Pushin' buttons

'Ole Benjamin cracks us up on a daily basis. The kid really is a hoot. Tonight he admitted to doing the things he does "to make the other kids laugh". I wasn't sure a 4 1/2 year old really grasped that concept, but apparently they do.  He has also discovered "mouth noises" - you know, clicking your tongue, smacking your lips, pursing your lips and blowing air through them, etc etc etc. He is a nonstop cacophony from the moment he wakes til the moment he falls asleep at night. And guess what, HE IS DRIVING US INSANE. Seriously, don't tell anyone I said this, but I can't wait for preK to start so I have 2 1/2 daily hours of SILENCE in the penthouse. Is that bad? :)

He is still AB crazy - the good news is he spends more time building random AB structures with blocks and clay and playdoh than he does on the iBen. He busted out the train tracks again the others day, too - only to build a massive track, but not to play on it. That is what I have learned about Ben, he loves to design and build things, but then not necessarily play with the things he has built. He prefers to just leave them around the house to "look" at, which is why at any given moment there are structures like this ALL OVER THE PENTHOUSE:

Jenga blocks - not just for playing JENGA!

This is Ben designing AB structures with actual AB play pieces - he usually builds them with whatever he gets his hands on. (Today he asked for playdoh, then obsessed for hours on building a "softee" sling shot and birds and towers that would not stand up properly - which means he needed help EVERY 7 SECONDS.)

If I asked him, he may call this one a "Hardee".

Em has really been pushing our buttons lately. (Can you tell it is the end of Summer and we are ready for school to start?) We constantly catch her spewing little white lies (the good news is she owns up to the big stuff quick). She has been a beast to get to bed although since my FB plea for help she has been so much better (not falling asleep any sooner, but at least not whining for hours from her bed!). The other day daddy was stretching on his inversion table so the kids wanted in on the action. This may be our new discipline contraption, but then again both kids LOVED it so I don't think it will be very effective...

This upside down smile is not to be confused with a frown.

The farms out east on the island are beginning to EXPLODE with local grown fruits and veggies. We went peach picking last week and YUM - taste explosion compared to what we buy in the super market.

Hooray for BUY LOCAL!

The other day I was doing some work at home and the kids were LOUD. Daddy could see my blood pressure rising so he suggested the kids and he go for a ride. I got this picture text:

Daddy had one, TOO, so I am thinking ULTERIOR MOTIVE.

Daddy sure is good at entertaining the kids. I scored not only the best Chef in town, but a dang good Daddy, and super duper husband to beat. LUCKY MOMMY.

He's super duper CUTE, too. (giggle giggle)

Oooooooooooh, it's buy school supplies time again. Sadly it's not a one stop shop kind of thing. I was at Walmart, Target and Staples in one day and still I could not purchase all the necessities... Time for the online order!

When I went to school I got a pencil and a tablet from the teacher. And I walked uphill backwards both ways in the snow. (Or something like that...)

Emma and Ben still like to have their picture taken with "Emma and Ben" outside the library. I need to find the first ever picture taken and do a side by side comparison. Apparently my children have grown, but the statue children have not. Go figure. (Yes, that is Em picking at yet another scab/bug bite.)

CHEESE!