If you leave them alone, they will entertain themselves

 A few weeks ago we went to our soccer game early for pictures.   The cheapest package was $16 for a bunch of pictures that I couldn't care less about.  Times 2.  After they took the pictures, I asked Eric to just take some outside that I can now order at some point (or not) for a couple of dollars. 

 Bonus, we got our team's mascot to pose as well:

 She has been sitting on the bench during the games and has been quite the little cheerleader.  When she isn't running to make sure that the water fountain is still working.  You can never be too sure about those!

 We had a lovely Father's Day.  Eric received a couple of copper cups from us and a mug with directions on how to tie various knots.  I am sure you will all be shocked to know that Will immediately wanted to learn how to do one. 

 Two children who will remain nameless apparently picked up the camera at some point and took pictures of various things around the house.  Unfortunately, even if my deduction skills weren't higher than the average person's...I'm pretty sure I would have still figured out who the culprits were.

 My deduction skills have been honed by multiple playings of the game Clue this week.  The boys love it and request to play it daily.  I try to play at least one game with them, but they have also taught the neighbors how to play and they are willing participants. 

 Will and Molly and I also played a game of pick-up sticks as well as Suspend!  (Which in someways is a lot like pick-up sticks...but, not really)  Molly ended up winning the game mainly because Will and I attempted to one-up each other in our tricky placements.  (The goal is to balance all of your bars on the structure, if your placement causes bars to fall, they are placed back in your pile)

All of the game playing has been because it is either too hot to play outside or it is raining.  There might be about 15 minutes after a rain shower when it isn't too uncomfortable (this sensation is lost on John, he would be outside all of the time if he could).  Due to the indoors time, the kids have spent quite a bit of time dressed up as various characters.  I love walking into a room and coming face to face with some of my favorite characters.  Spiderman, Captain America, and Iron Man have also made appearances.  No ninjas, yet, though!

 John never keeps a hat on.  However, I heard giggles and pretty soon I see our little guy walking towards me with a huge smile on his face.  He was thrilled to be included in the dress-up.  For a change.

 Along with the game playing and dress-up, the boys have been reading.  A lot.  So much so...they have gotten into trouble on occasion for it.  Yesterday I took responsibility for this a bit because I went to a garage sale with John and brought back several books that I knew the kids would not be able to resist.  (This is a little thing I like to do.  I place books around the house I think will interest them and see how long before I catch them reading them...it's never very long)  I mean, I got Star Wars books!   I might as well have put on the Darth Vader mask and said: "Come! Join Me and read and avoid all chores!  Together we will live in squalor!"

 Also, in light of the fact that earlier that morning Dom had given me a little astronomy lesson:
"Mom, are Mercury and Venus the only planets without moons?"
"I don't know, are they?"
"Well, Mars, Earth, Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto all of moons...so..."
"But, Pluto isn't a planet"
I found this book:

 It was a great garage sale as I got a lot of books and went back to later to buy a lot of frames for $6 to hopefully create something like this in the new house:

(Megan Brister...I really think you should come to visit and you could help me with this.)
(Full disclosure, I sort of have a dream to make our new home into an academy of sorts.  Kind of like this one, only with an art gallery)

Yesterday we also had a really fantastic soccer game.  I am so proud of the boys.  The whole team in fact.  I'm also proud of the fact that I could tell Dominic that he was channeling Tim Howard while in goal and Julie Johnston while on defense and he thought that was awesome.  Will is having a solid season as well.  He is very controlled in his ball handling.  If he could just pick up some speed we'll be changing his name to William Thomas Muller Buschelman.

Yesterday was a pretty full day between a Homeschool Used Curriculum sale (where I scored loads of great materials.  Including a few I actually needed), garage sale visits, soccer, pool party, and my monthly shopping.  I realized something yesterday, I have started to make a friend at the beginning of the trip and strike up a friendly banter as we cross paths throughout the store.   We may never see each other again, but for the hour or two I was in the store, I had a buddy.  And that is a nice feeling.  Just check out Eric with his buddy up top.  Kind of nice, isn't it?