a blonde and 3 boys

Thursday, October 22, 2015

A Fish Funeral...

I am sorry to let you know that we have had another passing in our family. Jack's beloved fish, Gilligan, passed sometime on Monday.

I knew something was wrong when he came into the room.
"Mom it's urgent. Please come with me. It's urgent. Hurry mom."

While walking to his room I noticed Jack had one sock on, one sock off...something had suddenly distracted him. Uh oh.

"Mom, Gilligan won't move. He just lays at the bottom."
After much shaking of the tank and touching with a long Lego stick. We came to the conclusion that Gilligan had lived a long life and had died. Jack was so sad.

So yesterday, we had a fish funeral.
Jack decided he wanted to bury him under his (Jack's) favorite tree. He went and got a shovel. It was the largest shovel we own. Notice Sam just turned and did not say a word. His smile tells us all what he was thinking.
I said, "That's a mighty big shovel , Jack!"

We all took a turn digging the hole for Gilligan.

"You know Jack, when my fish died, all Mom did was flush it," shared Sam while digging. "Yea. Remember when Chubby died? Dad just threw him off the bridge for the raccoons to eat!"
Yea....we probably didn't handle those two passings the best.

After Gilligan died, we kept Gilligan in a plastic container and then placed in a baggie. He had a bit of a stench to him from floating in the cup for two days.
"Does he smell?" I asked.
"Nope," said Jack. "OH, Jeepers!" he then stated.
"Did you get a whiff?" I asked him.
"Oh yea," he replied.
"I bet that's what zombies would smell like," shared Sam.
(Really , Sam!)

Jack loving placed him in the freshly dug hole.

We all said some kinds words and shared how good of care Jack took of Gilligan.

Jack carefully place the dirt over Gilligan.

Jack had decorated a rock for Gilligan's marker for the time being. We will try to mark it better after winter. Jack wondered if it would be ok to crave Gilligan's name into the tree as a reminder. (wow)

Jack drew a picture of a fish and wrote "Gilligan."

It was a nice little fish funeral.

R.I.P. Gilligan.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Back to the Future!

Today is October 21, 2015...the day Marty McFly traveled ahead in time in the movie Back to the Future II!

I am sure today you will see loads of videos and comparisons of what happened in the movie vs. what has happened in real 2015 life...so I thought I would jump on that wagon and share this little video with you.

I really hope this prediction comes true!

https://redditupvoted.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/cubs-win-series.png

Happy Back to the Future/Present Day Day!!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Decorating for Halloween

The other night, my sister was hanging out with Jack while I ran Sam around. We came home and found that they, my sister and Jack, had decorated a wall for Halloween! "Oh Jeeepers!" I said out loud to myself as I came around the corner. My sister was picking Jack up from football practice. Soon my phone dinged, "Surprise!" read her text.

Sam had walked right past the decorations while going to get his guitar for lessons and hadn't noticed the webs, spiders, skeletons...

"Sam! Did you happen to notice the decorating your Aunt and Jack did while we were gone?" I yelled to him.

"Noooooo!" he yelled back.

My insides went...uh oh.

Remember, Sam is NOT a fan of Halloween and anything scary. Though, webs are on the lower end of the spectrum for him.

Here is Sam checking out the decorations. You can see the wheels turning in his head. I am sure he is doing some positive self talking. "It's not real. It will be OK. I am lovable and capable. My white legs are scarier then the white webs. "

"You know...it's only webs. That's not bad." I told him.
"Yea."
"This will bother your dad more than you...Right? You know his phobia of spiders..."
"Yea."
"Would you want to crawl in there and I'll take your picture - face your fears type of thing?"
The most disgusted teenager look from him.

"Maybe when I get back."

"Glad they used the small spider."

"There's a BIGGER spider!?!?"

The two accomplices returned shortly after I dropped Sam off at guitar.

I am proud to share that Sam finally climbed in the web (kind of) and posed for a picture!

On the other hand, Jack won't stay out of it!

Which once again bring up that question...how can two boys come from the exact same parents and upbringing and be so opposite! (BUT, I wouldn't change it for the world...most days!)

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Typical...

While at Target Jack got himself a new friend.

Jack thought it would be polite to put him up on a blanket so he could see out while we drove home.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

A Second Trip to Target wtih Jack...

Another day and another trip to Target. This time Jack was looking for pieces for his Halloween costume. We didn't find what we were looking for, but Jack did find a few goodies to try on!

We went to another store the next day with Sam. We told Sam to try on masks...this was the only one he could muster up.

Notice all the icky choices in the background. I suggested one of those. His response," NO WAY!" Some things never change.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Typical...

Why is it that all the library books I have on hold come in at once?

I put them on hold because I want to read them, but how am I to read all this in three weeks? Oh the troubles I have...:)

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Creepy!!

We have/had this huge spider living in the corner of one of the high windows in our stairwell. The boys enjoy jumping up and hitting the window to watch the spider scurry!

I can view the spider from the steps, but if I would stand under the window, the base of it would be just above my head. To take these pictures, I actually put my hands above my head and clicked.(What I found was that these windows really need to be cleaned!!)

I wanted to share these creepy, nasty pictures with Jason who is deathly afraid of spiders. As Sam says, we all have our issues. So, I sent this picture, via text, to Jason while he was at work. Can you imagine him opening this one!! I know...I have issues!

All I really got from Jason was, "Is it real?" and "Is it alive?"

A few days after sending this photo to Jas, I walked down the stairs and saw the spider hanging upside down. Thought nothing of it, until I walked down three days later and it was still hanging upside down.

"Hey, Jason...did you kill that spider?"

"Yea."

"How?" I asked.

Mind you, it is a second floor window.

"I found some killer spray and you put it on the hose and I could soak that spider!"

I then noticed the "spray" stains on the window.

Wow...I guess were there is a will there is a way!

Monday, October 5, 2015

Not Again...

Ugh!!

Friday evening I was putting clean sheets on Jack's bed. I yanked up the edge of the mattress and riiiipppppp...my back went out. I don't know how to officially describe hurting my back. But my pelvis tilts and pinches the nerve mercilessly on the lower left side back.

At this point, I couldn't move. I said bad words. I thought I was going to pass out. I said more bad words. I tried to lay on the floor, but the floor was too far away, so I got myself onto Jack's bed. Said more bad words.

Usually when I lay down it brings relief...not this time. I finally got myself to the floor and crawled to the stairs, got myself down the stairs and that was when I ran into Sam. "MOM! Are you OK?" I just answered, "Nope. Hurt my back." I hear Jason from afar..."Kaaaatttttiiiieeee!!!" I wanted to cry...because I was so mad.

Long story short, it took both Sam and Jason to get me into bed. It was not pretty and I just laid there and pouted.

Thank goodness, on Saturday I was able to see my chiro and she "reset" my back and it felt better to get the bone off the nerve. I wish an adjustment brought immediate happy dancing but that nerve is all flared up and very, very touchy! So Saturday called for bed, short walks and lots of ice and kind words to "the nerve."

I had my i-pad, remote and book close by all day. Sam was at a retreat for the weekend. Jason and Jack went up to the ISU game. So, it was nice and quiet, which meant naps for me and rest for "the nerve."