my etc., photos

obviously I'm a picture taking fanatic.  I've got a gazillion pictures from the last few weeks that are dying to be blogged- but don't need posts of their own.  Or maybe it's that I'm too lazy to give them posts of their own.  So here goes...

Dress like a book character day at school.   Zeb went as a pirate- from one of our silliest books...

"Pirates Don't Change Diapers".   If only I could be a pirate for the day, huh?  Metta is a pooping machine.

 She is also a clothes horse.  I heard all of these stories about how girls are SO different from boys- and I have to say I didn't believe a lot of it.  And while I am still a strong believer in the fact that girls are just as happy playing with boy toys (metta loves race cars and trains- and still hasn't attached herself to any dolls yet) I can't believe this girl's ABSOLUTE LOVE of clothes.  She finds ANY article of clothing left out and drapes it around her head or neck.  She is especially fond of silky or soft or fluffy fabrics.  Here she has on THREE tops.  She brought them to me and begged and squealed until I put them on her.  She loves getting dressed in the morning into new clothes.  and to bed- she now REFUSES footy pj's - she has one silky nightgown that she is obsessed with.  She also adores shoes.

 we went to the dentist today for Zeb and Ike's check ups but Dr. Kondas was pretty impressed with Metta's chompers as well.  Her current favorite food is cashews.

 and  here's her most common facial expression as of late.  The ladies at the kidzone (the gym childcare) told me she's a little dramatic.  I think that means she screams a lot when she wants something.

we have a huge exodus of great families leaving our ward (church congregation) this summer- and we had a giant farewell barbecue to say goodbye.  It was so much fun with fabulous weather.

we roasted marshmallows. 

 and burned them, too.

These pictures of Ike kill me  He's so so funny and crazy. definitely the family goofball.  and his pal ava is just as funny.

 zeb and one his best pals, ethan.

 I sure love ohioans.

our boys love fires.   I do, too.  Kent as well.   We're lucky we've never burned anything down!

 Metta really loves chairs.  She had to try out almost every single one that evening.  If you look closely enough you can see some battle wounds below her eye from an unsuccessful chair sitting.  Face first onto the sidewalk.  She screamed like the dickens.

I think it was already 9 PM at this point.  Metta was so tired but couldn't stop playing.

I've got more pics- but they'll have to wait.