Good excuse to not clean the kitchen...

 Molly grabbed the camera and took close to 100 shots.  The above is one of the less blurry shots.  Actually  John was pretty patient overall with his personal paparrazza (is that the singular form of paparrazzi?).  Though, this next picture spoke to me.  Probably because it is the end of a gray, rainy week and the sun finally came out today:

Aren't impressed?  Imagine how Molly got that shot.  Now are you impressed?

 I did not intend this to happen, but the order of these two pictures shows how we reinforce gender roles in our home.  Molly is doing the baking while the boys are learning how to take over the world...jokes on them.  Molly won that battle a long time go.  Hence the reason she has time to cook.  With Agnes.

Speaking of Risk, the boys played an entire game a couple of weeks ago.  Dom asked this past week if I wanted to play a quick game of Risk.  Does that even exist?  I've never played, and I don't really intend to.  But, when I told Dom they could play on Saturday when I was out running, he looked so disappointed, I may have to.  It won't be forever that the boys will let me take part in the games, let alone really want me to.

 A couple of weeks ago we all humored Eric in one of his attempts to take a day trip.  I think because we were all in a good mood and the sun was shining, it turned into a great day.  We packed a picnic lunch and headed to Port St. Joe which is the site of the Florida Constitutional Convention.  I know.  I could barely sleep the night before in anticipation :).  But, to sweeten the deal, there was a lighthouse.  It had 131 steps.  I was told this over and over and over again.  And in case I forgot, the kids even had stickers. 

 Can you see their smiling faces?  They were so excited and kept complimenting me on my petite figure.  At least I'm pretty sure that is what they meant as they yelled:  YOU ARE SOOOOO SMALL!  WE ARE BIGGER THAN YOU!!!

 Along the shore there was a short walking path. Eric and I had hoped it would be longer, but it ended quite abruptly in the parking lot of a restaurant.  However, the kids had a great time at the park that was nearby.  Dom and Will made a friend as they played pirates on the ship shaped playground.  John and Molly were pretty adorable as they swung with a beautiful view of the Gulf.  I'm not going to lie.  If I had a smart phone, I would have taken a picture and sent it to my sisters with the caption: Eat your hearts out!

 On the way home, we drove through Panama City Beach.  It was fun to see all of the touristy things and we stopped at their shopping area for frozen yogurt and a visit to our local Hofbrauhaus.  It turned into a really fun and laid back trip.  Everyone had a great attitude.  FYI:  Our now go to picnic is a loaf of french bread, butter, cheese, salami, boiled eggs, sweet peppers, clementines, chips, drinks, and M&Ms.  Quite easy to throw everything in the cooler and head out in less than 5 minutes.  Just don't forget a couple of knives.  I'd like to thank my genius sister, Katie, for this idea.  We've tweaked it a bit...and you can too.  I won't even slightly be irritated. 

 That evening we got home and quickly cleaned the house for the arrival of our friends, the Thompsons, from Ohio.  Oh, and to get ready for Presidents' Day.  Naturally.  Side story, just a few minutes ago the neighbors knocked on the door to see if the kids could come out and play.  Will informed them that they were reading.  Dom was reading "How to Eat Fried Worms" and Will was reading "The Presidents".  Just so you know, Will stayed in an extra 20 minutes.  I never asked him to read that.  He just found it engrossing.  And who wouldn't?  Don't answer that.

 Despite our cold temperatures, our climate was preferable to the Ohio climate our friends had escaped from and they elected to stay a few extra days.  Which meant they were here for my birthday and our trip to WonderWorks!  Unfortunately very few of my pictures from that trip turned out.  But, perhaps you can make out Astronaut Dom's great smile. 

 If you have been to a science museum, you have probably seen a room where music is playing and your silhouette is captured on the screen.  Molly and Dom both love these rooms.  We even threw John in there at the end.  He is the little guy in the center of the screen.  I'm pretty sure Dom was helping him...but, it could have been Will.  The kids also got to play basketball in a bouncy house (Dom was in heaven), play with big bubbles, work a Google Earth program (which Will was better than me at...not really saying much with that statement), and complete a ropes course.  And we had our new go to picnic lunch.  Pretty much the best day ever.

 For Valentine's Day, I gave Dom and Molly new underwear.  Not a big hit.  But, they needed them.  And I also threw in a chocolate bar for good measure.  Will, who did not need new underwear, received No Stress Chess.  A game the whole family loves.  I highly recommend it (and again, shout out to Katie for suggesting it).   I loved hearing Will ask Dom the other day if he wanted to play chess.  I don't even mind that Dom beat me yesterday...with a pawn.  That's how the game works.  Crazy, I know.

 Molly is now the proud owner of a pair of ruby slippers.  We've been teaching her to click her heels and say: There's No Place Like Home.  They are only slightly too big.  But, they are "SO BEAUTIFUL!"

 And finally, Eric has been selected to pin on Major.  This will happen at some point in the next 12 months.  We are all very proud of his accomplishments and glad that he enjoys his work.  Yesterday there was a pre-party for all of the Major and Colonel Selects.  We will let you know when he actually pins on so you can make plans for the real party!  Beach House Party!  With Party Supper!  Party Party Party!

One last thing to document.  Dom finished up his basketball season last week.  He was pretty incredible.  I lost track of his points during the game as John was on my lap and preferred to use the pen as a teething instrument as opposed to a writing utensil, but based on the fact that only a couple of other kids scored and his team had 26 points in his last game...we figure he had to have scored about 20 of them.   All of those hours in our driveway paid off big time.  But, don't worry, I can still beat him at knock out.  Sometimes without cheating.