Category: Family news/Updates

Well it seems that Michigan finally remembered that it was summer and the weather jumped back up into the high 80s and low 90s.  This following over two weeks of rainy, cold weather marked with some nasty thunderstorms and hail.

In nino news, we brought up Ajax’s small bike without training wheels as he finally decided he wanted to give it a try and the kid just jumped on it and zoomed away.  Dave and I just stood there in shock.  I had been having visions of a bending over holding the seat of the bike as we looped around and around the cul-de-sac.  Ajax was so proud of himself and Dave and I heaped on the praise!  Even Noomi clapped, though she didn’t really know why.

So this weekend we were all about the bikes.  We swam and then went biking.  On Sunday after dinner we all went for one last ride.  Dave and Ajax on bikes ahead with Noomi on her tricycle with me walking next to her.  Noomi did wonderful on her ride, though every time we passed a piece of trash, she panicked and cried out – Oh no!  And would stop her bike and try to retrieve the item.  She waved at every passing car and kept yelling at Dave and Ajax to wait up (I’m not really sure what she was trying to convey, maybe it was just a happy Daddy!)

We also put up some treats from our garden – some tomatoes in the freezer (the deer keep getting into the raised beds), cucumbers, and Ajax and I made our own bread/butter pickles which need a few days before we can eat them.  We also froze some green beans and corn. Love summer

Oh! One last thing – we also ran to Target and Ajax picked out some stuff for school.  Now, both Dave and I picked out a very practical backpack.  It was Swiss Gear and seemed very well made.  It was grey.  Ajax picked out a flashy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle backpack complete with a matching lunchbox with little reflectors.  The thing does not look well made and will probably fall apart by November.  It was however what our son wanted and so it is the one he walked out of the store with.  He was so happy, lol.

 

Our family wants a dog pretty bad, this is no secret and we routinely debate the type of dog we shall get when we buy our home.  Ajax and I are on board with a standard poodle, while Dave is holding strong to the German Shepard.  I love GSDs, but I do not love the hair.   So we will have to see, heck we may end up with a mutt, we really don’t care.

Today we had family over for a BBQ, which involved swimming, cooking out, and awesome food.  It also involved the neighbor’s little dog who spent a good part of the day with us on our back porch.  The kids loved it and chased him all around the deck trying to pet him.  The dog primarily wanted the steak we were cooking, but we can’t blame him for that.

Noomi also has a stuffed Snoopy doll, which Ajax got her last year.  He’s a mighty good big brother.  She’s been carrying it all around the house and insisted on sleeping with it tonight. She does not call it Snoopy, she calls it – My woof.  Actually it’s quite common for her to refer to things by the sound they make – woof (dog), neigh (horse), and roar (bear).    She’s been walking around saying – my woof, my woof.  I have not corrected it much, because it’s so darn cute.

 

Heavens where to begin!   Life has been bananas around here lately with work, kids, and more work.

A while back I was in Boston for work and both my parents and Dave’s parents were kind enough to help us out with the kiddos as we pulled them from daycare for the entire week.  The kids had a blast with their grandparents and enjoyed spending time up north.  Ajax is in a new summer camp program through his elementary school, as we thought it would be nice to get him into the routine of going to the school in the morning and meeting other kids who would be in his class.  So far he has absolutely loved it.  He went to Potter Park zoo, he took an Amtrack train ride to Battle Creek, and he saw a magician at the library.  Each week they have a new theme and field trip.  Ajax thinks that’s pretty awesome.  Noomi is still at Kindercare and still enjoying it.   We’ll keep her there another year until she too can transition over to the school district pre school program, so that both kids are at the same place.

Dave is now driving into Dearborn again, as he leg strong enough to drive long distances.  He’s doing very well and will have one more surgery in August to remove the longest screw from his leg.

This is obviously the Fourth of July weekend, and our holiday started on Thursday as I had the day off.  I took both kids to my work to visit, then we went to a dozen stores getting things for Noomi’s party, then we played at McDonald’s for over an hour, then we went visiting a friend with a new baby.  At our friends, Ajax worked outside with some neighbor boys who were doing yard work and Noomi played inside with her baby.  She was not terribly interested in the real baby, which I thought was funny.

On the Fourth of July we were home, we did yard work, played and generally bummed around, getting ready for next weekend.  We tried to go swimming but Ajax got bite by a black fly and insisted on getting out of the pool and going into the house.  So we ended up having an early dinner, roasting marshmallows, and playing with the neighbor kids.  So there you go.

Now that we have a pool the kids want to be in it all the time.  When they aren’t in the pool they want to know why they aren’t in the pool.  And they cannot possibly understand why we don’t just live in the pool.  In the morning Ajax still races to the window to check on the pool and declares to the family that it is still in fact sitting in our backyard.  He was a bit concerned the first night that deer would get into it.

Ajax keeps telling us that he knows how to swim and likes to dive under water.  He can’t actually do these things and we keep reminding him that he can’t swim.   We are trying to work with him and I think by the end of summer he’ll be doggy paddling like a pro.

Noomi also likes the pool, but since she can’t touch the bottom she has to be held and that annoys her a bit.  I think she still likes the water table better at this time.

In roundabout news, Ajax is doing great with his T ball.  He has three more games and has had a ton of fun playing.   This is also his last week at Kindercare and has a pre-K graduation this Friday.  He starts summer camp next week, which is through the Williamston school system.  I always wanted to go to summer camp and was always jealous of my friends who attended Camp Dearborn, so I’m excited to send Ajax to camp.  He’ll get to take field trips to the zoo, ride the Amtrack train to Battle Creek, go to the splash pad at Hawk Island, and a bunch of other fun things.

Noomi’s favorite words right now are – NO.  Mine. No.  She’s also got quite the funny temper.  While eating dinner the other night she angrily tried to throw her napkin to the ground. Well, the darn thing, being paper simply lightly floated to the ground, which was not the desired effect Noomi was going for. So in response, she picked up her bowl and threw it across the table.  She then appeared more satisfied with herself.  She always watches and copies Ajax constantly.  Whatever he does, she does.  Kids.

 

 

We now live in Mayberry, otherwise known as Small Town USA and we love it.  We’ve worked long and hard to find our perfect small town and we are enjoying it greatly.

For example, here was our day today – we got up and had breakfast, then we went to the farmers market in town, which was so cute.  The kids then played at the park and we got snow cones. Then we walked up to the local hardware store to get a new spark plug for the lawn mower.   When we got home we did lunch and naps and then worked out in the yard.  We then went swimming before dinner.   What a wonderful day.  Before bed Ajax helped me water the garden and he put his gator away in the garage and explained that he still had a lot of work to do.

What a wonderful weekend.

Well, Ajax had his first T Ball game tonight. I was able to leave work a bit early so that we weren’t rushed.  We swung by the house and picked up Dave and then headed to the fields.  Ajax looked pretty cool in his uniform and was very excited but reserved for his first game.  Noomi was very excited about the game and kept pointing to all the kids and so wanted to run after the ball every time it zipped by.  Luckily Noomi was content eating all the various snacks we brought and playing with the water bottle.

Watching five year olds play T Ball is pretty entertaining.  Everyone is yelling instructions and encouragement and the kids are totally oblivious to what they should be doing.  At one point Ajax was playing first base and the ball landed on his foot, so he just stared at it.  The coach kept yelling pick it up Ajax, pick it up!  When he picked it up he just looked at, like, now what?  Mid way through the game Ajax had to use the restroom, which was a long hike across the fields (about the length of a football field).  After he peed and we were 1/2 way back to the game, he announced he had to use the bathroom again, number 2.  Needless to say he was out of the game for a while and by the time we got back he had to hustle out onto the field to take up the short stop position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past weekend we also went to a graduation party up north for one of my cousin’s daughters.  The kids had so much fun running all over the place.  My grandpa Nader was also there, which was wonderful!