Homegrown enemies

In cleaning up the hobbitling room, the Mayor asked Seimi about one of his Duplo creations.
"It's facto-lee!" he said proudly.
Boookie chimed in, "I've been teaching him how to build factories with his Duplos so he can be North Korea and I can be the Americans and blow them up."

You can't make this stuff up.

Creations

We've been doing a lot of things with creations lately.  Here's Seimi with his battleship (aircraft carrier).  This was built without prompting or guidance from anyone.

Ela has a one-bouquet-per-day limit and today was a good day.  She said, "When Mommie lays an eyelash on these flowers, she will love them!"

Here's Boookie's OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter.  He recently got a book about helicopters from the library and after reading it for awhile, went downstairs and built this awesome model.

Naval gazing

This morning, Boookie came trotting out of the bedroom and said,
"Daddy, you know on the first scene in 'Top Gun?' The captain's hat said CVN-68, so they must have been on the Nimitz."
...The Mayor did a quick search and said, "I think his hat actually said CVN-65."
"Oh, so it was the Enterprise, then!"

Fiscal Funnies

Yesterday, Boookie announced, "I'm really into Power Man right now.  When I grow up, I'm going to have them make a movie about Power Man.  He's pretty much just like Iron Man, except I don't want to have to pay to use the name Iron Man."

This morning, Ela came sobbing in to see the Hobbit Wife, "I really need your help raising some money since I can't afford to buy all the things I want!"

While the Hobbit Wife is Away...

The residents of Michael Delving have taken to kicking the Hobbit Wife/Mommie out of the house on Saturday mornings to the strains of N'Sync's "Bye Bye Bye."  The Mayor and hobbitlings put that time to good use, such as making cardboard tanks...

 ...re-purposing out-of-use respirators to make fighter pilot masks...

 ...and the Mayor maaaaaayyyyyy have introduced a seven year old warrior trainee to shooting an air rifle in the backyard.

The Mayor has to add that he violated none of the cardinal gun safety rules as part of the training, and to top it off, the Mayor has substantial evidence from his teen years that while this .177 cal air rifle is capable of taking down a sparrow, it does no real harm to beer bottles or cats.

now we are six

once upon a time... like, a couple of weeks ago... a little princess turned four.

she was the fairest and most deliciously apple-cheeked sprite in all the land.

and then, something extraordinary befell the poor king and queen, her parents.  

they blinked, and suddenly...

their little princess was six years old.  and not quite so little as she once had been.

to ease their shock, the king and queen threw a birthday party for their six year-old princess.  they invited from neighboring kingdoms far and nigh all of her beautiful princess friends (whose parents were likewise reeling in amazement at how quickly little girls grow up.)

little princesses, may 2011

not-quite-so-little princesses, may 2013

 (photobomb courtesy of young prince seimi's underpants.) 

on the day of the party, a royal pavilion was staked.  sparkly streamers festooned the bowers.  shields of bold knights were hung in honor of the festivities. 

and to the ringing of an expertly-played celtic bodrhan, the party began!

 there was a great feast:  'bangers and mash' and veggie arrows with dip...

will-o'-the-wisp cookies...

bear paws...

and ever so many apples! 

feasting commenced within the pavilion! 

there was bead-working... 

with the crown jewels.

there was joyous picking of royal nostrils. 

there was recreation on the moor...

complete with expertly catered entremet.

there was reading of lovely, hand-decorated birthday cards.  and with a flurry of gossamer tissue paper, there was much unwrapping of  birthday presents from dearly loved friends and many squeals of delight from the blessed little princess.

finally there were cakes...

candles...

wishes...

...and royal sugar highs.

in the wake of the beautiful party...

a delightful wheel of friendship...

we love you, princess ela!

a warrior's prerogative

"i don't believe in bucklers.  rather, i believe in shields."

boookie, age 7