Tar-jhay, Panera +pool

So, after some sleeping in and the viewing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, we went out for lunch at Panera and then to Target for a few essentials: Crocs for the boys and swim goggles and toys from the dollar section. Back to the hotel for pool play while Andrea had her opening ceremony for the softball tourney. Now all the kiddos (teens included) are watching Edward Scissorhands on the telly. I've been keeping busy proofing pics from Cancun and catching up on my blogging (as if you hadn't noticed-LOL)

RoadTrip

spent yesterday visiting with Aunt Norma and Uncle Dick-always sooooo good to see them! It had been over 2 years. 2 years 2 long IMO. We met at local mom-n-pop restaurant near their house and had taco salads. Afterwards, we went to their house and the boys got a tour of their yard on AN's "mule" -complete with a run by their "lagoon." We caught up on things-their recent trip to Chile and how the rest of the maily was doing. Saw pics of the latest addition to the family: Baby Adyson. Boys were interested in the baby barnswallow and it's nest as well as the cuckoo clock. Actually, that's what they remembered about their last visit-"Oh yeah. Aunt Norma and Uncle Dick have that cuckoo clock, right?"
So we watched not so patiently for the cuckoo to make his appearance at 2 and 3 o'clock. Then we ate some of AN's homemade peach pie with Schwan's vanilla ice cream! Heaven! The boys said the vanilla ice cream was the best ever!
Travelling on I managed to miss a turnoff and ended up about 20 min. north and 30 minutes west of our end destination. Grrr. Drove through miles of cornfields with a major sinus HA (as the corn was in full tassel). Finally met up with sister Karen and "Cousin Andrea" at the hotel. So good to see them. More than 1.5 years since our last visit together. Anxious to watch Andrea play softball. Such talent. More 2 follow.

two days late in posting

about the early celebration of our 13th wedding anniversary

• dinner at IJ's for a mexican chicken salad with a Blue Moon and orange slice to wash it all down oh and a shared order of fries
• trip to HL for a BIA (Mick was referring to a Bind it OFF-not really sure why he would want to refer to it as that-LOL)
• LONESTAR CONCERT-awesome! so good!
• McAllister's tea
• sharing of a funnel cake with Holly + Mark (how fitting that they met up with us on our anniversary celebration-after all-Mick and I met b/c of them! :) Oh my stars-Mick and I both thought it probably had been at least 20 years since the last one we consumed. Yumola!
• home to consume a few more beverages and watch some tennis while Mick played some BF2
• oh...and Mick got his iPhone delivered today-so we played with it the whole way to and from the fairgrounds--how much fun is it? Next person in the family to get one...moi!

Thank you Randy Pausch...

Thank you Randy, for leaving your indelible mark on this world, for leaving a legacy for your kids for leaving a legacy for the world. Randy was definitely a giver. Are you?

"There are two types of people in this world — givers and takers.”

You know, I think there is a lot of truth in that statement! My life experiences repeatedly verify the accuracy of that statement.

I bet you’ve seen it in your life too… Some people ADD to your life with their mere presence — they fill you up, give you more energy, inspire you. While other people SUBTRACT from your life — they wear you out, drain your energy, deplete your reserves.

(I am so grateful that the list of givers in my life is quite long!)

So, the challenge today is simple:

1) Examine yourself: Into which category do you fall?

2) Take action: Today, be a giver, not a taker.

To motivate you in this giving challenge, here are some quotes:

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. (Winston Churchill)

You have the power to make someone’s day. (Dan Zadra)

It is satisfying knowing that for a brief point in time you made a difference. (Irene Natividad)

It is when we forget ourselves that we do things that are most likely to be remembered. (Parker Sweetwater)

Your heart has brought great joy to many. Those hearts can never forget you. (Flavia Weeden)

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. (J. M. Barrie)

Things you do for other people are usually some of the best things you do. (Michael Nolan)

People who deal with life generously and large-heartedly go on multiplying relationships to the end. (Arthur C. Benson)

No man can get rich himself unless he enriches others. (Earl Nightingale)

For this I bless you most. You give much and know not that you give at all. (Kahlil Gibran)

And in closing…

May happiness touch your life today as warmly as you have touched the lives of others. (Rebecca Forsythe)

I read this on another scrapper's blog (Carrie Colbert Batt) today and thought it was spot on.

Nickel and Diming it

Spent the morning with the boys at tennis-playing some games like "Keep it Alive" and a new one I call "Nickel and Diming" it. The little dudes seemed to enjoy it and liked trying to get the bonus shot worth fifteen points(which had to land behind the service line and within the singles lines and baseline.

• Just returned from piano lessons and washing the van. 
  
• Gearing up for a road trip to watch my niece (Andrea) play in a national softball tourney. So excited to see her and my sis (it's been a year and a half already!) Going to visit other family along the way. Excited about that. Also hope to get some scrapping in. Finish the Cancun album I've been working on.
• laundry, bills, Quicken, filing, mopping and sweeping also on the agenda topped off with tennis tonight! (woohoo-always worth a day of the drudgework to end on a high note!)
• and tomorrow-well tomorrow is Lonestar! Yippee!

Meeting 2 Living Legacies...a night 2 remember

Look who I got to meet last night... BILLIE JEAN KING!!! She was so nice. She approached me and asked me my name. (I about fell to the ground-I was just trying to stay on the fringe of all of the excitement and get a picture of her with Ian and his group of friends). It was all such a blur...I only remember about half of what I said to her b/c in the midst of our conversation I hear my name being called out.

(I'm thinking, "Mick, don't you know better than to interrupt us? I AM SPEAKING WITH THE LEGENDARY BILLIE JEAN KING!!")

Well, (so sorry Mick to think it was you) the voice actually came from a tennis playing friend of mine who saw that Billie (I can refer to her as that now that we're tight and on a first name basis-LOL) was speaking to me and offered to get my pic with her.

Thanks so much Mark! And the blur to the photo is perfect-it reflects exactly how that moment was for me! You da best!!

I had printed out some old photos of Billie at home and brought them to the match for the BEBZ to get her autograph. On the way to the car, we reminded the boys to hold on tightly to their memorabilia. Of course, Boo, being the happy-g0-lucky dude that he is, skipped his way along and managed to lose his signed photo of BJK. When we had nearly reached the car, he realized his lack of carefulness and began to wail out across the great expanse of the makeshift parking lot, "I LOST MY BILLIE PICTURE! I LOST MY BILLLLLL_EEEEEE_PICTURE!!"

So, I promptly told Mick to get the boys into the van and I would backtrack our steps to the tennis complex. On the way there, I frantically queried a few straggling fans and asked them if they had seen the lost item. The second person I asked (a plump older man with a gorgeous white beard) said,

"Is that it over there?"

"Oh...yes, why I believe IT IS!" I said with glee. I explained to him what had happened (as if he didn't hear the blood curdling wails of Boo from far off at a distance) and he said he completely understood how upsetting that would be while beginning to pull something from his wallet. (I'm thinking at this point--what IS he doing?) He proceeded to pull out a business card-and on the front of it was a picture of THE SANTA CLAUS--HIM!!!!! ) I was so excited to run back to the van and to tell Boo that not only was his Billie Jean King pic recouped but that Santa was the one who had found it!

Well, a whole conversation ensued about how Santa was "dressed in disguise" at the match. I told the boys that was because he didn't want to "1-up" Billie Jean King on her night and he wanted to enjoy the match as we did-without an onslaught of kids deluging him with the every want and wish. (Even Santa needs some R&R, right?) It definitely was a night to remember...NOT one living legend--but TWO!!

Today...

• Batman and Robin on the tube


• intense reading by Ian- Finished HP#4 and onto Rick Riordan's new book. The kid read for over 4 hours today!!!


• nursing sunburns-loaded the boys up with SPF before leaving cabin and then inadvertently left lotion in the van at the campground (we could'nt put in at usual spot-yellowjackets!)


• Club Penguin


• the creation of "Princess Peppermint's" Webkinz bed by the BooBear-and yes, she did feel the pea beneath her (LOL) picture of said creation to follow--took most of morning to make the bed


• uploading pics from laptop and ordering, organizing backed up pics that are on cd's (still mourning over the loss of July and August 2007-especially 1st day of KGTN pics-although I really thought I had backed these up onto cd's...huge sigh....)


• photoshopping pics from Cancun trip, adding text and postprocessing


• laundry, laundry, laundry.


• Mick mowed the yard


• planning for the schoolyear with Michelle


• Olympics 08 studies


• writing up to do list for the week


• gearing up to see faraway family next week


• scolding the puppers for chasing the Hugster


• listening to Mick play BF2 with his online buddies and watching his quirky + hilarious + spastic minute movements of his mouth as he tries to annihilate virtual enemies with his various forms of weapons and ammunition. Trust me on this one...it's hilarious.


• Organizing school stuff and straightening up scrapbook area. Ongoing....


• fighting a bout with seasonal allergies--aaaaahhhh...Aaaah....CHOO!

this week

• usta mixed doubles, we won our match
• Olympics 08 study
• VBS art
• baseball for Ian (1st time at pitching)
• Bakugan for the boys (latest thing)
• Borders trip, Tolkien series, pirateology for Boo (complete with a ship to assemble-that was fun)
• Mick to Omaha on business
• scrapping Cancun
• laundry
• bills
• grocery
• oil down $5 a barrel-woohoo a drop of a gigantic 10 cents at the pump, currently $3.79
• planning curriculum for the school year
• puppy dogs needing attention
• The Tennis Channel: Destination Tennis

Looky who I get to listen to...

Display Event Details Page
Can't believe Mick and I will get to listen to their masterful artistry and beautiful lyrics so up close and personal. Can't wait. What a fun way to celebrate our "lucky No.13" anniversary! Woohoo!!

Why we love the lake...

more to follow...

The face of 71

Now there's a guy who looks years younger than his bio age, huh? :) These pics were taken last week at a family get together at AR + UG's. BBQ and h20 fun in the sun made for a brilliant time for all ages. Thanks AR + UG! You rock!

Cancun#2

Cancun on my mind

More to follow...

Scary-see below

Ok...check out the "Scary!" post a few posts below. How could I NOT post this drama?

All About Stashes

So, recently I have begun having secret stashes of things I love to indulge in...(b/c I have growing boys with growing appetites-LOL). My usual stash is dark chocolate covered raisins, Cherry Nibs, and salt and vinegar Cape Cod potato chips.

Well, the other day Ian came down the stairs with a CF Diet soda in his hand and Ethan, ogling it with great wantonness, said,

"Hey, where'd you get that?"

To which Ian, replied, "From my Secret Stash." Ethan grumbled, scrunched up his nose with disapproval, and walked on.

Later in the evening, Mick came up to me chuckling to himself.

I asked,"What's so funny?"

He whispered in my ear,

"Ethan wants his own 'Secret Stash'.

today

• tennis
• wii play (New Topspin 3 game-woohoo!)
• Harry Potter #4 (Ian)
• Mouse and the Motorcycle (Ethan)
• decluttering school papers, paring down and organizing
• to AR + UG's (celebrate his BD yesterday) for H20 fun w/cousins
• Mick out of town (review with Bossman Gerry)
• Wimbledon viewing
• preparing for 4th
• writing thank you + get well card (Mimi's upcoming knee Sx)
• random memory-found huge preggo black widow spider in garage on Sun.-yikes!

Mrs. Marvin

So, we were sitting at the dinner table last night (which consisted of grilled chicken, green beans and corn on the cob) when Ian starts in with "Ooohhh...(with much emphasis and lilt in his voice)...MRS. MARVIN! Is this hand shucked corn?"

(Note: This is a quote from one of our all time favorite family movies, What about Bob? where Bob, Bill Murray's character is consuming corn on the cob-with gluttonous behavior and much smacking and slurping.)

And then Lil' Boo Who chimes in with...

"OOhhh.. and are these beans hand snapped?"

(I had had the boys snap the beans in preparation for dinner!LOL)

Ok...Is it just me...or is the boy hilarious?

Finally finished up with all of the laundry from our recent trip to Cancun. Downloading the pics and hope to post some soon. Bills are paid and house is somewhat in order-so hopefully I'll get back here soon to post some. Til then,
Adios Amigos!