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Boys and their dirt...and trucks.

These pictures were taken in Phoenix, Arizona while Dave was chaining down the truck and forklift we were going to haul back to Grand Forks, North Dakota. Austin was able to get out of the truck to play for a bit in the 86 degrees of Arizona heat. He found a styrofoam cup and had a blast for those 15 or so minutes he got to play in the dirt.

Big truck tires...and a little boy in the background.

Going to show daddy his cup 'o dirt.

The smile, the dirty knees....big trucks and dirt. That is what being a 3 yr old boy is all about.

Finally a short escape......

Yet, I worry about leaving the kids!!

What is wrong with me?? What parent doesn't dream about leaving the kids (all but 1) and heading off to someplace warm and enjoying some peace and quiet? Geesh! Maybe I think they can't survive or thrive without me. I know Brandon won't have any clean clothes. And I know Autumn will be living off of hot pockets and pizza and ramens. And I know Logan won't have a care in the world unless someone doesn't feed him and get him ice water. 2 ice cubes, of course.

Dave has a load going to Phoenix, Arizona, so Austin and I are climbing in with him and going for the ride. Hopefully that ride gets us back by next Sunday.

Gawd, I sound like I am leaving them all home alone. I am leaving them in very capable hands, just not mine. My mom and Abby are splitting the shift and Autumn will have just a few days on her own.

Now, I know what it is.....Dave's truck is lacking in appropriate air conditioning! Things could get sticky and sweaty. Maybe I will have him drop me in Colorado and pick me up on the way back.

Logan and Austin were deep in conversation about their super heros...specifically Batman, Robin, Bat Girl and Wonder Woman.

Austin: "wonnerwomangirl can't hold big house up, only little house"

Logan: "what, I can't understand you."

Austin:wonnerwomangirl can't hold big houses up, only little ones"

Logan: "STOP SPEAKING CHINESE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT!"

Kids are so precious.....and humorous!

Tonight at dinner.

Austin: "Mom, if Brandon hates me, I won't have any friends."

Me: "But, Brandon doesn't hate you."

Austin: "But he will if I kick him."

To busy laughing to even respond.

Chicken, more chicken?

Totally random, but totally annoying as well.

How I would love to go to the grocery store solo once in a while. Today I thought I might get that chance using marshmallows as a bribe. I told Austin I was taking Logan to preschool and then going to the store. If he wanted to come with he needed to get his shoes. Instead he wanted "big marshmallow, just one". So I said, "OK...I am going to the store, you can have a big marshmallow if you are good while I am gone."

Austin, "Ok."
As I was heading out the door with Logan, Austin crams his big marshmallow in his mouth and attempts to also hoover his 2nd "bonus" marshmallow down, so he can yell, "I WANT TO GO WITH YOU!" Oy.

So, onto the chicken story.

After we drop Logan off at preschool we are on our way to the store and Austin says, "can we get chicken?".

Me: "no."
Austin: "why?"
Me: "cause we already have chicken at home."
Austin: "Well, can we get more chicken?"
Me: "no."
Austin: "why?"
Me: "Cause we don't need more chicken."

Now if that wasn't bad enough. Once we have arrived at the store, I get....
"Are we getting chicken?".

Now, I understand why Dave enjoys being hard of hearing.

Sloppy part 2

Austin, meanwhile, was devouring his second joe.

Again...no shirt, no shoes, no pants, whatever.

"SLOPPY JOES?! NEVER!"

Apparently Logan has something against Sloppy Joes. When I told him we were having sloppy joes for dinner, he said, "can I have lunch instead?". No, you cannot have lunch, I am making dinner and we are eating sloppy joes.

"Sloppy Joes?! NEVER!"

After I forced him to take at least 1 bite, he said he would but would never eat them again. After one bite, came another and another. Mmmm, those sloppy joes aren't so bad, now are they?

(Yes, we eat shirtless. No shoes either. We are rebels like that.)

He did pretty good for saying he would never eat them!