Summer school has just begun;

So much laughing, so much fun.

Won't you have some tea and crumbs

and join us in our playing?

Okay, so really, we haven't started summer school, but I couldn't resist rewriting that little "ditty" after seeing these happy smiley faces (the one in pink is our new next door neighbor).  We've been thoroughly enjoying the beautiful outdoors in this springtime weather.  We haven't fully gotten back into school since our Daddy deployed last week.  But we've got 7 months to fill, so I'm sure we'll catch up!

(if that's how you spell it)  She was Fonzy's girlfriend and loved bikes (motorcycles, but let's say bikes for this). 

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing our own "Pinky"....we found a PINK bike at Airman's Attic (that means, free) and brought it with us to visit our friends.  Pinky, who had always heavily relied on training wheels (on the few times she actually rode a bike), learned to ride the bike without training wheels in less than an hour....without any help other than trailing after her best buddy "Roo"

 Check it out!!

Well, at the moment, Hubby (who stayed home sick from church) and all our little "chickies" (who have been to church and back already, and had to be reminded to change out of their church clothes BEFORE getting BACK on the sleds)are outside working on a luge (sled run) they built in the back yard.  I will post pics later, but let me try to draw this picture for you.  We are in the city limits, neighbors to the left of us, rear of us, and empty house to the right.  Our yard is a nice size, fenced in, I'm guessing maybe 120 feet long (I totally stink at estimates though).  The yard is kind of terraced with a short, maybe 3 foot slope in the middle....not really very exciting for sledding.  Well, several years ago, visiting our parents in CT, Hubby spent 4 days making this huge, beautiful sled run (luge) with jumps in it and banked turns and all.  So, of course, the kids realize that they really need a luge in order to sled in our yard.  And so it begins!  And don't laugh, cuz Hubby takes this VERY seriously!  He'll be out there even when the "sledding team" isn't out there, in order to build and perfect this thing! (In CT he actually convinced my Dad to use his tractor with a bucket on it to bring more snow over to the luge for him!  I have documented proof!)  The luge is finally reaching a fun, usable stage (these things take time to build ya know).  For a bit, the kids would start out and then just slide off the edges, so while they sled, Hubby is continually packing in snow and shaping.  And don't think there's a whole lot of snow out there, cuz really, there's not.  I think there's 4 or 5 inches that fell last week.  So other than the sled run itself, the yard is looking pretty skimpy on snow.  And you know, packing all this snow in one place, it's gonna last longer than the rest of the snow.  This is gonna be cool!  Maybe even sledding in t-shirts on the warmer days.  Now.....if we can only shake this stupid cold, or whatever it is so that we can actually invite friends over to enjoy this thing with us (miss ya, play day buddies!!)

So, when are YOU coming to give the luge a try?? 

Remember the first time your child spoke a real word?

Remember their first steps?

Remember the first time they saw snow falling on their own home???   Yep, on Wednesday a little snow (and sleet) fell, just a few spurts off and on, but these guys were beside themselves with excitement!!  They piled on all their winter gear and headed out....by then it wasn't snowing, but they stayed out there and waited for it!  Hee hee!!  It didn't even stay on the ground, but they were so excited.  The next day we went to the base chapel to see Glenn, and being that the base is at a higher elevation (thus the name Hill), there was a little crust of snow on the ground, enough to scoop up and make a couple of snowballs!  Hee hee!!! 

  <---- Yep, there's my goofies! 

Yes, we're finally having cooler weather!!  Whew!!  I love it!!  When Glenn left for work at 6:30 this morning, it was 63 degrees.  The kids were ready to head outside at 9am, but after Daniel stepped outside, he ran back to his room and put on long pants, boots, a sweater, and a watchcap!!  THEN he wanted to put a jacket on too, but I said no to that!!  The two little kids put on t-shirts, long pants and hoodies!!  Crazy!!  And Daniel was born in Alaska in February!!  Guess we've acclimated!!

I did take this opportunity to mow the lawn.....how nice not to be pouring down sweat while I'm mowing!!  :)

Today I need to bake cakes for the annual Jajliardo "Birthday Bash" (it's easier just to have one big party for Glenn, Alycia and David~who will be 3 on the 14th)  Alycia will get a castle cake and David will have a chocolate cake iced with chocolate frosting mixed with oreo cookie crumbs and then gummy worms sticking out of it here and there.  Daddy already had his carrot cake.  We have 3 families coming over to help us celebrate, so that should be fun!!

Guess that's all for now.  Haven't done a whole lot with school this week as I was spending a LOT of time dealing with 2yo temper tantrums.....today is better and I'm thinking it may have been a "health" issue (too gross to go into detail....potty stuff)

I deleted the entries entitle "What we do in our spare time" (parts 1-3) which were pictures of Daddy and kids having a huge water fight in the back yard.  The pictures were not coming through right.  Sorry!  They're really cute too!  email me if you want to see them!  Hee hee!

Glenn had the day off today, so he and I slept in (until 8am, rather than 5:15).  I woke to the sounds of little voices in the kitchen, so I laid there listening.  I could tell that they were cleaning the kitchen and Daniel was trying to keep David quiet and happy.  It was so nice to hear them interacting in such a kind way.  When I got up, Daniel wanted me to go back to bed so he could finish, (but NOTHING must stand between Glenn and the coffee pot) but he finally let us come in the kitchen.  He had cleared off the table and one counter.  I just love that his heart was so intent on blessing someone else (okay, it was extra nice that it was me, but just nice seeing a servant's heart in him). 

I've spent the day baking goods to take to the Farmer's Market on Saturday.  Daniel is making chocolate covered bananas to take and sell too.  That's an early morning for him, but he's very excited about doing it.  My "little boy" is growing up!!  Can't believe it's only been 9 years!  I truly thank God for him, as well as his little sister and brother!