A day at the Beach.....

We spent the day at the beach today. Chad took off work and we all went down to North Ave. Beach. If you know me at all, you know I love the sun and the heat...and well, we had it today. Great day. The boys enjoyed the sand, water, and MJ said he enjoyed the Ice Cream the most!

The life of a mom searching for the perfect photograph..

Does anyone else get these type of pictues when you ask you children to smile??

You get about 75 of these silly face pictures before you can get a "good-one". But, my idea of what a "good-one" is changing. I almost like the sassy-faced eye covering pictures better.

Nothing left to do, but smile, smile, smile!

A dog is licking my feet right now....

Yep, we are dog-siting. Chad is mixing tonight, the boys are fast asleep, I don't feel like doing any chores (they will be there tomorrow), our satellite is not working (no brainless entertainment). So I am sitting in bed with Divot (the dog) and for some reason he wants to lay by my smelly feet (smelly good, not bad) and lick them. Go figure. The boys are having soo much fun watching Divot. I wasn't sure what MJ was going to think of watching Divot.....but he loves it. He has known Divot (Divot is the dog of our neighbor who watches the boys one day a week)for a few years....but usually is pretty luke warm about it. BUT, he is making sure Divot has food and water and treats and plays with him and he and CR fight over walking him, etc. Divot is a celebrity in our home. It is fun.

Soccer Update. MJ had a game last night. He was sooo not into it. The game was at 5pm on a Friday night (school night). His teacher told me he was so tired all day yesterday that he almost fell asleep during lunch. So, as you can imagine, by 5pm he was just cranky and hot and tired and had little interest, and it showed. HOWEVER, today he had a game at 8am. Holy cow...a new child was roaring to go today. He played and ran around the entire game. Very cool to watch. I get so into it...even with Divot and CR in tow. He played goalie for the first quarter and did great. Then he ran hard the rest of the game and kicked the ball a lot. MJ is so much like me where he just doesn't function well without sleep or good food in his tummy. Today's game was cool. After the game all the kids on team United, played at the park for an hour and a half together. It was a very cool morning.

Swimming Update: We took the boys to the pool tonight. MJ is getting much more brave in the water. He needed a few minutes to warm up to the water, but then he was going down the slides and being daring and having a good time. We went in the deeper end of the pool and he was apprehensive, but was cool with it if we held on tight. I think he will like swimming lessons this winter. He wasn't ready last winter when we tried. CR also Loved the water. He likes to "swim". He really does do a good job at swimming. He lays/floats on his tummy in the shallow water and kicks and puts his face n the water. But most importantly he laughs and giggles in his loud CR way and has a great time splashing and exploring. I love watching both MJ and CR's face lite up in during the water play...after all, that is what it is all about.

Side notes: CR really wants to be on the soccer team too. After the game, MJ wanted to take his shin guards and cleats off. CR asked him if he could have a turn wearing them...MJ replied "Of course you can borrow my shin guards and cleats, you are my little brother, and I love you." So sweet.
I asked MJ what the favorite part of today was and he said "during the soccer game, I stopped the ball when I was playing goalie and the boy was BIG. But, it was easy because he wasn't running fast, he was just standing there." He said the worst part of his day was "grandma and grandpa didn't come visit me today or see me play real good at soccer!"
I asked CR what his favorite part of the day was and he replied "PIZZA". We didn't have pizza today or yesterday or the day before, that is just CR's standard response. But then, while I was putting CR to bed tonight, he said "swimming is fun. Lets do again."

We also got a frig from Nisi for our garage today. Wheee, cold beer all the time.....umm, I mean, cold juice boxes for the kids! Thanks Nis.

OK, I should go take Divot for a walk now. He is fast asleep on my bed and growing on me. Sorry Kim, we might have to keep him. :-)

Happy weekend to all and to all a good weekend.

Wednesday!

WEDNESDAY!

I know I say this all the time, but I think Wednesdays are my favorite day of the week. I have the day off work and most people I work with respect that. It is our day where we (the boys and I) do what we want. We miss chad (of course), but we move on. We try not to have too many errands to do, and mostly play. Yesterday we hit the barnyard zoo bright and early. CR claims his favorite animal is the chicken. Really? What about the cows, horses, donkey, llama, goats, sheep, deer, something......but the chickens? OK....I respect your right to like the chickens. Then we hit the park. After that we went to G/G Troast's for lunch and more play time. We put CR down for a nap at G/G's house and then MJ and I went to get his hearing checked. The Dr. said "he has perfect hearing". As if I didn't already know my child was perfect (spoken like a true mom). Grandpa is teaching MJ how to shoot a bow and arrow. He is doing great at it and thinks it is fun. Although, he told me this morning that he doesn't want to be a hunter because he doesn't want the bears in the forests to eat him. Wise little man, very wise! Chad was mixing at the studio last night, so we had dinner at G/G's and then went to the "cool" park for a long while. Now the "cool" park is the park where I went to elementary school, so there is a bit of coolness, but oddity also when I go there. Flashbacks!

OK, lunch is over. Back to work for me.

Here are some pixs taken from my camera phone...not too bad!

Zoo feeding.

MJ with the bow and arrow. He actually can do it by himself and hits the target.

Chill Weekend....

Hello. The boys are fast asleep and chad is out mixing the Cornfed CD tonight, and I am just enjoying the sound of......quite! Ahhh...listen...........quite!

This past weekend was good. Friday Cara came over and hung out with us. Then her and I went and ate too much yummy mexican food and corona's. Saturday morning it was rainy, so soccer got cancelled. Instead we just ran errands, got MJ and CR's 4 and 2 year old pixs taken, had a big breakfast, went on a bike ride, climbed a big rock at the forest preserve, etc. Just a pretty chill weekend all around.

Happy Birthday to the Jenniest Penniest, JP Coolinest lady around! That is correct. This is an important day for civilization. This is the day that we stop and recognize JP for all the wonderful things she is!

I'll start: Jenny is the best wife and friend a dumb boy like me could ever hope to luck out with. She makes it so all I have to think about is whether I should go to the bathroom or not. And even then, she still reminds me sometimes! Jenny lets me do all those silly, childish things I like to do to keep me from going crazy(er), and she doesn't even think I'm that weird for it (for the record, we're both weird, and everybody else is weirder). She puts everybody's happiness before her own - or maybe a better way to say it is: she takes pleasure in the happiness of those around her, and does an overwhelming amount of life's little stuff to ensure time for the fun things, and sometimes she gets cheated for it. JP - thanks for that, and thanks for being my partner, and thanks for all the emotional support, thanks for teaching me about everything important in life, thanks for not judging me, thanks for helping me be a better person than I was before we met. I love you.

Those kids also told me to say that Jenny Penny (really..."Jenny Penny") is the best mom in the whole wide world. I'll second that; I haven't tried, but I know I couldn't imagine a better mother for my kids...we are the three luckiest rascals in the world to have her as a devoted wife and mother. MJ and CR are happy, healthy, engaged, bold, smart, vibrant, open, compassionate, honest, spirited, and spiritual - and I see Jenny in all of their great qualities.

I don't show my appreciation nearly enough, and for this I'm ashamed. Today, I start to make it right with this small gesture. Tomorrow, I'll continue by calling as soon as I leave work to say, "I've left work" so I don't ruin another dinner. Seems easy enough...Our lives, our family and friends, and our home are all filled with love. Thanks, Jenny, for pouring it on. thick.

I love you, Jenny. Happy Birthday! See you tonight for CAKE!

Just Enjoying the Ride!

The boys got a new red mustang convertible for there birthday. They totally dig-it and love to take rides in it. CR can't reach the pedal yet, but MJ takes him for rides. MJ has really improved in his driving techniques also. Day 1 was a little frightening....if you were in his path. But now he is doing well and can turn it around (most of the time).

"Just enjoying the ride, mom, just enjoying the ride." MJ quote.

MJ's First Soccer Game!

MJ's first soccer game was this past. Saturday morning. It was awesome to watch. He was totally into it for the first quarter; the second quarter he was semi into it; then he saw that CR had fruit snacks, and it was mostly over. He was not so into it after half-time. BUT, the bottom line was he had fun and he likes it.

GO TEAM UNITED!

4th of July Weekend!

It is has been a while. Life sure does get busy....especially during the summer.

We spent the 4th of July weekend in Lafayette with G/G Smit and we also saw Great G/G Wiggins on the Farm, Aunt Terry and Uncle Dave, etc. It was a very fun weekend. Thanks guys!

The boys were waiting for the fireworks to start (notice it is still very light outside) and just being silly (and making grandma nervous by sitting on the wall).

Both boys have never seen fireworks before nor had they ever stayed up until 11pm. So this was exciting on many fronts. MJs first reaction was the clap and smile, then he extended his hands out and tried to "reach" for the fireworks. CRs first reaction was to smile, and then copy what MJ was doing. The noise didn't bother either one of them at all, actually...I think they liked it! I think MJ liked catching the fireflies best! :-)

Here is a picture of Grandma Smit and the boys....I don't think MJ wanted his picture taken right then!

Daddy and the boys on the way to feed the fox (and go for a ride)!!!

And we can't forget going to visit Great G/G Wigs on the Farm!!

Rock climbers.

Tractor-lovers.

Homestead.