Monday on Tuesday (A Week In the Life Day 1)

I apologize to my 3 readers for the ridiculously late post...
my computer thought photos were unnecessary this morning.
We fought,
I eventually won.
but it was quite the battle....

Weekdays I get up at 6:50am.
Monday, like every morning, started with my good friend Keurig...
I love him.
He makes me coffee.
(and yes. I really do use that Nestle cup...everyday...I wasn't advertising)
Then I wake the big... Then the littles...
Jack sleeps all cocooned like that in his quilt.Colten not so much. Jared normally grabs dry cereal, and heads to facebook...
he has to update his status to something witty like...
"going to school soon"Colten had a fever of 102.3 Sunday and while fever free and on antibiotics he earned a day home. He thought that day home should include sprite for breakfast.Jack is not a morning person.Really, not so much at all... Hot wheel races at breakfast...We leave at 7:30am for school.

Radio stations here are pretty horrid. Sometimes I listen to a Memphis station.
I guess they have a morning show...and they were talking about handwashing because of the flu. (which is in full effect here, like most of the US I think) Then the radio host says "I don't normally wash my hands a lot...I am now, but not normally....because first of all, I don't pee on my hands, and second I have a very clean penis."
Alrighty then. Lots of giggling in the car.
I told them to wash their hands and then put Kings of Leon on...which I should have done to start out with.

Colten and Jack get dropped off first.
(Just Jack today)
Then Jared...
we sometimes are lucky enough to catch the train...
which makes him late.So annoying...and yes, I xxxx'd the name of the district out.
Yeah, now I'm concerned about such things?!? Not sure why...but lets keep that secret.
Coley took that one of Jared getting out of the truck....hair flowing... lovely. Ha.
We got home and Colten milked "I'm sick" for about 25minutes and then...
Declared the need for chicken noodle soup.
In fact when he started singing
"Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Wit A Soda On The Side"
I knew he was fine.
If you don't know that song...I envy you. I kept him company at the table while he ate...can you see how much he cared about that?
Hey Coley....how's it going? Hows that tv show you're watching?Pretty funny, eh?
And please note...
he used his sleeve as a napkin while I was sitting there watching him.
So awesome.

Then he stole my computer for the rest of the day.
Whatever dude.

3 things I always have in the center console...purell, my phone and water.
Colten's shot....
He said he wanted to show everyone "Arkansas"... There are a lot of farms here I guess.
(rainy rainy day!)

I also knew he was completely well when we got home and he needed a cookie...
and posed like this with it....and sang "C is for Colten"....
all better.
and amusing.

At 3pm the little boys get out of school. I leave around 2:30 to get in the pick-up line.
OH the joy of the pick-up line...I can't even put it into words. Good times people. Good times.
I am not too proud to show you what I do as I wait....Yes, I am a huge dork.
A huge dork that loves sudoku. Jack always saves something from his lunch for the car, because Jared doesn't get done until 3:20.
We head over to wait in pick-up line #2, and Jack eats. Here he is picking food out of his expander. Charming...
They usually have snacks when we get home. Jared's snack is usually....cold cereal.
I'm not sure if teenage boys could survive without cereal.

Jack went out to play with our neighbor. Colten declared it completely unfair I wouldn't let him go out.
Hello?!? Sick day?!?

Then Jack came in to get ready for soccer, and somehow everyone ended up with balloons...
I believe in some sort of conspiracy to make me insane.They are boys...they don't blow them up and tie them....
nooooo....
they blow them up and let them go....
or blow them up and make that horrible noise with them...
repeatedly. 5:30 soccer practice.
"Take a picture of the emergency ponchos" says my husband. harharhar...
FINE.It rained at the end of the RedBirds game a few weeks ago. REALLY rained.
However, by the time we left, apparently, it had stopped completely.
I did not know this small detail.
I also didn't realize we were parked within steps of the field.
When we got to Memphis we parked and then walked around...
and I'm slightly extremely directionally impaired.
So as we were leaving I whipped out the emergency ponchos I had stored in my bag...and made the boys put them on...I also donned the attractive poncho....and ignored my husband who kept asking what I was doing....and no he did not want a rain poncho.
ummm....
I still have the dry, slightly used ponchos in the truck.
In case it actually rains and we need them.
And yes, I've taken quite a bit of abuse from my husband over this.
Hence the "take a photo...."
blahblah...
Jerk.
I didn't want my camera to get wet...

anyway....
Here I am at Colten's practice...
Wait a minute....
Sick day?
No going outside?
What's going on e? You let him go to soccer practice?
Yes ...yes I did.
I am a huge contradiction to what I believe....
let's ignore this incident shall we?
and focus on my house shoes. I was trying to take a photo without actually looking through the viewfinder...
just sort of hold the camera out and snap.
why?
because I soooo didn't want to be that mom at the first practice
when I don't know anyone
taking photos of my feet.
I'd clearly rather be the one that sends their too-sick-to-go-to-school kid to soccer practice...
Note the lights. It's now 7:30, and it's getting dark. Still practicing.

I made dinner earlier in the day, and Jared stayed home so he put it in the oven and we had dinner waiting when we got home.
Ahhh... the joy of having a teenager.
After dinner...showers...jammies...dessert? yes I caved....flashcards....
Colten is hiding from me because he is only wearing boxers. Like 75% of the time he's at home.

Jack getting his hair dried. I made Colin do it because I was trying to get the stupid flash cards done....Colin HATES drying Jack's hair. Jack hates having him dry it...
Fun was had.We normally read before bed, but it was 9.
and the rule is if they're not in bed at 8, no story.
Sad, but they need their sleep....and I need some time with my non-poncho-wearing-man.

Last shot before lights out...
Jack wanted me to take one of Old Baby.
Old Baby (Jack's blanket) has seen better days and is full of holes....
Jack likes to sleep with him literally wrapped around his neck.
This causes his mother to hyperventilate....
and come back in after they're asleep to remove Old Baby from Jack's bed.
Jack is not a fan of this.
"Mom. I'll just put him on my belly....he can't strangle my belly. GOSH"
Colin and I watched some tv.
I went back in to remove Old Baby...and to catch Jared texting still at 10:30....
and then it was bedtime.

Sorry this was SO long...
The good news is tomorrows post will be approximately 3 photos
because I spent my WHOLE day posting this....
holy heck.
Happy Monday.
Which is really Tuesday.
and still rainy...

When I placed the tiny dinosaur on the shelf next to godzilla,
I had no idea the terror that was in store for the dino...
The scene I discovered this week.
Tiny dino being held over the shelf ledge.
Poor tiny dino.
Life with boys....

My friend Tara and I are planning to start Ali Edward's a-week-in-the-life project tomorrow.
I'm really sad we didn't start Friday so you could have followed my last few days...
Friday soccer practice for Coley 4:30-straight to- Soccer for Jack 6pm -straight to-Baseball tourney for Jack 7:15pm -which started late so- home at 10:30, dinner (sad, I know), showers, and laundry....bed 1am-ish.
Saturday alarm 7:20am -to Target at 8 for Gatorade and Starbucks- off to Jack's first soccer game be there at 8:30 -straight to- Colten's soccer practice at 10am- dropped him off and went home to change Jack from soccer uniform to baseball -then to pick up subs- picked up Coley at noon- straight to- Jack's baseball game at 12:15 -straight to- guitar lessons for the Js at 3 and 3:30 (Colten, Colin and I went to the movie store during lessons) -straight back to- the ballfield for Jack's 5 o'clock game (had to be there at 4:30 -straight to- drop Jared off for his movie date -the remaining four went straight to fill our tummys with BBQ....and then at 8:30....
HOME.
It was a whirlwind few days....
riveting I know...
or not so much.
If you want to see a lot of soccer and baseball photos....
This will be the place to be next week.

Basically you just photograph your day, and narrate it for 7days straight...
and then Tara has made me agree to scrap it.
(unlike last year)

It would be lovely if you want to join in.
It is actually kind of cool to look back at your week.
To see what's similar, and what has changed. I wish I'd started when my boys were tiny.

Maybe Mike could hijack Gabby's blog and do a week-in-the-life-of-Mike-and-Ev?!?
(genius idea e)

I'd love to know if you're doing it too...so be sure to let me know.
And please don't die from boredom if my week looks similar to my weekend...
xoxoxo

Miracle [mir-uh-kuhl] –noun

• an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
• such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.
• a wonder; marvel.
• a wonderful or surpassing example of some quality.
• One that excites admiring awe.

Colten was on facebook the other night.
I happened to walk by and notice he had a friend named Mbeezy Fosheezy.
This concerned me, obviously...
For starters the rule is he can't add anyone on facebook without my permission.
And Mbeezy Fosheezy?!?
What the heck is my child thinking?!?....

"Um...you have a friend name Mbeezy Fosheezy?"

"OH ...yeah...that's just Miracle"
(Yes, he has a good friend named Miracle...go with it)
"For some reason facebook wouldn't let him use his real name?! I'm not sure why."

I think I might know.
The good folks at facebook might not realize his real name is actually
Miracle Bush.
Fosheezy.

Slippers Mayhaps?

Yesterday:
I put my moccasins on and got ready to take the boys to school.
Cole "umm....Nice shoes mom"
"Thanks Cole"
"What are those house shoes?" (because apparently he's become my grandmother)
"No, just moccasins...they're shoes."
"You're wearing them out of the house?"
"Yes"
"Hmm...I think they're much better as house shoes."

Sigh...I love that child.

Check ups went well yesterday.
Except the nurse told Jared he's 6'3" (he's not)
and now he's convinced he's about 3" taller than he really is...
and I can not convince him otherwise.
Also the doctor wasn't really thrilled with my view on vaccinations,
not that I was expecting anything less...
But that's always fun.

Ok. I'm off to clean, and make some apple crisp.
yummmm....
I'm pretending it's fall.
In the air conditioning...I'm pretending.

9

9 things on 9/9/09

1. I'm taking the boys for their well-check ups today.
Please place your bets now on how many of us will become sick after the WELL check-up.

2. This morning as we were getting shoes on to leave for school, out of the blue, Cole says
"So, have you decided what you're naming your next baby yet?"
"Who said I'm having another baby?"
"I did. You better pick a name."
Excellent.

3. Colten learning math facts is going to be a whole lotta frustration in the coming months I sense. Multiplication seems to be going ok....division....not so much.
We do flashcards every night for "homework"...and when I ask him a division question...
he just guesses....
"5?"...
"7?"....
"9?"....
eventually from the other room you hear
"ITS 8...I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" from Jared.
Brotherly love is not so much in full effect when it comes to math facts.

4. Jared's birthday is coming up. (15, holy cow...but we won't dwell on that right now)
He has kindly asked for a few items.
A laptop.
and an IPOD touch.
Yeah, no.
I keep asking if he'd actually like anything for his birthday....and he repeats those two items.
Finally I told him I was getting him water.
I explained when he says "laptop" I hear "water"..."IPOD" = "water"
I am actually going to wrap up water bottles at this point, because it's gone on for a few weeks now...
and I will at least laugh.
I'm still not sure what I'm getting for his "real" present.

5. Jack is getting much better at speaking and eating. We are all so happy.
There was also not a lot of brotherly love shown over the expander situation.
Colten "Jack try to talk normal please...you sound retarded, and you're embarrassing me"
Jared "What? What are you saying Jack? Mom, I can't understand him, can someone please teach the kid sign language or something?!"
We've come a long way...
Thank goodness.

6. Soccer is starting.
Which means my blood pressure is on it's way up....
err...no I mean, we are all terribly excited.
The way it's organized here is absurd.
The little boys have to play on rec teams, and travel teams, they can't just play club.
Which means my three kids are on five teams.
And because soccer is such a joke here,
Colten is actually practicing with a U-12 club team from a different city.
So technically is 6 teams.
If you're counting.
and a partridge in a pear tree.
Oh. And Jack is playing fallball. (baseball)
Rock on.

7. There was a shooting across the street from Jared's school on Friday.
Scary, huh. Literally a few steps away. Please note I drive down those questionably safe side roads with the littles in the truck to pick up number one son.
30 minutes prior to me driving down said roads 2 people were shot.
Drugs.
Not cool people.
Not cool.

8. I think I want to document a week-in-the-life again.
Although I never scrapped the one I did last year....sooooooo.....hmmmm......

9. My husband is coaching Jack's 2 soccer teams.
This is a total win/win for me, because all summer he said he was going to go in early
(which he did) and come home early (which he SO did NOT)...
so instead of 6am-6:30pm. My husband got home at 5pm yesterday!
Whoa.
There might be something redeeming to be found in soccer here after all.....
Always look for the bright side I say....

That's all for today because it's not 10 on 9/9/09,
or 11 on 9/9/09 because that wouldn't be nearly as cool.

My computer is working sporadically again....so hopefully I'll be back tomorrow.

the BIG game

All week long Jack talked about "the big game"...
he could hardly wait.

Saturday was that game.
We had known about it since May, and it was finally here.

The RedBirds in Memphis.
Not just any RedBirds game mind you...
the game that his team was going to get to go out on the field with the players
for the National Anthem.

He brought his baseball for autographs...
his glove for foul balls...
and his HUGE excited smile...
....

"Did you get lots of money for snacks and a foam finger?!?"

He wanted to get to go out on the field with the first baseman.
and that's just who he got to go out with...
excited. he said "I just HAD to touch the base mom, I just HAD to" as he ran back from the field.
excited.He wanted cotton candy, a hotdog and coke.
excited.

Of course his excitement was contagious...
and
we had the best day.

this morning:

Cole "MOM! Jack has something in his hair! It's gross...I don't know what it is, but it's GROSS!"
Me "It's fine. You'll have that with long hair."
Cole "Not with a BOY haircut like mine."
Jack "So are you calling me a girl?"
Cole "I'm saying you have girl hair"
Jack "Ummm...Beckham had THIS haircut. Are you calling Beckham a girl? We both have haircuts that Beckham had."
Cole "Well, maybe Beckham cut his hair because he didn't want to look like a girl anymore."...

jack benjamin blaise

blurry early morning snap of the jack.

all week he has been making this face.
and I have asked
"what's in your mouth banana?"
"nofing"
"hey...what are you chewing on?"
"nofing"
come to find out
he has just been puffing his cheeks up
so the metal in his mouth doesn't rub on his cheeks.

jack banana?
or is it jack blowfish?
we are really not sure...

Fretty Funny to Me.

and probably only hysterically funny to me:

I'm notorious for using the wrong words,
or mixing words up,
or saying words wrong...
or even phrases...
where I get the key word mixed up.
I do.
Constantly.
My husband always finds humor in this.
And he corrects me.
(after he makes me repeat it the wrong way of course)
Verbatim would be a recent one.
I'm not sure how it came out...but it definitely wasn't right.
(It's mildly endearing though, right babe?!?)

Colin however has an extensive vocabulary...
and doesn't get hung up on silly things,
like speaking correctly.

sooo.
last night.
We're watching Design Star and they were in the process of buying
the world's ugliest and most expensive pergola.
Colin says "I don't understand why they don't just build a fergola?!"
My ears perk.
Of course I think he's just messing around
until a minute later...
when...
"Why aren't they just building a fergola?"
ummm.....
So I say "It's pergola NOT fergola."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely"...
Colin gets up
and goes to the computer...
(because please note that he still doesn't believe me)
and searches pergola/fergola.

but I already know...
that in 16 years...
THIS moment is probably the one time in my life...
that I will ever get a word right over him.
It is a proud moment for me folks.

From the computer I hear
"Well, I guess you'll blog about this tomorrow"

Heck yes I will....

Fergola?
Seriously?!?

ok.
Maybe I'm still laughing.
Maybe I told the boys this story in the truck on the way to school this morning,
and maybe they didn't quite see the humor in it.
Maybe I'm blogging about so that years from now,
I can laugh about it all over again.

You can just completely ignore this post...
but I must say...
It's so much funnier when it's not me.
And it's SO funny when it's Colin.
Oh fergola I love you.

the Best.

ok, ok....let me get this straight...
all those times when he was little, and I had to carry drag him out of playgroups and get-togethers because he didn't want to leave and would SCREAM...
all those times I had to leave my full grocery cart in the store because mister little man didn't want to behave....
those times he flailed around on the ground screaming causing his mommy much much embarrassment.....
all those toddler times
when I would sit in the car and try to not die from the sheer humiliation of what was just said or done or shown.....

Sure...today we laugh about it, but at the time...
not so much.

now...
teenhood
and
I can embarrass him just by being seen out in public with him?!?
Really?!? I don't even have to do anything?
How cool is THAT?
thank you God....seriously....that is awesome.

Don't worry J...eventually you'll look back and laugh.
I promise.

"Be glad of life because it gives you a chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars."
- Henry van Dyke

The Today.

Loves Math. Is happy to be back at school with Coley. Thinks his new expander is torture.

Is playing fall baseball and soccer. Loves the neighbor's trampoline and wants one at "our next house". Would eat chicken and mashed potatoes for every meal. Is so slow in the mornings he may cause Colten to have a nervous breakdown. Likes his new teacher. Has his best buddies in his class. Is thoughtful. Not a fan of washing his hair or reading for fun. But loves when I read to them before bed. Drinks water like his momma. (all the time) Loves the cooler weather. (80s) Is anxious for soccer to officially start. Titans football fan. Axe hair gel. Very much likes to be early. (see above) Loves Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory. Thinks he's a teenager. Facebooker. Steals my Junior Mint stash. Can be sweet one second, and completely sassy the next. Always needs a hoodie for class. First year with lockers at school. Likes his teacher. Not a lot of good friends in his class. Beastie Boys on his IPOD. Loves to read. Does not like the "little kids" from Jack's class saying "hi" to him in the halls. Eats chocolate ice cream with lots of whip cream (almost) every night. Ridiculously tall. (6ft and growing) So smart. Unbelievably so.

(Just don't quiz him on common sense) Loves soccer. Such a devoted friend.

(Has a great group of them) Loves his youth group. Can drink more juice than any person should. (Ditto that for eating chips) Is taking his drivers test soon. Has the best sense of humor.

Can make me crazy mad when he talks back. Wants a weight bench in a bad way. Loves smoothies. Calls me "Mommy" when he wants something, and "Mother" when he's trying to be funny. (and "Mom" the rest of the time) "Y'all" is definitely part of his vocab. Hollister cologne.

So happy it's Friday.

Hopefully sushi for lunch with the husband.

Pizza/movie night with the boylies.

Guitar lessons tomorrow after a little summer break.

and

*A school dance for the J which I forgot about....

Sunday is a ref class for Jared, and ball-boy duty for Coley at the ASU game. (wink)

Happy weekend!

My spider senses telling me Spiderman is nearby...

"You find me offensive?
I find you offensive
For finding me offensive..."
-Eminem

Tuesday.
I found it hard difficult nearly impossible not to swear while driving.
I don't normally swear a lot, so the boys found this hysterically funny.
(they're boys...bad words are a riot)
"Sorry boys. SORRY. Ok, I'm not going to say that again, and you should never say it"...
10 minutes later...
"Sorry boys..."
Ugh. Bad momma.
The boys decided that I should come up with a word to use instead of saying....well, that word.
They chose rhyming words....like...er....duck...
I said it should be something wonderful and happy, like rainbow, or glitter, or cupcake...

Enter stage right....

My Cupcake of a Day Yesterday.

I woke up with the kind of headache that makes it feel like you stuck your head in a vice...

I had to take Jack to the orthodontist for his expanders.
(I thought he was getting them a few weeks ago, but those were just spacers...Silly me)
They told me to get there 30 minutes early if any of the spacers had come out...
which they had.
So, cue me, picking Jack up 45 minutes before his appointment from school.
One hour later.
We hadn't been seen yet.
Two hours later we left.
Me and a teary eyed Jack,
with a mouth full of metal,
and a horrible speech impediment that must go away...

We went to Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
I took him back to school.
I went to the grocery store.
I picked them all up from school.
And we went to Walmart.
The only reason I mention this part of my day is because throughout that...
I was unaware that...
well...
Something else humiliating happened...
which would involve way too much TMI for my blog...
but suffice it to say...
it was a seriously, are you kidding me moment...
I went in four different places....

I shall move on...
When I picked Jared up from school...
He told me about his two high school teachers.
(He is a freshman, but 7th-9th are in the junior high building, he takes two classes at the high school however...which is RIGHT next to the jr high)
One informed him that he was causing her more "work"
and he should just go back to the jr. high.
The other told him he was lying about doing the math problem in his head.
Excellent.
(For the record he did it in his head...and got the answer right)
Meeting with the school tomorrow....oooh yes. I am.

Later
I got lost taking Jared where he was going...
blahblahblah...
poor me, I know.
Just the normal "bad" day...nothing major.

then...
Just as all was almost right in the world,
Boys were clean and jammied...
I was rockin my sweats....
stories were about to be read...
and Colin was due home in the not so distant future...
I noticed an email

Anonymous had commented twice on my blog.

And that my friends...
was the straw that broke...
well,
it was the icing on the cupcake.
Right?!?
I mean.
Come on.

The end.

(exit stage left, curtains fall)

Soccer makes for a Good Weekend

ASU sponsored a little 3v3 tournament Sunday,
a fundraiser for their women's program.
Coley played from noon-6pm.
For the record I took no photos of him actually playing...
I was too busy cheering...
but I took lots of random photos.

Like of Jared...being tall. And Jack being goofy. (I SO need a 50mm fixed lens)

Good stuff, huh?!?

The best...

Colten getting his medal...for winning the tourney.

Hope you had a nice weekend!

Colten is so handsome...even with his mom casting a shadow on his head.
(I'm very professional first thing in the morning)
Colin took the two older boys to get haircuts last night.
I took Jack to his baseball scrimmage.
When the rest of the crew arrived at the game,
Coley went over to the dugout to show Jack his haircut...
Jack said "I didn't even recognize you....I thought it was Beckham!"
Which of course thrilled Colten...and was such a sweet brotherly moment for me.

A few thoughts on the first (half) week of school:

Waking up at 6:30 has already become waking up at 6:45...
place your bets now on when I will try and make that 7am.
I guarantee it won't take long.

I'm driving the boys to school this year and picking them up.
For several reasons.
I can this year.
Last year I couldn't get three of them to three different schools at the same time,
without one of them being ridiculously early,
or in my case absurdly late...
The other main reason, after having Colten ride the bus for the first time ever last year,
is the unwanted crash course on sex education he received...from very uneducated children.
Enough said.

However, I have no doubt the drop off and pick up line will cause me to have a nervous breakdown in the not so distant future.
Why do adults not understand the concept of taking turns?

The nice lady that came around to the cars waiting in the pick up line
to write the kids names on cards to place in the windshield,
wrote COTTEN for Colten....
making me giggle the entire way around the loop,
because when I got to the front I knew that on the megaphone
"Cotten" was going to be announced,
and Cotten would be none too happy about that one.

The little ones are so chatty when they get in the car after school.
Non-stop chatty.
It is hysterical because they both have conversations with me, at the same time.
Even Jared is pretty chatty about school when he gets in the car.
I like this.

As you can tell by the first day photo...
My boys didn't want new clothes for the first day.
Not even a shirt.
and trust me...
I asked.
Several times.
(Just to be sure)
The day before the first day,
I asked them to start "thinking about what they wanted to wear"...
They looked at me like I was speaking Russian.
They woke up on the first day, and like it was any other morning,
they just grabbed something and threw it on.
When I was little I remember being so concerned about the "first day outfit"...
not so much my boys.
I guess that's a good thing.
However.
They have more than made up for the lack of back-to-school shopping with
soccer-is-starting shopping...
and have earmarked almost every page in the Eurosport catalog.
Priorities.

I admit, I did order a few things for the littles from MiniBoden...
for fall...
(or whenever it will start to feel like fall...December maybe?!?)

funny story:
When I saw the monster applique shirts I KNEW Jack would lose his mind in love...
so I asked which one he wanted...
He replied "OH, the dog and the rabbit!"
Ha.
(the dog = the blue shirt, the rabbit = the red)
The dog and the rabbit.
Love that kid...

This weekend:
Jack has a baseball tournament.
Colten has a 3 v 3 soccer tourney.
and Jared has a movie date with a bunch of friends...
Happy Friday!!!

I am not a morning person, and 6:30 came much too quickly...
but they're off
it's the first day of school.
and so,
because it's tradition...
I give you the obligatory first day shots.

(the fingers represent the grade, not which gang they're members of)
I can not believe my BABY is in the third grade.Coley the 5th grader. (haircut tonight)love that smile...and last, but not least....
my...
wait for it...
FRESHMAN!
my first born is a freshman.and a smartass that didn't want to participate in first day photos...
so you take what you can get.

I love you so much my boys.
I can't wait to hear about your day.

"Use what talents you possess: The woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best." ~Henry Van Dyke

"Then all around from far away across the world
he smelled good things to eat
so he gave up being king of where the wild things are.
"Where the Wild Things Are" - Maurice Sendak
Someone was a little overtired after their youth group retreat...
Someone let their mouth get the best of them...
Someone was sent to their room until dinner...
and that someone was found like this when they were called for dinner.
I think someone was a little sleepy.

Teens need sleep.
or they get cranky.
and just because lack of sleep makes one cranky, that doesn't excuse the behavior or make it acceptable...
Hence the room time yesterday.
(Today seems much better)

"Vamp club not all it was made out to be huh? Lots of freaks I hear... and people from Arkansas."
-Arlene, TrueBlood Season 1 Episode 5

Do you know how much that quote made me laugh?! Answer: Lots.

This weekend:
GI Joe at the theater
Sushi
Ice cream for dinner
Barnes and Noble
Cornhole
Season one of TrueBlood on bluray
Fun mail from Gabby
the yum Mexican restaurant
and
Lots of playing outside for the small boys
*Youth group retreat for Jared

"This was a fun day" -Jack(on Saturday)

Tonight is open house for all three. Only two schools this year, instead of three.
Colten and Jack have their school supplies and are ready to go.
Jared finally gets his list tonight...
Which means back-to-school-shopping round two tomorrow.
Oh Joy.

Colten is getting his haircut...like the end of the mohawk haircut.
He decided that it was getting much too trendy (especially around here),
and that trendy just isn't his style
so hopefully he likes his new do,
he has had a mohawk for five years.
(aka half his life)

Tomorrow we must institute "back-to-school-bedtime" again.
I fully intended to start last week,
but of course I've put it off,
and now it just makes sense to let them finish enjoying late nights and late mornings...
in exchange for the struggle tomorrow night will bring.
I'm going to start reading The Lightning Thief outloud to the littles which may help the transition...
slightly.
I tried to convince them to read Harry Potter, but they refused.
Funny how that that series really sparked Jareds love affair with reading,
and I can't get the little ones to touch it.

Lastly.
My new banner.
Colin's sister and BIL got him fancy-schmancy beer for Christmas. Cork in the bottles fancy.
Thick beautiful bottles...
I have a thing for glass bottles.
I had this vision of a red-and-white checked table cloth & the brown bottles filled with daisies.
The above photo was just a trial run sans the table cloth/daisy combo.
Jared is really not a fan.
He claims that my beer-bottle-as-vase idea is one of the "most hillbilly things" I've ever done.
and that it is a "terrible concept"...
(did I mention teenagers are also brutally honest?!?)
Well then...
Just try to ignore my hillbilly banner y'all...

the boys REALLY enjoyed the Harley-Davidson museum.
they had a scavenger hunt for the littles that kept them thoroughly busy and happy.
bikes to sit on and computers to "build your own harley"...
very cool.

Coley even found his must-have-helmet on one of the bikes outside.... seriously, even the restaurant was cool.
the boys highly recommend it,
if you're ever in Milwaukee.

and I'm done for the day.
sorry to bombard you all with posts ;)
the one about the lake will have to wait until tomorrow....
we are off to the bookstore.
happy thursday!

Brilliant

a few of my favorites from Alex's Run.
which had a great turn out, and awesome weather.
thanks to everyone that came out to support it...