Summer

Conversations

Fin: "There's no clouds today."

Parker: "Dats cause the sun came out and sunburned vem away"

Fin: "Yeah, the sun burns them away."

Parker: "The clouds should wear some sun scream"

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Looking at a picture of hot air balloons that have lined up in a shape like a question mark, Parker laughs and says, "Hahahahah! The balloons are making a mystery!"

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In the spa, Fin has worked up the courage to "jump" into the middle (in reality its more like a dramatic step, but any little sign of progress in the quest towards actual swimming is awesome)

"Watch this Nanny, you're going to be SO impressed"

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Calm Down from The Family Wright on Vimeo.

Best Friends

When I was talking with my friend about what kind of cat we were looking for I told her that we didn't care if it was a "kitten" but we did want a young cat, because we were hoping that he would be THE cat our kids grow up with. Josh and I both had cats in our childhoods that we loved dearly (Josh even has a tattoo commemorating his Quasimodo). We wanted a cat who wouldn't be scared of the noise and chaos that comes with young kids, who wouldn't freak out if they got in his face or tried to pick him up. And Carrots has been everything we hoped for. Its rare to find a cat so utterly enamored with kids. He's sleeping on Fin's chest just like the picture above as I type this, exhausted from playing with Fin and his feather toy. This morning I went to "rescue" him from Parker, as she had spent the whole morning picking him up and transporting him from room to room. I swear she didn't put him down for a good ten minutes straight. I went to grab him and set him free, but was surprised when I picked him up to find him purring. He was perfectly happy being toted around like a baby. The other day I ran into their room, panicked because they were screaming for me at the top of their lungs. I sighed to find out they only wanted me to see Carrots had learned how to climb up the ladder of the bunk bed to join them up top. Fin is constantly barking at me to "GET THE CAMERA AND COME SEE WHAT CARROTS IS DOING!!" He's just mischievous enough to keep the kids, and us, thoroughly entertained without driving me totally nuts by destroying things. I think we'll keep him ;)

This Week We Were...

Violinists

Paleontologists

Contortionists

Mechanics

Pteranodon Party!!

The kids have always been very specific about what type of party they want. Especially now that they are older. This year Parker decided early on that she would like, "a pteranodon party, wid pteranodon masks, pteranodon wings, pteranodon nest and pteranodon eggs." While trying to explain this "theme" to most people, the first question was always, "What's a pteranodon??" and then I'd have to explain its the more scientifically correct way of calling the dinosaur we normally think of as a pterodactyl, that Parker loves to pretend she's one, sitting on a nest, hatching her eggs. My Nana came up with the brilliant idea to use a kiddy pool for the nest, we already had the egg pillows from Easter. My sister Jessi was talking one day about a pattern she saw for a hooded towel, and I came up with the idea to add a "beak" and some eyeballs and voila! Pteranodon costumes (as a substitute for the requested mask). Daddy made some coloring books from a free online coloring site, we dipped some marsmallows, made a cake and called it a day. Parker was in heaven with all her friends dressed up like baby pteranodons and I was happy to see the other kids really enjoyed their costumes too. :)

Conversations

Parker asked me about the cement truck next to us in the car. I said that they pour the cement out of the chute and thats how they make sidewalks. Fin chimes in, "Actually Mom, they have to build a wood frame first, then they pour in the cement, let it dry and then take the wood off. That's how they make a sidewalk."