Helium Balloons

When I brought helium balloons home the other night, the little boys were ecstatic.  Nickles even took his to bed, lying there clutching the string, while the balloon bobbed over his head.
The next morning he walked out of his room, holding the string in one hand while continually pushing the balloon back up in the air with the other.
All the helium was gone.

He was only disappointed for a while...balloons, helium or not, are not common around our house, so he enjoyed them just the way they were!

Dominic thought he needed a picture, just because ~

Stay up, balloon ~ he had removed the strings by this time ~

shortly afterward, his sisters and brothers decided 

they'd try to inhale whatever helium remained ~

So sad!

A Sheltered Life

Some would say our children are a bit sheltered.
Frankly, I like it that way.
I like that upon seeing a billboard of Oprah Winfrey this morning, Katherine said, "Mom, I didn't know Oprah was black!"
It has nothing to do with color, it has everything to do with the insignificance of "celebrities" in our life.

As we were discussing the Olympics and what events we would like to watch, Eric thought that the cannonball contests would be much more interesting than synchronized diving.  We may have all looked at him like he had been hit by a cannonball!
Seriously, a cannonball contest?
I thought those only occurred at our pond!  A little redneck perhaps, tons of fun too, but certainly not an Olympic event.

It is good that we are a bit sheltered, although at times I would like to stretch our wings and fly a bit more!  God forbid that our lives be written in the tabloids or that we'd model our lives after the characters on most magazine covers.
I will treasure our sheltered life and the good laughs that it provides.

I'd better go and sit with my children to watch a couple Olympic events...the cannonball may have been added as a legitimate event this year!
Can you just hear it, "So, how high do you think the water went on that entrance, Bob?"
"I'm not sure, but his form, it was AMAZING!"

Breakin' the Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy is going broke tonight....all in one stop.  Three children were given deadlines this week to get teeth out.  This morning I found them in the bathroom with assorted tools (pliers, leathermen, nut picks, etc.) lots of toilet paper pieces and the radio blasting.  What the radio had to do with anything I have yet to determine.  Maybe it was to drown the noise of teeth breaking loose...who knows?!?
Daddy had to free the last one as Annika was near tears throughout dinner.  Daddy is the sneakiest tooth-puller ever, a good flick and it's over!
Katherine parted with two teeth.
Hopefully four teeth won't weight the fairy's chariot down ~

Dentist Katherine

Cups lined up awaiting the tooth fairy

Crooked, gapped smiles ~ it's kinda sad!

Country Livin'

This kid just hasn't been into clothes the last couple weeks.  Whenever we head to our pond he refuses to don his trunks.
Really, why bother?  It is 90 degrees for crying out loud.

Hmmmm, this water looks nice ~ 

Maybe I should ditch the dipe.

Workin' up the courage to hop in ~

"You can do it, Nickles.  It's only six inches deep."

Maybe, I'll try a sideways dive ~~~~

 All that for this ~

For the record it's not diaper rash, 

it's sliding-down-hills-with-a-bare-bottom-rash.

He doesn't seem to mind and I guess that's why we live in the country!

Finger Art

Why does this make me so mad yet laugh hysterically at the same time?  

It's actually pretty good artistry!

Suffering & Loss

This past week brought news everyone dreads.  Our nephew lost his life in a tragic accident.  One immediately places themselves in the shoes of the parents. It has been difficult to not be overprotective of my own children, watching their every move, making sure they didn't take any missteps, hovering about like a hummingbird.
It has been painful to explain the course of events to our children, to answer all their, "Why's?"
Shannon's birthday was a day later and no one was quite sure that it was appropriate to celebrate.  It felt like the world should stop turning, everyone should pause for a time to grieve.
But, at the same time, rationally we know that life must continue.
And for Shannon's sister and brother-in-law it will.  Watching Shannon's sister broke my heart.  She is amazingly strong, an oak, even though certainly she must not feel like it.  Witnessing her strength blessed me as she simply makes her way through the days by an act of the will.
Michaela has probably been struggling the most, with Kath a close second.  This, coupled with losing Auntie Theresa, has made them realize how fragile life is.  It is a lesson I would have preferred they not learn til later in life, to shelter them longer.  But, as one of Shannon's cousins stated, "Life is for the living.  We honor them by really living."  
So, we will continue to cherish this day.  
Maybe we'll go fishing ~ being near the water is always a good way to reflect on life.

Bittersweet 4th

In our family the 4th of July was always a double celebration. We celebrated the birth of our country but more importantly (to us) the birth of two siblings, Theresa and Joey.  Fireworks were synonymous with their birthdays and our country's independence perhaps a bit of a side note.

Last 4th of July we were full of hope for Theresa's recovery from leukemia.  This year we buried her.
It was bittersweet, realizing in such a tangible way, yet again, that she is not here in this life with us any longer.  But, just as it was a difficult day it granted me a sense of closure that she is now buried, now at rest.

The day was filled with the typical busy-ness of our family.  We enjoyed dinner with my parents amid a conversation about the state of the union and whether what it has become today is what our forefathers envisioned.  It has been no-so-subtly suggested that I avoid the subject of politics this year to save my sanity, but this was a good conversation.  And I believe (quite strongly, I might add) that it develops critical thinking skills in our children to be privy to political and/or religious discussions.

The evening ended surrounded by friends and neighbors at a nearby ranch where they hold an annual  fireworks show.  As a teenager I worked on this ranch and just walking through the yard and fields brought back floods of good memories!  

Annika made a patriotic fruit pizza...yum!

Waiting for it to be dark enough for fireworks ~

Joshie & Colette ~

"You hop up on that tall rock, Anya."

Are these bales just for sitting?

There are so many uses for hay bales!

Kath & Colette

It's FINALLY dark enough for the show to begin!

I'm not sure who enjoyed the fireworks m,ore, Shannon or the kiddos~

Triathlon Pics

This morning dawned...and I'm talking 4:00 am dawn because neither Katherine or I were sleeping...windy as the dickens.  Wind is what I was dreading, as it would make for choppy water and a difficult bike ride. 

Some 2,961 Hail Marys later the wind died down to a strong breeze.  

All I am going to say is there is a lot of room for improvement in a triathlon later in the summer.  

I just need to find one that allows wetsuits.  It was my saving grace, despite making me look like a a sausage!

Margaret's advice to jump in with the best of them 

will be ignored next time ~:o)  

I must have drunk a gallon of water as 90 people surged past

Uncle John smoked  through the water to give Kath a good start in the relay.

Thank HEAVENS that part is over !

Grandma & Kath after completing their bike race ~

The ride back to the transition area was super fast, 

mostly downhill with the pesky wind at our back ~

And this is the last time moment I was ahead of Gabe ~

he rocked!

i can't wait to jump in the lake, i can't wait to jump in the lake, i can't wait to jump in the lake, 

jump in the lake, jump in the lake, jump in the lake

jump lake, jump lake, jump lake, jump lake......

yeah, I didn't fare so well on the run ~

Mom & her team..how many 60-year-olds can rock out a 

13 mile bike ride after only a couple practice rides?!?

Okay, so I am not sure what the heck I was thinking on this pose, but it is so stupid it's hilarious!

Gabe was amazing, deciding to participate with me to honor Theresa just last week!

Katherine with her team.  They did quite well, 

taking 2nd place in the relay ~

This is the group that Theresa originally inspired in so many different ways! 

Mom, Kath and myself ~

next year Shannon and Dad, you're on!