Singing songs

Self-explanatory.

Batstravaganza!

Ben and Alex's favorite part of Mom's Batstravaganza bat-education outreach event last night was probably the bat cookies, but a close second was the Dance of Echolocation, which did not lose its appeal even after three performances. The opportunity to have their picture taken with both the Bat and-- Alex's underdog favorite-- the Moth was the icing on the, uh, bat cookie.

No paparazzi please

We have all been sick and everyone is too whiny and icky for decent videos. So here are some photos from a couple of weeks ago to hold you, loyal readers, until antics recommence.

Ring Around Ben and Alex

The song part of the game had degenerated significantly by the time the video camera was turned on, but they're still enjoying themselves.

We went to Cincinnati

... and had a lot of fun: cooking bacon with Grandpa, going to the train museum, and just hanging around.

Baking is Fun!

Alex enjoying the cinnamon-sugar left in the bowl after helping to put the apple pie filling in the crust.

We're Three!

I know, we can't believe it either. There were balloons, robes made by Grandma (which were worn straight form 10 am till bedtime), noisy new toys and lots of books. The cakes were also favorites-- both to look at and to eat. (Ben in yellow robe and with Thomas the Tank Engine cake).

Cuteness

Name Game

Surprisingly (surprising new competencies being the story of childhood, I guess!), the boys are not bad at all at the name game. Hey, "Armadillo" would be hard for anyone. (Ben in the Oberlin shirt).

Classic Comedy

Popping out of things and falling off things: always funny.

Family Fun II

We spent last week in the Hudson Valley of New York with Daryl's family. The highlights for the boys were playing with cousin Lucy, and rides: in the rowboat on the little pond behind the house we rented; in the wagon, pulled down a hill by a parent or uncle; and on a trailer pulled by a tractor at the orchard where we picked peaches. Mom and Dad, meanwhile, enjoyed meeting Lucy's new brother Eric, catching up with family, eating at the Culinary Institute of America, and soaking in the hot tub. 

Juliette, Rodney, Eric and Lucy

Rodney and Lucy at the orchard

Lucy and Eric at the hammock at their house

Ben, Sarah and Alex at the orchard

Lucy and Ben about to be pulled by Daryl

Grandpa reading to Lucy and Ben

Everyone at dinner in the backyard

Family Fun

Last weekend we were in Cincinnati and the boys had a lot of fun playing in Grandma and Grandpa's pool (especially with cousin MacKenna), hanging out with various aunts and uncles and cousins, meeting baby cousin Cameron and making a People Pile on the couch. (Order: Alex, Ben, Ben; Alex with Aunt Julie, cousin Cameron, Aunt Pam, cousin Evan, Aunt Karen and cousin MacKenna)

Back at home, we enjoyed playing on the couch with Daddy, and, of course, running (Alex):

Sprinker Fun

Boys giggling. That's pretty much the story.

Hugs and Kisses

Somewhat aggressive (but still cute) affection between the Yoder boys. Ben in red.

Summer Shots

Happy 4th from Alex and Ben (Alex in the blue hat throughout). The machine is a farm tractor.

Pelepump

No doubt inspired by the Olympic trials, the boys are already training for the 2020 event in synchronized spinning. "Pelepump" is a house term for falling over. Alex is in blue.

Chugga chugga

Kids playing with trains in their PJs. Classic stuff, but it's good to know that emergency vehicles can use train tracks when necessary, even getting topped up at the water tower (surely a plus for the pumper trucks). Ben's sporting the sharks.

Superheroes

Nothing much happens in this video (and Alex has to be herded away from the viewer side of the camera, as usual), but toddlers in too-big costumes (handed down from generous neighbors), well, that's just cute. Of course, they have no idea who Batman and Superman are.

Delaware Arts Fair

Hanging out with Aunt Pam and Uncle Scott at Aunt Pam's booth (check out her stuff at here) at the arts fair today was a lot of fun. There were dogs, balloons, and a great hose. Uncle Scott said it was for draining the water off of Aunt Pam's fair tent, but he made music with it too, and we thought it would be a great nose, fire hose (see Alex carefully putting out a fire in picture #5), and general fun toy.

Flyer Fun

Alex delights in some laws of physics as they apply to junk mail.

Mud!

Wow, Mom's department picnic was much more fun than we expected.

Olé, Said the Backhoe

I used to think that groups of college friends had the most inside jokes, but they have nothing on toddlers, whose speech even more closely resembles a mishmash of everything they've ever heard or (had) read (to them). Here Alex combines his favorite tasks, car placement and repetitious book quoting; Olé is, of course, what Puddle the Pig says when he is jumping into Woodcock Pocket Pond after getting a postcard from his friend Toot in Spain. Naturally, the river/lake/ocean on their Ikea playmat (thanks Uncle Rodney and Aunt Juliette) is a fine place for backhoes, police cars, etc. to Olé into (sometimes the boys Olé into it themselves, and have to be rescued). As often now, the video ends when the boys come around to the other side of the camera to... watch it.

Handy Dad

Our toy box wouldn't close all the way any more, or open all the way; the bottom was falling out, and we pretty much ignored it. So did Mom and Dad chuck it out? No! In less than 24 hours and re-using every piece of the toy box, Dad built just what we needed instead-- a shelf to hold books, and baskets for toys, and park our buses and planes.

Thanks, Handy Dad!
(Note: Dog not real. But we like it anyway:)

Spring!

Baseball! Sandbox! Trikes! Hooray!
(Twin Confusion Note: Alex in Tigger jacket for baseball, Ben in same for sandbox & trike).