Playing Star Wars...

The boys have started watching Star Wars this summer... and that has led to the inevitable games of "Hey, I'll be Luke; you be Han"... and other variations..

Bryce in the role of Han Solo.
Aidan in the role of Luke Skywalker.
Here portraying the scene where our heros blast their way out of the Death Star laundry room..

These Boomwhackers-- ostensibly educational toys-- have really come in handy as both blasters and lightsabers..
Here's Bryce now in the role of Darth Vader.. teamed up with his friend, Maddie as "Spider Girl"..
I love Bryce's use of the firefighter mask, magician's cape, and stool to complete the Vader ensemble..

Breakfast on the Deck

Batman and Superman begin their day with a healthy waffle breakfast, dining al fresco on this pretty spring morning.

Let's wear ties!

Let's wear ties!
Originally uploaded by sleepydad

Aidan used an Out of Uniform pass at school today so he could wear his spiffy new shirt and tie. Don't ask me. I have no idea what brought this on.

Indiana Bryce...

So, in the last couple of weeks, Aidan and Bryce have been introduced to Indiana Jones and the whole swashbuckling archaeologist meme that comes with the release of the new Indy film later this month.

I mean, come on, between the Dr. Pepper cans, the Indy Lego commercials... and the fact that Aunt Laura popped the DVD in the player and showed them a few scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark the other night while she was babysitting.. I mean, apart from that, we've been doing our level best to protect them from these kinds of pop culture influences. We promise.

Okay, so say what you will, but Bryce, the newly minted 4-year old, has gone totally Indiana Jones crazy.
He's stalking around the house in his new Pre-K khakis, a button-down shirt buttoned half-way up, and a costume cowboy hat, with a coil of rope tethered to his belt loop.. we haven't captured this on camera yet, but it will only be a matter of time.

But even that's not the best part of this story.
So Bryce and his friend Maddie are in the kitchen-- Bryce in his Indy garb-- doing something when Maddie, who is completely fascinated with all things creepy-crawly notices that a small trail of ants have made it into the house near our back door. Bryce pushes his hat back on his head a bit as he looks down on the marching line of ants, then puts one hand on his hip and mutters... and I'm not making this up...

"Bugs... why'd it have to be bugs."


Next up: Star Wars. Oh yes. Star Wars.

Bryce's Birthday

Today, Bryce turns 4. It's hard to believe on a couple of levels.
1) has it really been 4 years since he arrived, that bundled little mass of squawking, chirping, squinting little (dark haired!) baby?
2) is he really only 4? sometimes he seems so much like he's older.. picking up from his older brother, no doubt.

So today's the day, anyway. So I took off early from work and picked up Aidan from school a little early (it's that time of year at school where, after lunch they're pretty much done for the day anyway) and we met Mom and Bryce at a nearby Chuck E. Cheese. This has become like a little family tradition the last year or two. And let me tell you, there's no time like mid-day on a Thursday for going to Chuck E. Cheese.. normally, on weekend afternoons, the place is a mosh-pit of whack-a-mole-crazed toddlers. But on Thursdays at 1pm.. not too bad.
Then we came home for some presents...
From us.. a Webkinz Tiger Snake..

















And from Aidan.....
oh, this is going to be good...











Iron Man!
Mask and Repulsor Gauntlet..

The kids always know the good toys...

Scenes from Mother's Day

We had a great Mother's Day celebration at our house this afternoon with Mama, Gramma and Grampa, Aunt Patty, and Aunt Laura.

We can't ever do enough to show our Mothers throughout the year just how important and special they are.. but on a day like today, it's good to take some special time to honor them for everything they do for us.

After dinner, Bryce chose to honor his Mom and Gramma with an interpretive dance as Iron Man, his new favorite superhero. Bryce is in talks with the Schermerhorn to commission "Iron Man: The Opera" based on his performance. We'll keep you posted.

Scenes from Soccer...

Soccer season for the boys is winding down. Soccer has been one of our dominant activities this Spring. Thursday practices and Saturday games for each of our boys-- so this is what being overscheduled feels like. Well, okay it's not been that bad.. in fact, we've had so much rain this Spring that it's been tough to get a game and a practice in in the same week.
Poor Aidan's team-- which I've been helping to coach a little bit-- has missed so many practices this season, we've lost count.

So here are some images from games the boys each had yesterday.. in the sunshine, no less!

Aidan grinds it out in the 4th quarter

Aidan waits for the throw-in...

Bryce kicks off

Bryce does his best Beckham impression--

Shoebox Floating..

Weekend 'homework' for our first-grader this weekend was to build a Shoebox float for the First Grade's annual Cinco De Mayo parade around school. (Show of hands: who thought Cinco De Mayo had been reduced to a cerveza marketing ploy?)

So what better time for a little payback?
All I have to say, Ms. Price, with your UT-themed Christmas ornaments and your Rocky Top-singing Spring Musical.. take that!

More Carnival

More images from today's carnival..

(our crack team of editors have assiduously removed any trace of the appearance of whining or crying from the record of the day... but those of us who were there, we remember.)

Aidan and his lady friend

This picture just says "Summer's here" to me..

Aidan took a moment from racing through the obstacle course to smile for a picture.

Scenes from Carnival... but none of the crying..

Today's Carnival at school was a more tearful experience than last year. Not enough sleep last night led to some pretty whiney boys this morning.. but hey, the pictures came out pretty well, all the same..

First, Pugil Sticks.. the boys got to strap on head gear and bash each other for a few minutes. Perhaps if we'd stuck with this event, our experience of the day might have turned out completely different.

Is it just me or does Bryce look awfully at home in the headgear?

Carnival Cake making with Bryce.. and spoon-licking.

Carnival is coming up at Aidan's school.. and for the famous "Cake Wheel" at Carnival, we were asked to make a cake... a task that Bryce was all too eager to volunteer to help with.

Now that's what I'm talking about!

Cowboy Aidan

For his spring musical at school last night, Aidan and the rest of his class dressed as cowboys and sang "Rocky Top".. Aidan's teacher is a Univ. of Tennessee grad.. but I think her allegiances have gone too far this time...