Don't light that fuse!!!

Saturday morning I was showering and Merrick was wandering around in the bathroom. Merrick went over to the potty and closed the door. I turned the shower off and went to get out, and Merrick was standing there. He had gotten one of my UNUSED tampons, unwrapped it, taken the applicator off, and was holding it by the cotton part, with the string draped over his hand. I asked "What do you have Merr?" And, with excitement, he replied "Firework!!!" Kids have the best imagination!

Soggy Girl Scout Camp!

June 12th was Rowan's first experience at Girl Scout Camp.
We arrived at Trefoil Ranch just in time for a huge rainstorm to move in. It happened so fast that we didn't have time to get our bags covered up, and needless to say, lots of girl scouts and their moms had the privilege of sleeping with wet clothes and/or sleeping bags. But the girls had a blast. Especially when they got to ride horses and decorate them with stickers and ribbons.





All of the girls loved finding caterpillars all over and we'll never forget when we heard a rustling in the trees behind us and saw a turkey jump onto the trail and run in the opposite direction.
The girls got to do projects and sing songs, and learn some fun dances.

May 27th Rowan bridged from Daisy Girl Scouts to Brownies. She gets to have her same troop leader, Sara, so we're all happy! Rowan and I get to go to a You & Me camp at the Girl Scout lodge in June, and then she gets to go camping with her troop in July. She's pretty excited!May 29th Rowan's elementary school had a 5k run. My sister, Merrick and me drove from one checkpoint to the next to cheer her on. They had police escorts and everything! Merrick held up a sign that said "GO ROWAN GO". He had fun waving at her and her friends going by.
Rowan and her friend Tayci walked a lot of the course but had a great time. On May 31st, Alex and I took the kids to the zoo. It was perfect weather and a lot of the animals were out. Merrick loved the merry-go-round and the train. Everyonethought it was gross when the giraffe had to 'do his business' and Rowan kept telling me "he's still going..." I steered clear of the glass windows of the 'cages' that housed spiders, snakes and scorpions. Rowan has been having fun playing with her friend Alex Back. It's funny... When I was a kid, Alex Back's dad, Randy, was my best friend, and now his kid is buddies with my kid! Weird! They spend hours riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline, playing on the playground or swimming in the little pool at my mom's. And, it always seems that kids have the best hearing, but only when it comes to hearing the ice cream truck heading our way. I'm sure that I could've bought at least 4 or 5 boxes of creamy delights for the price of a few visits from the ice cream man. But, it's a childhood summer tradition!

When crawfish attack!

May 23rd, Alex and I took the kids fishing. Rowan caught a HUGE crawfish, lobster sized!, but it got away. I was the only one that






caught one, but even then, I thought I only had my hook caught on a branch. The weather was pretty cold when we got there, and it was sooo windy! We decided to eat our lunch first and the whole time Rowan kept saying she was COLD! After about 20 minutes, the sun came out and it warmed up a little bit. Rowan and Merrick didn't understand that after you cast your line, there is a fair amount of waiting involved. They hiked around and hung out, and it seemed that I had to brush an awful lot of red ants off of Merrick. The kids liked climbing all over the rocks and I liked it when the sun would shine for a few brief moments.

Clean up on aisle 7.... x 100...

In April, Alex and I took the kids to the Children's Museum. Alex had never been, so it was fun for him, too. The kids had a great time playing in the helicopter, and the little grocery store. Merrick liked pushing the buttons on the cash register, and I'm sure that everyone loved hearing "clean-up on aisle 7" 100 or so times. On April 9th, Rowan lost another tooth, via self-extraction.She always freaks out




about the blood, but never fails to get them out. Maybe sometimes too soon! April 12th was Easter.The Easter bunny always brings waaay too much candy and encourages the kids to get up waaay too early. He must have some sort of evil pact with Santa. April 21st, I taught Rowan how to ride her bike. She practiced for hours and finally got it. I don't know how many times I heard "DON'T HOLD THE BACK OF MY SEAT!! I CAN DO IT!!!" Followed shortly by "MOM, WHY AREN'T YOU HELPING ME!!!" It was totally entertaining for me. She didn't appreciate being filmed or looked at in any sort of 'funny' fashion. She gave up about 10 times, about 30 seconds each time. There were probably 3 tip-overs, 75 times up and down the same sidewalk, and countless dirty looks directed at me. But, she did learn and I tried to not take the harsh words so personally. Now, she rides her bike whenever she can. Merrick is really into anything to do with spaceships or robots. He watched Toy Story until I thought the DVD would warp, and he's really into Zathura now. Robots and spaceships... perfect! He loves jumping on the bed, saying 'it's hard' or 'what doin' or 'hold me'. He's very stealthy, so I always have to make sure I can see him at all times, so he doesn't sneak out the front door, lock himself in the bathroom or get fingernail polish out of my dresser and dump it all over the quilt my grandma made for me over 25 years ago. Yes, those were all learning experiences for me. Rowan lost another tooth on May 22nd.But this time, we tied a piece of floss around her tooth, and let Merrick yank it out. It was hilarious! She was trying to tell him what to do and with one flick of the wrist, it was out, before she could finish relaying the instructions. The tooth was missing for a few minutes and then was found.

January/February/March OH MY... where have I been!

Rowan has been in Girl Scout Troop 950 since September 2008. She loves getting together with her friends and going on fun fieldtrips and making crafty things. Her troop leader is Sara Witt. She is so wonderful with all of the girls! The kids had a great time outside in unbelievably warm weather in February. Rowan had a blast learning how to play badmitton (or as she calls it 'Mad Mittens') and taking walks around the neighborhood. In March, Merrick was the latest Milius to get their picture taken in the infamous sailor suit. It's over 60 years old, and all the grandkids have had their turn. On March 23rd, Rowan lost another tooth. Once again, she was the brave one to pull it out. That just gives me the heebeejeebee's!!!>

To Infinity and Beyond, or at least bed by 8:30...

Crazy! Things are crazy! Rowan started going to school at my old elementary school and so far she loves it! She has made a few new friends, Tacey and Makayla (who is actually an old friend from daycare). Right now she acts like a 13 year old, and while sometimes, it's funny, there is the 'attitude' that goes along with it. I try to be patient with her, since, fingers-crossed, it's just a phase. It's quite a trip to go into your old elementary school. Things looked so much bigger when I was 6 years old. It's amazing where time goes! Rowan is reading like a champ. I quizzed her on her spelling test for today and she got done, "Well, that was easy..." I'm so proud of her. She never ceases to amaze me! Merrick is still in his fun stage. He loves everything and anything to do with Buzz Lightyear. He goes around pointing his wrist at everything, acting like he's shooting a laser. I try to run him around on a daily basis, saying 'To Infinity and Beyond!!!' He loves it. He's been saying new words every day, and I try to make sure my profanity is kept to the bare minimum around him. Somedays, I'll just look at him going about his business and he makes the funniest faces... definitely my kid.