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

The Joker.

It’s been a while and he’s growing like a weed (or maybe a bush) so here’s some faces.

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

Just trying to make a Facebook profile pic.

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

Out for a walk.

Uh oh.

School time.

En Francais.

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.

Sun helps anything.

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.

Playground closed.

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.

And the trees go boom!

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.

Supersweet corn!

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.

Good morning everyone

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?

It’s been a while so here’s some creek’n down yonder holler.

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.

Umm, ok.

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.

Oh ya, we got a dog. Her name is Nova, or as I like to call her, Supernova. 5 months old Shepherd mix we got her from a rescue agency. Picked her up in rural Ohio deep in the heart of trump country on election night from her foster home, so that was kinda surreal.

She’s a very sweet, gentle girl. Never barks inside. Sleeps all the time. She’s very accepting and doesn’t get stressed easily. She climbed in the car and slept on the way home, then trotted inside and was home. It’s kinda weird, like she’s always been here. She wants to eat all squirrels and chase all bicycles.

Ben is over the moon of course, and just needs to learn to not smother the dog and get in her face so much. And Nova just has to learn how to sit and heal and all that walky stuff. She’s a good and smart dog, who seems happy to be part of our family, so I’m pretty happy about that.

2 growing pups.

The boy hears The Pogues and instantly starts channeling his inner Shane MacGowan.

Nice snowy day.

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.

Here she is smiling as she gets some lovin.

Who’s a good girl? It’s been about a month since Nova became part of the family, and as a non dog person it’s been a joy getting to know and trust her and watch as she gets to know and trust us.

I’ve never been completely comfortable around dogs, and I think she wasn’t completely comfortable around me. We enjoyed each other’s company but there was always a “what if” to our behavior. And I had the same reservations with her around Benji. I will continue to keep a close eye on them when together playing, but I feel like we have both passed the test and moved on to trust. When you wake up to a dog snuggled into you, with her paw over you and her soft muzzle under your neck, fast asleep, you know she’s accepted you as one of her family.

It’s been an education watching her true personality slowly emerge. I never realized that she was checking us out and on her best behavior for the first while, that her trust had to be earned as much as ours. And now she is a playfully lovable and loving companion. It’s truly heartwarming that she is so happy now.

So guess what? 6 gets even weirder!

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

I don’t even know. There was some chocolate, but I’m not sure what the marker business is about. Sigh. Oh well, tomorrow is bath night so this’ll do for bed. A quick wipe. I guess. Is COVID over yet?

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.