Monday, August 25, 2008

Do I Need To Sign A Waiver To Let My Kids On That?

The other day whilst peacefully driving by the elementary school, my eyes happened to drift over to the playground. What they lighted on struck stark cold fear in my maternal heart all the while igniting a spark in my kidlets second to none. We could NOT get there fast enough to suit them. We approached the awesome structure with fear and trembling, or at least I did. The kids jumped out of that vehicle like it was on fire and headed straight for sure death.

They shimmied up that Christmas tree shaped rope web just like a bunch of monkeys. The official word is that should you fall, the ropes will catch you. Yeah, right across the neck, leaving you quite vegetable like.

Fortunately no one fell. I told the boys to play on that thing as much as they wanted...I figure it won't be there long.

And, just to tease you, there are reports of a single photo showing me trying to climb this thing. Unsubstantiated reports, I should add. And, should it exist, I can guarantee it will never see the light of day.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

It's All Who You Know...

...and man, was I glad to know Matt this day!

What in the world is he doing?? Breaking into the Big Ride while I stand there and benignly take pictures?? How sick is that?? Does that make me an accomplice? Will I have to go to jail and face those tough women who would love to knock me around? Do I need a lawyer?

What about movie rights?


Actually, although the camera doesn't lie, it can tell many tales. Matt is not being a greasy bad guy (at least in this picture). He is being a life-saving good guy by unlocking my Suburban that got locked with the keys on the wrong side of the door. Life-saving, you scoff? Yes. I didn't get a picture of Tim's face when we discovered the vehicle was locked with the keys on the dash, but trust me when I say LIFE-SAVING.


There were a few tense moments when I didn't think he was going to get it. I think he thought so too. But just when I began to think that he'd gone to all those years of school for nothing, he gave a mighty shout and THE DOOR OPENED!! What a beautiful sight!! What a glorious nephew!! I was extremely thankful and immediately commenced to baking a nice Butterfinger Cake for my own personal hero. :o)

Saturday, August 23, 2008

An Evening Out, Part 2

In our last post, you were privileged to see how fun it is to eat out with All Those Boys. And that was fun. Alot of fun. But we are fun people and when we go out, we really overdo fun. So after we ate that scrumptous meal, we ventured over to the mall for some window shopping. Now that was even more fun! I think you can see for yourself just exactly how fun.


With younger kidlets, it is nearly impossible to walk by those brightly painted little vehicles that beckon and promise all sorts of excitement and, yes, fun! I would definitely climb in one of them if they made them large enough for my...well, me.

Just when we finally untangled ourselves from the little cars, here came a play area right in the middle of the mall. We would never be so rude as to ignore a play area so the fun commenced again.

I'm so glad Tim, Luke and Nick are patient and long-suffering people.

Finally we wound our way around to where the real fun begins: the playground at the food court where all those big foam forms are waiting to be maneuvered. These pictures are good examples of how children can 'take after' one parent or another.




Here we have Tyler nimbly leaping over the foam frog. One guess on which parent would be better suited to do that.




Second we have Chip, having given up on leaping over the frog, nimbly or not, content to simply stand beside the foam frog in a friendly pose. Finally, not to be outdone, Chip has been placed atop the foam frog and is happy. You'll never guess which parent he takes after. ;o)

Thursday, August 21, 2008



When we go out to eat we always choose a buffet. Know why? Let me give you a hint. When it comes to fine dining All Those Boys can really put 'er away. Well, actually, Luke, Nick and Tyler can outeat the Senate (plus aides) while Chip is generally content to throw most of his food on the floor and ends up eating some sprinkles or M&M's. But I don't worry about his eating habits...because I know what's coming. So buffets are good for us. But to be honest, I always feel rather sorry for the buffet owners. I wonder when they see us all climb out of the Big Ride and stroll purposefully towards the entrance, do they clutch at their bosom and moan at the coming onslaught? Or are they stoic and know that Chip's plate of sprinkles will even out Luke's 26 ounces of steak? Or Tyler's 2 pounds of popcorn shrimp? Or Nicholas's brick oven full of pizza? At any rate, we all had a great time. And that's what matters to me. :o)

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

MAN, HIS BACK IS GOING TO HURT TOMORROW.

Getting ready for Awana takes alot of work! Tim and the boys helped to get the gym floor ready just in time to play games on the Official Awana Game Circle. You know, a relay just isn't a relay unless you're on the Official Awana Game Circle. That's a fact. You'll get in alot of trouble with the Awana Police if you're caught playing games on a non-approved surface. Not really, but they sure worked hard. First, they had to strip all the old tape off the floor. I started to help, but as it was rather back breaking, I excused myself to the kitchen and proceeded to rearrange a cabinet. Then a professional came in and stripped the floor. Now, the fun could begin. Observe.

This is what happens when a bunch of gentlemen discover they have somehow put the blue tape down where the green tape should be. Determined to do their part to 'reduce, reuse, recycle,' they proceeded to pick it up and move it. Talk about skill and dedication! I personally would have wadded it up and tossed it in the trash. But probably none of them wanted to be the one to waste all that tape.


My boys were very valuable help. They were right on hand to roll the tape flat and remove any air bubbles that dared to show their bubbly heads.

The gym floor then received three coats of wax to seal the tape and make it shiny. It looks fantastic and is almost as ready for Awana to begin as I am. :o)

Thursday, August 7, 2008

See You Later, Alligator!

The Goodbyes

And They're Off!

As you all probably remember, Nick went on a fun camping trip this summer with the youth group from church. Well, not to be outdone, Luke also hit the road for a little summer fun. He went to Chicago on a mission trip with some kids from church. Mission trip, you say, that doesn't sound very fun. I beg to differ. From the sound of it, they had a blast. Sure, they worked and worked hard. They saw poverty and need unlike anything they've seen before in their young lives. They reached out to homeless people and gave them food and hope in Jesus. That's a neat thing for a young man to get to do. The funny thing is, had they been with their parents, we would have, no doubt, rushed them past the 'unlovely' people and steered them to more 'suitable' attractions. And think what they would have missed. I'm glad my son got to see men with nothing...and that he gave them all he had.

But they also enjoyed all the sights of Chicago. They toured the Navy Pier, ate from the street vendors, played at the ESPN Zone, walked around downtown, took a boat ride out on beautiful Lake Michigan, even attended a famous church on Sunday! The campus where they stayed had huge nightly worship meetings and they all liked the band and speakers.

I like to think that Luke had fun and I know he did. I've seen the pictures to prove it! But more importantly, I hope he came home a little more mature, a little more aware of how blessed he really is.