Fair Prizes

Often the life of a stay-at-home Mom fosters the breeding of comfort and routine, which is what I blame for my blogging-phobia. But, I can no longer site my ignorance of code as my reason for not posting our doings online. So, this year out of a sense of boredom and adventure I decided to enter the state and county fair.

My Blue Ribbon Hat

This is my pride and joy. Just a few short weeks ago, this was a ball of white merino wool. I spun it and hand dyed it and then knit it into a hat (and it was uphill both ways in the snow.) So, with the blue ribbon money that I won with this and the other pieces that I entered, I decided to ease my guilt, as it has been at least two years since I got photographs taken of my children.

The Monkeys

And after getting all five of our monkeys dressed for this portrait, the reason that it has been such a vast span between portraits becomes clear. After an hour of backbreaking and exhaustive work, we were able to get all five children in an acceptable pose, with nobody jumping, picking their nose, blinking or giving bunny ears. Although the mention of the words "family portrait" do indeed cause Jon and I cold sweats and night terrors, I am determined to try for all seven of us before the end of the year.

This is Bowen, he is seven years old this year. He is very smart and determined, and uses every opportunity possible to demonstrate both. He loves history and uses his army men to recreate the Punic Wars, the Trojan Wars, the Revolutionary War, the Hundred Years War, and each are complete with tanks and light sabers. He is enjoying the fourth grade this year with the exception of essay-writing, which seems more like a major amputation rather than a simple five paragraph written summation.

Bowen

This is Cedrich, our complete clown. His favorite things are to practice wrestling and gymnastics in the middle of the living room, citing his need to practice being a superhero. He is always the one to make everyone else laugh, especially in the middle of school. Cedrich is enjoying, or at least suffering happily through, the second grade this year and he especially likes his Math lessons and is talented at picking up his Italian language courses.

Cedrich

This is Aislinn at four years old, or forty years old, she is not particularly sure which. Although she has an affinity for anything girly, she is NOT wearing make-up in these pictures. She loves to have her nails painted to match her outfit, as is seen in this picture, and loves to have her hair curled and styled. Aislinn is learning to read write now, she is especially proud to show you how she can add numbers and write her name.

Aislinn

This is our sweet Liam at two years old. All of his brothers and sisters have waited until about four years old to become true terrors, but Liam takes his job as a terrible-two-year-old-toddler very seriously. His favorite things to do are to empty the spice cabinet onto the floor and to raid the fridge.

He loves to chase around his new kitten Glitter and try to convince her that the expanse of the world is between his arms and his lap.

Liam

This is our sweet Connall at three months old. He is always smiling, or at least as long as Mommy is around. He has a gigantic dimple on his right cheek, which he models when extremely happy or sad. He is currently proud of his inchworming ability; he can get anywhere that he wants to as long as there are carpet fibers to pull on and enough energy in his legs to get his back end caught up.

Connall