Tuesday, August 16, 2011

from birthdays to bald heads

Hey friends!
Mid-August already and summer keeps a chug-chugging along.
We are eagerly anticipating our vacation next week.
We had a wonderful visit with Grandpa John over the weekend where I'm pretty sure we solved all of the world's problems (now if people would only listen to us).
We had our second cousin-visit last week - this time the 2 youngest stayed for 3 nights.
One has started football (again) and is feeling a bit anxious about it (again)
but we came up with a strategy that seems to be working (fingers crossed).

Let's take a picture journey though our last few days...

My Two celebrated his 8th b'day this week.
Loyal fans of Crawling To The Moon may remember that last year,
How fun.
How expensive.
This year, we toned it down to a sleepover party with 4 extra kids
(2 cousins and 2 friends)
plus the nanny took the gang to Laser Tag during the day.
And you know what?
That sweet boy of mine (who can also be pretty salty at times) didn't seem to care that this year's celebration was much quieter and less extravagant. 
Anyhow, here is his homemade lemon cake.
Because Two loves him some lemons.

the fedora was one of his presents
The next day, we went to the Wisconsin State Fair.
What a fun and exhausting day.
So glad it only comes once a year.
Fortunately, we went on an 80 degree day (instead of 90's as it was the week before)
because 80 degrees with thousands of other people on a concrete pad with no shade is
hot
enough.
We splurged and bought the ride wristbands for the kids.
They had such a sense of freedom.
It was fantastic.
Until their cousin, who joined us, got sick from the rides.
We shuttled the cousins back to their mom and continued on at the fair
until the storm clouds started blowing in
(which I noticed when high on a ride because I still love the rides too).
We ate at Saz's Restaurant and had a great meal.
We stayed at a hotel with a mini waterpark which was unexpected and fun.
All in all, a nice little trip.
And here is my one photo to document it all
(other than some blurry shots of Thrillseeker Two on every.ride.there):

notice how it says "educational" on the bottom?  almost worth the $1 admission out of curiosity!
Yesterday, we went with a group of friends to a nearby favorite summertime spot:
(Stephanie - we parked on Branch Street and entered, going northbound, at Century Ave)
It's a great spot to go and wander, especially if you want to cool off.  
We packed a picnic.
Some of the children behaved poorer than others
and for once?
Those ill-behaving children weren't my children.
I tried to get the kids to line up on the rocks, but that didn't quite work:


These two, however, posed like a couple of starlets:


I love these girls
and so does Three.
His biggest dilemma yesterday afternoon was which one to chose as his girlfriend.
Two told him to just pick both,
"that way you've hit the jackpot!"

I tried to capture another possible Christmas card photo, 
and this is what I got:



See?  THIS is why I have to start in the summer.

And lastly, Three has been not happy with his hair.
He has lovely, curly hair (especially in the back).
He gets compliments on it all the time.
But he doesn't like it.
He wants it straight.
Every day, he spends a lot of time combing it, asking,
"mom, is my hair flat?"
He has been begging for a haircut.
He's even been cutting it himself here and there.
I'll find locks of his hair on the floor in the bathroom.
So, I asked him yesterday.
"Do you want me to shave your head?"
"Yes mom!" he responded.
And so I did.
Are you ready?

Here he is, pre-haircut:


And here he is, post:


Shocking, isn't it.
He looks a little cancer-victimish.
Bob is NOT happy.
I was told to consult with him next time I do something so drastic.
I keep saying, "it's Three's hair, he gets to decide"
but I sort of privately agree.
It's not so good.
I keep thinking that it brings out his beautiful eyes.
But I miss that curly hair.

So
how about you?
Have you ever been tempted to see a freakshow at a fair?
Have you ever changed your child's hairstyle to the displeasure of the other parent?



Sunday, August 7, 2011

christmas photo time

it's that time of year again when I start thinking about trying to capture the
PERFECT
photo for a christmas/holiday card
because, of course, then it would mean my family is perfect.
hahahahahaha

but seriously folks, I do put a lot of effort into trying to come up with a clever and cute image
of my clever and cute boys.

i figured our 2 visits at the Memorial Union would be a great spot

so, as my boys eagerly climbed up into the gigantic chair that they have been eagerly climbing for years, i grabbed my camera and shot away.

this is what i got:


nope, 


and.... nope.

what is with these children?  
don't they know how important this is?
can't they look at the camera at the same time?
try to look like they like each other,
like they like me?

maybe i should try an action shot.
so, we moved to the pier for jumping and swimming:



closer, but not quite...


that's getting better...


not bad.
not bad at all.
to keep the suspense building, i am not sharing our top contenders
but i'm happy to report that
i got some good ones
(sort of along these lines).

and, to close,
my favorite photo from last night.
that's fearless Three, jumping in the water,
with Two on the left
and One on the right.


anyone else out there thinking about their holiday cards?

Monday, August 1, 2011

August 1 (really?!)

Just banished the wild children to the basement.  They were all laying here and screaming on the floor.  2/3 of them mocking the one who was just a little bit hurt.  It's amazing.  They are all down there now and quiet.  Probably all plugged into some sort of electronic device, but look at me...  I am too...

The dog days of summer are here.  What are the dog days anyways?  Must investigate that.  One and Two had football camp this morning for 2 hours (and every morning this week) but other than that, it's a relatively quiet week.  Rugby is done.  T-ball wraps up this week.  No swimming lessons.

Summer continues to be H.O.T.  Not enough rain; some break ahead this week, with temps in the 80's instead of 90's.  Hot and steamy round the clock.  We will yearn for this in January, but it's getting a little tiring.

Friday night, I got to spend time with my cousins.  Cousins!  I love my cousins!  This family of 4 girls have been going up to a church camp their entire lives and they continue to do it as adults, now bringing their children along too.  They gathered in Madison on Friday night before heading up north for the week.  My cousin from New Mexico stopped over on Friday to see the boys and me.  She mentioned that she and her sisters and dad were going out for fish that night, and then they were heading to the Memorial Union Terrace.  I sort of invited myself along.  After a dip in the pool that night, One, Two and I headed over to the Union (which One kept calling "the Onion").  It was packed with people and hot and loud but so much fun.  I had a cold beer and the boys got ice cream.  We people watched and chatted and laughed and walked along the lakeshore.  It was fun to be out with my crew until 11 pm.  They were both surprised to see the city still so alive at that hour.

We all felt very wilted after the final rugby event on Saturday.  Bob has been planning on rebuilding a fence for the past month.  Saturday afternoon, he was digging new post holes and I guiltily watched him from inside our cool (*tip! remind me to tell you my house-cooling tip!) house.  It took him until Sunday at noon to finish digging the holes.  I have backed waaaaay off the pressure to get the fence built now that I see that effort it takes just to dig the holes.

So glad I'm a woman.  I (think I) pull my own share of the weight around here and I don't shy away from physical tasks, but there are definitely times where I appreciate being the farer (or is it fairer?) sex.

On Sunday, we celebrated my mom's birthday.  My older brother and his family came over to my parents' house.  My sis-in-law and Bob and I pulled together a great little meal, if I may say so myself.  I made a Grilled Pork Tenderloin that was YUM.   SIL made a chocolate cake and fruit salad.  Bob made a delicious little salad he pulled together including baby bib lettuce, asparagus, toasted almonds, hard boiled eggs and a great dressing he made up.  It was a really fun time together.  Everyone was in a good mood.  We laughed about a lot of things.  We got some arrangements sorted out for our upcoming family trip to Door County, satisfying my mother's need to organize trips and travel.  The kids were thrilled to be with their cousins.  All in all, a great weekend.

In other news, I heard today that the sweet and frail elderly woman across the street died yesterday.  I had been wondering about her and asked her daughter (who lives there too) how her mom was just last week.  I asked her to tell her mom "hi" from me, and I wondered if they needed anything.  I am holding this family in my heart as they mourn her passing.

Life marches along for the rest of us.  Groceries are put away.  Laundry needs to be folded.  Children will soon need more food and diversions from electronics and each other.  I am thankful for this life, here and now.

* Onto my cool house tip.  I have been keeping the windows shut and running my house fan through my furnace to keep my house cool.  I also use my ceiling fans (on the first floor) to keep the cool air circulating.  It's as cool as if I were to use may a/c!  It's amazing.  We do run the a/c at night when we sleep, but we have a thermostat in the second floor, so it only cools up there.  Our electric/gas bills are pretty reasonable so far, considering how comfortable the house feels.