Lately

A little about Sam. Sam is growing up. He'll be five in two months! Sam doesn't like jeans, but he loves track pants and comfy pants with elastic waistbands. And shorts. He likes shorts. Sam has been into playing with Dan's old Construx and making helicopters, airplanes, and cars. He's moved on from making up silly fake words and now uses real words in silly ways. "You're a banana pumpkin head!" Oh, what fun. He's figuring out what types of things are okay to say, "Hey, daddy dooboo." (Okay, so dooboo is a made-up word.) And what types of things are not okay: "You're not smart."

He's gotten more sassy lately and tries to talk back more often. He eats PB&Js for lunch 90% of the time. A few days ago I bought him new shoes that light up when he walks. Now he always looks down when he walks to watch his shoes. He like Looney Tunes and slapstick humor. He does "lessons" from a pre-K book everyday and is working on reading a little bit, too. He is sweet most of the time and we love him so much.

Afton, our sweet little snuggley diva. She loves to be held even though she's two and half and over 30 pounds. If I can't hold her, she's holding my hand, sitting on my lap, or walking immediately behind me, it seems. A lady at a ward party last week called her my little shadow. She's right. Afton loves babies, dolls, Minnie Mouse, playing, swinging, and "Curious George Goes to a Costume Party." (They both have most of that book memorized.)

She's a great napper and usually just plays in her crib until I come and get her. She loves "big girl nursery" and has gone potty in her toilet quite a few times. I think I'll potty train her after I'm done watching my nieces in a few weeks. I bought her a bathing suit on clearance this week and she wanted to try it on.

Dan, other than being hunky, is busy with work, church, and dreams of rock climbing. He goes climbing at the gym every Saturday for a few hours and usually one weeknight each week. He's also busy building us a breakfast table. He's made a bench for one side as well as the table base. He's going to do the top this weekend. So far it looks great!

Here's Dan at our ward "Cajun Cultural Appreciation Day." (AKA a crawfish boil.)

 And here's Dan with his crawfish peeling mentor, Donnie, without whom, Dan would not have consumed 40 or so crawfish.

And speaking of the crawfish boil, here they are before, while they were being "purged." (Getting the poop out.)

So gross looking. Here they are after.

And here's our awesome crawfish boiler, Barry.

Despite how much he had at the party, Dan brought home another 10 pounds or so (which, once peeled, isn't as much as it sounds like) and I am crawfished out.

I am busy with the usual. Watching kids, reading, wasting precious nap time, and going to the gym. I'm training for a half marathon with Candice and Aunt Colleen. We'll see how it goes!