Happy 11th birthday, Tyler!

Why does this kid bring such a smile to my face?

Maybe it's all of the words that he makes up.

Or how carefully he listens to God.

Maybe it's the creative stories he writes.

Or the way he leads and people follow.

Maybe it's his generosity.

Or how hard he plays sports and drums.

Or how he can make someone feel really good about themselves.

Maybe it's because he brings laughter to this house daily.

Maybe it's how he is maturing into a kid of great integrity.

Or maybe it's just because he is Tyler.

Happy birthday, Babe. I love you more than you will ever know.

A perfect evening on our country road

Alright, who frightened my Philadelphia Roll???

And as Mysteriously as They Appeared, They Were Gone

Leaving behind only deafening silence, a few nails, and this...




Proving that the roofers/sombrero/scissors shenanigans my children claimed to witness was in fact, not an urban legend, but truth.

Adventures in roofing

I knew the roofers were starting on our new roof today. I mentally prepared for a lot of noise.

And that's about all I prepared for.

What I didn't see coming was the loud Spanish singing and yelling as they joyfully pushed one another on our tree swing. Or the hour long nap one of them would take in our hammock. Or the game of football that would take place in our yard. All of this before. they began. the roof.

(these were taken from my bedroom window, so there are quality issues)


football game
swinging friends
Nighty night.

I was actually starting to feel bad that I wasn't outside in an apron mingling and setting up tables of drinks and hors d'œuvres . I like to be a generous hostess. And this was clearly a party.

We left for the pool exactly 4 hours after they arrived. No one had gotten on the roof yet. However all twelve of them were running around the yard yelling wildly as they tried to catch a little rat snake. I felt like they had things under control.

Don't get me wrong. They had some serious stuff done when we got home. And they are growing on me. I mean, they are brave, no doubt. Our roof is STEEP. I can appreciate that.

I also appreciate that they all got behind my car and pushed it out of a ditch so I could go on about my day. Also that they clapped enthusiastically for Tyler from outside the window while he practiced his drums inside. I even appreciate that one of them took a nap on my park bench, because no one ever uses that park bench anymore and I think it's a cryin' shame. I appreciate how polite they were when they rang my doorbell and asked me to flip the switch on the breaker that tripped.

And I even appreciate that they probably tripped it with the two (2) microwaves they have plugged in on my front porch.

Because I think we all can agree that cold sandwiches are so

totally

passé.

.

So. Party in the Klaassen yard. Tomorrow. 8 am. Who's in?

Why my floors are clean

Ok. That was an exaggeration. They aren't clean. But if they were? It would be because my kids feet. are never. on. the ground.

I feel like I'm always looking up at them or ducking under them or dodging their flying legs.

Is your home a jungle gym?