I've given up my fashion snobbery when it comes to the boys clothes, actually purchasing and tolerating them wearing shirts with super-heroes, shoes with lights and jogging pants. Shudder.
And my preference for boys hair leans to the high and tight side, which made it difficult to allow Elijah to grow his Justin Bieber locks. But I did.
Yesterday he came to me and asked if I would cut his hair short. I was JUMPING FOR JOY inside but kept a slightly disinterested look on my face and said, "Sure I guess." I was afraid he might change his mind if he knew it was the highlight of my day. (Surely something couldn't be good if your mom likes it that much.)
He can't flip his hair now and he's had to put up with me repeatedly telling him how handsome he looks.
It takes so little to make me happy.
The kids have been getting up early and getting most of their school work done while I'm walking in the morning.
And that's fine with me. More than fine.
It gives us time to do the good stuff - like looking for caves and exploring old church ruins.
This picture is unbelievable. The two brothers wearing these self selected matching new shoes have NEVER been buddies. As a matter of fact their previous relationship could be characterized as simmering hostility.
So no one was more shocked than I was when they went arm in arm through the shoe store and picked their new matching shoes together. The kind of thing you would do with your best buddy.
And to what do I attribute this new liaison? I can only guess that this being their first year homeschooling together has worked some magic. They are together all day - learning together, playing together and just maybe becoming friends.
My daughter lives right (I mean our yards touch and there's a path worn between) next door. Her five kids and my kids, who are the same ages and best friends (yes that would be their aunts and uncles) want to have sleepovers every single night. Kirsten and I have valiantly tried to put some sanity into the requests with "one a week" or "not if you act crabby" rules, but it all seems to get out of control. And because they're soon moving to Florida it gets harder and harder to say no. Kirsten's kids most often want to sleep here as she feeds them healthy (boring/disgusting) cereal and I buy cereal according to their color. Fruity Pebbles pleases everyone and Lucky Charms is off the charts pretty.
And of course, no one sleeps until the next day when they quietly slip away for a short nap.
I'm going to miss all this.
Waking up this morning to the sound of waves crashing. Watching the kids running up and down the beach - swimming, digging.
Peaceful and happy.
And nobody loves it more than Elijah with his half a conch shell treasure.
James is infamous for coming up with contests and today's was exceptionally amusing.
At dinner, he told Elijah that he would give him $10 if he would eat a giant red raw onion slice.
Who would turn that down?
So Elijah agreed and took his first bite. It was bad. (I think he threw up in his mouth a little.) Real bad, but he muscled through. VICTORY!
And the prize was worth it - straight into his savings for an air soft gun.
