Saturday, July 13, 2019

Memorial weekend May 2019. Wisconsin daughter is home for a Tough Mudder event. The weather is cold, but the love is warm. I'm guessing behind every story is food for thought... The girls and I went on a kayak adventure. Only two kayaks and three girls - so we give princess the paddle board and put her in the middle as she is not a paddle fan. The wind is ever in our favor on the way to the destination (hidden lake) where it's so peaceful-beautiful. Our connection of kayak/paddle board practically blow us all the way. As always its a great place to just enjoy some quiet. The sky is turning dark and it's time to get going. The way home is nothing if not the hardest paddle of my life so far. Yikes. The wind is storm quality. We laugh, paddle hard and try not to blow backwards all the way home. Maybe a couple of miles. Life is hard sometimes, better with a friend or two!

Side note - It's 10pm and I think - why not volunteer for the TM so I can be at the event while my daughters are running the competitive wave event. Signed up. TM volunteers are treated so VIP well. Start time is 6am though - so wake up is 4:30 am. Yikes. I arrive with my fellow volunteer partner (because lets face it, events are always fun with others), to donuts and coffee.  See volunteering is worth it. We are put in charge of beer tickets - does it get any better? I end up at the ... well end of the event (electric shock therapy - that's a whole other conversation) and get to see my daughters who finish tied for 4th!! Epic! Volunteers are treated to lunch from Panera! again Epic!

July 2019 Lake Fenton
The hot has arrived. Spring was sooo cold - then solstice hit and the 80's came on. Loving the hot!
Happiness comes when the kids are home. Wisconsin daughter and grandsons are here for a week. My other daughter lives 7 house away. How did I get so lucky? The weather is beautiful. The laughter is plentiful.

Today while out on the paddle boat with the girls, the grandson calls out from the dock "grandma, come here" So of course I call back "swim out" But he calls again "grandma - come in" so we start to paddle in and pretty soon it's clear Popa is laying prone on the back of the speed boat on the lift.  Well it is almost 90 degrees out... So we paddle in quickly. Popa isn't feeling so good, stomach issues that have gone too long...Long story short, the girls got him off the boat and onto the couch with a fan, some meds and eventually all better. Popa doesn't take care of himself well. Mostly his eating is unhealthy. This is not a change he is willing to make. Most people I find are not willing to change habits that are causing suffering. It's their choice.

Neighbors - I always knew that I'd have good neighbors. When both sides sold I was excited to see who would be coming. Now, lots of people said to me how they would hate new neighbors as you wouldn't know them and you already knew who was there.  I just never think that way. I know change is always a thing - we are always evolving, I know this. And now I have this surround of boys the same ages as my grandsons. They are constantly swimming (which makes my beach sandy in lieu of mucky - bonus!). They way boys figure out the balance of friendship is an exact science I can only marvel at. I need to take life lessons from a gang of pre-teen boys. We all should take a closer look at how they work out their friendship :). Boys !!




Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Birthday Week

We had this great week of celebration
Thank you aunt Sharon from Phoenix for the wonderful book of Connor

I made some aprons from tea towels that I found on Pintrest

then I gave Connor a knife and some peppers to slice

It's always fun to wrap up a person in a blanket so tight they cannot escape!

then pick them up 

step one warm the blanket in the dryer...(it's easier to get them to cooperate that way)

then you can swing them about...

fall is a great time to just sing out loud


and go for a long bike ride
go ahead and find a cool yard full of Halloween decorations and use them for pictures!! Thanks Sheila's mother in law!!





Taking a break at the French Laundry for some Chi Tea!! 

and pancakes bigger than the plate


uh oh... no bikes... lets move on...

riding home, we owned the road!!

Caught Reading... look at the size of that book!

spider man 

bey blades dome!!! those are so fun!

I love my new aprons!! thanks models!

lighting your own birthday candles at nine!! yep

you might as well cut and serve the cake too

there was a lot of creativity this week!!

and exercise!! roller blades!

and adventures ....

and tricks!!

and taking breaks to visit 

window clings!!! 

yard decorating!!

I'm nine and my teacher says it's time to start helping around the house!! I can use a stove, my teacher said!! 

and Crust (our new bakery in town) makes the most delicious hot chocolate with homemade marshmellows the size of your hand!!

who cares if it's raining, we are playing some tennis!! 

and sparklers for candles!!

pumpkin picking

and picking

and picking

and finding that perfect one

daddy daughter time!!

this is the hay ride vehicle this year. no tractor or wagon necessary!!

just hang on the side ...

or chill in the back

hang by the fence

or climb on the top

it's easy to get a picture with beautiful background

and great kids!!

and climbing !!

taking a moment with dad... priceless

waking up to a room full of surprise 

what fun to play in the balloons!! 

where's waldo?


and what is the morning muffin without a candle and a birthday song?

oh no, more balloon fun...

spiderman shows off his creations on the window

and shoots his web far off into yonder...

web tree 

we are ready 


to jump in a pile of leaves

and disappear ...

you can't see us now!

like a bunch of scarecrows waiting to be stuffed!!

best hair do ever!!!
let the carving begin!!

power tools a must!


serious decorating

and more cake .....

face plant cake

priceless!!!!

blow!! it's up your nose!!