The kids are taking swim lessons at Idyllwild Arts. Our very own lifeguard Michelle teaches some of the classes.

Secretary Lori teaches the older kids. Bowden just started swimming underwater this year- thanks to Grandma Tate's encouragement. My children are not so fish-like.

Swim lessons should help. Thanks, Nanny!

Miles had his first real bath yesterday. At first he wasn't sure if he liked it.

Then he was sure that he didn't.


Poor baby!
Once he had the pacifier and a warm bed, he was fine.

Little frog belly.

And dressed. He did not mind the getting dressed, and he seemed to enjoy being nekkid.

Today, though, his skin looks like it's peeling and dry...maybe the baby wash I used, but it makes me a little sad for him. It really doesn't bother him, I don't think.

Lucy hit four years yesterday. I wasn't sure if I had the energy for it, but my Grandma and Mom ended up coming to hold baby and entertain chickens, so I got everything done that I had hoped to. All in all, it was a very celebrated birthday! I stayed up late decorating the table. I've been getting Milosch to bed at 9:30pm, or trying, but that night he was awake and hungry until 11:15.

The birthday girl's place setting.

We woke up at 6:45 to the sound of excited squeals and shouts of joy...the birthday girl was awake!

she was happy to point out all of the good things in readiment for Jack and Bowden...Lucy was very generous with her birthday.

Jack liked the hat, and the "tandy" that awaited him.

Lucy opened two presents right away...a bag with a new dress, another outfit, and a purse...

She also opened a bag of swim things with a new bathing suit...yesterday was Bowden and her first summer swim lesson.
Then she posed with the remaining presents, later in the day. See her new birthday dress?

Last night we had the staff kids over for smoothies and cake in honor of Lucy's birthday...she loved the attention.

Jack liked the little umbrella, and the opportunity to be sticky and messy. I don't really know if he liked it, but he did it anyway.

Making the smoothies...

My grandma held a wide-awake Miles while we entertained...she's such a good sport!

Lucy LOVED having the staff sing happy birthday to her. It made it very special for her to have everyone over. She also liked having a reason to wear ANOTHER new birthday dress.

She did not have good fire boundaries. I was careful to keep her curls away from the candles, despite her desire to gaze closely and directly at the blaze.

She blew them out like a champ, but she had to blow the trick candle out four times.

Happy birthday, Lucy!

Miles liked it all, I think, despite his face.
Josh decorated the train cake for Lucy. She wanted the car, "with all of the tootsie rolls on it."

Jack liked having the candy. SO MUCH.








I like celebrating Lucy's birthday, but I am glad to have all birthdays done until next year.

We spent a few hours in Hemet. We had meant to run some errands and then eat dinner at Chili's with a gift card from our friend Steve Maxon, but our errands were over in half an hour, and we still had an hour and a half until dinner time.

Josh suggested we try the museum at the Diamond Lake entrance, and we made our way there. It was a good way to spend an hour and a half- especially with air conditioning. There were mastodon bones found just a couple miles away, and a movie that imagined what the dry, dusty land of Hemet must have been like when those giants were the main inhabitants of that place.
After we had exhausted the main room, just found a nice place to lie down in the children's reading corner, and I nursed Miles. This is the only time I took pictures, despite the numerous photo-ops.

Jack liked hanging out with us, while Lucy and Bowden and Nanny explored to their heart's content.

Generally, my days have become a little monotonous...tiring, but a bit boring. Yesterday, Lucy's birthday, was an exception, so I will post pictures of that, too.

This baby boy is two weeks old today. Already. He's looking more and more Italian, I think. Or maybe it's his French-Canadian good looks coming through, non?

Jack was this age, once.

Grandma Gigi Fusano came up to meet the little man Miles, and to celebrate Lucy's fourth birthday with us. I think that Miles is Grandma and Umpa's 23rd great grandchild, and only the sixth boy of all that.

This blessed baby has three wonderful grandmothers to love! I am constantly amazed, and always grateful, at how overflowing our cups are.

Bowden ran up to the house a couple of days ago, laughing, when Nanny had taken them all for a swim. He told me Jack had fallen asleep in the pool, so I grabbed my camera and went to get him.

There he was, peaceful and completely asleep, resting on Nanny and floating on a pool noodle.

I grabbed a towel and my mom handed him off...I laid him down with an extra towel underneath him, and he slept soundly through it all.

As Skippy Jon Jones' mother says, "What a little crumb-cake!"

Here are some pictures of Miles over the past few days.

Just because.