Fabulous Five.

It's unbelievable to me to think that I have a 5 year old. Five! He had a great birthday, made possible by a much-anticipated Transformer-themed birthday cake and his loving family surrounding him. I'm certain that when he went to bed that evening he felt loved and full of excitement about his new toys. A great day for him indeed.

Here's 5 things I love about Adam, in honor of this joyous day:

1. His attitude - both good and bad. I often hear other mom's say "my kid is so crabby today!" Adam may get (easily) annoyed/frustrated by me, Miles, even walking to the school bus when it's cold out (just wait buddy, just wait!), but he's quick to snap out of it. He wakes up bounding with energy and ready to start the day...and that energy continues to nap time (yes, he still naps!) and then right on up until bed time. His generally good-natured take on life is fun to watch.

2. His nurturing spirit. He is a kind soul, and really takes a leadership role with Miles at times, lovingly showing him "how to" do something or helping him with this and that. And then they quickly go back to fighting, but I digress.

3. He loves to laugh. He and Jeff had a wonderful time at Michigan's Adventure this summer. Guaranteed he was the only 4 year old to ride "Shivering Timbers" that day, so in these situations it pays to be tall. Jeff said that after the initial shock of the first run (and some tears!), he eagerly rode it several more times that day, laughing all the way.

4. He loves to read. I cannot wait for him to begin to read. I have a feeling he will love to read on his own as much as he loves being read to. Current favorite books are those in the Curious George series as well as longer stories such as the classic "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel."

5. He loves his Daddy. When Jeff comes home, Adam lights up, and that makes my heart swell with pride. The two of them (well, the three of them, usually) quickly get to work of playing catch, chase, building legos as soon as dinner ends. I love the "before bed time scramble" that happens around here, as the freshness of Daddy being home from work often gives both the evening and the boys new energy and a happy vibe.

I'm looking forward to this next year, seeing how he grows and matures as a result of being in school every day. Happy Birthday, Buddy!

First Day of School

Adam, Young 5's at Pine Ridge Elementary


Dear Adam,

Welcome to the first day of school!

You woke up really crabby. A fan of routine, this morning was a bit out-of-the-ordinary for you. I was hurrying you around the house to get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, and oh, stop for a picture or three. You were irritated because you wanted to stay in my bed longer, wanted to stay in your pajamas and watch TV. But I pushed you to get ready, hoping that what was to come would make you smile.

We walked to the bus stop, chatting about the rules of the bus, and remembering your teacher's name (Mrs. Halley), and then we waited. The bus pulled around the corner and your face lit up like a Christmas tree: you were ready. A quick kiss for you and you hopped up those bus stairs without hesitation.

Thankfully, you are not too old to think that blowing kisses back to your mommy out the bus window is ridiculous. Mommy is proud. Love you.

Hopefully the time you spent in school went quickly for you. When Miles and I picked you up, the first thing you said was "Is it lunch time?" You were hungry. I managed to get out of you a few details of your morning, and discovered that it included Goldfish crackers for a snack, recess, a story, and a matching game. So glad you enjoyed yourself, Adam James.

So, here's to your Young 5's school year. I can't wait to see you grow and mature as the year progresses. My prayer for you is that you be kind to others, even if they may not be kind to you. I pray that you gain confidence in yourself, because that will do you well not only this year, but in your years to come. And finally, I pray that you have fun. Laugh, giggle, play hard - it's what boys are supposed to do at your sweet age.

Summer musings.

As we were driving home from my Mom's house this evening, I noticed that it was getting dark quickly...summer is coming to an end. In two short weeks I will be sending my baby to school every day, and in two short weeks I will be one sad Mama. Enough of that business. Tonight, I'm thinking about our summer, and I want to remember these few snapshots:

Adam telling me that he didn't want to go to the zoo today, because it was "too much walking around." Instead, his idea of a perfect day would be to go to Grammies and play in the sand and take a boat ride and go swimming. So we did just that, and all was right in his little world.

Jeff and Adam went to Michigan's Adventure two weekends ago, and he rode all of the roller coasters he was allowed to per the height regulations. He loved "Shivering Timbers" after he figured out that the tears were unwarranted: the roller coaster was fun after all...and they went 2 more times after that.

Miles continues to call Adam "Yo Yo" and really loves his big brother. The two of them are best buds most of the time, but when they're not - look out. Miles can defend his own quite nicely, thankyouverymuch.

Boys love to play in sand. Doesn't matter how wet they are at the time, either.

Both of them love to swim in Grammie's lake. Miles will "jump" off the boat's ladder, while Adam prefers to climb down and sink quietly into the water. Adam happily swims around in his life jacket, while Miles can be seen floating alongside an adult, often on his back, just chillin' - as if he hasn't a care in the world. We adults have been thankful for warm weather and refreshing water to swim in (not too warm, not too cold!).

Miles is really good with a ball. Soccer: He can "drop kick" a rubber ball, which I think shows uncanny coordination for his age. Basketball: He's been videotaped making an obscene amount of baskets in a row into the Little Tykes kiddie basketball hoop. He also tries to dribble the ball, with a limited degree of success. Baseball: while he wears his glove on the right hand (they don't make gloves for left-handed toddlers, apparently), he really loves to toss and catch a baseball. Never mind that he doesn't really catch it all that well, he sure has fun trying. He's also really good at throwing the big rubber ball into the air and catching it. It's not very nice to compare, but I daresay his big brother isn't as good at some of these things...I see sports in his future.

A few more weeks of summer remain, and we'll try to suck the life out of it before we have to get back in the school routine. Big changes are on the horizon for everyone, that I know for sure.

Praying for peace and safety in the coming weeks as summer ends and fall begins...

Versatile Blogger Award

My friend Karen nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. Why thank you, Karen!

Here's how it works:
1. Thank whoever gave you the award.
2. Tell 7 things about yourself that readers may not know
3. Pay it forward by nominating bloggers you’ve recently discovered.

So...drum roll, please:

1. In the 4th grade my teacher saved me from death by giving me the heimlich maneuver. Or at least I like to think she was saving me from death. I was choking on an Oreo cookie and could not breathe. At all. If it hadn't been for her, I may have been a goner. To this day, I think that's the reason I cut up my kids' food in bitty pieces and have a slight fear of choking myself. And yes, I do know how to do the maneuver myself. Do you?

2. I wish I had been gotten my degree in nursing instead of business. I would be a hell of a nurse.

3. I sleep with a stuffed elephant that I've had since I was, oh, 8 or 9. In college, I took it to a seamstress and had her re-sew the seams for me. It seems that I may need to have that done again, only this time, I can use the excuse that it is my "son's favorite animal" instead of admitting that it is mine.

4. I dislike shopping, and most of the time, my wardrobe proves this to be true.

5. I've had a girl's name picked out since 1996. It's unfortunate, however, since Jeff appears unable to produce girls.

6. I stop for Hugh Grant movies on TV.

7. While I doubt I would actually go through with it, I often think about where I would put a tattoo and what I would have it say or look like. Maybe one day...Badass, huh?

And now, tag you're it, down below!

Rachel
maria
cheryl
stacy
melissa
kristin

Happy 4th of July!

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend this year. Per usual, it began with the Cascade parade. Adam loved catching all of the candy (of course!), but also was thrilled to spot a "Doc Hudson" car amongst the sea of old Classic cars. We did, however, miss the fly over of the fighter jets this year. Bummer.

Waiting for the parade to start:


After the parade, we headed home for lunch and naps. We were hoping to get the kids down for quick naps so that we could head over to Grammie's house for some lake action on what was an absolutely gorgeous day!

Uncle Ben brought his jet ski this year, so the boys each enjoyed a ride on it. It was a hot day, so most were happy to jump in the lake for a swim. Adam and Carter are really confident swimmers with their life jackets this year, which is really fun to see. Miles proved to be fearless again that day, jumping off the boat ladder, and even wanting to jump off the dock of the boat once (I didn't want him to hurt himself "jumping" so I just tossed him in - no complaints from him, which was pretty unbelievable!).






We ended the perfect day with fireworks on the boat and then some fireworks on the beach. The kids were exhausted by the time they were loaded in the car, and so were we.

We are truly blessed have such a wonderful family to enjoy the holiday with! God is Good!

A bicycle built for three?

Earlier this summer Jeff purchased the Tagalong bike for Adam, and it's been a huge hit. Little Brother, however, often feels left behind when he sees Daddy and Yo Yo pedal off down the street without him. On this particularly cool evening, Jeff rigged up the Burley behind the Tagalong and Miles was thrilled.

Confident that the two contraptions were hooked on securely, Miles was buckled in and off they went. What a load!

Chillaxin'

Miles is no stranger to taking it easy. Here, he demonstrates how to relax after bathtime:


The boys share a rare moment of brother love, while watching "Nemo" on a recent rainy day: