Lazy Sunday

After a busy conference week and a busy day of catch up yesterday, we took today as a true day of rest. We went to church this morning, then just hung around all afternoon. Gus finally came out of hiding and spent most of the afternoon curled up in a chair with me while I read and dozed. Duane even got to take a nap!

This evening we went to a graduation party - the daughter of a friend and co-worker just graduated high school. I have to admit though, the highlight of the evening for me was watching Wesley and Ryan play with my co-worker/friend's two sons. Her older son, while only a year older than Wesley, seems light years ahead of him socially, so I was glad to see them hit it off so well.

I guess I'm all rested up and ready to head back to the library tomorrow.

Hi There!

Hey everyone! Sorry about the week of silence on this end. I just got back from Book Expo America in New York City.  The conference is always great, but I'm not a huge fan of NYC. It's okay to visit, but I'm always so glad to get home.

I didn't take very many pictures of my trip, but I do have a couple to share.

Probably my favorite picture of the trip. I took this out of our hotel window our first night there

Love this picture of Washington Square Park too

Empire State Building

That was really it. Books, restaurants, subways, and lots of walking. We'll take a family trip there someday and then I'll do all tourist stuff with the family.

For me, coming home to my family really is the best part of the trip. I actually clapped for joy when they announced our flight home was boarding.  And as soon as I got out of the terminal, Wesley and Ryan rushed to see me, practically knocking me over as they showered me with hugs. It was kind of awesome.

This morning as Ryan was snuggling me I commented that it's nice to have been missed. "But it's even better when the person you were missing comes back," Ryan told me.  I have to admit, he's right.

I feel like I was gone a lot longer than 3.5 days too because I missed so much back home! Wesley went home from school sick on Wednesday. Apparently the plague hit our school just in time for summer break to start because all of friends' kids from our school were also sick. He did go back on Thursday for his awards ceremony, but even from the pictures I can tell he wasn't feeling his best.

Ryan with his teacher

Wesley with his attendance award

Wesley and his teacher

Ryan cleaned up with an attendance award, a good character award, an an academic award

Wesley with his attendance and academic awards

In addition to the last day of school, I missed Gus's oral surgery.  In fact, I darn near freaked out when I got a text from Duane during one of my sessions of Friday. The text said "Gus is done. It went very quickly and he did well."  But since I was in the midst of a conference, I just glanced at my phone and my mind read the message as "Gus is gone. He went very quickly."  For about 15 seconds I thought my cat was dead and I was fighting back tears! 

Duane picked Gus up this morning. Poor Gus is in the cone of shame for awhile, but his face looks so much better!

We've spent today playing catch up on house stuff - cleaning (NYC always compels me to come home and bleach the bathrooms!), grocery story, library for summer reading sign up and books, just all that stuff that slips by the wayside.

Hope your week was great. I'm planning on posting lots this summer!

Restless

Here is it, Memorial Day.  A day to remember, a day off work, a day to relax and for some reason I was up at 6:00. What's up with that?!

I don't know what's wrong with me this morning. I just feel restless and a little sad.  I know part of it is my upcoming trip. I'm headed out to a conference in NYC tomorrow. Although it's a short trip (I'll be back on Friday) and one of my favorite conferences, part of me hates going. Well, I guess "hate" is a strong word. It's more that I don't like traveling without Duane and the kids. No matter how great the trip is, part of me always wishes I was home with them. I spend a good deal of each day I'm gone texting with Duane and wondering what the kids are up to. Plus I have to miss the last day of school awards stuff and sending gifts in for the teachers and all that. I know Duane and Grandma and Grandpa will handle it all, but I don't like being removed from my kids' lives. But it's only for three nights, so I'm sure it will be fine. I know it will be fine. Heck, the kids will barely know I'm gone, but I'm going to have a constant ache in my heart until I'm back with my family.

I know part of my restlessness also has to do with our cat, Gus. Half of his little face is swollen up due to an abscess and he needs to have some teeth removed. Unfortunately, that bit of dental surgery won't happen until Friday. Even though he's on pain meds and antibiotics, he looks pathetic and I feel guilty that I won't be here to help Duane with him and to keep an eye on the little furball.

I also blame part of my restlessness on a movie Duane and I watched last night. We finished the movie "Selma" which was so good. But it got me thinking, about my own life and wondering if I am doing enough for the greater good. Am I making a difference? The sad truth is, I don't know if I am. I don't really think so. I feel like I need to be doing something. To show my kids that what I say about racial, gender, and sexual equality, about helping others and about standing up for your beliefs is not just me talking. Have I don't anything to change even my little corner of the world?

I know those are pretty deep thoughts for a holiday morning. But then I start to think about all the sacrifices our soldiers have made - and continue to make every day. I think about the things they fight for and the choices they are forced to make. Maybe my restlessness isn't so off base after all. 

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama.

I have not gotten to the point where I get antsy when I miss my lunchtime walk. I am not that concerned with physical exercise.

I know I did not volunteer myself to be PTA vice president next year. There's no way that happened. And I know I didn't con Duane into being the Treasurer.

Well Said!

Conversation overheard on the way home from church today as Wesley was reading book in the car.

Ryan: Wesley, how can you stand all that reading you do?

Wesley: It's easy. When you just the right book for you, reading is fun!

Be still my little librarian heart!

Lazy Days of (Almost) Summer

Today we got a taste of summertime. The weather was darn near perfect, so Duane and I did some (dreaded) yard work this morning before the boys had play dates. I hate doing yard work, but I have to admit, I like the end results.

We also had an unplanned trip to the vet. Half of Gus' face swelled up last night and it turns out that he is going to have to have 1-2 teeth extracted. Unfortunately, that isn't happening until Friday, so it's medication until then. My heart just breaks for him, but at least he doesn't act like he's in pain. He just looks pathetic.

Senor Puffyface

One of Ryan's friends from church, Alex, is moving to northern Ohio in a few weeks, so we wanted to be sure to have at least one more good play session before they left. I figured the afternoon would be eaten up with Legos and Skylanders, but the boys surprised me and spent most of the time playing outside with water balloons and the garden hose. Now that's summer!

"Please, Dad. Please throw a water balloon on the roof!"

Buddies

Making it rain

Nothing like a drink from the garden hose

Practicing for our trip to the beach

Two cool dudes

And where was Wesley during all this fun? He was hanging out at his friend Jakin's house. They ended up watching the second "Harry Potter" movie together. I love this picture his mom sent me of the guys watching the movie very intently.

After all the playtime fun was over, we went to Grandma and Grandpa H.'s to celebrate Sho and Kei's birthdays. I cannot believe they are now 13 and 11. Sho is an actually, honest to goodness teenager!! Where does the time go?

Ryan, Wesley and Kei in the backyard. I'm not sure what game they're playing, but I'm pretty sure Wesley is on the wrong team. He appears to be outnumbered

Ryan almost always uses Uncle Kirk as a recliner. Glad Uncle Kirk doesn't mind.

Full of hot air? Nope! Just blowing out the candles!

Happy Birthday Boys

Today was a great start to a long weekend - and hopefully to an awesome summer.

Artstravaganza

Tonight was the art show/concert at the boys school. The concert part was outside, so it was pretty cool (low 60s) but everything seemed to go well.

The kids performed in order of grade level, so we got to listen to Ryan first.

First grade, with Ryan right in the center

Ryan has been talking about a song called the Teapot Tango, so that's the song I chose to record them singing.

The 3-5 grades all performed together and sang songs from Mary Poppins

Wesley's in the second row behind the girl with the sunflowers on her dress

Both boys had artwork on display too.

Ryan's self portrait - although is it just me or did he paint himself at like, fifteen?

Wesley's lizard in a tree

And can I just say one more time how much I love the boy's school? I really really do.

I'll Take Four

Even though my house is the place that plants go to die, I do appreciate a well landscaped yard and I do actually have favorite flowers, trees and plants.  While taking the kids to school today I commented on how pretty all the peonies are that are blooming all over right now.

"I thought you liked those yellow bushes," Ryan said.

"I do!" I told him. "I love forsythia!"

"So you want four of them for our house?"

"What? No, Hon. The plant is called forsythia - all one word. Not sythia and I want four of them."

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama.

There is no way that, when Ryan vomited all over his bedroom floor at 10:30PM on Mother's Day, I turned to Duane and said, "It's still Mother's Day, so you're cleaning that up, right?". That would have been silly since Duane would totally be the parent cleaning it up anyhow ;-)

I did not perilously close to losing it when Ryan very nearly forgot his backpack the day after he forgot his lunch.

I certainly did not crop one of my children out a picture because he looked really goofy in it and it was a great picture of me and the other child. 

I did not attempt to be a cool mom and go on a Bigfoot hunt in the mud with 11 cub scouts while I was wearing sandals. And I certainly didn't find myself squealing "Ewwww!" at bugs and when my foot slipped into the occasional mud puddle. 

Sunday in Review

We woke up bright and early this morning to attend the first worship service at our church. Some friends of ours, who are moving to another part of the state this summer, had all four of their children baptized and we had the honor of being Godparents to their oldest son. We are really going to miss them when they go.

After that, Duane and I taught Sunday School during the middle service, then our small group met during the late service. All in all, we were at church for about 4.5 hours this morning. The good news is, we honestly enjoyed everything we did, so the time flew by.

We also got to pick up our portrait that is going to go in the church directory. I have to say, I don't think I've had a "formal" portrait turn out so nicely.

Not a bad looking bunch

We spent the afternoon doing some stuff around the house. Duane buffed out a spot on my truck where someone had scraped it, leaving white paint behind. I worked on reading a book a need to review by next weekend. I never thought I'd refer to reading as "work" but this one is really not my normal cup of tea. Here's hoping I make it through.

After dinner we walked to a nearby park to let the boys run off some steam.

Love the look of determination on his face

Ryan riding his attack dinosaur and Wesley cowering in fear

My handsome hubby

And now it's time to wind down for the evening and start a whole new week. Thank goodness this one should be slightly less busy.

Saturday Stuff

For a hot and rainy Saturday, yesterday wound up being quite busy.

It was Wesley's last soccer game of the season. It was  tough game because of the humidity. The kids just did not have their usual hustle. But no one passed out, so we'll call it a good game.

Ryan spent most of the game hanging out in the nearby trees with some of his friends.  I tried to get a picture of him and his friend B., but whenever I counted to three to let them know to smile, B. would let out a big belch. "It's kind of my thing," he told me.

Just a couple of boys hanging out in a tree, belching and making fart noises.

After the game we hurried home long enough for the boys to take quick showers and change clothes, then we headed out to a photography studio. Duane and I purchased a photo session for Grandma and Grandpa H. for their birthdays and at least some of the photos were to be of the grandparents and grandkids together.  The pictures came out really well and as soon as I get the link, I'll share of them here. They are fantastic!

After that, we hurried back home, changed clothes again, and headed off to the scout camp out. I normally do not set for anywhere near a scout camp out. I am way too girly for that. However, our Sunday morning was really full, meaning Duane and the kids weren't going to be able to stay overnight, so I went along for the ride.

A little bit of Jenga to kick off the evening

A scout is always prepared

Ryan participating in his den's skit

And they all fall down

Ready to receive the tiger patch

Bear scouts completed

My little Wolf!

I can't believe I'm the mom of a Webelo! I remember when my brother was a Webelo!

The Bigfoot hunters ready to head out.

We rolled home around 10:00 and everyone headed for bed for an early Sunday to start. It was a busy day, but a nice one.