My Momma Told Me There Would Be Days Like This...

Today we woke up at 7 and made breakfast together... bacon and waffles. Then we went to the park where I ran and the boys caught caterpillars... in a box... and left in the house to escape...We then had to find said caterpillars before they could wreak havoc on our home. After all of that fun, we decided it was time to prepare ourselves to venture to the Vet's park to see the classic cars on display. Those were super cool. I took several pictures for the boys on the Blackberry and then we were off to Bowling Green to meet friends to eat and play at Chuck E. Cheese and enjoy a night watching the Hot Rods play ball. We love to watch the Hot Rods play... well, I like to watch them play... the boys like the popcorn, the cotton candy, the cola, the ice cream, the foam fingers, the balls, the miniature bats... etc. Once it started to rain in the 6th inning, I made an executive decision that it was time that this day of fun and adventure was finally over... The boys were out of commission before I ever hit the parkway... I have to say... momma said there'd be days like this and I am glad.

Rosco... one of two of the Hot Rod's mascots...

If I Should Die Tonight - Marvin Gaye

Learning Never Ends...
It seems like, no matter what I am doing and no matter how old I get, I am consumed with learning all I can about things that intrigue me. I have recently been introduced to the "behind the scenes" world of music, and reminded of the music of my past. Somehow, it has impressed upon me the importance of passion, love and hope that music instills in us... the freedom of words to express what we cannot of our own volition and actions say to another... with one or two songs, we can tell the entire story of our life to someone or tell them how we feel when words fail us. Joy, peace, anger, frustration, experience, bliss... all encompassed in the notes and rhythms and harmonies coming together. Music is truly an amazing entity that permeates every facet of my life...

As Long As It Matters...

I am a few years older, much wiser and a LOT happier than the last time I posted on this blog... a great deal of changes have taken place in our lives since we visited with each other last... most of them good, some of them difficult, but all of them for the better. As I look back on the past two years, I see a year and a half of being a single mom in a doctorate program, learning how to live on my own in a comfortable and wonderfully content way... I am amazed at how truly easy life can be when I realized that it isn't about trying to make everything perfect or right or good, but to be myself, live to laugh, to enjoy every minute I can and to make myself and others smile. I am so thankful for this new way of living. One more step in the right direction...

With that said... let me share some recent and some, not so recent, photos and events...

Let's start with recent, shall we? Surprised my bestie with Sugarland tickets for her birthday...

After 13 years of friendship, she deserves so much much more from me! We have started and nearly completed half of our doctoral work together over the last year and a half... I am so blessed by her frienship, it is a true gift, one that most people do not get the chance to experience and for that I am thankful.


Now, if you will humor me and travel back in time a little... spring break with Aunt Riki... Disney World... 2010... A trip to remember! Some of our favorite things? Soarin', Toy Story ride, Star Wars show, Mickey Mouse (of course)... so many things... so little time!

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Baby, it's cold outside!

But no matter how cold, or wet or rainy or wild it is, Grandpa always comes through with some amazing and fun game to make memories with my boys... On this particular visit, it was cold, and boy do I dislike the cold... we are not friends. I did manage to brave the elements long enough to capture the main event on camera and it was worth it! So, I present to you our newest game with Grandpa... marshmallow wars! Can you say sticky, spit covered marshmallows? Josh tried hard to keep up with the big boys, but eventually we had to minimize his shooter to allow for size and age... he did a great job and the smiles were plentiful!

Noah was ready to take on the world and Grandpa with his new marshmallow shooter... He got a lot of practice shooting at the G-pa!

I love this shot of Seth, over the shoulder... can you see his marshmallow headed straight for the man in yellow? Good shot Seth!

Boy is Grandpa an ace shooter... he pegged each boy with zingers! He showed them that even 'old guys' can hold their own (his own words). He is still amazing! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for coming to visit, for bringing the dogs and for spending a wonderful week making memories with me and my boys... we love you!

Here is the pre-war construction... that is one thing I love about Grandpa... he has so much to teach them... I want them to learn as much as they can from him... he has some good lessons to teach that they all need! This is my favorite part of having kids... watching my mom and dad pass down life lessons to my kids in fun ways... they will learn to value learning like I do... another good lesson here was to take your time and do things correctly, not hurried but thoughtfully... we could all use a refresher on that lesson... thanks Grandpa!
Grandma teaches them about being creative... but she isn't a fan of me posting her picture, so I will give her kudos for the "Ghost Graveyard" -very cool- you can see it online at ohio.com-kid's crafts... But here, she lends her creative hand and poses the boys for the post-war shot... gotta love boys...especially the big ones! I hope everyone enjoys every day and remembers that life is about making memories... and my parents have always been the best about making that memorable!

Growing...

One reason I scrapbook is because as beautiful as the color and the thoughtfullness of these roses are... they perish and the memory fades... when I scrapbook this photo, I journal about the purpose for these particular roses... the reason for the beautiful color and I remember the emotion behind the actions... that is one reason I scrapbook... Here are 3 more...

One... as fast as he grows... the freckles, the highlighted hair, the kooky smile... his amazing personality...

His first puppy... Copper... because one day he will be a dad and he will be thinking about getting a puppy for his kids... and he will see this photo and remember the feelings and memories that surrounded this moment and he will say yes...to a puppy for his own little ones...

And here is two... for his precocious personality and his love of life... for that blond hair and that amazing smile... for the sweet boy that he can be...with his new puppy Todd... who his still wants to squish when he holds him...

Three... for the love that they have for each other... even though sometimes they won't even admit they like each other... for this... I have proof... For these moments, I scrapbook, so that they will remember all of the wonderful moments that were their childhood...

For this... knowing he will soon be a teen and capturing these smiles might be few and far between... for now... for these moments... for the boys I love... for our friends... for our family... for each other... beautiful memories...

For this little guy, who won't stay little for long... for the smiles and laughter he will bring...