Yard Man

Nathan always wants to help me work in the yard. He was insistent on helping me mow recently, so I gave him a shot (under strict supervision)...

Clean-Up Crew

It was time for some late Spring-cleaning, and I was working on the kitchen and living room. I told the boys that I wanted them to get their room ready to vacuum, and that they needed to pick everything up off of the floor. Well, they certainly cleared their room...

Namesake

Nathan's middle name is Allen. It was my grandfather's last name. Since he had no sons, my younger brother's middle name is Allen to carry on the family name. In honor of this man and our family heritage, my brother and I both named our first sons' middle names Allen. Interestingly, Nathan has a trait of sorts that reminds me of my "Pa". My grandfather used to sometimes take a short afternoon nap on the floor of his living room with his knees up. I remember thinking it was funny and, though I tried it myself, I never personally took to it. I don't know if I've ever seen anyone else sleep with their knees up, though I'm sure people do from time to time. One night I went into Nathan's room to check on him and was surprised to see his knees up in the air. I actually thought he was awake, but he was sound asleep. The first time he actually positioned himself this way before going to sleep, I asked him why he did it. "I just like to sometimes". Fine with me! Maybe everyone but me does this and it's no big deal, but I like to think it's an Allen connection!

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Sometimes I make poor judgments in motivating Nathan. REALLY poor.



Nathan was resisting getting ready for school and we were on track for being late (again). I decided to motivate him by telling him, "C'mon, Nathan, you don't want to be late for your LAST MONDAY!" I just knew that would get him going! Well, it got him going all right - DOWNHILL! He continued to resist getting ready and for the first time all year he started crying in the car that he did not want to go to school today. I reassured him that he would have a great day and his teacher and friends would really miss him if he wasn't there - after all, this would be his last week at school before summer and he needed to be there. This only sent him further into sorrow. As we pulled into the school driveway, I finally asked him WHY he was so upset. "I just don't want to go! I wanna go home!" Nathan, you LOVE school - I don't understand why you're acting this way today. "Because I don't wanna go to the last day!"



(Way to go, Dad!)



Although the teacher at the drop-off area had to pry him from the car and carry him away, he ended up having a good day and was telling me about being in KINDERGARTEN next year when I picked him up. (Thanks, Mrs. Mayers!)

Latest Pics

We had a fun day at our church a few weeks back, and here are some pics taken then...

Smooth Operator

We were driving to pick up Evan from daycare when Nathan spoke up from the back seat: "Hey, Dad! I have an idea! Let's surprise Evan with an ICEE!!" As Laura burst out laughing at Nathan's "generosity" toward Evan, Nathan pointed out a convenient opportunity to fulfill his benevolent plan. "Look, Dad, they sell Icees right over there! We should go ahead and get them now!" As Laura continued to laugh at Nathan's plotting, I suggested we pick up Evan first and then get Icees at Walmart, as we were going there for groceries anyway. I expected some resistance, but Nathan simply replied, "Yeah, let's do that - that's what I was thinking!" To know him is to love him!