Train Bully?

Today we were at the playground, as we have so often been this summer.  (Let me just take this moment to whine about the fact that it has been so rainy and otherwise cool in August that we haven't been to the pool much at all this month!  Boo!)  One of James's favorite activities there  --no wait, it IS his favorite activity there-- is to play on the train.

There is this three-piece playground equipment that has an engine (with steps up the coal tender portion and a slide down the cow catcher part; it also has a ladder on the side for the "engineer"), a passenger car (a tunnel with windows), and a caboose (a.k.a the Dining Car as it has a small table and benches built in).

Well, when we got there this morning, James bee-lined for the train.  (Not sure if that's really a verb, but anyway...)  Some little girls were there as well.  James got on board the engine and promptly told the little girl that he was the conductor.  Impressively, she held tight to the "steering wheel" and didn't budge out of his way.  He kept insisting, and I told him he needed to take turns.  He started to push her out of the way, and I removed him from the train.  I told him he had three choices: 1) take turns, 2) play somewhere else and come back when the girls were done, or 3) go home.

He told me he was going to be the whistle and toot until her turn was done.

Well.

He got on that engine and tooted with all his might.  He didn't touch the little girl or the steering wheel.  He just tooted.  And tooted.  Loudly.

"TOOOOOOOOT!!!!    TOOOOOOOT!!!!"

She started crying and left the train.

This is how we roll.

There has been A LOT of this going on this summer. A LOT.

"Scales and Arpeggios"

James is into "The Aristocats" lately. Here his blue cat plays the role of Marie while he is Berlioz.

He sat down at the piano then said, "Wait!  I need to go get my cat."  When he returned he said to the cat, "Okay, you be Marie.  Sit right here."

Very cute.

A Morning at the Farm

James the goat

A Morning at the Farm

feeding time

The first animal that James fed this morning was a baby goat/kid.  After it ate the cracker, James said to me, "He doesn't have any chin hair."  He was pleased to see the adult goat's chin hair in place.

A Morning at the Farm

James and I are enjoying fresh farm doughnuts at Abma's. When we finish our yummy treat we will head up the hill to feed the animals. (special crackers, not doughnuts.)

Thanks Daddy!

Daddy repainted the Jeep last weekend and "retread" the wheels.

Thanks Grandpa!

and thanks to whomever put this on their curb...

Just A Few Friends

Whilst cleaning his room, James thought it was important to have all of these "pets" on his bed.

Breakfast at IHOP

yummy! We dropped Daddy off at the train and came to the "pancake house" for a fun start to our day.

***Update***
At dinner tonight, Dan asked James where he and I went for breakfast.  James enthusiastically replied, "The Entire House of Pancakes!"

We've been doing a lot of this this summer

scooter time!