I've been real lazy ummmm....busy lately!
William
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lame
I'm embarrassed. I will have a new blog up soon.
William
William
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Benediction
First let me start by saying thank you for each person who sent prayers for my mother. She had her surgery on Friday morning, and everything went very well. The doctor was able to remove all of the cancerous tissue, and the three lympnodes they removed all tested negative for cancerous cells. A good beginning to a long fight. Mom will now have a 3 week recovery time, and then will start her Chemo treatments. Please keep her in your prayers as she continues her battle.
Mom turned 70 years young yesterday. Having breasts cancer surgery 4 days before your 70th birthday is certainly not what you hope for, but I could not be any more proud of the way that she has handled this difficult roadblock. Her resolve continues to amaze me.
I was very, very under the weather as Lori and I went down for her surgery. I hardly ever get sick, but when I do, it's normally pretty severe. As soon as mom found out how I was feeling, she was more concerned with my health issues than her own. That's how she is, and for me it's very humbling. Since I was contagious, I had to quarantine myself from her for several days while we were there. It was very difficult to talk from across the room, but I did not want to risk her health. I wanted nothing more than to give her a great big hug, but knew that her immune system would already be taxed to the limit. When we go back down for Thanksgiving, I can get my great big hug then.
Lastly, I wanted to thank Lori. Lori is the most unselfish, compassionate person that I have ever met. She helped mom and the rest of us so much, I honestly do not know how we could have gotten through the weekend without her. Simply an Angel. Thank you so much for everything, and I continue to be the luckiest husband on earth.
William
P.S. Thanks NANA for all of your help. It was really great of you to fly down to take care of the Monkeys. We really appreciate all you do for us.
P.S.S. I should have some new pictures online in the next few days. They are interesting to say the least. Until then, God Bless.
Mom turned 70 years young yesterday. Having breasts cancer surgery 4 days before your 70th birthday is certainly not what you hope for, but I could not be any more proud of the way that she has handled this difficult roadblock. Her resolve continues to amaze me.
I was very, very under the weather as Lori and I went down for her surgery. I hardly ever get sick, but when I do, it's normally pretty severe. As soon as mom found out how I was feeling, she was more concerned with my health issues than her own. That's how she is, and for me it's very humbling. Since I was contagious, I had to quarantine myself from her for several days while we were there. It was very difficult to talk from across the room, but I did not want to risk her health. I wanted nothing more than to give her a great big hug, but knew that her immune system would already be taxed to the limit. When we go back down for Thanksgiving, I can get my great big hug then.
Lastly, I wanted to thank Lori. Lori is the most unselfish, compassionate person that I have ever met. She helped mom and the rest of us so much, I honestly do not know how we could have gotten through the weekend without her. Simply an Angel. Thank you so much for everything, and I continue to be the luckiest husband on earth.
William
P.S. Thanks NANA for all of your help. It was really great of you to fly down to take care of the Monkeys. We really appreciate all you do for us.
P.S.S. I should have some new pictures online in the next few days. They are interesting to say the least. Until then, God Bless.
Friday, November 6, 2009
3 Day's Salvation
Thousands of feet lightly touch the ground,
tiny heartbeats echo off the pavement
Solitude amidst the purposeful commotion,
hopeful silhouettes pass each mind's eye
Binding friendship tightly grasp,
strength and compassion a natural rudder
Buoyant hope impels the masses,
silent prayers elucidated in redundant strides
Trust and faith rest within,
heart's open
William
tiny heartbeats echo off the pavement
Solitude amidst the purposeful commotion,
hopeful silhouettes pass each mind's eye
Binding friendship tightly grasp,
strength and compassion a natural rudder
Buoyant hope impels the masses,
silent prayers elucidated in redundant strides
Trust and faith rest within,
heart's open
William
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Twick Tweet
As I am typing this, sweat is pouring down my forehead. It's sad really, seeing how I have been home from my walk/run for over 20 minutes. Why does getting in, and staying in shape have to be so stinking hard? I am ready for some miracle pill to hit the market that will reveal my hidden Adonis physique. Ok, quit laughing, it's there, it's just.....ummmm.....protected by a few insulating layers right now. I've got 6 months until I have to be shirtless on a beach once again, so here we go. Hopefully, if I stick with it a while, it won't continue to feel like I have a U-haul attached to my _ss while I run. I'm ready to be athletic again.
On a brighter note, last weekend was Halloween. It's pretty sad when a dark holiday like Halloween is considered a "brighter note", but if you saw how I was struggling earlier while dipping my fat toe back in the proverbial "fitness pool", you would understand. Anyway....
Saturday started off with a 9:00am baseball game. It was Aidan's last regular season baseball game of the year. While Aidan has been his outstanding self this season, the team as a whole has struggled. The boys have only won 2 of 8 games, and some of the losses have been.....uh......extreme. Regardless, they have all had a good time, and that is really what matters at this stage.
After tying the other team in their morning game, we came home for a little rest. Aidan's end of the season team party was being held at the coaches' house at 12:30pm that afternoon, so we had some last minute prep to do. I was a real trooper, and got up at 5:00am Saturday morning, and put 20lbs of baby back pork ribs on the smoker. I marinated them for 12 hours the night before, and seasoned them to perfection before placing them on the grill. After two hours of smoke, I sprayed each rack with Apple juice, and wrapped each in foil. I then smoked them for another 3 hours. They turned out perfect.....I'm talking juicy fall of the bone perfect. Yummy! Lori, meanwhile baked some awesome brownies for the party. Both items were a big hit, and all of the boys had a blast.
We finally left the party about 3:00. I must say that I was really happy with the way Christopher acted while he was there. Normally, Christopher takes a nap at noon. He lasted 3 hours past that time without losing it, or throwing a fit. He finally fell asleep on Lori's shoulder, and we knew it was time to go. Getting home was a good thing, for Christopher was not the only tired person in the family. Nope, we each found a comfy spot to rest, and soon the entire house was engulfed in peaceful somber.
Whew, we needed that nap, and now everybody was ready for a night of trick or treating. We started getting the boys ready about 6:00pm, and finished about 6:30pm. As I have stated in the past, Aidan is a Harry Potter nut. He loves the books, the movies, and even has a couple of the computer games. So, you have probably guessed what he wanted to be for Halloween. Yes, the blond haired blue eyed boy wanted to be the black haired green eyed Harry Potter. Well, if Aidan was going to be Harry Potter, there was only one thing that Christopher could be..........
Yep, Harry Potter's pet owl named Hedwig.
Here is a close up of each of the boys.
"Chicks dig scars"
"An Owl?" "Really?" "Of all the cool things I could be in the world, I'm a freaking owl?" "Are you kidding me?"
Of course, they were as cute as a button, and a big hit. They both made out like bandits. I was exceptionally proud of Christopher. He took his embarrassing costume like a man, and did fantastic trick-or-treating. He walked all by himself, carried his own pumpkin, and said "twick..tweet" at each house. He was adorable.
Even Cricket's dog Sammy got into the Halloween festivities.
"Argh...or Arffff.....me Hardies.......give me some of those tasty treasures"
We all had a wonderful time. Kids are only young for a limited time, and it sure is fun to share things like this with them. I can't wait for next year.
William
PS. When those hair color spray bottles say "easily washes out" do not believe them. Uhhh....
On a brighter note, last weekend was Halloween. It's pretty sad when a dark holiday like Halloween is considered a "brighter note", but if you saw how I was struggling earlier while dipping my fat toe back in the proverbial "fitness pool", you would understand. Anyway....
Saturday started off with a 9:00am baseball game. It was Aidan's last regular season baseball game of the year. While Aidan has been his outstanding self this season, the team as a whole has struggled. The boys have only won 2 of 8 games, and some of the losses have been.....uh......extreme. Regardless, they have all had a good time, and that is really what matters at this stage.
After tying the other team in their morning game, we came home for a little rest. Aidan's end of the season team party was being held at the coaches' house at 12:30pm that afternoon, so we had some last minute prep to do. I was a real trooper, and got up at 5:00am Saturday morning, and put 20lbs of baby back pork ribs on the smoker. I marinated them for 12 hours the night before, and seasoned them to perfection before placing them on the grill. After two hours of smoke, I sprayed each rack with Apple juice, and wrapped each in foil. I then smoked them for another 3 hours. They turned out perfect.....I'm talking juicy fall of the bone perfect. Yummy! Lori, meanwhile baked some awesome brownies for the party. Both items were a big hit, and all of the boys had a blast.
We finally left the party about 3:00. I must say that I was really happy with the way Christopher acted while he was there. Normally, Christopher takes a nap at noon. He lasted 3 hours past that time without losing it, or throwing a fit. He finally fell asleep on Lori's shoulder, and we knew it was time to go. Getting home was a good thing, for Christopher was not the only tired person in the family. Nope, we each found a comfy spot to rest, and soon the entire house was engulfed in peaceful somber.
Whew, we needed that nap, and now everybody was ready for a night of trick or treating. We started getting the boys ready about 6:00pm, and finished about 6:30pm. As I have stated in the past, Aidan is a Harry Potter nut. He loves the books, the movies, and even has a couple of the computer games. So, you have probably guessed what he wanted to be for Halloween. Yes, the blond haired blue eyed boy wanted to be the black haired green eyed Harry Potter. Well, if Aidan was going to be Harry Potter, there was only one thing that Christopher could be..........
Yep, Harry Potter's pet owl named Hedwig.
Here is a close up of each of the boys.
"Chicks dig scars"
"An Owl?" "Really?" "Of all the cool things I could be in the world, I'm a freaking owl?" "Are you kidding me?"
Of course, they were as cute as a button, and a big hit. They both made out like bandits. I was exceptionally proud of Christopher. He took his embarrassing costume like a man, and did fantastic trick-or-treating. He walked all by himself, carried his own pumpkin, and said "twick..tweet" at each house. He was adorable.
Even Cricket's dog Sammy got into the Halloween festivities.
"Argh...or Arffff.....me Hardies.......give me some of those tasty treasures"
We all had a wonderful time. Kids are only young for a limited time, and it sure is fun to share things like this with them. I can't wait for next year.
William
PS. When those hair color spray bottles say "easily washes out" do not believe them. Uhhh....
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Little Things
We all piled in the CX9 last weekend and drove down south to see Grandma and Uncle Jim. We left after Aidan's 9:00am baseball game (he played awesome!) last Saturday. We made great time, and we were at her house by 1:30pm.
It was great to see both of them. It's been too long since our last visit. There always seems to be something going on, but that's just a bad excuse. We've got to make time, and will do a better job in the future.
We spent most of our time there playing in the backyard with the kids. The weather was fantastic, and Christopher and Aidan had a blast. It was nice to see mom, and give her a great big hug. I think she enjoyed seeing us, and especially liked seeing her grand children. They are growing up so fast. She cooked some wonderful meals for us while we were down, and we all stuffed ourselves.
Time went by way too fast, and we heading home on Sunday evening. A quick trip indeed, but worth every second.
William
It was great to see both of them. It's been too long since our last visit. There always seems to be something going on, but that's just a bad excuse. We've got to make time, and will do a better job in the future.
We spent most of our time there playing in the backyard with the kids. The weather was fantastic, and Christopher and Aidan had a blast. It was nice to see mom, and give her a great big hug. I think she enjoyed seeing us, and especially liked seeing her grand children. They are growing up so fast. She cooked some wonderful meals for us while we were down, and we all stuffed ourselves.
Time went by way too fast, and we heading home on Sunday evening. A quick trip indeed, but worth every second.
William
Friday, October 16, 2009
Strength and Faith
As those of you who keep up with the blog have probably noticed, it's been a while since I last wrote something on this page. It's not as if things have not been happening in our lives, for you simply cannot have a 7 year old and a 2 year old in the same family and not have something to write about. No, my lack of print has more to do with my state of mind, and my need to understand fairness in our universe.
My mother, who 23 years ago battled cancer and seemingly won, has once again been diagnosed with this terrible disease. I am almost at a loss for words to describe the thunder clapping shock I received when I was told the news. How does someone who sacrificed so much 23 years ago, get called upon again? It just doesn't seem fair.
I realize that we all have test in our lives. We all face decisions that shape, mold, or alter our paths of existence. Mom faced her last cancer battle with dignity and showed courage beyond reproach. It was a tough fight, and although cancer took one of her breasts and all of the lymph nodes on one side of her body, it did not take her spirit, her will, or her fight. I was just a stupid 20 year old kid at the time this happened, and did not fully understand the gravity of the situation, nor the brevity of human life. I am much older and wiser, and now fully understand both with emphatic clarity.
Mom is brave, and I am deeply proud of the way in which she carries herself in times of great adversity. I know this new bout with cancer will be approached with the same determination and moxie that she displayed in the past. It will require another mastectomy, and chemo-therapy. Difficult to say the least, and her strength will once again be tested. Needless to say, we will all continue to do everything in our power to insure that she can overcome her latest setback, and resume a normal life.
As you have read on this page in the past, Lori is actively involved in breast cancer charities. It's a very noble cause, and I am very proud of her desire, persistence, and compassion. Her commitment to this cause is very personal, even more so now, and for this reason she is participating in this year's Komen 3 day walk. On November 6th-8th, she and two of her friends, will join the thousands of other walkers, and set off on their 3 day, 60 mile journey. Her web site can be found on the entry just below this blog. Please visit her site to read about her commitment, and if you know of anyone who would like to donate to a very personal cause, please forward her website to them.
Fair or not, mom is faced with a tough challenge. It will take every ounce of her strength to persevere. Please keep my mother in all of your prayers, and ask for her strength to remain undaunted. With all of our help, she can win this fight.
I love you mom.
William
My mother, who 23 years ago battled cancer and seemingly won, has once again been diagnosed with this terrible disease. I am almost at a loss for words to describe the thunder clapping shock I received when I was told the news. How does someone who sacrificed so much 23 years ago, get called upon again? It just doesn't seem fair.
I realize that we all have test in our lives. We all face decisions that shape, mold, or alter our paths of existence. Mom faced her last cancer battle with dignity and showed courage beyond reproach. It was a tough fight, and although cancer took one of her breasts and all of the lymph nodes on one side of her body, it did not take her spirit, her will, or her fight. I was just a stupid 20 year old kid at the time this happened, and did not fully understand the gravity of the situation, nor the brevity of human life. I am much older and wiser, and now fully understand both with emphatic clarity.
Mom is brave, and I am deeply proud of the way in which she carries herself in times of great adversity. I know this new bout with cancer will be approached with the same determination and moxie that she displayed in the past. It will require another mastectomy, and chemo-therapy. Difficult to say the least, and her strength will once again be tested. Needless to say, we will all continue to do everything in our power to insure that she can overcome her latest setback, and resume a normal life.
As you have read on this page in the past, Lori is actively involved in breast cancer charities. It's a very noble cause, and I am very proud of her desire, persistence, and compassion. Her commitment to this cause is very personal, even more so now, and for this reason she is participating in this year's Komen 3 day walk. On November 6th-8th, she and two of her friends, will join the thousands of other walkers, and set off on their 3 day, 60 mile journey. Her web site can be found on the entry just below this blog. Please visit her site to read about her commitment, and if you know of anyone who would like to donate to a very personal cause, please forward her website to them.
Fair or not, mom is faced with a tough challenge. It will take every ounce of her strength to persevere. Please keep my mother in all of your prayers, and ask for her strength to remain undaunted. With all of our help, she can win this fight.
I love you mom.
William
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Woo Pig Sooie
Well.....it's going to be a GREAT Saturday!!! Aidan's got a 3:30pm baseball game, and my Aggies play the Hogs at Jerry's world at 6:30pm this evening. This will be the Aggies first televised game. In addition to that stellar line up, we will also mix in some yard work (in very comfortable mid 60s low 70s weather), hang all of our Halloween decorations, do some shopping, and take a nice long family bike ride. Top that off with some outside grilling and boy howdy.............you got yourself one fine day.
I can't wait.
William
I can't wait.
William
Friday, September 25, 2009
Three R's and Then Some!
Hello....Proud Papa here again. Aidan brought home his very first progress report today that contained actual grades. I am pleased as the dickens to report that our wonderful son made........STRAIGHT A's BABY!!!!!!!!!!! The look on his face as he was telling us about his grades is one of those things that I'll never forget. He had an overall average of 97 in the following subjects:
Math
Reading
Science
Language Arts (Grammar/Composition - Writing/Spelling)
Social Studies
We are so very proud of you.
Congratulations big guy, keep up the great work.
William
Math
Reading
Science
Language Arts (Grammar/Composition - Writing/Spelling)
Social Studies
We are so very proud of you.
Congratulations big guy, keep up the great work.
William
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Everybody Clap Your Hands
Please excuse my tardiness with the blog. I have been busy with a sick child, a busted dishwasher, and one heck of a migraine over the last few days. I seem to have gotten better. Christopher is back to his last nerve working manipulative self, and the dishwasher is fixed thanks to two hours of knuckle busting effort. Ahhhh....all is right with the world once more......Ok maybe that's a bit too much, but the fact remains that I am certainly less stressed, and I've finally gotten my big butt in front of the computer to type this blog.
As most of you know, this past Sunday was Aidan's birthday. In order to properly prepare ourselves for the beating that we were going to take at Aidan's party on Sunday, Lori and I decided to have a sparring session on Saturday night in the form of a sleepover at our house with Aidan's cousins Wyatt and Jackson. We figured it's never a good idea to go into a fight without having a least a few rounds under our belt, so we conjured up our best intestinal fortitude, and said "BRING IT ON!!"
Well, "BRING IT ON" they did. Having four screaming boys running around the house at one time is normally like slapping a bear. It's gonna get loud, and somebody's probably getting hurt. Well, the loud part was continuous, but luckily nobody got permanently damaged. I would like to say that our supreme parenting skills combined with Aunt Crickets was the main reason for a relatively uneventful evening, but that would be a lie. The real reason was the early opening of one of his Nana and PawPaw's birthday gifts. Here is a picture of Aidan with his cousin's about to embark on a wondrous journey into the world of Business and Investing.
Yep, Monopoly on XBOX360. Talk about a time eater. Once they got that disc into the player, they were pretty riveted the rest of the evening. No complaints here. Christopher even found time to enjoy a pre-birthday cupcake.
The boys finally drifted of to dreamland about 11:30, and Lori and I followed their lead about and hour later. Before I went to bed, I drew Aidan a good mooring welcoming picture with two of his favorite characters, Dumbledore and Harry Potter staring into the Pensive.
Aidan is a Harry Potter nut right now, and he really enjoyed my elementary effort.
About 6:00am Sunday morning Lori and I woke to a rhythmic thumping bass permeating our room from above. Yes, those monkey's upstairs were already up playing video games again. Uhhhhh.........need.......more.......sleep. I think their shrew like metabolism finally got the better of them, and they decided to come downstairs in search of sustenance. Me being a glutton for punishment, went to the local donut store to purchase sugary bliss. After I arrived home with the booty, I opened the box and ran. It was like lions to a kill. The resulting carnage was devastating.
After stuffing their bellies, a little relaxation was in order. SuperBoy found a nice comfortable place to rest next to Jackson.
After letting their gluttony dissipate for a while, it was time to open presents. Here is Aidan with his new bean bag chair.
Here is a picture of Aidan's super cool new scooter.
Over the next couple of hours, the boys played with Aidan's new gifts, and finally started to unwind about noon. Cricket who had come by over earlier, took her tired boys home, and after a small lunch, we all settled down for a much needed rest. Can you guess who is more tired?
We got the boys all cleaned up, and waited for 4:00pm to roll around.
We scheduled a party at Strikz (bowling alley, laser tag, and video game center) from 4-6:00pm. 8 of Aidan's closest friends were joining us for Pizza and good times. Here is most of the crew as they were bowling.
Here is a shot of birthday boy sending his florescent green ball screaming down the lane.
After seeing that, Christopher wanted a piece of the action.
After everyone had their fun bowling, it was dance time. Yeah baby......look at the moves on young Christopher.....you go boy!!!!!
Everybody was winding down as we retreated to a party room to partake in more sweet goodness. Here is a picture of Aidan' cake.
Make a wish buddy.....I hope they always come true.
We left the fun center about 6:15 and reflected on the day. It was loads of fun, and it's hard to believe our first born is another year older. These first 7 years have gone by in a flash. Good thing I take lots of pictures.
Aidan, you are a great kid, and we are immensely proud to call you our son. Cheers to our sharing many more wonderful birthdays together.
William
As most of you know, this past Sunday was Aidan's birthday. In order to properly prepare ourselves for the beating that we were going to take at Aidan's party on Sunday, Lori and I decided to have a sparring session on Saturday night in the form of a sleepover at our house with Aidan's cousins Wyatt and Jackson. We figured it's never a good idea to go into a fight without having a least a few rounds under our belt, so we conjured up our best intestinal fortitude, and said "BRING IT ON!!"
Well, "BRING IT ON" they did. Having four screaming boys running around the house at one time is normally like slapping a bear. It's gonna get loud, and somebody's probably getting hurt. Well, the loud part was continuous, but luckily nobody got permanently damaged. I would like to say that our supreme parenting skills combined with Aunt Crickets was the main reason for a relatively uneventful evening, but that would be a lie. The real reason was the early opening of one of his Nana and PawPaw's birthday gifts. Here is a picture of Aidan with his cousin's about to embark on a wondrous journey into the world of Business and Investing.
Yep, Monopoly on XBOX360. Talk about a time eater. Once they got that disc into the player, they were pretty riveted the rest of the evening. No complaints here. Christopher even found time to enjoy a pre-birthday cupcake.
The boys finally drifted of to dreamland about 11:30, and Lori and I followed their lead about and hour later. Before I went to bed, I drew Aidan a good mooring welcoming picture with two of his favorite characters, Dumbledore and Harry Potter staring into the Pensive.
Aidan is a Harry Potter nut right now, and he really enjoyed my elementary effort.
About 6:00am Sunday morning Lori and I woke to a rhythmic thumping bass permeating our room from above. Yes, those monkey's upstairs were already up playing video games again. Uhhhhh.........need.......more.......sleep. I think their shrew like metabolism finally got the better of them, and they decided to come downstairs in search of sustenance. Me being a glutton for punishment, went to the local donut store to purchase sugary bliss. After I arrived home with the booty, I opened the box and ran. It was like lions to a kill. The resulting carnage was devastating.
After stuffing their bellies, a little relaxation was in order. SuperBoy found a nice comfortable place to rest next to Jackson.
After letting their gluttony dissipate for a while, it was time to open presents. Here is Aidan with his new bean bag chair.
Here is a picture of Aidan's super cool new scooter.
Over the next couple of hours, the boys played with Aidan's new gifts, and finally started to unwind about noon. Cricket who had come by over earlier, took her tired boys home, and after a small lunch, we all settled down for a much needed rest. Can you guess who is more tired?
We got the boys all cleaned up, and waited for 4:00pm to roll around.
We scheduled a party at Strikz (bowling alley, laser tag, and video game center) from 4-6:00pm. 8 of Aidan's closest friends were joining us for Pizza and good times. Here is most of the crew as they were bowling.
Here is a shot of birthday boy sending his florescent green ball screaming down the lane.
After seeing that, Christopher wanted a piece of the action.
After everyone had their fun bowling, it was dance time. Yeah baby......look at the moves on young Christopher.....you go boy!!!!! Everybody was winding down as we retreated to a party room to partake in more sweet goodness. Here is a picture of Aidan' cake.
Make a wish buddy.....I hope they always come true.
We left the fun center about 6:15 and reflected on the day. It was loads of fun, and it's hard to believe our first born is another year older. These first 7 years have gone by in a flash. Good thing I take lots of pictures.
Aidan, you are a great kid, and we are immensely proud to call you our son. Cheers to our sharing many more wonderful birthdays together.
William
Friday, September 11, 2009
Light Out Of Darkness
Uhhhh.......nothing but a gloomy Friday morning to greet me when I look out the window. Rain, rain, and more rain forecast for Aidan's birthday weekend. Grrrrrrrrr.......that probably means no baseball pictures tomorrow morning, and no baseball game to follow at noon. Sadness.........
On the bright side, our oldest boy is turning 7 on Sunday. I know, it's crazy...he's growing up too fast. I know I complain on occasion about his rambunctiousness and selective hearing and obeying, but in general he really is one fantastic kid. I do not know how we got so lucky.
We have a full day planned for Sunday, capping the day off with a birthday party at Strikz.(really cool bowling alley...laser tag....and video game place) We have 8 of Aidan's closest friends joining us for two hours of fun and excitement. It should be great, and of course, I will be there with camera in hand, ready to capture each memory in digital excellence.
Ahhhh......maybe things aren't so gloomy after all. Cheers!
William
On the bright side, our oldest boy is turning 7 on Sunday. I know, it's crazy...he's growing up too fast. I know I complain on occasion about his rambunctiousness and selective hearing and obeying, but in general he really is one fantastic kid. I do not know how we got so lucky.
We have a full day planned for Sunday, capping the day off with a birthday party at Strikz.(really cool bowling alley...laser tag....and video game place) We have 8 of Aidan's closest friends joining us for two hours of fun and excitement. It should be great, and of course, I will be there with camera in hand, ready to capture each memory in digital excellence.
Ahhhh......maybe things aren't so gloomy after all. Cheers!
William
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
V for Victory
WOW......I am so STOKED right now! Aidan's first baseball game of the season was tonight. His team, the Braves, is playing in the single game elimination preseason tournament. They won in incredible fashion tonight, delivering the winning run with two out in the bottom of the sixth (last) inning. I am so proud of all of the boys, but I am especially happy with Aidan.
Picture this...........Top of the first inning, with a runner on first base and one out. Aidan is playing short stop. The batter hits a line drive up the middle, but Aidan reacts in an instant, takes 3 steps to his left and catches the line drive. As if that's not enough, he then proceeds to throw the runner out at first base who had taken off for second on the line drive. That's right baby!!!!!!!......an inning ending double play by the 6 year old shortstop for the Braves. WoooooHoooooo!!!!!! Aidan followed up that play with a nice hit in the 3rd inning, and a nice catch at 1st base for another out in the 4th.
The boys are having so much fun out there, and it's a great feeling to contribute to their learning such a great sport. I don't know who was screaming louder, the boys, or me.
Next game, Wednesday night at 7:15. I can't wait.
V for Victory baby!!!
Kids are great!
William
Picture this...........Top of the first inning, with a runner on first base and one out. Aidan is playing short stop. The batter hits a line drive up the middle, but Aidan reacts in an instant, takes 3 steps to his left and catches the line drive. As if that's not enough, he then proceeds to throw the runner out at first base who had taken off for second on the line drive. That's right baby!!!!!!!......an inning ending double play by the 6 year old shortstop for the Braves. WoooooHoooooo!!!!!! Aidan followed up that play with a nice hit in the 3rd inning, and a nice catch at 1st base for another out in the 4th.
The boys are having so much fun out there, and it's a great feeling to contribute to their learning such a great sport. I don't know who was screaming louder, the boys, or me.
Next game, Wednesday night at 7:15. I can't wait.
V for Victory baby!!!
Kids are great!
William
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Joy and Spherical Bliss
Last weekend we celebrated Christopher's 2nd birthday. I know....I know....it's hard to believe isn't it? 2 years we've been chasing that monkey, and it's gone by in a flash. He is growing more and more each day, and the sweet little baby that I could almost carry in the palm of my hand, is now 30 lbs of terror. Wow.
We had a great time celebrating his birthday. The celebration actually started early on Saturday, while Aidan and I were at baseball practice. Christopher and Lori stayed at home. It's a good thing they did, because a cookie and balloon bouquet delivered while we were gone. Christopher and balloons are like peas and carrots......they just go together. He took the balloons off the cookie bouquet, and had a big time carrying them around the house.
While Christopher was experiencing the mirthful wonderment of spherical bliss, Lori got the table ready for the party.
Mmmmmm.......look at the cookie bouquet. Yes, those yummy creations tasted just as good as they looked. Thanks Nana and PawPaw for sending them.
After getting the table ready, Lori busted out the cake.
Aidan and I had been home for a while, and after Cricket arrived a short time later, it was time to open gifts.
Oh boy, a Diego play set, and a
Diego Big Wheel, complete with personal plates.
Hmmmm......let's see....Diego cup cakes.....Diego play set.....Diego napkins and hats...Diego Big Wheel...yep you guessed it....a Diego themed party! (Or as Christopher currently says "eggo") "All this eggo stuff is just wearing me out".
"What"? "Playtime"? "Oh, I'm not that worn out......let's roll"
"Aidan WAIT"!
Nope, Aidan is gone in a flash when he gets on his scooter, so Christopher's got some catching up to do. Meanwhile, Aidan returned from his ride, and decided to look super cool sitting in the grass holding Christopher's new ball.
Only one thing can take the kids mind off scooters and balls, and that's cookies and cake!
Yep, it was that time, and the boys left vapor trails coming inside. "Hi momma, want some cookie"?
Ok Christopher, make a wish and blow out the last candle.
No need to tell him how to eat a cup cake.....nope.....he's all boy.
Mmmmmmm.......
We all had a real good time, and Christopher made out like a bandit. Now we get to do it all over in three weeks, when the oldest monkey turns 7. Oh boy.....more cake....Yes!!!!!!!!!
William
We had a great time celebrating his birthday. The celebration actually started early on Saturday, while Aidan and I were at baseball practice. Christopher and Lori stayed at home. It's a good thing they did, because a cookie and balloon bouquet delivered while we were gone. Christopher and balloons are like peas and carrots......they just go together. He took the balloons off the cookie bouquet, and had a big time carrying them around the house.
While Christopher was experiencing the mirthful wonderment of spherical bliss, Lori got the table ready for the party.
Mmmmmm.......look at the cookie bouquet. Yes, those yummy creations tasted just as good as they looked. Thanks Nana and PawPaw for sending them.
After getting the table ready, Lori busted out the cake.
Aidan and I had been home for a while, and after Cricket arrived a short time later, it was time to open gifts.
Oh boy, a Diego play set, and a
Diego Big Wheel, complete with personal plates.
Hmmmm......let's see....Diego cup cakes.....Diego play set.....Diego napkins and hats...Diego Big Wheel...yep you guessed it....a Diego themed party! (Or as Christopher currently says "eggo") "All this eggo stuff is just wearing me out".
"What"? "Playtime"? "Oh, I'm not that worn out......let's roll"
"Aidan WAIT"!
Nope, Aidan is gone in a flash when he gets on his scooter, so Christopher's got some catching up to do. Meanwhile, Aidan returned from his ride, and decided to look super cool sitting in the grass holding Christopher's new ball.
Only one thing can take the kids mind off scooters and balls, and that's cookies and cake!
Yep, it was that time, and the boys left vapor trails coming inside. "Hi momma, want some cookie"?
Ok Christopher, make a wish and blow out the last candle.
No need to tell him how to eat a cup cake.....nope.....he's all boy.
Mmmmmmm.......
We all had a real good time, and Christopher made out like a bandit. Now we get to do it all over in three weeks, when the oldest monkey turns 7. Oh boy.....more cake....Yes!!!!!!!!!
William
Monday, August 24, 2009
2nd Grade Livin
That's our boy, 10 minutes before catching the bus this morning, on his way to 2nd grade bliss. Good luck buddy, we love you.
William
PS. I should have pictures from Christopher's birthday weekend on the blog by tomorrow afternoon.
William
PS. I should have pictures from Christopher's birthday weekend on the blog by tomorrow afternoon.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Two Years
It's hard to believe our little rooster boy has been in our lives for two years.
Happy Birthday little buddy. You keep us on our toes, and make our lives interesting each and every day.
We love you.
William
PS. Plenty of pictures to follow in the next couple of days.
Happy Birthday little buddy. You keep us on our toes, and make our lives interesting each and every day.
We love you.
William
PS. Plenty of pictures to follow in the next couple of days.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Pass The Ice
We just got back from Aidan's baseball practice about an hour ago, and I am sitting here typing this feeling very old. Why you ask? Well, it might have something to do with the large icepack attached to my right shoulder by an ace wrap, or the 4 Advil that I just consumed to relieve the pain. Yep, I'm am now officially a wimp. Can't even make it through a Little League practice without "days" worth of pain following me home. Oh to be young again............
William
William
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
If Everybody Had An Ocean
Well, we got in from Galveston around 7:15 Monday night, and as I sit here and type this, it "feels like we never left". When I say "feels like we never left", I mean it literally "feels like" I am sitting outside typing this from Galveston. You see, we were lucky enough to be greeted by the same stifling heat once we got back home. Unfortunately for us, the stifling heat I'm talking about was on the inside of our house......thanks to a broken air conditioner. Grrrrr. So, if I come across at some point during the blog as bitter or sarcastic, keep in mind that I am typing this with sweat covered fingers in a 90 degree house. Dedication my friends, dedication.
Our trip was great. We left on Thursday morning as soon as Lori got home from the night shift she worked the evening before. We rolled out of town about 10:00 and we made fantastic time. We made it a good 200 miles before we had to stop for a lunch and bathroom break. Let me tell you, when you are traveling with a female, a 6 1/2 year old and a 2 year old, 3 1/2 hours before a stop is approaching record book territory. After a quick Mickey D's burger break and welcomed restroom pit stop we were back on the road. We made it through Houston before rush hour, and got to the beach house about 4:30.
After unpacking, we had plenty of time to make a quick trip to the beach before dinner. We all hopped in our friend's Kenny and Hailey's golf cart, and took a short drive to the beach.
Mmmmmm....can't you just smell that salt air. With smiles all around, we found a great place to stop, and soon all of us including Mystic were frolicking in sea foam baths. Ahhhhhhhh...........
Refreshed from our foamy furlough, we made our way back to the beach house for dinner. After dinner, we waited for our great friends Kenny and Hailey to arrive with their daughter Carley and their dog Major. While waiting, we enjoyed a perfect sunset bathed in vivid colors.
Our friends arrived a bit after 9:00pm, and after getting the kiddos to bed, we sat and visited for a few hours. Comfortable friends, good conversations, good drink, good music, ocean breeze, and fine cigars. Wow, sometimes life's rewards are humbling.
Friday started off with a great country breakfast that Kenny made for everyone. Bacon, eggs and biscuits. Yummy. After stuffing our faces, we went down stairs and started playing. Christopher made a bee line to the Motorcycle, and started channeling his inner Peter Fonda.
Ok, having Dora on the side instead of an American Flag might be a bit less "cool", but you couldn't tell it by Christopher's reaction. While I stayed and played with Christopher, the newest Sea Isle gang started roaming the streets.
After playing down stairs for a while, we were all getting pretty warm, and decided to go to the for a dip in the neighborhood pool. All of the kids had a blast. Once we left the pool, it was off to the ocean again for another sandy encounter. Fun times were had by all.
Dinner that night was burgers and dogs, and the chef did not disappoint. Nobody was left wanting. Stuffed to the gills and extremely satiated, we put the kids to bed, and we went downstairs for a rousing game of dominos. We called it a night about 1:30am, and went to bed happy, hoping the kids would sleep in a bit.
"Kids sleep in".....yeah right. Not ours. Nope, not even close. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers, and I guess it could have been worse than 5 hours of sleep. Anyway, we were all up at the crack of dawn on Saturday, and once again "Kenny the chef" treated us to a flipping good breakfast. Pancakes and bacon. MmmmMmmmm! A little down time for the hosts never hurts after such a big breakfast.
We were pretty lazy most of Saturday morning, and finally made it downstairs a bit after 12:00pm. Here is a picture of me and Aidan enjoying each other's company, and the cool breeze blowing through carport.
Christopher enjoyed being chauffeured around by Carley in the Barbie Jeep. He thought that was super cool, and they were both all smiles.
After his ride, Christopher came over to the hammock to enjoy some sibling fun with his brother.
We finally ventured out to the beach mid afternoon. After arriving at our granular destination, we enjoyed boogie boarding, throwing the football, and just relaxing in the surf and sun.
We left the beach about 5:00pm with a bit of anxiousness lingering in the air. You see, Saturday night meant shrimp night, and oh boy.....we always love shrimp night. After getting back to the house a little after 5:00pm, we started preparing the bacon wrapped, cream cheese and jalapeño stuffed shrimp for the grill. It takes a lot of prep time, but my goodness is it worth it. Each succulent morsel wrapped and seasoned to perfection. They are hands down the best shrimp that I have ever eaten. I am currently wiping drool off the keyboard just typing this. Next time I will get some pictures of the shrimp, so you can at least see the edible masterpieces for which I so fondly wax poetic.
After dinner, we got the kids to bed, and wend downstairs to play a few games of darts. The air was cool and the breeze was nice. Perfect weather for visiting outside. Although the darts were fun, we were all really tired, and decided to call it an early night. We were all in bed by 10:30pm.
Sunday was spent visiting most of the day, and we were all a little bummed about seeing Kenny and Hailey and Carley leaving. They had to get back to Houston, so we bid them a remorseful farewell about 4:30pm. After they left, we loaded up the golf cart, and the Thornton family clan headed to the beach. As we were getting to our destination, I noticed a couple of sand sculptures that we stopped to look at. Here is a 15 foot whale just minding his business,
while a family of turtles swim in front of him.
As soon as we arrived at our spot, Christopher and Aidan grabbed their boards and headed for the water.
Christopher could not make up his mind on which one he wanted.......hmmmm......red or blue?......so he took both to the water's edge. Mystic was going crazy for her retrieving dummy, and started channeling her best Underdog impersonation.
"There's no need to fear........." We all played for a couple of hours, and finally got back to the house about 7:00pm. We were all tired, and after eating and watching Harry Potter, we were all in bed by 10:00pm.
Monday morning we were up early. We prepared most of our stuff for packing, and then headed out to the beach one more time. We love the surf, and just could not leave without one more dip. Christopher made up his mind this time, and went with red.
We only stayed for a couple of hours, and then started packing up. Christopher was ready to go.
We got back to the beach house about noon, and after having lunch, we got on the road home right at 2:00pm. A profound sadness filled at air as we drove down the coastal highway and Christopher said "Bye-bye beach" one last time....and just like that we turned and headed north. 5 hours later we arrived home, and even the 90+ degree house could not dampen our spirits. We had a blast.
I would like to thank Kenny and Hailey for inviting us down again. You will never find a better couple to call friends. We are lucky to have you in our lives.
Well, there you have it. I hope I did not bore you too much with such a long story. We love our friends from Houston, and we love the ocean. We got our temporary fix for both, and we are satiated for the moment.
William
Our trip was great. We left on Thursday morning as soon as Lori got home from the night shift she worked the evening before. We rolled out of town about 10:00 and we made fantastic time. We made it a good 200 miles before we had to stop for a lunch and bathroom break. Let me tell you, when you are traveling with a female, a 6 1/2 year old and a 2 year old, 3 1/2 hours before a stop is approaching record book territory. After a quick Mickey D's burger break and welcomed restroom pit stop we were back on the road. We made it through Houston before rush hour, and got to the beach house about 4:30.
After unpacking, we had plenty of time to make a quick trip to the beach before dinner. We all hopped in our friend's Kenny and Hailey's golf cart, and took a short drive to the beach.
Mmmmmm....can't you just smell that salt air. With smiles all around, we found a great place to stop, and soon all of us including Mystic were frolicking in sea foam baths. Ahhhhhhhh...........
Refreshed from our foamy furlough, we made our way back to the beach house for dinner. After dinner, we waited for our great friends Kenny and Hailey to arrive with their daughter Carley and their dog Major. While waiting, we enjoyed a perfect sunset bathed in vivid colors.
Our friends arrived a bit after 9:00pm, and after getting the kiddos to bed, we sat and visited for a few hours. Comfortable friends, good conversations, good drink, good music, ocean breeze, and fine cigars. Wow, sometimes life's rewards are humbling.
Friday started off with a great country breakfast that Kenny made for everyone. Bacon, eggs and biscuits. Yummy. After stuffing our faces, we went down stairs and started playing. Christopher made a bee line to the Motorcycle, and started channeling his inner Peter Fonda.
Ok, having Dora on the side instead of an American Flag might be a bit less "cool", but you couldn't tell it by Christopher's reaction. While I stayed and played with Christopher, the newest Sea Isle gang started roaming the streets.
After playing down stairs for a while, we were all getting pretty warm, and decided to go to the for a dip in the neighborhood pool. All of the kids had a blast. Once we left the pool, it was off to the ocean again for another sandy encounter. Fun times were had by all.
Dinner that night was burgers and dogs, and the chef did not disappoint. Nobody was left wanting. Stuffed to the gills and extremely satiated, we put the kids to bed, and we went downstairs for a rousing game of dominos. We called it a night about 1:30am, and went to bed happy, hoping the kids would sleep in a bit.
"Kids sleep in".....yeah right. Not ours. Nope, not even close. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers, and I guess it could have been worse than 5 hours of sleep. Anyway, we were all up at the crack of dawn on Saturday, and once again "Kenny the chef" treated us to a flipping good breakfast. Pancakes and bacon. MmmmMmmmm! A little down time for the hosts never hurts after such a big breakfast.
We were pretty lazy most of Saturday morning, and finally made it downstairs a bit after 12:00pm. Here is a picture of me and Aidan enjoying each other's company, and the cool breeze blowing through carport.
Christopher enjoyed being chauffeured around by Carley in the Barbie Jeep. He thought that was super cool, and they were both all smiles.
After his ride, Christopher came over to the hammock to enjoy some sibling fun with his brother.
We finally ventured out to the beach mid afternoon. After arriving at our granular destination, we enjoyed boogie boarding, throwing the football, and just relaxing in the surf and sun.
We left the beach about 5:00pm with a bit of anxiousness lingering in the air. You see, Saturday night meant shrimp night, and oh boy.....we always love shrimp night. After getting back to the house a little after 5:00pm, we started preparing the bacon wrapped, cream cheese and jalapeño stuffed shrimp for the grill. It takes a lot of prep time, but my goodness is it worth it. Each succulent morsel wrapped and seasoned to perfection. They are hands down the best shrimp that I have ever eaten. I am currently wiping drool off the keyboard just typing this. Next time I will get some pictures of the shrimp, so you can at least see the edible masterpieces for which I so fondly wax poetic.
After dinner, we got the kids to bed, and wend downstairs to play a few games of darts. The air was cool and the breeze was nice. Perfect weather for visiting outside. Although the darts were fun, we were all really tired, and decided to call it an early night. We were all in bed by 10:30pm.
Sunday was spent visiting most of the day, and we were all a little bummed about seeing Kenny and Hailey and Carley leaving. They had to get back to Houston, so we bid them a remorseful farewell about 4:30pm. After they left, we loaded up the golf cart, and the Thornton family clan headed to the beach. As we were getting to our destination, I noticed a couple of sand sculptures that we stopped to look at. Here is a 15 foot whale just minding his business,
while a family of turtles swim in front of him.
As soon as we arrived at our spot, Christopher and Aidan grabbed their boards and headed for the water.
Christopher could not make up his mind on which one he wanted.......hmmmm......red or blue?......so he took both to the water's edge. Mystic was going crazy for her retrieving dummy, and started channeling her best Underdog impersonation.
"There's no need to fear........." We all played for a couple of hours, and finally got back to the house about 7:00pm. We were all tired, and after eating and watching Harry Potter, we were all in bed by 10:00pm.
Monday morning we were up early. We prepared most of our stuff for packing, and then headed out to the beach one more time. We love the surf, and just could not leave without one more dip. Christopher made up his mind this time, and went with red.
We only stayed for a couple of hours, and then started packing up. Christopher was ready to go.
We got back to the beach house about noon, and after having lunch, we got on the road home right at 2:00pm. A profound sadness filled at air as we drove down the coastal highway and Christopher said "Bye-bye beach" one last time....and just like that we turned and headed north. 5 hours later we arrived home, and even the 90+ degree house could not dampen our spirits. We had a blast.
I would like to thank Kenny and Hailey for inviting us down again. You will never find a better couple to call friends. We are lucky to have you in our lives.
Well, there you have it. I hope I did not bore you too much with such a long story. We love our friends from Houston, and we love the ocean. We got our temporary fix for both, and we are satiated for the moment.
William
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sunshine, Castles and Foam.......Ahhhhh
We finally got to enjoy a quiet weekend at home. Well, as quiet as one can have it with a 23 month old and a 6 1/2 year old in the house. It was nice, and a big change from the prior weekend. The prior weekend, we took a 1000 mile round trip visit to Lori's grandparent's in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The visiting part was nice, but traveling long distances with the two monkeys in the back seat can be a bit trying at times. Overall the boys did pretty well on the trip, but it was really nice to be mileage free this past weekend.
This week we are all giddy with anticipation. You see, once again it is time to go to the beach and visit our wonderful friends. We are leaving Thursday morning for Galveston, in hopes of missing downtown Houston rush hour and arriving at our destination in time for a quick dip in the ocean before dinner. Let's cross our fingers. Although the trip will probably take 6 hours of driving, somehow the miles seem to pass more quickly when the call of the ocean is beckoning.
Of course, I will have plenty of stories and pictures to post after we get back. I will leave you with this.
The Lure of the Restless Sea
-- by Shelby Forrest
Whene'er I sense the pulse of pounding waves,
The sea becomes a magnet drawing me.
Whene'er I feel the breath of ocean breeze,
A force then strongly lures me back to sea.
The roar of breaking waves on rock and sand.
The swish of water sucked back to the sea.
The briny smell of scattered spray and spume.
The fresh and dampened air envelops me.
I formed a mighty fortress in the sand,
A castle to withstand the ocean swell.
But every time twas always as before,
The tide moved in, and then my fortress fell.
But yet again the mighty ocean calls
Me to return and castles build once more.
William
This week we are all giddy with anticipation. You see, once again it is time to go to the beach and visit our wonderful friends. We are leaving Thursday morning for Galveston, in hopes of missing downtown Houston rush hour and arriving at our destination in time for a quick dip in the ocean before dinner. Let's cross our fingers. Although the trip will probably take 6 hours of driving, somehow the miles seem to pass more quickly when the call of the ocean is beckoning.
Of course, I will have plenty of stories and pictures to post after we get back. I will leave you with this.
The Lure of the Restless Sea
-- by Shelby Forrest
Whene'er I sense the pulse of pounding waves,
The sea becomes a magnet drawing me.
Whene'er I feel the breath of ocean breeze,
A force then strongly lures me back to sea.
The roar of breaking waves on rock and sand.
The swish of water sucked back to the sea.
The briny smell of scattered spray and spume.
The fresh and dampened air envelops me.
I formed a mighty fortress in the sand,
A castle to withstand the ocean swell.
But every time twas always as before,
The tide moved in, and then my fortress fell.
But yet again the mighty ocean calls
Me to return and castles build once more.
William
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Getting Into The Swing Of Things
The family unit and I headed down to Temple last weekend to visit Grandma and Uncle Jim. It had been a couple of months since our last visit, and we were all looking forward to the trip.
We loaded up the CX-9 on Saturday morning, and left our house about 9:00am. I was happy to see that the rain that had been forecast was keeping it's distance, and with traffic pretty light, we made really good time. We got to Grandma's house about 11:30am, and soon after unpacking, uncle Jim made his appearance.
As usual, the kids wanted to immediately go play in the backyard, but we all sat down and had a bite to eat first. After lunch, Jim and I set up the Pogo Swing, and the boys bolted outside and commenced playing properly. Here is a picture of uncle Jim sending Aidan for a ride on the Pogo Swing.
With all of the running around, the boys were a bit winded and decided to take a break. Here they are being nice to each other while sitting on the swing.
Grandma came out to join us, and I snapped a picture of her and the boys having some fun.
It was less hot in Temple than it's been in our neck of the woods, but I had forgotten how much more humid it is down there. You would think that 157 miles apart would not make much difference, but that's not the case. While it's not "Houston humid" (which is ridiculous by the way), it's still humid enough to make you rapidly perspire if you're not used to it. I'm not, and when Lori came outside and asked "Did you squirt yourself with the hose?", I knew that I would not be mistaken as a "local". Nope, I'll take hot over humid any day.
Because it was so hot, Jim and I decided to set up the small pool for the boys. As you might have guessed, there was no objection to this idea by our two aquatic monkeys. They were really excited, and were changed into their swim wear in record time. Here they are having some natatory fun.
Now I have told you in the past how rowdy Christopher can be, and here is a perfect example of his domineering personality. Now I'm probably just imagining things, but I thought I heard the words "you called down the thunder, now you've got it" come out of his mouth just before his pummeling of Aidan.
Now Aidan did not like that one bit, so here he is exacting his vengeance.
Oh.....the love of siblings...... Here is a shot of Aidan feeling empowered after his victory.
After swimming, the boys wanted to play on swings again. Here is a short video of both boys "just a swinging".
Mystic looks on inquisitively.
We stayed outside most of the day, and then retired to the air conditioned house for a couple of fierce games of dominos. After dominos and dinner, we were all tired and just relaxed. Here is my beautiful wife Lori having a cookie and relaxing.
Sunday was spent doing much of the same stuff as Saturday. When we all got nice and hot Sunday afternoon, we busted out the ice cold watermelon that Uncle Jim brought over on Saturday. MmmmmmMmmmmm it was cold, sweet, and yummy. It was a big hit with me and the boys.
We stayed until 7:00pm Sunday night, and then headed home. Once on the road, we ran into terrible traffic, and stayed pretty much bumper to bumper all the way home. Uhhhhhh....that makes for a long, stressful drive. After getting everyone home safe about 10:00pm, I lasted about 30 minutes more, and then hit the hay.
We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, and sure look forward to our next visit.
William
We loaded up the CX-9 on Saturday morning, and left our house about 9:00am. I was happy to see that the rain that had been forecast was keeping it's distance, and with traffic pretty light, we made really good time. We got to Grandma's house about 11:30am, and soon after unpacking, uncle Jim made his appearance.
As usual, the kids wanted to immediately go play in the backyard, but we all sat down and had a bite to eat first. After lunch, Jim and I set up the Pogo Swing, and the boys bolted outside and commenced playing properly. Here is a picture of uncle Jim sending Aidan for a ride on the Pogo Swing.
With all of the running around, the boys were a bit winded and decided to take a break. Here they are being nice to each other while sitting on the swing.
Grandma came out to join us, and I snapped a picture of her and the boys having some fun.
It was less hot in Temple than it's been in our neck of the woods, but I had forgotten how much more humid it is down there. You would think that 157 miles apart would not make much difference, but that's not the case. While it's not "Houston humid" (which is ridiculous by the way), it's still humid enough to make you rapidly perspire if you're not used to it. I'm not, and when Lori came outside and asked "Did you squirt yourself with the hose?", I knew that I would not be mistaken as a "local". Nope, I'll take hot over humid any day.
Because it was so hot, Jim and I decided to set up the small pool for the boys. As you might have guessed, there was no objection to this idea by our two aquatic monkeys. They were really excited, and were changed into their swim wear in record time. Here they are having some natatory fun.
Now I have told you in the past how rowdy Christopher can be, and here is a perfect example of his domineering personality. Now I'm probably just imagining things, but I thought I heard the words "you called down the thunder, now you've got it" come out of his mouth just before his pummeling of Aidan.
Now Aidan did not like that one bit, so here he is exacting his vengeance.
Oh.....the love of siblings...... Here is a shot of Aidan feeling empowered after his victory.
After swimming, the boys wanted to play on swings again. Here is a short video of both boys "just a swinging".
Mystic looks on inquisitively.
We stayed outside most of the day, and then retired to the air conditioned house for a couple of fierce games of dominos. After dominos and dinner, we were all tired and just relaxed. Here is my beautiful wife Lori having a cookie and relaxing.
Sunday was spent doing much of the same stuff as Saturday. When we all got nice and hot Sunday afternoon, we busted out the ice cold watermelon that Uncle Jim brought over on Saturday. MmmmmmMmmmmm it was cold, sweet, and yummy. It was a big hit with me and the boys.
We stayed until 7:00pm Sunday night, and then headed home. Once on the road, we ran into terrible traffic, and stayed pretty much bumper to bumper all the way home. Uhhhhhh....that makes for a long, stressful drive. After getting everyone home safe about 10:00pm, I lasted about 30 minutes more, and then hit the hay.
We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, and sure look forward to our next visit.
William
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