Grits-n-Eggs

Team Mitchell's version of kegs-n-eggs for game day. The boys are excited. For breakfast, at least.

Come on, Baby John!

Hotty Toddy!

 Let's go, Rebels!

Oh, no. I can't watch!

Sibling Rivalry

 

He may have stolen the basketball, but my brother isn't getting the Gaelic football!

Playing Outside

John decided that lifting weights was a bit harder than it looked. Meanwhile, if you need your car washed, David's your guy. You see him washing his toy cars here. Playing with water (yes, outside in his underwear and boots) is an obsession lately.

Ready for school

The overalls helped make today a little better for John.

Anniversary Weekend in Bham

Lunch at Niki's West

Downtown Irondale

View from the Vulcan

Sloss Furnace

Sloss Furnace (looks like Mary Ann the steam shovel!)

Thanks to MA and Jimmy for keeping the boys!

They came back!

John's happy to see his folks after they slipped away for a night to celebrate their anniversary. Many thanks to M.A. and Jimmy for keeping the boys, who must have been worn slap out by life in the country judging by all the naps they took.

24 hours later...

John the Hell Raiser cries himself to sleep, and his mama's iPhone sits ensconced in a Ziploc bag full of rice. Such is the scene following the frenzied events of earlier this evening. David was "helping" his dad finally(!) finish removing the back deck, which necessitated a bath, which gave John the opening he needed to slip into the living room, climb up onto the couch, grab his mama's iPhone from the end table, THEN (we speculate) grab his mama's glass of tea from the 3rd shelf of the baker's rack (at the other end of the couch!), and somehow soak the iPhone along with most of the couch and end table. Tellingly, when discovered moments later, he did not say, "Uh oh..." For his part, Ned thinks the first rule of the Lasseters needs to be amended: "If Mary Beth's not happy, NO ONE'S happy; if you ruin her iPhone, you can kiss your a** goodbye!" (Update: Mary Beth takes exception to this statement: she was not mean to John. She did teach him some new swear words.)

Dancing fool

 

Even when slow dancing with his mama, John understands the importance of a good finger wag for keeping the beat and letting everyone know he's got serious moves.

16 months, and already a note from school!

What are we going to do with this unruly child? "We need to work on directions--sitting when asked and holding hands while walking."

Breaking in the patio furniture

After 2 days of tearing out floor decking, the patio project is well underway. Sandy brought over cold beer to celebrate, and we were able to break in the new patio furniture.

Tearing out the back deck

was harder than it looked. Ned was a champ. Hoping to finish tomorrow.

Note from the teacher...

...we'll take it!

Flashback: 2nd day of school

John was a little hesitant about going back for day 2 of school. David had to promise him that he'd look after his little brother. It worked, and they both had good days.

A haircut!

David actually requested a haircut today. Who was I to deny him? So off we went to see Mr. Downey, where he cut David's hair using clippers and David didn't protest. Wiggled a little because it tickled, but no tears. Wonders never cease...

Natural athlete

First Day of School

 The boys started with waffles for breakfast.

 Then we moved to first day of school photos. They were cooperative enough...

 John's backpack is almost too heavy, though there's only a single folder inside.

 Parents here, still holding it together. David could only be convinced to continue posing when he was allowed to hold this giant stick he found in the yard.

 From the parking lot to the classroom.

John was distracted by toys and seemingly unphased as we left the room. Mary Beth, however, cried buckets on the way home. Ned offered permission (without judgement) if she wanted to turn around and pick him up, but after enduring the trauma of leaving him, she just couldn't justify going back to pick him up two minutes later. The teacher has my number if he cries all morning.

First Family Sit

What's a family sit? It's when the whole family sits down together to watch a movie. We watched The Lorax, since it's already one of our favorite books. Term courtesy of Uncle Daniel, when he was much younger than he is now...

Sweet, sweet boy

Cool kid...

...already with the over-one-shoulder backpack pose. We are getting ready for the start of preschool on Monday; two days a week for John, five days a week for David, who was nice enough to load up John's froggy backpack with lots of cars, farm animals, trains, and other preschool essentials.

What?!? I won't be the baby anymore?

We've been talking to the boys about the new baby that will arrive on or about November 16. David, secure in his place as eldest child (like both his mama and daddy), took the news in stride. In this video you can see him side-stepping an inconsolable John, who is just realizing that he's being bumped to "middle child" status.

Summertime in the backyard

 

 David is always fashion forward.

After a bit of sand, clothing becomes optional for John.

Reading with Grandaddy

Sticker Fun

Our boys have an unnatural fascination with stickers. Just when we think they're out, and I can quit scraping them all off the floor, David manages to find some other hidden tablet of them in the house. Today, he discovered stickers in an old coloring book. As much as they love them, I have to say, their Mama doesn't. I'm am tired of scraping them off of EVERYTHING.