Our Cousins Came To Play!

Today Clarence and Adina's cousins, Tucker and McCall, came over to play.  The kids are having so much fun together.  Usually when Clarence and Tucker get together, they wrestle and fight some; not today, though.  They've shared pretty well and have been playing very good together (most of the time).  They're both  still 2 and don't like to share that well, so that's been the biggest problem.  It's fun for Clarence to have another boy his own age to play with, though.  When he goes to either of his babysitters, he's very outnumbered by girls his age. 

McCall has been such a good boy today.  We've played outside, he's taken a couple naps, he loves his bottles...he's so mellow and easy-going.  Adina's loving having him over...it gives her a chance to practice her babysitting skills.  She also likes to chase the big boys around and play with them, too.

Here are some pictures I took this morning of them playing.

Deciding who can play with what...

 Tucker likes the trucks, pickups and farm machinery...Clarence likes the animals and the things that go with the animals (the pickup to haul them, the semi to haul them, the tractor to feed them, etc.) It was cute when Tucker came, Clarence was telling him which side of his barn the animals are supposed to go in.  But Tucker wanted to play with the machinery.

 We filled the pool up this morning.  The kids had so much fun!  They played in it all morning... and it really tired them out! They fell right asleep at nap time! Yay!

 Clarence and Tucker were trying to drink it, I think...Adina's really brave, don't you think?  All she'd do was put her hands in it (it was cold, but I think she was scared of the boys...)

 Little Mr. McCall...he was my helper.  I put him in the stroller and we wandered around the yard.  He's so happy and easy! 

Peeling corn for dinner...we feed the peelings to the horses.  They were really good helpers.  :)

I had plans of getting a lot done today since this is the only day I've been at home for longer than sleeping in over a week.  However, I had forgotten how much time a little baby takes.  While he's an easy baby, it's just different having extra kids around, and I haven't accomplished as much as I'd hoped.  However, my goals for the day may have been a little far-fetched.

Here's what they were this morning:

1. Mow the lawn (while the kids are playing outside). I mowed for a little while, but that was kinda hard (I'll finish tonight, I guess).

2. Can tomatoes...I have to get this done! My free-grazing chickens are eating them, and this angers me.  So, I have 7 jars ready to go in the canner.  I guess that's been a pretty productive naptime.

3. I wanted to make bread/buns/rolls...we're out, and it's nice to have them in the freezer for when we come home late...we can make a quick sandwich.  I'm thinking of starting it soon...it really wouldn't take long, I just need to find the motivation.

4. I need to fold a lot of clothes!  I've decided to do this tonight after I put the kids to bed...I'll watch a movie andd fold clothes. 

During my thought process earlier, I thought about folding clothes during naptime, but decided it would be better to be standing in the kitchen right now rather than at 10 o'clock tonight (when I know I'd avoid it completely!).

5. I have beans that I still need to do something with.  However, I don't know what, and it takes so long by myself and when I've got so many helpers. 

6. I need to clean the church (probably this evening when we go get groceries).

7. Get groceries...

The list goes on and on...and I've only completed a few chores off my original plan.  However, since I've got two extra kids, I have to call it a good day when they have fun playing outside all morning, ALL eat a good dinner, and ALL take a good nap AT THE SAME TIME!  That has to fit in somewhere. 

Tomorrow: Back to the baler (I'm kinda excited, though...Matt fixed the air conditioning!)  and Ruthie (my cousin) is coming with to help my mom with the kids.  She'll be a great little helper...she's so good with kids!

Have a great day and a great weekend! I can't believe it's already the weekend! It seems like just yesterday I wrote that we were going camping for the weekend...oh well, I guess.