An assortment of things

While the kids are in the other room building a suspension bridge, or an arch bridge, or a highway or something, I sit with a cup of coffee and think about how our kids must perceive us. Sometimes helpful, sometimes frustrating, sometimes totally daft???
One things certain, my eldest is one to let us know how things should go to best suit her. I'm not certain she executes that in other areas of life. I'm happy for her to practice it at home, and hope she can find an appropriate amount of assertiveness to carry through life with her. It always interests me the guidelines she likes to lay out.
Nadine is a snuggler. One of her favorite things is to snuggle with her dad. She has some rules and guidelines about this...
"Dad, your air is getting on me." "Dad could you roll over so I can't smell your air."
She likes to be cozy, snugly, and draft free, and interestingly she's not much for the smell of coffee :)

This evening I had the interesting opportunity to talk with the oldest 2 kids about what they'd like to be when they grow up. Nadine's holding out to be a pink kitty, or a kangaroo, or maybe an animal doctor. "Did you know that kangaroos can not sweat and living in the hotness of Australia they lick their arms until they're so wet it cools them off?" She's a funny kid.
Ryan would like to be a backhoe, or a concrete truck. " I NEED to pour some concrete mom, I NEED to." Although with that said, he is presently set on being a steam roller, complete with mashing of anyone or anything in his path. He's a funny kid.
Without being able to outline exactly what he'd like to be, I'm thinking Braeden was trying to outline for me that he is planning to be a Major League pitcher or some other form of throwing occupation. I gleaned this as he whipped a piece of chicken past my head so there is a bit of assuming with that. It's also possible he might become a custodian. He loves to sweep the floor AND today I caught him washing the kitchen floor with about 1/2 litre of apple juice...Mommy's little helper ;)

Post supper Nadine informed me that she and Ryan were going to hide from us. "We're hiding and you're not going to be able to tell us what to do anymore. You can't tell us what to do but you still have to feed us, clean up after us, help me get ready for school. But you can't tell us what to do anymore."
Me: "How do you think that will work out"
Nadine: "Not very well, which is really irritating."

So there you have it. My children's present thoughts, irritations and future goals and aspirations. They're quite a group.
I carry on in my pursuits of photography and running. I'm on a learning curve with my new camera but I have a few great resources both book and human to help me through the many buttons and dials. These still look pretty wintery but it felt pretty springish at the time. There's a LOT of melting to be done.

stage one...digging

Braeden spends a lot of time like this when we're outside. He takes the time to peer between his feet after hitting the ground

it gives him hat troubles

which leaves him peering beneath his toque a lot

and sometimes he just relaxes this way for a while.

Perfect snowman weather. Though the big one is supposed to be scoop the backhoe and the one Nadine's beside is supposed to be a beautiful pink princess kitty.