It's All Fun and Games Until . . .

Today is the first day of summer vacation. What a great day to look forward and sleep in and not pack a lunch.

I woke up extra early, headed off to exercise and came home to find my 9 yo practically giddy to "do the next thing" (which is chores or music). He accomplished all of his morning responsibilities before 8:00 and headed out the trampoline. Although the girls weren't quite as efficient with their time, they were outside with him.

It was raining.

No matter right? They started out their day, their summer with a bang.

It rained all day.

Needless to say, we had some fun today. We celebrated by having pizza at a new place that now tops my list:   Mod Pizza. I may go off on it a bit -- everything made fresh right before my eyes and all done super fast. The pizza isn't too crusty, which I love. It was delicious and affordable. They have mini-pizzas just the right size for my children to individually order what they wanted (of course they ended up all wanting the same kind, but at least they got their own same kind).  I just realized I will be needing to do a separate post about our experience there. Oh my! Children sure know how to make life interesting, that's all I will say about that.

We also bought some really fancy cupcakes, from a cute little pink cupcake store.

It was still raining this evening. The kids (mine plus a friend) ran outside because who wouldn't want to jump on the trampoline, in the pouring rain.

We won't get hurt - promise

I was just a tad nervous about the liability. I could just picture the children slipping off while climbing off (cement pad underneath). Anyway, they had a great time. At some point in the play, they migrated to the front yard and then the friend had to go home.

The next thing I know, I hear the outside water turn on and screaming.

Yup - you guessed it, big brother got an idea. Soaking wet sister - who is now also dripping wet -- didn't want to be wet anymore.

Look. Mom

Cousins Crack Me UP

I meant to post this awhile back. I LOVE having a cousin nearby. We see each other every four or five or six months. Having grown up with family gatherings galore, I relish the time I get to spend with cousins.

The last time I saw this family was for a missionary meeting prior to departure (Sadie is going to Milan Italy to preach the gospel -- exciting huh?).  Sadie has three sisters and one brother. While at their beautiful home, after the meeting, the older sisters showed me a book they made for their parents for Christmas. I laughed till I cried at the pictures in the book.

According to Chelsea, the idea for the book is "all over pinterest", however, since I am not an aficionado of pinterest (yet), I'd never seen or thought of the idea. Hilarious.

Here's the rundown, well, study these two pictures and see if you can figure it out before I tell you:

the bangs just kill me - wait, Chelsea, where are your bangs?

They had made an entire book of these types of pictures. I was laughing so hard, I had tears running down my face. These girls are not, wait, these women are not rag-a-muffin, sloppy, oops-I-forgot-to-do-my hair ladies. These are well-read, super-trendy, well-mannered people here. I loved seeing these memories and their re-creation. What a fun time, they must have had reliving these relics.

 

Getting to know Cousins is the best and definitely something that makes me smile.

Dad and his boots

This picture has to make you smile:

Not only do I love the people in the picture (my dad and his dad), I mean, just look at Grandpa's smile. He is content. I love it. Dearly.

This was taken July 4th, 1969 so my dad was  married and really getting into responsibilities of life. He probably had one or two kids (my family members can verify) thus his more somber expression (I also learn he never really had a tendency to smile in pictures).

Later, while jogging, I figured out that my oldest brother was born in 1969, July of 1969 in fact. So, my dad's serious expression might be due to the fact that his wife was ready to pop down below. He must have been worrying about her :-).

Ha ha -- do you like how I am putting my own spin on it? I will have to ask my dad about this picture, but in the meantime it is his boots that made me smile. He's wearing those big work boots. Those boots will be a part of my dad's legacy for sure. He always wears those type of boots to do his outside work: gardening, mowing, pipe-moving. Those are the big boots that showed me how to plant corn and potatoes (don't "cut and cover"). Those are the boots that I pictured stomping a hole through our living room floor when the Boston Red Sox lost a game, and finally those are the boots that I would see my dad lace up, all the way to the top to go on motorcycle rides or hunting.

And Grandpa Fuller can just keep smiling - he probably wore the same thing :-).

Another editor's update - my oldest brother was born before 1969, it was my second oldest brother who was born in 1969, and his birthday is August, so my mom was hugely pregnant and wrangling a toddler down below.

Ode to Mothers -- from a kid

Kid President's Mother's Day Message To All Moms (VIDEO)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ4Rnba85o8&feature=player_embedded#t=2s


I don't know how to paste the picture so it looks cooler but this is seriously so funny. Please watch and then watch again. I think I've listened to it three times in the last 30 minutes.

Happy Mothers Day!

Technological File

I guess I am not raising a future NBA player. When my son came home from basketball practice talking about "technological files" and how a person could earn one while playing basketball, I really knew any hope I have is dashed :-).

Of course, he asked me if I've ever earned a "technological file" and I said no. In discussing this privately, my husband and I decided of our three children, our youngest would be the most likely to earn a technical foul. She can get pretty heated up in arguments and actually just lets out a blood-curdling scream when she can't take it anymore.