We took advantage of the break in winter to enjoy some time out in the mud yesterday.

Didn’t realize there was a hole in the hoodie until we arrived at school and someone pointed it out.

Last week was Dr. Seuss week. Kudos to Marcy for staying up late every night working on that hat!

School time.

He said, “Canada and United States are like brothers.”

He did this himself (except for the 2’s that I did after his backwards one). I’m frankly floored as he read that entire paragraph out loud, then the questions. I didn’t teach him how to read, I guess he learned it in pre school. Kid is not even in kindergarten yet. Back in the Stone Age when I started school they didn’t teach reading and writing until grade one.

When he finished I asked him, why are there numbers on the side? Well, they are the age group he feels each of those rows should be for. Lol The App Store gives these to all the games he downloads. He’s only allowed 4+ (free) so I guess it’s his way of making a statement about this math assignment.

Watching Mo Willems lunchtime doodles.

He made his telling time cheat sheet into a watch.

Day ? We don’t really know. We stopped counting. We don’t even care. Sun goes up. Sun goes down.

Call me when the canona virus stops.

Pictures of things Benji loves on his bedroom wall. Mom and dad, check. Old hot dog wiener, check...

Just a boy and his rescue bots.

Diaper on head. This amuses Dad.

My little boy’s missing tooth gap is getting an adult tooth! Every time we reach another milestone I say to myself, “shit’s gettin real.”

Ben and I were out for a drive this morning and saw this super cool totally haunted old house.

Dinner time around here.

No caption needed. Just Ben. Or, as he likes us to call him now, BB.

Breakfast outside this morning.

We had an old fashioned Dad and Benji day today. Washed the car this morning, Benji did an awesome job vacuuming ( which he of course named Slurpy). Then McDonald’s for lunch with milkshakes. Then off to the beach to cool off. Great day.

Picked up Ben’s stuff from the pre school today, and got his “graduation” pictures.

Nice surprise in the mail box today from Canada, for a lucky boy. And I got all the blue smarties! The moose shirt is adorable. Benji says thank you Aunty Evelyn and Uncle Paul

Howdy everyone. It’s been a while. Just been busy with The Dad and Ben show during the day and working evenings and weekends, while Marcy works from home. Always tired, but not complaining. We’re truly privileged to be able to stay employed and also not be forced to send Ben to daycare/school. In fact Marcy got a big promotion at work so things are good, all things considered. Congratulations Marcy!!!

You may or may not know that here in the excited states the virus is raging at unprecedented levels, and growing daily. While Ohio made some impressive early lockdowns and measures, and was hailed at first for being one of the states that “got it right”, we eventually re opened everything and am now seeing the results, with many more new cases than during the lockdown. And it’s pretty much out of control now.

The big news here is that elementary schools are re opening in September, with staggered schedules and part home schooling combined with part time classroom. Ya we won’t be participating in that. We’ll be keeping Ben home until there is a working vaccine. Officially home schooling him, such as that is for kindergarten.

So for now it’s just keep going. Masks when anywhere indoors around people, like when grocery shopping, and spending lots of time outdoors and at the beach while keeping a safe distance from all humans.

It’s heartbreaking that the big first day of school milestone is all messed up because of this damn virus, and we have to pass play areas when kids are there without being able to play. It’s heartbreaking that just when Ben was finally making friends and having fun at pre school, he’s back to being stuck with mom and dad every second of the day, but it could be so much worse. We’re super lucky and healthy and will survive this damn thing, and hope for a vaccine by year’s end as predicted.

Hope y’all are staying mentally positive and physically virus free and oh ya HAPPY CANADA DAY!

A bit of creekin today.

I see this, this morning, after finding 3 empty pudding cups after he was in bed last night. Ok. (Full disclosure. I think Marcy helped him with the spelling)

Benji lost his first baby tooth yesterday. Actually his second, but the first fell out due to a fall when his baby teeth were still coming in. So his second adult tooth is coming in...at 5 1/2!

We were eating an apple in the car when he said, dad my tooth is wiggly.

It feels like when we moved a “real” bed into his room and you stand back and remember that this was a baby’s room just a few years ago.

Just in case there was any doubt...that my arms come out of my face.

About to start our first day of school. Dad is so nervous.

Where’s Benji?

Watermelon from our garden. It’s pink, and has about 4 billion seeds, but man is it good. So sweet and tasty. It’s almost as if fresh stuff is better or something.

Pomade makes the man.

Blowing bubbles while pointing out the wonderful fungi. It’s an action shot I guess.

Wanted to post these pics from yesterday because of Ben’s interesting wardrobe choices. Also, a first. He actually asked if I wanted my picture taken!
I thought I was smiling. Makes me wonder what I’ve been doing with my mouth all my life when I thought I was smiling.

He doesn’t wear the hat just for for looks. It serves a purpose, as he walks he picks up rocks and leaves and sticks and dried up flowers, and puts them in his hat. By the end of the walk the hat weighs about 10 pounds and is bent in half on his head.

The boy is gettin some hair.

First year for Ben on the big kids hill. Did he love it? You be the judge.

I pass by the bathroom door. I stop. I back up and look inside. I take this picture and move on. Yes he’s sitting on the loo.

So guess what? 6 gets even weirder!

Merry Christmas everyone, hope you are all having a nice day. Miss you all.

This one from today, because of the lighting. Would be a good movie poster for Lord Of The Flies.

Took a while but finally got one of the boy and the dog that wasn’t a blur.