Laughapalooza

I can't help but smile.

Painters with Attitude (NOT Aptitude)

You can tell summer is coming to an end when we have completely run out of things to do. I have been trying to keep the kids busy doing this and that so that we all don't go crazy before school starts.
This week: arts and crafts.

This is the first time we have gotten the Play Doh out since the 'Great Play Doh debacle of '08'. For those of you who missed that because I did not have the forethought to take a picture, here is the cliff notes version. One tiny (think halloween size) container of blue play doh, a sippy cup with the lid not on quite tight enough, four busy little hands. In their room. Alone. For too long. I am still finding little blue spots on the carpet, walls, closet doors, toys , bedding and ceiling (don't ask me how) three months later.

Both boys were very well behaved, and I am happy to report that there
were no casualties after the festivities.

That is some serious rolling pin action.

Today after four or five days of begging I finally agreed to get the easel and the paints out today.
The rundown:

15 min. -get out the easel, paper, paints & brushes,
smocks on, everything set up.
20 min. -hang pictures to dry, rinse paint cups & brushes, wash hands,
arms faces and one ankle, put everything away.
Actual painting time? About 5 minutes. But they were a happy five minutes.

The masterpieces. Hanging on the outside of our sliding glass door to dry
and as a conversation starter for passers by.
Watch your mailboxes Grandmas and Grandpas...these beauties are coming your way!

Painters with attitude.

Where was little Miss during all this fun?
Right here..in her favorite spot.

Camping New Jersey Style

I pitched a tent in a trailer park this weekend, and paid for it (my wife just informed me that this sentence can be interpreted in two ways). Read it as "I went camping this weekend in an advertised "campground", but it wasn't what I expected. It was a great time though.

Some observations from my NJ camping experience:
1) Trailer parks and campgrounds mean the same thing to a lot of people in NJ.
2) There is an additional cost to your site if you have a full set of teeth.
3) Be skeptical if the minimum number of nights you can camp is 14 (but they'll cut you a deal).
4) People water the lawn in their camping area. Bring the hose and fertilizer!
5) The campground has a water park that you can use for no additional cost. Just chase the ducks off it first.

This was a blast, and made for good blogging material. Here is representative picture of the area. Note the lights in the background of the "tents" next to us. It was Christmas in August.

A funny thing happened on the way to the...

Social Security Office. That's right. I spent this morning trying to get a replacement for Mason's SS card. As I pulled into the parking lot, in an incredibly sketchy part of town, I stopped to let a homeless man cross the street. To thank me, he threw his shoe at my car while yelling expletives at the top of his lungs. After the shoe thudded against the side of the car, he ran to get it and returned it to his foot. Then, he crossed the street in front of me.

I was a little scared to get out of the car so I drove around the block a couple of times. During this time, Melissa had a massive blowout. MASSIVE.

Oh yes, lest I forget to mention...I didn't actually get Mason's new card. Although I checked the website, filled out all the paperwork and brought every official form that we own, I sadly had not thought to bring his shot record. I mentioned to the nice lady behind the bullet proof glass that perhaps it was time to update the website so that people like me don't show up with every possible document except the one totally unofficial document that they actually need. So I get to go back next week. I hope my homeless friend is there again.

The moral of the story is: Sometimes a bum will save you from having to clean up a super poop in the Social Security Office bathroom. Thanks friend!

My baby girl...

...laughed today. Happy day at the Lyman home.

My Kiddos

Oh, how I love them!