Call Day #125, 7/31/15

 Spelling the title of the book. Knows most capital letters and was trying to figure out these lowercase ones.

 Oliver often wakes up wanting this book or one similar, known in our family as "find things" books. He really likes to find the items in the picture, and he's pretty good at it.

We started school this week. Eleanor seems to really like the new spelling program we started this year. Each day she is tested on new words and does some sort of activity to practice the ones she misses. The activity she chose today was practicing spelling her words with toothpicks. Here, the word "which."

We had a playdate with friends from church. Even though we're starting school, we're trying to fit in fun with friends we won't be able to see once they start back soon.

Mimi and Papa Jimmy sent letters to the kids with money for ice cream. The girls were very excited to go to Menchie's tonight! Even better that Nanny got to join us too.

Oliver liked picking out toppings. When he was done, he handed me his bowl and said "more ice team."

They all enjoyed the chalk board (smartly divided into three sections by Nanny).

Chatting with Daddy who always tries to call when he has to work.

She had lots to say tonight.

We stayed at Menchie's for quite a while and discovered they have coloring pages.

The toy store nearby had big buckets of bubbles out so we had to play with those!

Happily catching bubbles on her wand.

And a visit inside the toy store. Wherever there are trains, Oliver will want to play with them.

Call Day #124, 7/19/15

Sunday morning toe nail painting.

I went to a women's event this morning at church. There wasn't any childcare for the girls so they sat in a nearby area. They enjoyed food from the women's event and colored. Or, at least, that was the plan. Nanny said when she arrived they were sliding down the banisters.

Claire did do some coloring. Showing off her clipboard.

This afternoon Papa came by to play games. Claire doesn't enjoy games as much as Eleanor but she did want to play Go Fish.

Call Day #123, 7/14/15

We did a lot of reading this morning, enjoying one last time books we were returning to the library. When we went this afternoon, Claire and Oliver quickly picked out a whole stack of new ones.

Eleanor went to a session the library offered on sewing. (Also, yes, her hair is much shorter. All the kids got haircuts yesterday, and she chose her new length. Her hair has been super tangled after so much swimming this summer. That prompted her choice. She seems to really like it.)

While we waited, Claire colored many pictures and Oliver did a bunch of puzzles.

Notice a theme? He has been enjoying puzzles so much lately, and he was happy to do some new ones for almost an hour.

Loving watching him grow up.

Eleanor with her finished project. To go along with the summer reading program hero theme, they were making their own shield/crest. Eleanor decorated hers with flowers. She and the librarian leading the session found out they'd each made a skirt for themselves and agreed to both wear them at next week's session.

She's begun to look up books she wants at the library. So far this has mostly been looking up a fiction series she already knows and likes. She can find the author and then locate the book.

Happy Cow Day! When I told Oliver this morning we were going to dress up like cows, he said "I want to be a pig." When it came time to get ready, he was happy as a cow.

He's been scared of the cow in the past. Today he happily waved to him every time he anywhere near us. Gave him a high five when he visited our table.

Any restaurant with ice cream is a good restaurant for our kids.

Wants a cone like his sisters.

A little bit of time in the play place. (Claire looks tall!)

We took Daddy some Chick-Fil-A too. It only seemed fair.

Daddy hugs!

Call Day #122, 7/12/15

The tent the girls made a few days ago is still up. Claire played in it this morning with her new dolls, bought at a neighbor's garage sale yesterday. Claire never tires of more dolls!

Since there is no Sunday school at church this summer, we've been watching a series of Bible videos at home during that time.

Oliver wasn't interested in the video for long. More puzzles for him.

We had dinner at Nanny and Papa's house tonight. The kids enjoyed being outside afterwards.

Oliver waters flowers.

Girls swing.

On the way home, we had to wait for a while in a line of cars since the main road between our houses is getting repaved. The timing was good though. Oliver always requests "bluedass" in the van and we had just found the station that plays bluegrass on Sunday evenings. He very happily wiggled in his car seat and clapped along.

Call Day #121, 7/10/15

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Oliver has been loving puzzles lately. He does them daily and has gotten really good at them in the past few weeks.

He's often said "Just Mommy and Oliver" during the last few days. Eleanor and Claire have been gone all week for Bible School with Nanny and Papa.

Check out the Duke shirt!

Learning to play on Daddy's phone.

Since Erik was in lab during the day before working tonight, we were able to meet him for lunch as he headed to the hospital.

We met at a different Chick-Fil-A so Oliver got to enjoy a new play place. After a while he followed some bigger kids up to the top and couldn't get back down by himself. Resisted kind offers of help from other kids. I climbed up and helped him down.

We stopped by Nanny and Papa's house to water the flowers. He has quite enjoyed doing this each day this week.

Eleanor staged a party for her friends from across the street who came over for a little while. She hosed off the porch floor and table first (unprompted help!)and put out watermelon and ice water.

Afterwards a big tent was built in the playroom. Perfect for lying down in while listening to bedtime stories.