Leaves

When we bought our house several years ago, it was new construction. There are good and bad points about that, but we'll narrow it down to one. Trees.

Trees that generally come with new construction are young, small, and hardly bountiful in the foliage department. On the upside, you don't ever have to rake in the fall.

Having been here for a while now, though, that is all beginning to change. I actually had to rake leaves this year for the first time! To be honest, I think Sue did it last year, but for the sake of this post we'll pretend that didn't happen.

Of course, the upside of raking leaves, is you get to build piles for everybody to jump in. Ok, by everybody I mean the kids. We don't have enough leaves yet to break my fall.

Here's what it looked like.

ANDREW (first experience with leaves):

Where am I?

No, really, where am I and what are these things?!

I DON'T LIKE IT GET ME OUT!!!

Nevermind. I'm ok as long as I have my thumb.

FORGET THE THUMB! GET ME OUT NOW!!!

Of course, not all of the kids reacted so dramatically. The other two retained their composure and were much more mature about the situation.

NATHAN:

Here I come!

Geronimo!

Wheeeee!

Better than sledding in the snow (says Dad).

ALEX:

I've got something to prove.

Check out the face if you can. ("I was blinking")

Wheeeee! (With my face still scrunched up)

I am the champion!