Bragging

(seriously totally awesome!)

28 steps? Coke? Cokies? 90 humps? What's going on here?

oh my gosh, schwantz, those drawings made my day!

:)

think you might be able to make a killing with those on the international art market -- get him a gallery show!

My favorite is "Countdown to Kindergarten" in the first one, but I also like that he was trying to write "Rogue Wave" up in the corner (he's a big Rogue Wave fan).

Those pics make me want to have kids tbh!

Dalton just learned how to roll from his back to his stomach (at four months!!!)

Sweet! Go go baby Dalton!

In other bragging news, Ben has been doing more drawings.

Amazing stuff. I'm kinda pinning my hopes on Ben solving all the world's energy/urban environment/transportation problems by the time he's 15 with his super-brain!

Ava continues to love robots. In case you're wondering, the robots are restricted to visiting Pealand, Chickenland and Donutland (the icons attached to their hearts), hence their consternation at the rebellious dude on the left just kinda taking off on his own.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5012/5488858943_0810e11831.jpg

Ben's art sorta reminds me a little of Basquiat sketches.

Love those robots! Ben is a HUGE robot fan too.

Some new pictures that Ben did...

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6075460798_007ac667fb.jpg
Rocket over the world, with Argentina and Boston by disbister, on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6079/6074920229_bd7f036377.jpg
Ben makes a maze by disbister, on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6075460168_be16a74ee2.jpg
Ice cream store by disbister, on Flickr

And of course...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6074923809_afb7dd6d03.jpg
Robot Mushene by disbister, on Flickr

Love them esp. Robot Mushene.

NO FORKS

Archie can talk, finally! Uses his new skill mostly to say "Yellow choo-choo train", over and over.

Robot Mushene!

This summer Ava has read:
The first three Harry Potters
All 13 Lemony Snicket books
A couple of Roald Dahls*
8-10 other kids' novellas, including Blyton, Brian Earnshaw's Dragonfall 5, Judy Moody

(* - losing track of these, as she was dipping in and out of the Dahls and Tove Janssons earlier this year before she got with the whole read-from-cover-to-cover programme)

She didn't really get on with The Hobbit, so we took that back to the library, unfinished.

Not sure what to make of her ploughing through these books at this rate. She's definitely reading rather than skimming but I wish she'd ask more questions - she can't be getting it all.

okay. how old are Ava and Archie. I'm sure Beats was talking looooooooong before she was the Henry is now and all Henry says is 'Thank you' 'You're Welcome' and 'I'm Done'. Last weekend he said 'outside' but in a a perfect ET voice. Like imagine ET say 'phone home' when you say 'Oooouuuuutssiiiiiiiiiiide'.

She's definitely reading rather than skimming but I wish she'd ask more questions - she can't be getting it all.

SO AWESOME. Does it matter if she's getting it all?

I was also a v fast reader and always slightly resented people asking me if I was actually understanding books. So this post brought to you by my childhood.

I was a fast reader, and I definitely was shit at retention, but reading for pleasure is reading for pleasure, right?

Ava is six and a half. She's been reading since she was two years ten months (as in, recognising words on signs), fairly fluently since three and a half.

Tallulah is three months away from her 5th birthday and is nowhere near this. As in, just about able to manage very short words (if she's seen them recently in pictorial context) and her name and her sister's name, but totally flummoxed by anything over three letters. She's a daydreamer. Makes you wonder about what they say about low birth weight... I'm sure her genius for physical comedy will get her by.

(Actually we're not worried at all; I think Lulu is just an average, goofy four-year-old, Ava is just wired a bit differently. Plus I suspect Lulu end up being better at maths than her sis).

It's all so random! Ben started reading at 1.5 yrs, and now the only reason Owen can read too (at 4.5) is that he's so competitive. And of course, the difference in their artwork is pretty stark. And they are IDENTICAL TWINS! Of course, there's the whole brain tumor thing...

No more nappies!

Hannah got the title role in her drama club's production of Annie

that's like every little girl's dream! congrats :)

NV - way to go, wow!

Ben's latest:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/430978_10150723697075152_680455151_11498158_1152562480_n.jpg

WOAH

so so great

wait what is the second last one?

and last?

is it an owl toy or does the owl part belong with the second last one?

OH SHIT I have a brag. Not as cool and cute but still:

so about 6 months ago I find out about recyclebank which weighs each households recycling and credits them with points which can then be used like cash at supermarkets etc.
so in a moment of madness i shoot off an email describing the general idea to our city's head of waste management. now to implement this every house will need an new recycle wheelie bin and the city will need new recycle trucks that weigh the bins. im thinking there is no way its going to happen but I figured Id make her aware and put stress on 'the natural state' really needing to up its environmental game as well as this may help some people a little in this shitty ass economy.

The woman write me back within an hour or two. Shes says shes never heard of program or any like it is and asks me to give her more details. Some more contacts.

Well, I didn't hear from her again. I pretty much forgot about it until last week when we and every house hold in north little rock, received a letter from the city, faux signed by the mayor, stating that in April NLR will be implementing the recyclebank program. new bins, new truck, points for buying shit! HOLY CRAP. LOOK AT ME MAKING A DIFFERENCE. I AFFECTED A WHOLE FREAKING CITY.

AMERICA THE LAND OF CIVIC OPPORTUNITY I LOVE YOU.

I was kind of pissed I didn't get props though. no city key. nothing.

yeah this was me. respect.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/198440/143/New-recycling-program-offering-rewards-for-going-green

That's so cool!

And I THINK that's Shirt, and then Owl Toy, but who knows. The pic's up in my cube now, so I don't know if I can ask Ben what it was from memory...

SUNNY for PAWNEE

planetsigncake

shirt may look a little more cat-like than cat, but i <3 them both

I love Ben's drawing so much. So much!

Ben wrote a song:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/546247_10150846820495152_680455151_11913098_1980332352_n.jpg

And now, MORE BRAGGING:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/disbister/7981562302/in/photostream

:)

totally bragworthy<3

Awwww very impressive and totally cute!

Check these out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5zqjMoIvmw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP1NgI0_5b0

Woah!!

Videos from the boys' first gymnastics meet:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9utdS-jf7fY6RkNzyQ557xEIIOAxLkRJ

Holy moley!! Impressive stuff.

That's my boys! :)

And now this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83nBzfjNv-c