Reason No. 285

Of why I'm glad school starts next week. While sitting in my den/office area in the back of the house, I hear a giant crash coming from the front of the house.

Me: What was that?

Hot Rod: us?

Me: Yeah, but what was it?

Hot Rod: the laundry basket?

Hmmm. I try to ignore it and continue writing.

Then the saga gets richer. In comes Little Bit with a stuffed animal and a tissue requesting tape.

Me: Why do you need tape?

Little Bit: For a cast.

Okeyyyy dokeyyyyy. At least they're playing peacefully and not bickering like their Granny and Papa for a change.
 
Then, the red alert noises start blaring in my head when I hear Hot Rod:
 
"There is no rule about seat belts."
 
This is the stopping point. I walk in to find pillows all along the bottom of the stairs and a laundry basket containing a stuffed penguin "secured" in place by two toy mops criss-crossed inside the basket and poking out each side.
 
Nope, nope, nope. This stops now, I tell them to cries of WHY?
 
Really? You don't see anything wrong with this picture kids? Gees Louise.

First Communion

 

My sweet Little Bit had her First Holy Communion on Sunday. I love this group picture of all the kids because we could not get one good picture where you could see all the kids or none of them were picking their noses or whatever. Too funny. They were troopers during mass, though. It was so wonderful. I felt completely blessed to watch her act like such a big girl and become part of the body of Christ.

Silver Arch to Golden Arches

Summer brought a mini-family reunion up to the Indianapolis suburbs. Along the way, we stopped and had some other fun, too. We visited what is reportedly the world's largest McDonalds (at 29k SF). Not that impressive to be honest. You can see the peeling paint on the right hand side of the arches, the gift store was really bad ... unimpressed.

This was probably the neatest feature - sitting over the tolled highway while eating french fries and burgers.

Getting to see the Arch in St. Louis was a highlight of the trip. Pickle and I were scared to death to go up there, but I managed to mask my fear to reassure the other kids and try to reassure Pickle, but to no avail. He was miserable, but sucked it up and did it, for which I'm very proud.

Of course, my two daredevils were climbing right up to the observation windows and scaring the bejeezers out of me.

 I even documented my visit to the top.
And, loved taking pictures out the window, too.

Forgive me, Father

For I have sinned. This is my first confession. Yep. Little Bit had her first confession Saturday in preparation for her first Holy Communion next week. She was so precious. After she was done she came over and gave me a hug and smiled. Then, she said, "I feel so clean inside."

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever.  - John 6:51

p.s. Is it just me or does Jesus look like he's throwing down gang signs? "Middle East Siiiiiiiiiiide!!!!"

p.s.p.s. Forgive me, Father for my sacrilige.

Go Mean Green

Took the kids to see the McKinney Marshals' (Texas Collegiate League) season closer tonight. Bonus was that if you wore your UNT shirt, you got $2 off admission. We heard UNT football great Johnny Quinn would be throwing out the first pitch, so why not? Then, even better, he sat behind us in the bleachers. So, as he was leaving, we asked for a quick snapshot. How fun is that?

We hope to catch a few football games this season as it is the last year at Fouts Field before the new super-groovy field opens for the 2011 season. I'm predicting a 4-8 season and I think Todd Dodge will get canned. It was a great experiment, but an epic fail. Still, we'll go support the team in its last season there.

But, more than anything, I'm looking forward to the basketball season. I think we'll win the Sun Belt Conference again.

Shout Out

One of my best buddies launched a daddy blog that explores all the fun stuff to do with kids in the Cleveland area and Northeast Ohio. Don't laugh, if you read his blog, it does look like fun. I would've never seen Cleveland as a hotbed of activity, but I'm thinking it looks like a great place to go. He posts pictures and info on museums, parks, festivals, lakes, and more.

So, go to NEO Kids Blog and let him know that Army of Mom sent you. He's the coolest liberal I know. :) Just had to put that little jab in there for good measure. I heart this guy and his little fellas are adorable. Go give it a look.

9 times

I kept thinking about Ferris Bueller's absences. Nine times. Nine times? Nine times. :) Yep, Little Bit won her 9th tournament in a row.

She definitely has the eye of the tiger. :)

Home Improvement

Talking with my sister-in-law about all the home improvements she had going on at her new house and I am completely jealous. My husband and I have many lofty ideas for things we'd like to do, but we are just not DIY kind of folks. Our projects are limited to replacing ceiling fans, maybe a coat of paint here or there and that is about it.
But, there are times when I find myself daydreaming about new floors in the bathroom or replacing the aging wallpaper or even pulling out the sink upstairs and putting in a really pretty vanity. Of course, that is the kids' restroom, so maybe a whimsical or masculine vanity would be in order as Army of Dad and the boys use it most. Little Bit just uses it to shower. I don't know. Maybe some day when I get all the bills paid off I'll start some major home improvement projects. For now, I think I'm going to paint the boys' rooms after school starts. Been promising them that for a while.

Gotta figure out if Hot Rod wants Florida Gators, Minnesota Twins or Minnesota Vikings colors. I think Pickle will go with Sonic the Hedgehog blue and red, but I dunno. He might like a Star Wars color scheme. That could be cool. I may try to get rid of his bunk beds and buy him just a basic twin bed. That would give him a whole ton more space.

Happy Independence Day!

We had our local Independence Day celebration on Saturday. Best part was that we had some rain in between festivities, so things were cooled off some. For the first time in my life, I was actually cool while watching the fireworks in Texas. Never before have I contemplated wearing a jacket to watch the fireworks except in Minnesota when we watched along the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Cloud (that was 2006 and still one of my favorite fireworks displays.) This is, by far, my favorite holiday (with Thanksgiving a close second and Christmas in third). I wonder what that says about me? I love this country and (in the words of our elementary school's prinicpal) our Founding Fathers rock. We're going to a neighboring city tonight to check out the fireworks there, too.

Have a great Fourth of July.