Just a setting on the dryer...

You know what they say, "Normal is just a setting on the dryer." And that's pretty much true. So, welcome to one setting of normal - life as just us.

Who's that sister sitting with Philip on the couch?

Joy is enjoying loving on Philip a lot more these days.

And yes - she is my accessory lover!

"I'm gonna chew you, blue blanket!"

I had to do some cleaning. I just had to. :o) Out came the couches from the walls, together went the couches in the middle of the living room, dump went the toy basket, and the rest is history.

In this current play set, the tambourine was turned upside down to be used as a frying pan. The toy cars were eggs. Joy thought they needed milk sprinkled on them from a dolls bottle, and Hope thought she needed the binoculars to see if the eggs were done. :o) But you knew that without my explanation, right?

My art  and activity lover. Her question to me every morning when I walk into their room is "What can we do today, Mommy?" She had painted flower petals (traced Tupperware ovals) with her watercolours, and then when they were dry she cut them out. Later, we put the pastel flowers on Thank You cards. :o)

Cookie cutters as bracelets - why not?

I've been trying to train myself to help Hope get into the habit of practicing violin and piano. She's definitely ready for it, and is happy to do music stuff... I just have to suggest it. :o)

Amy was smart and made Joy a cardboard violin, which is a huge help in moments such as these. :o) Unfortunately, Joy also remembered the red stick in her hand was a drumstick, and started using it as such on something she shouldn't - like one of her sister's limbs!!! Ahem. Guess what Mommy used the stick for then? :o)

Some grandparent asked Hope one day if Philip was "the king." Hope replied - "No, God's the King, and then Mommy and Daddy." However, in this shot he does look rather like he's got the lot of us at his disposal!

Funny faces shot #1.

Funny faces shot #2.

The kitchen towels and washcloths, folded by Hope. It actually does cut down on my time to sort them into a pile and leave them for her to fold later if she's not folding with me at the time. She loves doing it, and gets upset if I fold them. :o) Works for me, kid, well, the folding part that is, not the getting-upset-at-your-mother part. :o) We're working on it... :o)

Morning light.

A Face Time chat with a lonesome Grandma Lorrie in Denver. (You can see the tip of my iPhone supported on the blue foam puzzle pad against the back of the chair.)

Watching a movie and eating Popcorn Twists.

One writer...

...one puzzler...

...and one overseer.

And they all happened to be in teal stripes without me doing it on purpose! This was Philip's second outfit of the day, and I just happened to notice they all coordinated when I looked at the three of them together.