Chatter Boxes

The boys have a birthday this week.  We surprised them with a quick trip to The Great Wolf Lodge after school on Friday.

They were surprised and loved almost every minute of it.  They woke up at 5 am Saturday morning and were shocked to discover that the water park did not open until 9 am.  We powered through our disappointment and had a great rest of the day.

We have a few more birthday activities planned for this week but I thought I'd get these pictures posted for now.

Birthday Boys!  Seth will be 9 and Colin 7.

This was right before he performed what he calls his, "famous back flop".

I think this is a game of tackle water basketball?

Pure joy!

Seth was too cool to wear his wolf ears so I wore them most of the weekend.  I haven't been cool for quite some time.

Goofing off in the elevator

Colin wanted to hear the bedtime story read by Wiley the wolf in the lodge lobby

This was Seth five minutes after we got back to the room.  One tired little wolf pup!

Happy Birthday boys!  Here's to a fun week (we celebrate birthday weeks around here.  Unless your John, in which case, one day will do.  One more way he earns his "low-maintenance" title!)

So there's this guy.  We were kids together.  Our parents were the best of friends.  I remember him mostly as a clown (sorry bud it's true). But he was a smart clown.  He was witty and creative.  A lot like his mother, an artist.

That kid grew up into a thoughtful artistic creative young man with a heart for Jesus.  He wrote a book and put together a talented team of people to help him.  They've now asked for help in getting the project funded.

They didn't ask me to spread the word I just wanted to.

These folks are genuine and trustworthy, with their hearts in the right place and focused on the right thing...the only thing!

See the video below for more of their story.

For more information you can visit their website www.thesugarlion.com

We support it and hope others will too.

And for you local Royals' fans (or maybe not so local) he and his team also wrote a children's book about the 2014 American League Wildcard Game against the Oakland A's (if you're really a fan, you know the one!).



You can find it on Amazon here.

I get no credit, kudos, or kickbacks for any of this.  I'm just proud of my friend and wanted to share. 

Our First Grader

Our Third Grader

Off They Go!

The boys started school today.  We sent them off bright and early (actually it was still a little dark outside but it was indeed early!).  This is the first year that both boys will be in school all day.  I enjoyed a quiet morning of news watching and coffee drinking and then joined my husband for lunch. 

We ran into a friend at lunch who asked where the boys were.  I told them the boys started school today and she said, "Oh, isn't it so sad when they go back to school?"  I thought about just nodding my head in agreement to be cordial but after a brief moment I said, "I've got to be honest and say that this year...I was ready.  So ready.  So very very ready!"  And in reality, the same can be said of Seth and Colin.  We were all ready for school to start. 

We had a great summer.  Nothing to complain about.  We enjoyed camping, baseball games, visits to and from grandparents, swimming in lakes and pool and even mud puddles.  But towards the end, I craved some peace and quiet.  Seth wanted some structure back in his days.  And Colin, well, Colin just wants to be with his friends again (there is a downside to this idyllic country life...no neighbor kids to play with).

I wish I was the kind of parent who had an endless amount of summer plans that both entertained and educated.  I try to treasure every moment with them but let's be honest, not every moment is one I'd like to remember.  There have been moments of impatience, frustration, boredom, and full fledged meltdowns (not all of them from the boys).  Our boys want to be active...all the time...every day, but unfortunately they were matched with two pretty low-key parents.  We try to provide activities they would enjoy but there's just no way to provide them at the same rate and frequency they would like.  So we've had our moments of learning to be creative with free time and taking on the responsibility of entertaining ourselves.  There was a long learning curve.  We made it but probably just by the skin of our teeth. 

So...welcome school year 2015-2016.  Our family for one is happy to see you!