Can You Hear A Walnut?

It has been a bit busy around here.

For starters Brian had his 21st birthday!!! And in true Brian form..he chose to come home and hang with his family. I mean..how many 21 year olds..come hang out at Ranch Rugrat to play Chinese Checkers for their 21st birthdays? He was thrilled..I tell you...absolutely graciously thrilled.  Gotta love the boy!

and now Brian is starting his graduate school journey...with rumours  that his summer job has been extended through the Fall.

Here are Brian, Cody and Austen on his birthday. They all know this will be the last time they are all together for a while. And? I think Cody and Austen were glad Brian came home!

...and here is Cody with Little Man C..having a staring contest.

I wanted to add this, since Cody has left this little home of ours for HIS OWN PLACE!!!!

Cody moved into his dorm last weekend. Here he is with Dad, Austen and Grandpa a few seconds after walking into his new home away from home. He is thrilled I had him pose..you can tell by the puffed out cheeks.

 We spent most of the morning getting the kid moved in. I was worried about things like..you know..clothes and cleaning supplies. But Cody? He had his priorities.

...and here is Big B "testing" Cody's new bed. All this moving his sons out of the house? Exhausting.

.....We return home.  As Brian and Cody settle in for a year of study.

And then Austen is left with us! Austen has been doing his own thing for quite a while now. So this year is no different. We decided to post-pone community college for a semester.

Austen is going to focus on earning some money for summer travel, studying French, LOTS OF MATH and...capoeira.  Here is Austen at Capoeira.

And as the TALL Boys learn their own life lessons..I am learning a few things from the creatures (see monkey, wolf and tiny people below) here at Rancho Rugrat.

  
Lessons Learned

1.  The importance of a sense of humor.

2. I make a lousy Chewbacca. In order to make the proper Chewbacca noise..one must gather the proper amount of spit in the back of one's throat. I do not gather my spit right.

3. I remind most children 11 and under of their grandma. When? I wonder..did THIS happen???

4. The  continued importance of a sense of humor.

5. When feeding deer left-over lunch from the deck..it is important to throw food away from the big circular thing with water in the yard. Otherwise? One may be retrieving burritoes from the pool.

6. If you spend an afternoon explaining to an 11 year old that saying Eeww gross..everytime a baby walks near her..a baby will then throw up on you..and you will say Eeww Gross!

7. When a baby is really sick..everyone will pull together and even try to make the baby chicken noodle soup.
                                                   
8. Most children like to hear stories, to tell stories..and to snuggle on the couch and look at books. A Lot. Box-Car Children books are interesting for a wide range of personalities in the "little taller people" crowd.

9. Even if there is a heat-advisory..it important to get outside..even if only for 10 minutes..so that 6 year old boys can be ninjas in the woods. If not, they will be ninjas in the house. Ninjas in the house can cause much destruction.

And finally the most important lesson of all..............
              
10. How to listen to a walnut....

When 6 year old ninja says...Listen..Can you hear the walnut? and shakes a walnut next to your ear.  If you sit still and listen quietly, you will..indeed... hear the walnut.

And taking the time to listen to a walnut...is what it's all about. Even when your BIG  TALL BOYS are leaving for college.