Sara encouraged me to make a "perogy pizza" for Friday pizza night.

Sara encouraged me to make a "perogy pizza" for Friday pizza night. I was skeptical that it would work, but it turned out even better than the Boston Pizza version we were emulating. For those interested in replicating. I mixed some sour cream, ranch dressing, and hot sauce together for the sauce; covered the sauce with a layer of finely sliced baked potato; then sprinkled with sausage and bacon bits; threw some cheddar in with our regular pizza cheese; and topped it with green onion once it was out of the oven.

Nate spilled milk down the front of his shirt yesterday at the dinner table.

Nate spilled milk down the front of his shirt yesterday at the dinner table. I look at him and give him my disappointed voice, "Nate, what happened?"
Nate glum, "The Pink Panther confuses me."
Sara found a DVD of the original Pink Panther animated shorts at a garage sale. The boys love them, they will watch Pink Panther over pretty much anything, including full length movies. One of their favourites is called "Pink Pajamas" and in it two of the characters swig milk (see screen grab), which was what Nate was trying to emulate. Thankfully, as far as cartoon physics misrepresentations goes, this one is fairly benign.

Sara Epp went garage sale-ing (sailing?

Sara Epp went garage sale-ing (sailing?) with the boys and got a new Duplo base plate. So naturally we built a castle. Sometimes it's more fun building with the bulky multi-coloured Duplo blocks than their more refined Lego brethren, because you can build quicker, it's easier for the boys to collaborate, and you need to rely on your imagination just a little more. I'm particularly fond of my knight with the pot on his head and shovel for a sword, and Nate had some great additions too, using a fishing rod for a drawbridge rope and lion guarding the princess to be rescued.

Prepare for the Jelly Apocalypse!!!

Prepare for the Jelly Apocalypse!!! 
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2013/sep/26/jellyfish-theyre-taking-over/?page=1

Nate and James are playing soccer in the front yard.

Nate and James are playing soccer in the front yard.
Me, "Nate, I want you to play fair."
Nate,"I don't play fair, I play good."
I'm hoping he thought I meant fair as in average...

Nate's first day day at school. For some reason he decided to dress like a hoodlum.

Nate's first day day at school. For some reason he decided to dress like a hoodlum.

Nate was playing with one of the neighbor boys his age and they wanted to go outside.

Nate was playing with one of the neighbor boys his age and they wanted to go outside. The boy didn't want to take off his socks, so thinking I was clever and knowing he really liked leopards I go, "You know, leopards don't wear socks."
"Yeah!", the neighbor boy nods with enthusiasm taking off his socks. I begin to silently congratulate myself when I'm interrupted as the boy continues matter of factly, "Leopards don't wear clothes either." Oh boy, this is NOT where I wanted this to go...

Missed these photos of the Epp cabin weekend.

Missed these photos of the Epp cabin weekend. ***** I should have known something was off when I didn't post any photos of Jeremy Epp in front of the cabin.

Family hike at Assinaboine Park.

Family hike at Assinaboine Park.

James wanted "baby" for nap. This is what he did with it.

James wanted "baby" for nap. This is what he did with it.

I biked to Stella's Bakery this morning with the boys to give Sara a bit of a sleep in and to get some fresh baking...

I biked to Stella's Bakery this morning with the boys to give Sara a bit of a sleep in and to get some fresh baking for breakfast. We stopped in to share a cinnamon bun and chocolate milk and struck up a conversation with the lady next to us who had a three week old baby along. She offered Nate a chance to see the baby and he accepted. Then she offered James a chance but he shook his head and said no. Nate to the lady, "He doesn't like babies. He was told to not be mean to little babies, and now he just doesn't like them anymore."

A wonderful weekend at the lake with Jeremy Epp and Theresa Epp.

A wonderful weekend at the lake with Jeremy Epp and Theresa Epp.

For Sara Epp

For Sara Epp 
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/08/stalins-rope-roads/100577/

James was having a rough morning (crying at the smallest things), so Nate offered to draw him pictures to make him...

James was having a rough morning (crying at the smallest things), so Nate offered to draw him pictures to make him happy (it worked). Photo is of Nate at the workstation he set up using our piano bench.

This both amazing and heartwarming.

This both amazing and heartwarming.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/24/4551542/ms-paint-artist-hal-lasko-is-97-and-legally-blind

I was watching the boys at the playground yesterday, and had taken my eyes off of James, when I heard loud "splat".

I was watching the boys at the playground yesterday,  and had taken my eyes off of James, when I heard loud "splat". I looked over, and James was lying face down in the gravel spread eagle by the side of the slide. I could tell from how he was positioned and the loudness of the splat that he had just attempted to jump off mid way up the slide (at least 4 feet up) where there's a slight bump that they can stop and stand on. So I went over to help him out and give him a hug.

"Did that hurt?"
"Yeah" (small sob)
"Well don't do that then, silly boy!"
"Why?"
"Because it's too high up."
James laughing, "Yeah, me do small jump!"
"Okay, good. You do small jumps."
Turn around to see where Nate's at, and I hear the sound of something hitting the gravel again. I look back, and there's James on the ground again, except this time he aced the jump and landed it on his feet.

(I tried to catch him on camera doing it again, but the one other time he did it, I was too slow to catch him.)

English gardens at Assinaboine Park

English gardens at Assinaboine Park

I'm not sure how it started, but it started a couple of weeks ago, the boys have started saying "Thank you!

I'm not sure how it started, but it started a couple of weeks ago, the boys have started saying "Thank you!" in a cheerful voice whenever we punish them.

"James, don't put your spoon in your milk, or I will take you cup away."
James puts his spoon in his milk.
I take his cup away.
James, "Thank you!"
(grrrrrrrrr)

Sometimes I worry about James' teenage years, he tried to chug a bottle of salad dressing the other day.

They do this pretty much constantly every time we go to the playground.

They do this pretty much constantly every time we go to the playground.