A Rainbow Walk - Orange

It's been a long while since our first Rainbow Walk, but today we finally got out to look for the second color of the rainbow--orange. We went on a similar route today, and found some interesting orange things...take a look!

We started with Benjamin's orange crocs

Here's a view from the top!

Then we found the numbers on the electrical box...

and the neighbor's beautiful flowers.

This piece of litter was hiding in the pine needles on the side of the road.

This is someone's rusty old burn barrel.

Benjamin spied this reflector on someone's camper...

and these block things that were holding up one end of another camper.

Orange lights on someone's truck...probably a volunteer firefighter!

More orange electrical numbers!

An orange-ish artificial flower that probably blew away from the cemetery at some point!

More trash that both boys...

had to model for me!

At the end of our journey was our neighbor's orange neon...love that color!

Stay tuned for the next installment of our Rainbow Walk, hopefully sooner rather than later. We already saw a lot of yellow out there and are ready to go snap some photos soon!

I am Blessed

It is almost 1 a.m. on Saturday morning. I must get up and lead a VBS meeting at church in the morning. But I just finished reading a book that reminded me to cherish every moment God gives me with my children, so I did something some would think was quite stupid--I woke up my baby boy and held him for a few moments. He is getting so big, and life is so busy and crazy, and I just want it to slow down so I can cherish the moments I have with him and his brothers. He was so snuggly in his half awake/half asleep state...so unlike his usual go-at-100-miles-per-hour self when he's fully awake. Hug your babies while you still can--while they still let you. They grow up way too fast. I am blessed.

Boys

I never imagined myself as the mother of four boys. In fact, if you were to ask my parents or sisters, they probably never imagined me as the mother of four boys, either. I don't particularly like to get dirty, I hate bugs, and definitely am a hotel vs. tent kind of person. I never fished a day in my life before marrying my husband, and my idea of fun is shopping with a good friend.

But, God has a sense of humor, and I am now a mother of four boys. My sons keep me on my toes all the time, but every now and then, a girl needs her computer time, you know? So, when mama's away (or in this case, sending e-mails), the boys will play...and today, this was the result:

At least they are adorable covered in mud or not! I love my boys!

Summer Creativity

Heard at our house yesterday:

Benjamin (in kitchen at art easel): "Yessss! Yessss!"

Mom and Sabastian exchange quizzical looks in the living room.

Mom: "What are you 'yesssing'?"

Benjamin: "I drawed the Axiom!" (Note to those who have never seen the movie WALL-E...the Axiom is the spaceship in the movie where WALL-E follows EVE and saves the day for humankind...you must see the movie...)

Mom and Sabastian walk to the kitchen and look at the conglomeration of color and share an amused look over Benjamin's head.

Benjamin (with a huge grin): "I'm an artist now!"

Mom (with a smile): "Yes you are, Buddy!"

-----

As a Mom, I love to see my 4-year old being so creative. My older boys were adopted out of foster care. I missed out on participating in their more formative years, and, probably due to the circumstances in which they lived during those years, they rarely engaged in imaginative or creative play when they became a part of our family at the ages of 4 and 6. It's so refreshing to see our younger two boys developing their imaginations and creativity, and their sense of self-accomplishment. I know you are dying to see Benjamin's painting, so here it is:

Notice the brown line weaving around the other colors? That is the "footprint" (tread) that WALL-E left when he roamed around the Axiom trying to find EVE. (Again, you must see the movie!)

----

We have made several trips to the library in the past week and a half. Jonathan, our 14 year old, has polished off two thick books already, and Sabastian, our 11 year old, is plowing through the Left Behind series for kids. Even I have gotten into the action...I've completed four novels for young adults thus far...maybe I'll post about them at a later date. In addition to books, our local library has a nice selection of jigsaw puzzles. Sabastian really enjoys putting puzzles together, so he also checked out a puzzle last week. He completed it last night. Here it is:

I'm looking forward to what other kind of creative fun my kids can find this summer...I'm especially excited that both Benjamin and Sabastian will be participating in Summer Art Camps at HATCH with my dear friend Beth. If you are in the Lancaster area, be sure to check out the schedule on her website...I know your kids will have fun and learn a lot!

The Fishers Go Fishing!

It FINALLY was a beautiful, non-rainy day today, so we took advantage of it and went fishing! We went to Memorial Lake State Park which is right next to Fort Indiantown Gap, where we could hear the war games going on (Dave knew what made each of the loud BOOMS we heard!) Dave and the boys love to fish, but I hadn't been since before Benjamin was born...it was just too difficult with a baby around. We made sure that Nathaniel had a new truck to play with so he wouldn't feel left out, as Benjamin was going to fish for the first time with his new fishing rod. And wouldn't you know it...the only one to catch a fish was Benjamin--and he caught two! (He had a little help from Daddy, but decided he was, "really good at fishing!".) It was a nice way to spend a gorgeous afternoon!

Here is Benjamin with his first catch...a baby bass.

Then he moved up to big brother bass.

Another view...check out the cool tinted glasses...maybe they helped!

Yes, I did fish, but not for long with this one running around!

Dave, ever the pensive fisherman...

Benjamin was content with his catch and decided to play in the water instead.

Sabastian posing NICELY for the camera...

and Jonathan posing NOT so nicely for the camera...what a typical 14-year old!

Like Father (and Mother!), Like Son

At Benjamin's 4 year old well child visit, he failed his first ever vision test. This was back in March. This week we finally made it to an eye doctor, who, after a very thorough, two hour visit, diagnosed Benjamin with an astigmatism (like his Mom!) and prescribed glasses. Here is our little trooper today with his handsome new look...

He was so funny when he first put them on today--he was looking all around and commenting on everything he saw, and he would look down at the carpet and say that it looked like he was going to fall off a cliff! The staff (and other patients!) at the eye doctor's got quite a kick out of him! He adjusted really quickly, though, and never complained of a headache or anything. Apparently he has quite a strong prescription--the lady who made his glasses even commented on it!

Here he is looking quite pensive, but so grown up...my little guy isn't so little anymore!