Maturing Kids

 Last summer, our oldest two both hit puberty in August. There has been a lot of change and emotions and growth spurts and hormones. They are both in the phase where despite becoming more like adults, they are still VERY much children. 

Today they are practicing a youth musical number that they’ll sing in sacrament meeting next week. Leroy is sitting next to his best friend Callan and when they aren’t singing, they’re goofing off, rough housing etc, but when it’s time to sing, they focus and engage. It reminded me how juvenile I sometimes act around good friends. 

Messes

Afton really likes to climb our toy storage container. Problem? I store toys on top of it. 

Not a problem. 

It takes approximately 10 seconds to make our house totally messy. 

But it only takes me 5 minutes or less to clean it up again! I will be teaching Afton this skill soon...

Carrot Dip

I gave the kids carrot sticks for a snack today. It was Afton's first carrot stick, so I didn't expect her to eat it really. She just chewed on it for a while and carried it around. 

We went outside, and she started playing in the dirt. She was drawing in the dirt with a stick, then switched to using her carrot to draw with. Then she put the carrot back in her mouth. Repeatedly. 

I guess dirt is the new Ranch. 

Toys

All of the toys and shoes are piled in the corner to hide from "the monster."

(I'm pretty sure Afton is the monster.)

We love the zoo

And Leroy loves getting his picture taken. 

"Take a picture of me eating my banana ON the hippopotamus."

"Mom! Take a picture of me!"

Afton got to relax and eat her banana while Leroy ran around. 

Leroy got to see the lion walk right by his face. "It's the papa lion!!"

We stopped for a while at a playground in the zoo. "Mom, I'm good at hiding."

I forgot to bring my Ergo to the zoo - oops! Normally I use it at the end of the day because Leroy is too tired to walk out of the zoo without crying several times. It just takes longer than I like. Normally I put either Leroy or Afton on my back in the Ergo and the other child goes in the stroller. After carrying Afton in one arm and trying to push Leroy with the other, I finally convinced Leroy to hold Afton on his lap. 

She really did like it when we were moving. 

Leroy's toys

Apparently Leroy doesn't want Afton to play with his toys. Can you find them?

Yup. Ronald, Teddy Bear, and Lightning Car are his favorite toys. But Afton's shoe? I guess he claimed it for the evening. 

My boy Leroy

Leroy: "I'm holding my sword to fight people and my tennis racket to play golf."

And yes, he is wearing no clothes. 

"Breakfast"

I went to Panda Express for dinner tonight. Leroy was delighted to get noodles. "Mom," he says, "this is the best breakfast ever!"