something?"

Exasperated, "No, I am just doing a funny joke!"

Did I mention that I was cooking? So, I penned the fateful words. When I called Knox to the table, he came in full on crying--like a lip quivering squeaking kind of crying--and with a tentative Camille trailing. He said that he had drawn a really good Pokemon, but when he tried to color it in, he messed it up and then he tried to draw it again and couldn't. This plus sleep deprivation is all that was necessary to insight the tears, but he said it was as he was calling out for someone to help comfort him, praying and crying (did I mention he was tired) when Camille handed him her note. He said later that he knew one of us had to have written it and thought we were all making fun of him. Upon hearing this I started to punish Camille, but she had totally lost it. She was bawling. So both kids were absolutely undone. I took Camille to talk to her, but she could only wail. Kap was able to comfort Knox and he pulled it together, but Camille was a basket case. She asked Knox to forgive her and he hugged her and that was the last thing we heard from her for the rest of dinner besides wailing- real and profuse tears. So this is some of how our meal went

Knox- "Camille, I love you. You are my favorite sister in the world"

-Wailing-

"Camille, you know what one of the best days of my life was? It was the day you were born"

-blubbering, uncontrolable crying-

"Camille you will be a lady some day like mommy. I love you. You're one of the only girls in my life"

-still inconsolable-

This lasted for about 45 min. to 1hr. Finally she got control of herself, but was still fragile. I found knox reading her one of her books. They decided to tear up the paper that Knox said "should never have been seen". They did this together, ripping it to shreads and slamming the pieces into the trash bag. These are pic.s of Knox, the accosted, comforting Camille, the despondent offender.

Meanwhile... Max loves his bath!

Look at those rolls. He likes spaghetti, by the way.