Roxaboxen

So the great thing about Roxaboxen is how much fun the kids had owning a great project, and using their imaginations.

Main Street

The gang in Kade’s house.

The museum

Speed marker :Slow

Ben was the police officer in the beginning, but then retired and became a shop keeper.

Ben’s motorcycle shop.

Roxaboxen currency (flat rocks and snail shells)

The little brothers chillin’ in their house.

And my favorite, Ben in his home away from home.

So much fun, it makes me think of the make-believe games I used to play in our backyard growing up….

 

Roxaboxen

In school Ben’s teacher read the class a book called Roxaboxen.

It is a charming story of a group of kids that created a little town out of a few rocks and boxes, and a whole lot of imagination.

The kids made main street, and then they each made a house.  They made stores and restaurants, and had a mayor and police man.

Then they played.  They rode stick horses and drove cars (all you needed was a steering wheel of some sort) got speeding tickets, and held wars.

That very day Ben and his friend came home and started building their own Roxaboxen.  Every day for weeks the first thing I heard from Ben in the afternoon was, “can I go outside and play Roxaboxen?”

All I heard about was Roxaboxen this and Roxaboxen that, finally I had to go down the back hill and see what all the fuss was about.  I was impressed.  You will be too……

 

Soccer Season

Wow!  October’s almost over and I haven’t blogged once!   – I spent the first week in the month getting ready for our trip to Great Exuma, Bahama;  the second week was our get-away; third week, recovering from our vacation, and now that the month is nearly over,  I’m finally ready to blog again!

We enjoyed a great soccer season, both Ben and Dan played.  Ben’s team was undefeated!

 

Cold Cereal

The Kids know that on Saturday and Sunday they can have cold cereal for breakfast.  The other days I make breakfast – eggs, oatmeal…

On Saturday I got up to find Ben eating his cold cereal out of this…

-  rather larger than normal bowl.  He thought he was very clever, and wanted to get an even BIGGER bowl out the next day so he, Dan and Hannah and could ALL share the same bowl of cereal.  Call me crazy, but I vetoed that idea.

 

School

Sorry for the lack of blog posts, it’s been busy around here!  We’ve got both older boys in soccer, have been dehydrating nectarines, peaches and pears like crazy, and then the rest of our extra time has been spent researching which of the “out islands”  of the Bahamas we want to go to for our 6 day get-away in three weeks.  Yes, it’s almost time to celebrate TEN great years of marriage!  I can’t wait!!! – I mean it – I get giddy just thinking about 6 blissful, romantic, peaceful, fun, relaxing, and adventurous days with my Honey -  and without my offspring.

But that’s beside the point.  The point is that I’m going to keep trying to catch up this blog.  I’ve been running at least one month behind  well, for months.

School started weeks ago.  This year Ben is in 2nd grade, Dan in Kindergarten, and Hannah is in preschool three mornings a week,  They are all enjoying their new academic adventures, and I am enjoying a little more time to get things done.

Here they are, on Dan’s first day getting on the school bus.

And here he is, all smiles at the end of his first day.

 

Cinderella

Ever since Hannah received this Cinderella dress-up-dress for her birthday it has been her outfit of choice.

Isn’t she cute?  I’m so glad I have a daughter!!!

 

Daniel turns Five

A short six days after Jacob turned one, Daniel had a birthday too.  Five years old this year and starting kindergarten.

A snake cake.

Blow Dan!

 

A magic show put on by our resident magician.

And opening gifts from his friends.  It’s great to be five!

 

Jacob turns one!!!

I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since Jacob was born – and that in just 12 months he has gone from this:

 

to this:  (admiring one of his new toys)

We had a great celebration with Jacob, the birthday song, cupcakes, and gifts.  He had a fun day!

 

Fun at the Zoo

We met up with my Aunt, a cousin I haven’t seen in years, and Devin, Jenny and the twins for a day at the zoo.

We started the day with a ride on the Zoo Train.

 

 

Then stopped to see the gorillas.

Hannah and Lindsey shared a ride and a snack.

The zoo has dinosaurs throughout that growl and spray water on kids who get too close.  My kids loved these!

Trying to look scared

“Help!  We’re being eaten alive!”

Before we left, we cooled off with some ice cream cones

It was a great day!  Thanks Freni!!

 

Up the Canyon

One of our favorite family activities is to go to our favorite spot up the canyon and roast hot dogs.

Jacob stays safe and out of the cow pies by spending most of the time in his portable crib.  He is usually happy in his cage watching his siblings play.

Both of my boys love fire.  They are actually pretty proficient fire starters, and they are the official “add-wood-to-the-fire-boys”

Ben had a slight mishap with these marshmallows – I don’t think that stopped him from eating them though.

Grandpa and Grandma were visiting and got to come up the canyon with us.

My cute watermelon girl.

And even though it wasn’t taken up the canyon, here is a picture of Hannah and Grandma.