Predictable life in Prosser

MONDAY

Monday was my first day with just Bryson because Brinn stayed home on Friday. So boy did we live it up! The name of the game is: everything is funner with Bryson! After dropping the kids off at school... p.s. Thanks to Brinn, Bryson came with us. We were all loaded in the car in a little bit of hysterics to get out of here on time, and I am in reverse about to let my foot off the gas and Brinn says "So... are we just going to leave Bryson here?" -oh shoot!
So anyway, after dropping off the kids at school we cuddled in the lazy boy reading books and waking up. We got Bryson dressed and he played while I showered and got ready. Then it was time to play! We walked down the gravel road to get the mail, played with bubbles on the front porch, and danced to Bryson's birthday mix CD from Brinn. By then it was lunch and Ramen was it. I haven't cooked Ramen for a little somebody for a long time. Here we are blowing on his Ramen together.

After a nap we picked up the kids from school. Brinn had history club and Kate stayed to play with a friend, so it was just me and the boys for a bit. We celebrated by watching Looney Tunes. Oh my, it has been forever. I forgot how hilarious these are, I was ing up and glued just as much as the boys...in between blogging of course.

The s came home and we had dinner and cleaned up. It was so interesting, when I first came I went into autocleaning mode which switches on in my brain when I am taking care of other kids and houses. I am used to doing it all because I usually take care of little kids who are still learning how to lean up afterthemselves. The light went on when Brinn said "wow Mere, you do a lot of jobs." Oh yeah, these kids know how to clean up after themselves and do their jobs. It took me a day or so of fighting my tendency to do all the work and realizing that part of loving these kids is reminding them to do their jobs... and that I can maintain my status as a cool aunt. I am now a seasoned pro, dont you worry, these kids are workin'.... minus the morning bedmaking, that comes and goes. I decided that can be the housework vacation job. However, Kate is a bedmaking genius, every morning.

Anyway, so we are doing jobs and McKay was on dishes that night and I got to sneak in a little conversation. He cooly responded that he was ready for his parents to come home when I asked him how he was doing with them gone. The kids are being so good and we haven't had any major emotional breakdowns, but I can tell that they miss their parents and are ready for them to come home. This week has been pretty chill compared to last week with Rose. I don't know how she did all that stuff. The daily do's pretty much fill my days here, but it has been nice to just chill out and know the kids in their regular daily routine.

So after cleaning up we had FHE and it was like clockwork. Kate did the lesson on gratitude and we played a gratitude game while we ate apples and that yummy yummy toffee, cream cheese dip. MMMmmm. McKay won inbetween playing on his Touch, he was the first one to reach "The Land of Joy!" Then regular bedtime routine, however Bryson was up til 11:30 just wide awake... no more 3:00 naps for him.

TUESDAY

Tuesday morning Rach called and it was so good to talk to her! She and Joe are ready to come home and all is well. They are bring home lots of German Chocolate!

Bryson and I went to the park this morning, here are some pictures from our adventures together.

His shoe of choice "Kate's strawberry shoes"

Sailing away to Germany!

I am thinking of hiring Bryson as my resident photog, not bad, huh?

Love the small town lingo, even the balloon fest was advertised as beginning at dusk.

Lunch at the park. All the essentials, string cheese, fruit juice, sandwich and chips. Bryson packed it all himself that morning. He wanted to pack his lunch like the older boys.
We had a fun time watching, chasing, waiting, and talking about all the squirrels we saw. He is chasing one as we speak.

Coordinated kid, he can even do funny faces on the swing. This is no fair weathered face maker.

This was most of our afternoon while McKay stayed and I went to pick up Riss from the airport, delinquent aunt? more so than not, but the kids liked it.

The sign we made for Riss, I am so happy to spend this time with her, what a luxury.

Tuesday night Bryson I took Brinn to her dance class at the activity center. No wonder he likes it, big screen TV with Disney channel and a big comfy couch all to hisself. And I release all responsibility for his outfit, he woke up that way from his nap.

Here is dancing Brinn, it was so fun to observe her class, especially with my newly purchased teaching glasses. And Brinn was great! I had to take a picture of her stretching her splits, pretty great for a with short hammies!