May 24...

The long weekend in May is traditionally a work weekend up at the cottage. The raking, burning, cleaning etc gets done and the cottage is prepped for the summer season. With portions of the Raz clan having moved away we have been short staffed in recent years. Thankfully, our patriarch is a freaking mule despite being in his 70s (That's a compliment Dad!) and this year our boys also chipped in where they could. Mind  you, being 4, 2 and 1 the bulk of their efforts were focused on throwing leaves on the fire outside......but they WANTED to help, which is a step in the right direction.

We had rakes in our hands most of the time, but a few photos were taken.

He's only one...but you still get the sense that he's a big lug

Not yet Bo Bo...but one day.....

Jill teaching William a new card game. He smiles when winning

Sometimes...

Some times they are cute. Some times they appear to like each other.

By the way, if the photos make Joshua look like he's built like a little oak tree, it's because he is.

Heavy Lifting

I often say that I look forward to the day that my boys can mow the lawn, shovel the lane and complete other manual tasks for me. The truth of course is that, like most parents, a part of me wishes they would never grow up. They can drive me nuts but they're also lovable and funny. Children are as perfect as a person can be. However, in a blink of an eye they will be teenagers, then twenty-somethings, and then like me. I DO hope that they take on many of the manual tasks in my life, but  as those years come and pass I hope that we do all of the manual work together. Just like me and my Dad.

When we purchased our home the deck was rotting. We knew that and managed to squeeze 1.5 summers out of it. This spring we had to tear it out and build anew. My father, always eager to help, did most of the tearing out while I was beavering at my desk. We're making progress on the new one though. My boys, of course, take every opportunity to run into the backyard to chat with their grandfather and to play with the tools.

This....

Became this.....

Became this....not bad for two mornings of work!