Life in our madhouse

The top picture is of Lear at the playhouse at Wheeler Farm. We went there as part of our Ward's summer playgroup. They had tons of fun with their friends and the animals - there were even wild rats in the pigpen! I am always glad to observe wildlife in their natural habitats, but I thought that not everyone would enjoy the picture I took of them, so I didn't include it above. 

Next is of Ella COVERED in dirt from one of the tree rings in our back yard. She is fascinated with dirt and digging and generally getting filthy. She even had it in her HAIR, and I had to wash it twice before I got it all out - and the water was an opaque brown color when we were done washing. Since she is a girl, I blame it all on the male influence of her older brother, who is her partner in crime in all things lately. Lear was dirty, too, but being older, he can keep it in moderation. If you click on the picture, you'll see a much bigger version of it, in which all the dirt is easier to observe.

In the last two pictures, Cory is trying to get Ella and Lear dressed for bed, and Ella, being resistant to the idea of wearing clothing (another two-year-old phase she is going through is what I call The Gratuitous Nakedness Phase), Cory tried to interest her in pants by putting them on his head. I'm not sure where the connection between wearing pants where they belong and wearing them on the head is, but they had fun doing it. I love that the waistband on Ella's head makes her look like a squished potato.

Lear quote: "My mommy and daddy don't run on the treadmill very much anymore, so their bellies are getting bigger and bigger and bigger... Actually, I think it's the food."