Always Makes Me Laugh

Around bedtime, Michael gets crazier than usual. He just runs around like a drunken college kid, flopping himself all over the place. Unlike David, who used to sit still for a dozen books at bedtime, Michael needs to be doing at least one other thing during story time. Tonight, he was playing with his trains, his all-time favorite thing to do. All of a sudden, he threw himself on the trains and started hugging them saying, "I love these toys! I love these toys!" Then, he picked up one of the trains and put it up to his ear and said, "Hello? Is anybody home? Is anybody home?" So silly, my Michael ;) 10 minutes later, he was fast asleep in his bed...

Pickin' Up Chicks

I took the boys to McKennan Park to see a kids' opera today. After the performance, we went to play on the plaground and in the supervised play area. I swear, I turned my back on them for 5 seconds and when I found them again, they had both picked up some cute girls - David found 5 year old Elizabeth, and Michael, in a whole separate part of the park had found 3 year old, Hannah, who ironically is Elizabeth's sister ;)

Singin' the Blues

Last weekend, we took the boys to the Sioux Falls Jazz Fest. It was a hot hot day salvaged only by the strong breeze that always seems to sweep across the plains around here. The festival includes not only jazz musicians, but also blues artists too. Everytime I hear the blues, I am reminded that I dig that stuff ;) We saw a family group perform: a seventeen year old kid from Mississippi and his two younger sibs...and they rocked! They made their own guitars out of car mufflers (see the pic or watch them on this link).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujf6zeo3D2k

We've been to lots of festivals in our short time here in Sioux Falls, and being the kid-friendly town that it is, there is usually some sort of Kids' Tent to entertain the little ones. For the most part, these Kids' Tents are pretty much the same: inflatable play areas, face painting, balloon animals, etc. But the Jazz Fest gets the prize for best Kids' Tent. David and Michael made their own rainmaker instruments, guitars, and harmonicas. They heard a musical performance and learned about the blues (syncopation, chords, soloing, etc) while playing in their very own Blues Band. The picture shows David performing his solo. He was really into it ;)

Of course, even with all the fun things that there were for the kids to do, Michael was most amused by the water fountain and jugs ;)

My Picasso

David's art work is getting pretty darn good these days...Notice a cat with sharp teeth, a mouse, and a house with a Christmas tree. All recognizable ;)

Wax On, Wax Off

Yes, we did see the new Karate Kid. And ya, it was decent. But that is not what this post is all about ;) We visited the Japanese Gardens in Sioux Falls the other day! There is a nearby park called Terrace Park with, well, yes, a terraced hill at the bottom of which is an outdoor theater. David directed us in a family version of Cinderella. We strolled up the hill to a playground where we played for a bit before eating our picnic lunch and heading down to the Japanese Gardens. The highlight for both kids was feeding the lake fish bits of their leftover pizza crust.

Swagger Wagon

This is our new car. This is my life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4

Dinner Conversation

At dinner tonight, we said our prayers and David said, "I think somebody else heard our prayer." "Who?" I said, "God?" "Yep," David said. At which point Michael put his hands up and asked the Question of the Day, "Who is God?" "God is who made all of us, Michael. He made you and me and David and Daddy." "And Mamma and Pappa," added David, "and Mamo and Papo and Liz and Chris and Bill and Lindsay and Anthony and Jeremy and Cousin Michael and Angelica and Aunt Shannon and Aunt Laura and Uncle Steve and Aunt Gina and Uncle Pete." "And he made the trees and the plants and the animals," I said. "Did he make the beavers, too?" asked David. "Yes, he did, David." "Did he make any places?" "Yes, he did. He made the waterfalls of Sioux Falls." "That's very big. How did he do that?" "He's omnipotent, David." "Ya, I know he is, Mom." (We've had this part of the talk before ;) Again, Michael puts up his hand and blurts out yet another Million Dollar Question, "Where is God?" "Up in heaven," David said, pointing up to the ceiling. Michael looked up suspiciously. "Above the sky," I agreed. "Where does the sky end?" asked David. "Where heaven begins," I replied. (Is that called begging the question??) "I bet God sleeps on a cloud," said David. "I bet he does, David. All the angels too." Michael points up to a few random spots in the sky and says "There's an angel. There's an angel." (Don't you kind of wonder what he really sees up there, if anything??) I told David and Michael that my grandparents were angels in heaven. David asked their names. "Leona, Aurora, Peter, and Michael," I answered. "Hi Aurora," Michael said and waved heavenward. (I hope you heard that shout out, Grandma. I know you had 6 boys yourself, but I wonder if you've ever seen the likes of my Michael. Who, by the way, said the entire Our Father last night at dinner!) David said that he was going to be one of the fast kind of angels. Then he changed the subject on us: "I like lots of girl things." "Like what, David?" "Fairies and girls. That's all I can think of." "I like trucks," Michael asserted, just to make sure there was no doubt where he stood on the girls stuff vs boys stuff dilemma. Michael wasn't quite done with the theological part of our discussion. "Where's Jesus?" he asked. "In heaven with God" I said. (I'll save The Holy Trinity for another dinner discussion ;) "Riiiiiiight there, " said Michael and pointed up to the ceiling. The boys continued wolfing down their Kraft macaroni and cheese and pears. We ate in relative silence for awhile (wherever Michael is, there's always some noise: "Drum!!!" as he bangs his fork against his empty plate, slurping as he attempts to drink his yogurt, yelling "PLLLEEEEEEAAASSSSSE" when I ask him to use his manners.) Suddenly, Michael broke into his own rendition of The Beach Boys "Barbara Ann." And just like that our profound (and very cute) dinner conversation was over.

In other news, we have two showings scheduled at our condo this week. Yahoo!