Our wake up call

We generally get an early morning wake up call.  It comes in the form of Luke.  Sometime after 6 am Luke dances around the end of the bed toward Patt's side, crawls in climbs over Patt and nestles in.  He grins so big and announces that Dad said he could have milk.  He repeats this statement until I go get him a sippy cup (see bed-frame above his head in photo below).  He takes it from me, smiles and puts in on the bed frame where it stays for an indeterminate time, being checked on occasionally prior to be fully enjoyed.

John Paul is usually not too many minutes behind, and then things do tend to speed up as he is not so much a snuggle as is his younger brother those does enjoy his time in the bed with his grandmama and grandaddy.  I tend to get the brunt of his attentions.  With both of them present it is not long before one of both of them start calling for action.

Often as not that involves playing cards on the bed.  Crazy Mates fits the bill perfectly.  Isaac though normally a late sleeper joined us this day and joined the game.  All three are avid players .

Here Patt and I are playing said game with the youngest two and if you are in need of a gift idea or just want a new game for a 4-7 year old or someone that acts like someone in that age cohort, Crazy Mates or Crazy Eights as Luke calls it will fit the bill.  Played loosely like UNO with a pirate theme for the various suit colors it works well - actually very few fights.  The yellow suit is "Buccaneer Bob" or "Buck-a-beer Bob" as John Paul has renamed it for us.  Excuse me the lellow colored suit, (according to Luke)  (all too soon, all too soon)

Changing subjects, Patt and I took the younger two to the market on their off day from school - think Luke is excited?

It is a traditional fresh wet market of vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, spices, and stuff one might find at an old time market.  Lydia taught Patt the rather complex hand signals for the numbers above 5.  So Patt, with very rudimentary Chinese, some hand signals, a smile, an occasional Thai or Spanish word, of course some English and a word translator on her phone has a grand time and gets daily shopping done.

This is the seller of apples, pears, and bananas, that is Patt's favorite and of course she likes Patt and helps her frequently locate other vendors of certain items.

Confirming amounts as neither know how to speak to the other but hand signals once figured out work very well.  The key part is the once figured out.

It is quite possible that this trip with the camera could have come away with some good photos of Patt interacting in the market.  She is a regular and well known customer by now.  However thing one and thing two were with me and from the photo below guess what my next move was.

and moving right along, I think I mentioned that on Wednesdays I take Isaac and a friend of his to Tai Kwan Do lessons in another part of town.  The trip includes a ride of 20-30 minutes on a trolly type  bus. The kids and I generally enjoy the ride as it is normally not crowded and lots to see on the ride.
We even took the bus just to get donuts once when their lesson was canceled.

I like donuts- they like donuts - so lets go- and we did.  They were good too.

and reading time is good time.  Chapter books especially for the big kids.