Preschool!

Oh, the day I've worried about all summer... sending Owen back to preschool.  My worry was worthless, as usual God would point out.  Owen was all brave this morning, and I was my typical emotional self.  Well, he was all brave except for the one time he said, "I really don't want to go to preschool because I love you so much, and I would miss you."  Oh... how he knows the way to my heart! 

Chloie had to get her backpack on to walk Owen to school because she thought for sure she was staying at Mrs. Jodi's too.  My favorite part was how she put it on then looked around the side, "Where's my map?" she asked.  Oh, too much Dora around here I suppose!

A little bit serious before heading over to preschool.

Then a little bit silly before heading over to preschool.

When we picked up Owen, Chloie pushed through the other kids to get to her bubby and give him a giant hug.  Owen kind of returned the hug.  I don't think she was missed as much as he was.

And this silliness is just from yesterday, but I love their expressions in these two pictures.

Little Stories to Remember

Chloie is such a chatter box lately.  She talks my ear off, and when I get tired of listening she'll move onto books and read them out loud over and over again.  I've been terrible about recording some of the things she says, but found a moment to write down a little bit yesterday.

As I'm putting away dishes, Chloie brings me a bowl from her kitchen and says, "Here, Mommy, I made you soup."

"Oh, thank you."  I reach for it, but she pulls back.

"No, it's really hot.  You have to wait.  I'll cool it off."  She blows it for a bit.

"Here, Mommy.  It's cooled down."

"Ok."  I take the bowl while standing, but she grabs it back again.

"No, you have to sit back.  You will make a mess.  Sit at the little table."

So..... I abandon my own kitchen duties (for the fifth time this morning) and go sit at her little table.

Again, I reach for the the bowl, but she stops me pulling back with a look of disgust as if she's told me a hundred times, "No...... scoot in.  You will spill."

So here I sit sipping my cooled soup with my feet neatly jammed beneath a tiny table scrawling down our conversation with crayons and scraps of paper.  I just want to remember exactly the way my sweet Chloie says things in her own little way.

And if she's run out of stuff to say for the moment, she'll start saying, "Don't be such a four-wheeler, duuuuuud, Mom."  Or "Let's get some barbecue."  Both said with this southern twang that comes from..... I don't know where??  The first being a quote from one of Owen's favorite Trucktown books.  The second something Owen and Matt always say after church as we pass by a questionable looking barbecue eatery.

And for Owen.....  Unfortunately for me, this was the only story worth writing down this morning...

We were in the car earlier when Owen asks me, "Mom, did you toot?"

"Uh...  yeah, sorry buddy."

"That's ok."

Thirty seconds later.... his window rolls down.  With the following explanation:

"I did that, Mom, so you don't have to smell that anymore."

"Ok, thanks, Owen......"

Cicada Hunting

The beautifully annoying song of the cicada has been filling our ears in the past couple of weeks.  The kids love/hate to find the discarded shells.  They get so excited to find one only to freak out the bug will get them.

Today on their morning bike ride around the house, which is usually about a ten minute event before they tire of their bikes and the sweat blurring their visions... even though it is before eight o'clock in the morning (as you can tell from the jammies in these photos).  Anyway, I have digressed.... On this short adventure today we decided to see how many cicada shells we could find.  

Chloie was surprisingly the best at spotting them but feared touching them.  

Owen was the champion collector.  

They simply cannot wait until their dad comes home tonight to see their special collection of cicada shells.

May Happenings

Owen had been asking for weeks about hiking in the mountains.  So finally... before it hit 100 degrees... we got our little family out to the San Tan Mountains early one Saturday morning.  Chloie hiked a good 30 seconds and was finished.  Owen made it about 30 minutes.  Still, we had fun checking out the different cactus plants and looking for rattlesnakes.

After a very rough start to our swimming season with lessons, the kids have become amazing little swimmers.  Chloie begs every day to, "Swim in Mama's pool." I am amazed at how strong and confident they both are in the water.  Chloie can swim almost the full length of the pool already, and Owen never tires of running and jumping.

We made it to Indiana for planting season this year!  Daddy and the kids had the best time planting beans.  Owen was so excited... mostly about the guide the markers.  He could have ridden all day if we'd have let him.  He hasn't stopped farming much since we've been back.  Things are always busy on Owen's farm.  His imagination and memory bring me much joy.  

We celebrated Al and Jessica's wedding and had so much fun with all of our cousins and aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas... but unfortunately I have no pictures to show much of that.  I just don't like keeping my camera with me because I feel like it takes away from the joy of the experience so often... but I did manage to pull out the camera one evening and get some sweet pictures with Grandma and Grandpa Davis.

Chloie Turns 2

It's hard to believe my little baby girl has turned two!  Thinking back on when Owen turned two, he seemed so old and wise.... I suppose with a four month old in tow a two year old has to be bigger and wiser.  But Chloie is just a baby to me and Matt though with her complete sentences and imaginative play and being just about as long as the crib she still sleeps in tries daily to remind me her baby days are over. 

Chloie started her day by strongly disliking the singing of "Happy Birthday" to her.  As we sang to her at breakfast she vehemently announced, "Stop that singing happy birthday to you!"  And if you've never heard her spit fire tone, let me tell you she literally spits out the words when she's in one of these moods.

However, her annoyance over the singing quickly turned to delight as she started opening presents and realizing she was getting lots of attention.  Her realization turned to gratitude even as she came running into the kitchen long after she had finished her birthday breakfast announcing, "Thank you, Mommy, for getting me waffles for breakfast!" 

Her birthday party came several days later, but in the meantime she'd announce to anyone who'd listen and even those who didn't, "I'm turning 2!"

Lots of presents, lots of friends, lots of swimming!

Stopping for a picture with her little friend, Charli!

Thanks for helping my Mom make this pretty cake, Jen!

Happy birthday to me!  Much better than last year's candle flame fiasco.

Hey, brother, get off my cake!

What fun turning two!



Monster Trucks

We took Owen and Chloie to their first big monster truck show a few weeks ago.  And while the event itself left me quite sweaty, crabby and generally annoyed with the public (we got to witness two moms resort to calling each other "white trash" with puffed chests because they thought the respective kids stood too long on the famed Robosaurus for a picture as one example...), I have experienced much joy from Owen's recollections of the show.  He was terrified of the noise, but truly loved standing next to the giant trucks and sitting on their tires. 

"I knew Outlaw would be here!"  Owen was so excited.  He has this toy truck, and he did announce to me that he was sure he would see that one.

One of his favorites, Avenger!

Chloie wasn't quite as excited about the big trucks, but she was still a pretty good sport.

"Look, the semi with the tiny wheels inside!" 

Tidbits of My Morning

Upon realizing it had been several weeks since I recalled any fascinating activities in the Davis House, I decided I would just write down all the little things the kids said that made me smile today.

At Owen's 6:30 wake-up call that always begins so obnxiously with the bellowing of "Mom! Mommy! Mommy! Mom!" until I reach his room, he sweetly asked, "Mom will you snuggle with me for a little bit?"  Ummmm... Yeah!

At my first peek into Chloie's room she sat up straight with her paci in her mouth and blurted, "Aunt Nancy come home today?"  After such a fun week with her special aunt, Chloie must have been hoping she would be back today.

At breakfast I took a picture of the kids to send to Daddy while he was away on a business trip this week.  Later Chloie gets her play phone, turns it horizontally, squats in front of Owen and says, "Owen say cheese.  Good job, Owen.  Do it again.  Come on, say cheese, Owen."  I thought this was hysterical.  Owen was less than amused with his sister in his face while he played airplanes. 

In a rare moment of unsupervised monster truck play, I overhear Owen tell his sister, "Chloie this is so nice that you're sharing."  Ah... oh, yes it is, sweet babies!

I actually made it to vacuuming this morning.... I guess Owen could tell the floor was really needing cleaned since the moment I turned off the vacuum, he says, "Mom are you all done sweeping?"  Yes.  "Oh! Thank you for making the floor nice and clean!"  You're welcome, dear one....