The boys both played their first soccer games this weekend! They are playing in the co-ed neighborhood league, with an emphasis on fun, so I don’t even know if their teams “won” the games. All of their practices and games are at the park down the street from us, and the weather was gorgeous this weekend, so we spent a lot of time down there. The boys are enjoying themselves immensely, and learning some skills, too. There’s even a mini-me league, so Cara will be able to play in the Spring. Hopefully this is just the beginning of many fun seasons of soccer!

The “CBF Grasses” album contains pictures from one of the boys’ Spring service projects: the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s “Grasses for the Masses.” The project involves growing underwater grasses in your home for two months and then planting them in a tributary to the bay. The grasses help fight erosion, filter the water, and provide food and shelter for wildlife. Liam kept a Grass Journal in which he recorded the water level, temperature, and activity every day. Check out the pix for details.

Brian and the boys rescued a box turtle from a lawn mower while helping the Neighborhood Watch crew clean up an unoccupied community pool. We’re currently keeping Mr. Turtle in our backyard, but plan to return him to the “wild” soon (pictures to come). Liam and Evan also helped a local homeschooling group label storm drains around our neighborhood with “NO DUMPING” signs. The boys have learned a lot, helped the environment, met great people, and had fun to boot!
We’re in the process of researching and thinking up more projects to get involved in – I’ll let you know what we come up with!

Evan is currently racing around the culdesac on Liam’s old two-wheel bike. Some of you will recall that about two years ago, Liam got the hand-me-down bike from a neighbor and just hopped on it and rode off. It’s never had training wheels on it. This weekend, it was Evan’s turn to amaze us, as he just decided it was about time he could ride one, too. Brian gave him a push, and he was off! Barely 48 hours later, he’s out there doing tricks and riding around like a speed devil. I do not look forward to the day when these boys get driver’s licenses. Maybe by then the age will be 20!

We’re riding along in the car on the way home from the nature center yesterday, and Liam asks me one of his questions that means he’s been mulling something over:

“Mom, what comes after ‘quintillion’?”

In the second that I paused to consider whether ’sextillion’ is a word (it is), Evan piped up with a much more accurate answer:

“Quintillion-one.”

Quote of the year (so far):

Evan: “I want to be a policeman when I grow up. But I’m going to drive a red mustang to trick people.”

Liam: “I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up… But I think I’m going to invent a solar-electric powered car and sell it for under $300.”

Liam, Evan, and I had an absolutely fantastic (if exhausting) day yesterday. In the morning we went and helped the Chesapeake Bay Foundation plant bushes and water grasses along a streambed through a local golf course. There were at least 100 people there by midday, along at least a 1/2 mile stretch of the stream. The boys learned all about erosion, watersheds, healthy streams, rivers, bays, and oceans, and most importantly community service. New: here’s a picture the CBF organizer took of us:

After the CBF event we went over to Ted and Esther’s to build an absolutely enormous piece of play equipment for Lucas. Ted had acquired this thing off of Craig’s List, and had subsequently reconstructed fully a quarter of the structural pieces (due to plenty of rot and a little insect damage). Ted had every piece labeled and prepped, with the necessary tools all laid out and ready to go. It’s always nice to do things for friends, but it’s even nicer to do things for friends who are so organized.

I’m looking forward to a slower day today, but only because it feels so rewarding to slow down after having been so helpful!

Evan’s birthday has been a three-week extravaganza, beginning with the trip to Strasburg, followed by the flight to MN to visit Aunt Kelly, Uncle Patrick and his new cousin Sean, and culminating with his school celebration and the fourth annual Pumpkin Patch Birthday Bash! He has had such a good time and is so proud of being FIVE! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of it. Pictures will be posted soon!

Liam: “Mom, may I please have a clementine?”

Evan: “I like to call them pumpkins. Because they look like pumpkins.”

Liam (with a look of disdain) “But they are clementines.”

Evan (with his mischievous grin): “Mom, may I please have a pumpkin?”

Cara (with an equally mischievous grin): “Mommy, may I please have a pumpkintine?”