All Weekend Long...

We have been "putting" our feet in the pool for so long and just waiting for the official OK when we could jump in!

 

The pool "opened" on Wednesday (jas and I had pool school that night)  and the boys have been in the pool sine: all Wednesday evening, all Friday evening, (had graduations all day on Saturday) all day Sunday (8 hours straight with out a "pool break!") and all afternoon on Monday! They are wiped out, but oh so happy!!

 

We decided to have a last minute pool party with our "football" friends. So we decided to "set up" with full knowledge that we would have to put all the furniture back on Monday evening.

Jack set up the floating devices. 

 I set up the relaxation area! My favorite place!! I may or may not have dozed off there Monday afternoon.

The boys made big plans for when their friends arrived!

Friends arrived and they were in the pool all evening and night. The four older boys met in preschool. The three younger siblings have always been around each other because of the older boys. The group is pretty tight! Hannah, the only girl, is always welcome to bring a friend, but is pretty protective of her boys and has yet to let another "girl" into the group.

Monday afternoon we had to put everything back due to the tile guys coming on Tuesday.

And that is a wrap of the first official pool weekend and we would call it a success!

Fun facts:

Jack has lost 6 pounds since starting to play in the pool!

Sam is tanner than he has ever been...already!!

Jack's First Track Meet...

Jack had his first track meet the other weekend on, what I felt like, was the coldest and windiest day of the spring so far. 

Jack's race was called so he checked in and the proceeded to take off his warm ups, which would not have been a big deal, but it was 30 windchill and he didn't run for about 30 minutes! He actually could have kept them on and then right before his race, he could taken them off. Oh no...he wanted to be ready!

He practiced some starts with people in winter coats behind him!

Can you spot Jack in the middle of the crowd trying to get some body heat off of other runners who are dressed warmly? Some kids opted for running in their winter clothes: stocking caps, sweatshirts and mittens! That would have been me! Check out the boy to the left of Jack in the Nike sweatshirt. His face says it all, "Dude, where are your clothes?"

Finally, his race started! 

Jack is will be 11 by the end of the year, so he runs with boys that are 11-12 years old. He is actually one of the youngest runners.

He hasn't placed in many of his races, but his times are sure improving!

He actually got fourth in his heat and ran a person best time! Jack and the boy next to him decided to run with their eyes closed and just feel the fast.

 Suddenly, I notice that Jack was in dire need of a haircut. His hair is actually flowing in the wind!

 Run, Jack, Run!!!

 He immediately ran to put on his warm clothes that felt like he was tucking into his snugly bed.(Jack's words)

 Oh wait...he saw that a teammate was running and decided to cheer him on! Check out his shoes...one spike and one running!

 Here are Jack's fans watching from the stands. Who wears a stocking cap, winter coat and blankets wrapped around them at a track meet?

I don't want to complain too much because I know those 100 degree track meet days where the sweat runs down my back and I have to make sure to wear a certain pair of shorts so all the sweat doesn't puddle on my rear (too much sharing?) are just around the corner!

An Unexpected Visitor...

I was up early the other morning and decided to walk outside to enjoy the peace and quiet that only early mornings can offer. I walked around to check on my flowers...to see if the poison ivy was dying off yet and walked over to the pool. 

So I am standing about where I took this picture and I noticed something INSIDE the pool house on the right side. Now this is one of my fears...waking up to a deer in the pool, a snake anywhere or just some creature out there.

Well, my fears were unwarranted. We have a neighborhood feral cat and I figured that was what was creeping out. The "animal" continued his journey stopped just to the right of the garbage sack. I started to wonder, "How and why in the world is that cat keeping it's ears that close to its head?"  

The creature then moved to the step, stopped and sniffed the air. I squinted my eyes (apparently that helps my vision) and I suddenly had a gut retching realization: THAT IS NO CAT!! 

But what is it?
Should I run for cover?
No. Just quint my eyes harder...

OH MY!! IS THAT..IS THAT A BEAVER? 

No. Can't be a beaver because it doesn't have a paddle tail. But it looks just like a beaver!

It then jumped down the step and started to waddle to the left by the bricks and went around the pool house and disappeared. 

OF COURSE Jason was out of town, so I text him immediately. His response, "Are you sure it wasn't a pheasant?" (hahahaha...remember that story??" 

No, actually his response was, "Are you serious about the animal in the house?" I explained how it was a beaver with out the paddle tail, more of a little bushy tail. 

He then sent me this picture asking, "Is this it?"

YES!!

 

This is exactly what it looked like and it was BIG! 

This, my friends, is a groundhog. And this, my friends, was in my pool house. 

Punxsutawney Phil visited me, which does not thrill me.

 

I did a little research on this creature and found they are the largest species in the squirrel family. So not only do we have tons of squirrels, but now we have HUMONGOUS squirrels. Groundhogs are skilled climbers and SWIMMERS (not in our pool) which helps them to escape less-skilled predators (such as myself.) Oh...and the reason for it being out so early that morning...they get up early for love. Who wouldn't want to start their morning coming across a giant squirrel looking for love. 

Polar Plunge!

The boys just couldn't stand it any longer! They had to get into the pool. Please keep in mind that the pool has not been cleaned, so leaves and dirt and "stuff" are floating on the top of the water, AND the water temperature was only 63 degrees! 

Of course, Jack was nominated to go first. 

Needed to double check that the water was freezing!

Check out the look on his face as his warm toes hit the ice! Sam is sooo double thinking this little adventure. Jack said the water was so cold, it took away his breath and he couldn't breath. 

Sam's turn! 
Maybe...

Still waiting...

Anytime, Sam...

(whistling)

 Still thinking it through...(me napping)

and then he suddenly bolts!

 His face is priceless, "Oh Golly! No turning back now!! It is going to be sooo cold!"

 "Oh Jeepers! Here it comes! If I pull up my legs it will delay the contact with the ice water."

Oh. Brrrrrr.

 

Then I couldn't believe it...they decided to jump in again!

Jack demonstrated his pencil dive or maybe it was one large shiver.

 For a moment I thought he was going to actually walk on water before plunging into the pool.

For some unknown reason, Sam decided to jump in again. 
I think Jack was yelling, "Don't do it!"

Sam:  "Oh Golly, Jack! I'm going into the ice water again!! What was I thinking? If I put my feet out, maybe I won't actually submerge into the water. Oh jeepers, it is cold on my toes" 

Jack:"Yep, Sam!! you are in! No saving you now! I can see your feet touching the water!!"

 Sam had a friend over that was joining in on the "fun." But, check out Jack...he is such an un-expressive kid! Or he might be breaking out into a rap song...never quite sure with Jack. Sam is done...wrapped in a towel that also has a hypothermia lining that he quickly sewed in by himself! (heehee)

I can tell that the boys are going to have hours of fun this summer, no matter what state the pool in in! Me..I am not even putting a toe in until its heated...to at least 80 degrees!

My Snake Boys...

We headed down to Kansas City for Mother's Day weekend and spent the day walking, shopping, eating and watching people!

I snapped a quick picture of my boys because they had planned their blue outfits and what mom can let a coordinated outfit picture pass by!

 We went out to eat on the Plaza that night and a guy just happened to be standing around allowing people to put his pet snake around their necks. Really? I don't know about you, but this was the first time I have run into a guy on the street with a snake.

I wasn't too surprised that Jack wanted to hang the snake around his neck (as long as Jason was with him) but Sam sure did knock me off my feet and out of my socks when he turned to me and said, "I'm going to do that!"  I couldn't believe it!! 

And...he wanted to do this alone!! 

This was HUGE for Sam in so many different ways and I was so proud of him!! He is starting to spread his wings a little and it's fun to see him try them out every once in awhile. 

Me...did I try it out. Absolutely not. No way, No how. 

But, it is the first time I felt bad for a snake. It had to be drugged out just to lay like it did...that actually bothered me, even though it was a snake.

Alex...

I just finished the book Alex by Pierre Lamaitre and all I can say is it is one of my favorite crime/thrillers that I have ever read.

TAlex is the second in a trilogy, but I did not realize this until after I started the book. You can easily follow along without reading the first book. There are events brought up that occur in the first novel, but the author does not make you feel as if you have missed out on anything. The novel also won the best thriller of 2013.

About the book:

In kidnapping cases, the first few hours are crucial. After that, the chances of being found alive go from slim to nearly none. Alex Prévost – beautiful, resourceful, tough – may be no ordinary victim, but her time is running out. Commandant Camille Verhoeven and his detectives have nothing to go on: no suspect, no lead, rapidly diminishing hope. All they know is that a girl was snatched off the streets of Paris and bundled into a white van. The enigma that is the fate of Alex will keep Verhoeven guessing until the bitter, bitter end. And before long, saving her life will be the least of his worries.

And that is all I am going to say about this book except that it twists in a way that I have never had a book twist before and I loved it!! I hate to build it up too much, because then a reader doesn't feel as if it lives up to my rave reviews. But, for me, I would definitely put this on my top 5 books I have ever read!

How to Pass Time

In Jack's young like, he has spent a lot of time at Sam's sporting events. He rarely complains and finds many different ways to entertain himself. 

At last weeks Lacrosse game Jack found a very tall hill.

And spent the time tossing up a Lacrosse ball...

and catching a Lacrosse ball..

Eventually, a little boy asked Jack if he would join him in rolling down the hill. 

"Sure," said Jack. 

So Jack spent the rest of the evening rolling down a hill.

Good thing he's so laid back!

Happy Birthday, Sam.

Happy Birthday to Sam!

I love to look back at pictures and see how the boys have changed, but it also brings a tear or two or more to my eyes because it has gone by so fast. When you have a baby, everyone tells you how fast it will go and I knew it would, but gosh darn, it goes by soooo fast. 

Seven years old.

Eight Years old.

 

Nine years old.

 

Ten years old.

 

Eleven years old.

 

Twelve years old.

 

Thirteen years old.

 

Fourteen years old

Taken last night. It warms my heart.

(Yes, Sam is tall...6')

 Oh my baby (babies) are growing up!

I know I can't change it, so I need to enjoy what a great young man Sam is becoming. Though, it is soooo hard to see him grow up sooo fast...have a mentioned that?