McDonnell Place

...I promise!

This kid...

is so boring. Has absolutely NO personality. I don't think I can take her monotone, unanimated stories any longer. We simply can't have her over again. YAWN...

Okay, kids. Get yourselves organized. When I say jump, you say how high? JUMP!

How high?

Well, so much for the "organized" part, but not too bad for a bunch of white kids. Except for the one in the middle. She's a real melon.

The Chef, of course, (who is has chosen a cooking party for his next birthday celebration.)

Can't get enuff of your love, bay-baaay...

Look at them, are they excited or WHAT? No wonder the kids weren't so sure about the whole sparkler thing at first. You'd think they were washing the car or walking the dog or... sleeping, maybe...

Someone should tell that woman it is perdy tacky to leave your bra straps hangin' out like that and the cute baby in the picture doesn't negate the fact.

Oh look, she also talks while having her picture taken. Well, the babe is almost cute enough in this shot to negate the fact. Because he's cuddly.

Popper thingamabobs. Caution: do not give to children who have not yet developed large motor skills.

Love how they're covering their ears, but the bra straps, geez, lady, the bra staps! Get 'em under control.

It was difficult to not offend their fathers with their constant "Oh look at that one of there! That one's REALLY big." I wish those were my parents, that dad really has his game on.

But they humored their measly fathers much as they could. When the other shows were between bangs. What do you think they are? heartless?

Labels: friends, Guests, photography, pics, pictures

There are now two new heroes, (well one hero and one heroine,) at the McDonnell Household; Aunt Shannon and Uncle Steve. They came Thursday before last, bearing gifts that Evan and Madalyn and Jack would've picked out themselves; flying helicopters and miniature dolls with long hair and a hammer that lights up when you bang it- you can guess who that last one's for. (No not me, but it would make a great stress reliever, wouldn't it?)

In fact, whenever they went out while here it seemed they had the kids on their minds and came back with new gifts; a bucket with a pierced lid to catch lizards, Ariel and Mater character Jibbets (however you spell that?) for their Crocs.

They treated the children (and us parents) like royalty, helping here and there and everywhere. Cleaning table tops and high chair trays, faces and bottoms. They let us sleep in and nap, on occasion, and stayed with the two itty bitties while I took Evan to school in the wee 8 o'clock hour. They tickled and kissed and sang and teased. They ROCKED!

Tuesday, they stayed at home with the boys during a long day of testing at the hospital for Madalyn. When I came home, the children's rooms were clean and- - vacuumed! The paint that had previously coated the kitchen floor from our recent paint job was gone- vanished- and the floors that had, hours prior, been speckled with petrified asparagus sparkled and smelled of bleach.

These people are too good to be true, you say? Yes! Yes, they are! Houseguests from Heaven!

Aunt Shannon taught baby Jack to clap his hands on command, for clap, clap, clap. He grins his toothy grin and deliberately works those hands at a rhythm with delight. She also taught him to sing, "Ahh ahh ah," she would sing, and "ahh ahh ah," Jack would repeat in a soft, sweet sound... the sweetest sound you ever heard.

Madalyn found that she and Aunt Shannon had like hearts; that they understood the secret things of fairies and princesses, and they would hold hands, Madalyn in her sparkly dress-up shoes, and sing the love melody from Cinderella, "So this is love, da da da da, so this is love..." while gazing into each other's eyes. Madalyn would tell Shannon to be the Prince, and she would look at the prince with the dreamiest love eyes you've ever seen.

Uncle Steve took Evan on his firs fishing venture. He told him he was going to catch Nemo and they pulled up a dark green fish. "That's not Nemo. Nemo's orange," said Evan. After one more catch he was over the experience. Uncle Steve brought him home and I asked if he had fun. "No, it was boring," he said honestly and innocently enough.

Aunt Shannon and Uncle Steve also surprised him and picked him up from school one day and took him to Sonny's. He marveled them on the way home with the memorized recital of the Cedarmont Kids Movies Advertisement, where he lists like 20 movies in order and then some long thing that concludes, "We also have two songbooks that your kids choir can perform; The Christmas Miracle; Through the eyes of the Friendly Beasts, or The Easter Miracle; through the eyes of the children. Look for more to come at your favorite family bookstore. You'll love the movies and your parents will love the prices!" They'd never seen anything like it.

What kind of kid memorizes advertisements?

Shaun and I enjoyed S&S Graham Cracker's company in the evening hours; grilling out and visiting. Shaun and Steve grilled phenomenal steaks and claim they're starting a business: "Shaunsters." Shannon and I had a good visit while the boys were away fishing last weekend. It's easy to see why she and Shaun were such good friends growing up; she's a wonderful, wonderful person with a lot of wisdom and humor and light-hearted kindness. Steve's equally as enjoyable and they are a great couple. Too bad they live so far away. I actually tried to talk them into moving down, but gave up easily because I felt I was betraying Grandma McD who's already allowed one child to move this far away.

Anyway, thanks Aunt Shannon and Uncle Steve. We miss you guys already!

Pictures to come soon... :)

Labels: Guests, kids, McDonnell, Shannon

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Independence Day, Final Batch...

Monday, April 02, 2007

Super Heroes in the House