Late nights, Date nights

I am beginning to see bedtime getting later each night...the kids are just enjoying playing, it's hard to coax them to bed. Truthfully, it's allowing me to do a few more things before they go to bed like clean the kitchen or fold clothes which means when they do go to bed I can have some "me" time. Usually I am trying to read a little more of the books I have piled on my night stand! (Right now I am reading The Help thanks Camille:) I will say that if bedtime is later Blaine and Sarah Claire are going to sleep later. Anna Britten hasn't quite figured that out yet even though I am seeing little "glimpses" of sleeping in from her too!

Speaking of Anna Britten- I love seeing the world through her little eyes. She is talking away these days...the other day she carried on a complete conversation with the air beside her telling it about "time out" and "going to the mall" and "feeding her baby". I love it when she says, "I love you Mommy (or Daddy) hugs and kisses". My most recent favorite line from her I actually did not hear, but Leigh did. Leigh says she was very quiet and she went to check on her. When she did, ABs was lying on the floor looking up at a recent portrait we have hung of our family over the fireplace. Leigh asked what she was doing and she said, "I watching me". Like she was watching herself on tv...I just love the way her little mind thinks MOST of the time.

Blaine and ABS "parade" around the kitchen.

I asked Sarah Claire to get the paper for me in the front yard the other morning- she runs to the laundry room for her boots so she doesn't get her feet dirty.

She is my helper- helped me shuck corn Saturday!

I love to see their little imaginations at work...all in a boat TOGETHER and actually playing nicely!

This summer has been full of me saying over and over again..."If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all..." Of course ABS pretty much has the line down and will finish it when I begin it! We are working on encouraging words.

On another note...Kallie (our cocker spaniel) had to have 6 teeth pulled today- she was a trooper and is doing well!

Kallie was a package deal- Mark got both me and her when we began dating! I actually had just gotten Kallie right before our first date. The weather was horrible that night. When Mark walked me in the house, Kallie had "left her mark" everywhere. Didn't know if that second date would come or not... "Date" nights recently have been hard to plan with Mark working weekends (more on that in an upcoming blog). We did get to go out to eat Saturday night and enjoyed every minute of it! These days undivided attention is hard-- we take what we can get.