Tomatoes, balls, and chalk

The boys had all kinds of fun together.  Emerson was curious about what was growing in the backyard...so Benjamin took him out to pick tomatoes. 

Emerson wasn't impressed.

He was happier with the blue ball... a bit more exciting, in his opinion, than a red tomato!

Emerson also found some chalk!  Oh boy...

Benjamin was busy with the wood chips after he ate some tomatoes...

"Ben!  Look at this!" 

Benjamin loves writing with chalk as much as Emerson...

He decided to demolish a piece or two of chalk with his hammer.... (just kidding...he was just hammering insects...just kidding again....I actually don't remember what he was hammering!)

Emerson got busy with the chalk.

Expecting that he and his cousin would need a lot of space for their masterpiece, Benjamin decided to move the swimming pool out of the way.

....and off they went...writing with their chalk...

Papa joined the chalk-party...

Benjamin decided to try his chalk-toss.... look at that aim!  Right inbetween his Papa and his cousin...and he didn't hit either one of them!

Emerson designated himself as the 'keeper of the chalk' ...

 He sat it down for awhile ... and they drew and wrote with the chalk...

 The boys discussed the finer points of writing with chalk...

 and the not-so-fine parts, like getting chalk dust all over you!

 Papa even got chalk dust all over his hands...

"Look, Mimi!"

 Papa left the chalk party ... but the boys didn't move...they still had a lot of writing/drawing to do...

What fun they had together.... talking, laughing together...

 arguing over who gets to write there... (notice Emerson's hand...squeezing his cousin's fingers!)

 arguing a little more...

 well...

alls well that ends well...

I think that's what the saying is!

Emerson and Benjamin... how fun to have a cousin with just 17 days difference from your age!