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Grandpa B. in Arizona sent this picture to us today along with a cowboy outfit for Ben.  Ben received his first cap gun, holster and red neck-kerchief.  So now they can be cowboys together!

Doesn’t this look like a scene for the Old West?  That’s actually Grammy and Grandpa B’s backyard!  So cool.  Grandpa also grew a beard for a short time.  It was for a role in their Church Play.  I believe when it was over, Grammy made him shave it.  I must say with the beard, Grandpa B. and Uncle Frank REALLY look alike.   They are twins after all!

Most of you probably don’t know this, but Ben sleeps with a picture of Grandpa B. on his bookcase headboard.  I don’t remember how it started, but the picture is there and he won’t go to sleep without it.  One night I found him asleep with the picture resting on his chest.  He woke up in the middle of the night (only to find that I had moved it) and cried until I gave it back to him.  Awwww…

Beffy also received a red accordion from Grammy and Grandpa.  Grammy says she had one just like it when she was a kid.  Tonight, Mom, Dad and Ben were all summoned to a “show” as Beth played for us.

Thanks again Grammy and Grandpa B!  Can’t wait to see you in October!

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!  I hope you are enjoying your day.

And a special Happy Dad’s Day to Kris, Grandpa B., and Grampa Sielski.  The three finest dads I know!

Kris was awakened this morning to breakfast in bed.  The menu included homemade pancakes with strawberries and cool whip (or a choice of boysenberry syrup), turkey bacon and a tall glass of orange juice.  Daddy’s response to the breakfast was “phenomenal!”  Of course!  The kids helped make it!  He was also barraged with many cards and other goodies Beth made at school.  Ben made his own card and was able to write out”Happy Father’s Day” all on his own (OK, well Bethany told him how to spell everything).

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and swimming in the pool.

For dinner, I’m making Kris’ favorite b-b-q pork chops.  Normally I make ribs, but since we’re still trying the lose weight, the pork chops were a less fatty option (hence the turkey bacon for breakfast as well).

Last night we were outside and the kids asked Dad to do “chalk outlines” of them.  LOL.  CSI has nothing on us!

And then decorating them…

And as a side note, yesterday I cut the front yard for the first time!  I know, nothing special to you girls who do it all the time, but I usually don’t.  I’ve been known to cut the backyard on occasion, but generally it’s Kris’ job.  Although I must say, I did a fine job!  Maybe that’s not a good thing since Kris told me I was hired for the rest of the season.  ACK!

Once again, thanks for visiting!

Something special happened at the Sielski’s earlier this week.  I was outside with the kids and we found a butterfly fluttering on the grass.  It was clear that it was injured and the kids wanted to help it.  So I got a shoebox and Beth, Ben and Jeremy fetched some twigs and grass.  I scooted the butterfly into the box, its new temporary home.  Then I ran into the house to get it an apple and a carrot stick since we figured it was probably hungry.  Bethany reminded me that it was probably thirsty as well so I ran back in to get a small container of water and placed it in the box.

Well, the kids became really attached to our new found pet.  Bethany decided it was a girl and Ben named her “Buttercup.”  It was so cute.    We placed the box out on our deck.  Beth went out every few minutes to check on her.  Buttercup appeared to be doing ok, even though we knew she couldn’t fly.  But she sat perched on the branch inside the box.  We even saw her get onto the apple.  But just before nightfall, Bethany made one last check and it wasn’t looking good.  Buttercup was barely moving.  I had read on the internet that butterflies like to flock to puddles of water so we poured some water in the corner of the box.  Daddy picked up Buttercup and gently placed her in the puddle so she could drink.  Things seemed to be ok, but before Bethany went to bed, she checked on Buttercup and came running back into the house, tears streaming down her face.  She said she thought Buttercup was dead because she was laying on her side and not moving.

We covered the box for the night but unfortunately she didn’t make it.

Bethany was absolutely heartbroken.  She has such a tender, sweet heart.  It’s one of her greatest traits.  In hopes of making her feel a little better, I told her that buttercup was a gift to us.  She came into our lives, even just for one day, so that we could take care of her and love her.  This helped a little but Bethany asked me not to throw out the box so that we could bury Buttercup.

And so we did.  Daddy took one of our old landscaping stones for her grave.  And Bethany “engraved” it.

In case you can’t read it, it says, “Best Butterfly, ButterCup.”  And right next to it is the shoebox home she lived in for the day.

Bethany, mom is so proud of you.  I love you so much.  If there were more people in the world like you, it would be a much better place.  You’ve taught me how to be a better person.  May you never lose that great, big, giant heart of yours!

Gramma and Grampa Sielski invited us to go with them to their condo in DuBois, PA.  It was a really nice place.  The beach was spectacular and oddly enough, there weren’t many people there!  The kids had a blast at the beach.  I think they would have stayed there forever if we let them.

Bethany in the water.  Isn’t she cute?!?

Me helping Benny swim and our cutie Beffy

Hard at work on the awesome sandcastle they made all by themselves!

Relaxing in front of the tv with Gramma

Beth made this great book titled “My First Trip To Pennsylvania.”  She wanted to include a picture of the condo so Gramma and Beth sat outside on the driveway and made a detailed drawing. 

The name of the place we stayed at was called Treasure Lake.  It was a community of houses as well as condos and cabins.  There was a pool on premises and we decided to check it out the morning before we left.  And it was a good thing too because it was SO HOT!

Thanks again to Gramma and Grampa for letting us stay with them!

Our local Fisher Price branch does modeling and Ben had his first gig yesterday.  The set up is pretty cool.  We go in, they give him clothes to wear, then they do his hair.  After a few minutes of waiting (and playing with a ton of toys in the waiting room) we are ushered to the back of a set.  Ben then got to play with a pretty cool helicopter while they snapped his picture.  The photographer commented on how many great shots they got.  The good news is, he could make it onto the box of this toy.  The bad news is, they won’t contact you if he does.  So we just have to keep going to back to check.  And what does he get for all this?  $25 gift card to their toy store.  Not too shabby for 10 minutes of work!  I wish I made that kind of money.

Some of you might remember that Bethany did the toy modeling as well.  I’m telling ya, a lot of the toys in our house she earned herself!  It’s a pretty sweet deal.  And no worries, the kids really like doing it.