Clark

It's the last day of August.  Summer is rapidly coming to  close.  Football and chili will soon replace grilling and Superman.  Yep, you read that correctly.  We've become addicted to all things Superman.  It's no longer Christopher Reeve's version either.  H suggested that we try out the first season of Smallville.  We're hooked.  And not just Jeff and I, W and H too.  I don't think I've seen W this much in the evening since he was a toddler.  You know that the show must be good if he's willing to miss playstation time and H is rushing home from the soccer game hoping to catch at least half an episode. 
Needless to say, it's a family event so Jeff and I are paused on the nights the boys aren't home.  So here I sit tonight, watching nothing all that exciting, just waiting for the weekend to hang out with Clark.

Thank You!

As everyone knows, the reason I blog each day is for the boys.  I'm hoping that many years from now, they will read through the year we've captured with fond memories.  I've tried to include it all...the ups, downs, funny moments, current events and family memories.  A fabric created by 365 threads, creating a design that reflects what makes up their lives.  I would be remiss in my duty to the boys if I didn't include the world as it is today. 

We're in the middle of multiple wars.  The events of 9/11 (soon to be 10 years ago) started a mission.  A mission to rid the world of terrorism or at least the leaders of those groups.  Those that seek to destroy the things we hold dearest - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  In the US, freedom is a right, not a choice.  Thankfully, there are those that make the choice to defend the things we take for granted.

A few weeks ago, I stood on the campus of Ohio University and asked myself "How can I do this?"  The mere thought of sending one of the boys away, to a strange place, without family left me with a pit in my stomach that I can't explain.  I didn't think anything would be worse.  Enter Chelsea.

I've never met Chelsea nor have the boys or Jeff.  I've never had the opportunity to hear her voice, share a meal or a laugh.  She wouldn't recognize a picture of us or know the boys names.  But each night, I will pray for her safety, the safety of her coworkers and all of their families.  I will follow her life, hoping that I will have the opportunity to introduce her to H and W.  I will hug the boys a little tighter every night and hope that they turn out just like her.  I will help take care of her family when she can't be here to do it herself.  And when I finally get the honor of meeting her, I will joyfully take down the ribbon that I'll hang for her tomorrow and return it to her with the most heartfelt thank you.

You see, Chelsea is leaving tonight to head off to war.  She's a pround member of the United States Air Force.  She's committed her life to protecting all of the liberties that we take for granted.  Chelsea will spend the next six months in Afganistan.  She'll endure more in that time than most of us will in a lifetime. And when the boys read this, many years from now...I want them to take a minute to reflect on those individuals that sacrifice more than they could ever imagine.

Thank you Chelsea.  Thank you for keeping us safe.  Thank you for making a sacrafice that I can't even begin to imagine...and I'm twice your age.  I can't wait to meet you!

 
 

Things That Make You Go..Hmmmm

For me, it's been a really long day...that's what happens when the day starts at 5:15am.  For the boys, it's apparently been the "best" day of their lives.  Who would have thought that since yesterday seemed to be the worst. 

When I was lacking a blog idea for today, H immediately jumped up and said "Take our picture and talk about our great day!".  Again, who would have thought.  So I jumped at the opportunity to take another picture of the boys and detail their wonderful day. 

In a nutshell, here it is.  W already has a date for Homecoming.  H does not.  That has made W's day, week, month and possibly his year.  H is just in a great mood.  He walked W to class, worked overtime for IT and has been singing and dancing though the house.  I can't explain why and quite frankly, I don't really want to know why.  You don't look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Here's their picture, with ear to ear grins.  Let's hope tomorrow is just as good :)

How Can I Mend a Broken Heart?

There are a few things in life you just can't fix.  A broken heart is one of them.  Young love, first love, puppy love....all of them are special and all of the hurt when they come to an end.  It was a year ago this month that we lost Seven and I've still got a broken heart.  We've tried homemade brownies, Smallville, his favorite dinner.  All with no luck.  This too shall pass, but for a day or two, I'm back to being the only girl in H's life. 

How Much Wood Can a Woodchuck Chuck?

What is there to say about spending a day splitting all of the trees that have been drying in our yard for a couple of years?  Well, it's about 3 years worth of firewood for us so it saves a lot of money.  The good news, the boys got it all done in one day.  The bad news, we have at least seven more trees in the yard that must come down. 

Patience Young Grasshopper

Patience.  It's defined as quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.  When I found this little guy out on the deck, I fell in love.  He was cool.  Of course, when I found him, my camera was in the basement, my camera card was somewhere in the living room and I needed to grab a new lens.  Don't you know that he waited until I tracked down all the pieces and then posed for me for a few minutes.  He didn't even seem to mind that I was right in his face.

It got me to thinking about how little patience I have.  I'm not completely lacking it, but I certainly don't have as much as the little grasshopper did.  For that matter, neither do Jeff and H.  W is a completely different story.  He's made of patience.  Hopefully a little of it will rub off on the rest of us. 

180 Days

We've got a big year ahead of us.  W is starting his journey through high school as H is ending his.  It's a poignant moment for those of us that are lucky enough to be watching from the sidelines.  It'll be an experience that neither of them will forget.  So with this being the first day, here's my thoughts for both of you as you start down a new path.....

High school is such an important time.  It's where you begin to figure out who you are and where you fit into the world.  You'll make mistakes.  You'll make life changing decisions.  You'll also make memories that will last a lifetime.  Some things will come so easy, others will take more work that you expected.  H, you want this to be over so you can start your next journey.  W, you want this to be over as quickly as possible.  Don't wish it away.  Enjoy every minute of it...especially the minutes that you get to share.  Only one other time in your school days have you been in the same school.  It's not likely to happen a third time. 

Day one is complete.  You have 179 more to go.  Work hard, play hard and savor every minute.  I know that I will.

The Hangover

Too many margaritas?  No, we didn't even have one.  But anytime you go to a Buffett concert, you're still beat and worn out the next day.  What an adventure!  I'm pretty sure the boys have never seen anything like it...and probably never will again.  The FinLand Tour was definitely an unforgettable experience (but just in case, we bought the tshirt!).  It's difficult to explain Parrotheads to those who haven't experienced it.  I think the boys thought we were crazy, until they saw it for themselves.  H loved the beach balls.  W loved...well, I think he just loved the fact he made it through it. 

A Little Extra

So what do you do on a nice day when everyone is home?  Play with the puppies, of course!  It does take a little convincing on my part, but they all always end up having fun.  A little extra exercise for the dogs on a night they'll be in their crates for a while...its Jimmy Buffett Night!  We're off to hear steel drums, watch margaritas flow and listen to the king of beach music.  And it's the boys first concert! 

The Death of the King

Some things in life are just annoying.  Commercials are at the top of the list.  Thankfully, Tivo and DVR have limited my commercial viewing to almost none.  That being said, a good commercial always catches my attention.  Come on, Betty White playing football in the mud is funny.  So are the Budweiser frogs...although they're not as cute as the Clydesdale's. 

So I would be remiss today for not discussing the death of the King.  While the boys probably don't know the answer to "Where's the Beef?", they've grown up with the King.  They've worn more little cardboard crowns than I care to admit.  Tonight we say goodbye to an icon...and hopefully hello to a little healthier approach (that's what killed him!). 

It's That Time Again

There are very few things that bring this family to a complete halt.  Allergy season is one of them.  H was here earlier and he was sneezing like crazy.  I've got such a sinus headache it's making my eye twitch.  W is popping Zyrtec like candy...and it's barely making a dent.  The funny part...it's only mid August. Just wait until September.

Fish Tales

Don't tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish.  - Mark Twain

Silly quote, but one with lots of truth to it.  You'd be amazed how many fish quotes there are when you are looking for some words of wisdom to complement a picture or thought.  Ok, so googling a fish quote was probably silly to start with, but one never knows what you will find when you're looking for something, but you're not sure just what.

Like today.  Jeff and I finally had a few free hours that didn't include 100+ degree heat or rain.  We haven't had one of those days since May, I believe.  So off we went, gps in had to track down a few of the newly placed geocaches in the area.  Around we drove, tracking down a little swag here and there.  One of the caches brought us to this lake.  I know the picture isn't the greatest...best that can be done in the blinding sun and with my phone.  But if you look closely (or click on the picture to enlarge it) you'll see hundreds and hundreds of fish.  It was awesome.  They ranged from a couple of inches to well over a foot.  What a beautiful site. 

So we didn't find the geocache, but we did find something a little more spectacular.  Sometimes the coolest things you find are the ones that you're not looking for.

The Continuation.....

As I mentioned yesterday, it was a jam packed day.  Today, not so much.  A light Friday...isn't that the best kind?  So forgive me that today's blog is actually a continuation of my wonderful Thursday.  So to pick up where I left off, the morning was dedicated to H.  The afternoon...well that was all about W.  Remember that giant Palm tree from the other day?  We've been working on a project for W and yesterday was his pay day. 

And his excitement is only dimmed a little by my lack of ability to photograph his new love.  Small area, made of glass, no flash, constant movement...extremely difficult to photograph.  So here's the best photograph that I could manage today.  No worries, I'll try again tomorrow and the next day and the next day.  Until I have the perfect image of W with his new pets.

And yes...that is Spongebob hanging out outside Squidward's house. 

Picture Day!

So much to blog about, so little time. 

Today was one of those days when I'd like to include every minute of our day.  I could spend hours detailing the events that made the day great.  However, since the boys will not be home for the next few days, I'm sure that will leave plenty of postings to cover the things I miss today.  And since I don't want to pick favorites, I'm just going to cover the first hours of the day. 

Senior picture day.  We finally found a day to get H into the studio to work on his pictures.  Again, it was one of those things that I thought would be tinged with sadness.  I forgot that H is the one that is right at home in front of the camera.  More laughs than worries.  Until that moment.  You know the one, when something pulls on your heart strings and you remember exactly what you were worried about in the first place.  H rounded the corner, in full uniform and the sight brought me to tears.

I'm saving the pictures of him to share with everyone in a more formal layout...but this is a picture that represented our day.  Actually, to me, it represents a whole lot more.

Sushi? Yes, Please!

Somewhere, inside the days that make you want to crawl back under the covers, you'll find a bright spot that reminds you why you get out of bed to begin with.   Wow, I'm noticing that most of these days are Wednesdays.  See a pattern?  Maybe I should start skipping them, lol. 

My reason for getting out of bed today...you guessed it, sushi!   It was a first for me.  My lunch buddy thought that it would be right up my alley...and she was right.  It was wonderful.  I have officially consumed spicy California rolls, racoons and two other types I can't remember the names of.  I think I've found my newest addiction.  I guess it could be worse.  Thankfully for Jeff and the boys, I think I'll keep this little piece of heaven to myself.  No point wasting it on those who don't eat from the ocean. 

Visit Number One

Today was one of the days that I've been dreading since H was an infant.  I knew the day would come.  Actually, I've worked his whole life to prepare him for moments like this.  College was an experience I missed out on so it's been my life goal to make sure that the boys both get to enjoy and benefit from every minute of their experience. 

Our first visit...Ohio University.  The longer we drove, the more H was convinced that he didn't want to go to school there.  It was too far from home, too rural and an all around bad idea.  Until we got there and he started to see how the school fit into his plans.  Small, cozy campus, amazing amenities, friendly students and admin.  You really couldn't have asked for a better first look.  This is one of many visits that we'll make over the next couple of months.  It's a great starting point and it's given H the base line he will measure others against.  

H told me today that he was ready for college...and after seeing him there today, I think I am too.

Just Another Project

Since we don't get to live by the palm trees, W decided to bring the palm trees to me.  Jeff and I have been working on a project for W (and the rest of us!) and now that he knows what it is, this is one of his contributions to it.  If all goes well, it should be finished by the weekend.  Anyone want to take a guess at what the project is?

Full Strength

Ahhh, full service has been restored to the Thomas household.  Living in Maineville has lots of benefits.  The beautiful farms, the horses, the peace and quiet and the QuickStop.  The only downside we can come up with is the lack of services.  We live "too far out" for lots of things, including decent internet service.  It's quite funny...except that leaves us with Century Link or whatever name they're going by today.  About once a month, we lose service.  Sometimes for an hour or tow, but normally for a couple of days at a minimum.  Thankfully, it generally doesn't cause too much of a problem unless you have friends over that want to play playstation.  Or if you are trying to work. 

Anyway, the latest greatest time line given to us was 8pm tomorrow night.  Imagine my surprise when it was up and running a day early.  I guess they thought three days was long enough.

Ok, so maybe the evening didn't go exactly as planned, maybe the kids yelled mistletoe a few too many times.  But it was still a wonderful evening.  There are lots of charities out there and it's always difficult to choose where to volunteer your time and efforts.  In our case, it's easy.  DOT has won a spot in our hearts, as have his parents and aunts.  I'll proudly wear my shirt, hang my painting and walk in September with the thousands of others. 

Maybe one day the boys will find a calling of their own.  Someone who touches their hearts and reminds them how blessed they are. 

Worth the Wait

I'm sitting here, trying to be creative.  With some catchy theme, a witty story or a lesson with a moral.  I've searched the web for a poem, a quote or a story that would express my thoughts better than I could.  It's a rare occasion that I'm at a loss for words.  So instead of a creative writing project...I've decided just to go with my thoughts of the night.

As a mom, you walk a fine line between the present and the future.  Every mom waits for their child's first steps, first words, first day of school, etc.  Once those milestones are reached and have passed, you find yourself thinking you're wishing their little lives away.  It's somewhere around Junior High when you start trying to slow things down.  The milestones are just as amazing but you hope that they don't come as quickly.  Before you know it, not only do you want time to slow down, you almost hope it would stop. 

But tonight reminded my how exciting the future can be.  I'll try to remember it as we reach all milestones and events of the year.  So for everyone that couldn't be here tonight, here are some of the highlights....

Sit. Stay.

A few tries, a few minutes, a little advice and a whole lot of puppy treats.....and Zoey sits! 

Ok, it may not seem like a big deal to you, but it's a huge deal in our house.  For the last couple of months, Willow and Zoey could have been featured on Girls Gone Wild.  Sitting was reserved for those few occasions when they were too tired to run anymore.  So when Zoey sat on command today...on multiple occasions, it was well worth capturing.  I'm not sure when it will happen again!

Christmas in August

Every year, Santa is my hero.  Some how, he knows exactly what I'd like or exactly what I'll use the most.  I'm really not sure how, since I stopped writing him letters a couple dozen years ago. 

The Craft Robo was probably one of the best gifts he ever brought me - second only to the doll house when I was 5.  The boys were less than impressed when I opened it, figuring it was a crafty/girly gift.  I kicked it off..cut out all sorts of scrapbooking embellishments and they didn't bat an eye.  Boys.

It's funny though because recently I've used it more for their projects than for mine.  It cut out letters for banners, broncos for banners and today it made stencils for band tshirts.  I'm not sure there's been any project the boys have completed that have included my awesome robo.  Now they ask for it by name.

Thankfully for the boys, I still BELIEVE.

 

Tools of the Trade

A weekend just isn't a weekend without some lawn tools.  For that matter, a week in the summer just wouldn't be the same without a rake, a shovel and a saw or two.  We need a small army to keep up with it all the outdoor projects that we'd like to get done.  Most of the time we settle for mowing and trimming.  This summer, we deceided to take on a few larger projects, with the hope that next year will be a little easier once they're done.  Pull up the gravel and lay weed barrier, take out the play area, take out a few trees, clear back to the creek, move the stairs on the deck, install an arbor...you know, just a few little things. 

I'm sure we won't get through all of them by the end of the season, but a girl can dream...right?

You're How Tall?

Home from band camp and I believe that he's grown another inch.  Ok, maybe it wasn't today but I just can't keep up with it.  I know that H grew at a rapid pace, but I'm positive that it wasn't as early and as fast as W.  He's impossible to keep fed and in clothes at this point.  I guess it's one of the hazzards of having boys. 

What's Your Secret?

Lucky people.  You know the ones.  They always score a front row spot in a packed parking lot, they're the "Lucky Caller" for every radio contest.  They could be standing in a lightening storm with an umbrella and the sun would come out.  I used to think that being lucky was just that...luck.  But now that I've been married to the luckiest guy on the planet for seven years, I think it's less about luck and more about timing.  At least I hope so because then I may still have a chance at it.

I blogged earlier in the year about my geocaching travel bug.  It's traveled over 8000 miles over the last year and it's still going strong.  So when we decided to place Jeff's It's My Birthday travel bug, we decided to give it a mission.  That way cachers that found it could help it along its way with a final destination in mind.  Since we normally spend Jeff's birthday in Vegas, that was the goal.  We thought it would be cool to pick up his bug one year while we were there.  And in our minds, that could take years. 

So while we were in Blue Ridge in June, we placed his bug to start it on its way.  And lucky for Jeff, a tourist in Blue Ridge picked it up and carried it to a cache in Arizona...getting a little closer to its destination.  Now, knowing how this works, we assumed that it would sit in Arizona for a while, maybe head back out east.  It would be fun to follow.  So imagine my surprise when we received notification that it was picked up in Arizona and carried to where?  You guessed it, Las Vegas.  Two cachers - that's all it took.  What would have been decade long process for my bug turned into a mini vacation for Jeff's.  It's all about luck (or timing!).  Either way, it's reached its destination...just 6 months too early!

Every marriage has it's secrets.  I really wish Jeff would let me in on his.

Ready, Aim, Fire!

Lions, tiger and bears...and monkeys!   Today was Abby's birthday party and we had a wonderful time.  Any day that includes seeing both sides of the family, a great lunch, presents and cakes can't be half bad.  And what would a birthday party be without a great paper ball fight or cinnamon rolls?  Abby, H and W had a great time and I was sorry to see it all come to an end.  We'll be making it a priority to make sure that it's not so long between visits.

One Week Down, One to Go

They look pretty good for having completed forty hours of band camp.  And they're both still smiling so I assume that's a good sign too.  W was on the receiving end of the of the senior soakers.  H had a great time being on the offense for the first time.  I'm sure they'll both sleep well tonight.  Next Friday at this time we'll be sitting at Meet the Band....watching them perform the routine they're been working on all week.  It should be interesting. 

PS.  Aren't they handsome?!

A Dark Summer Day

As a parent, you want your children to experience everything that life has to offer.  Those of us that are realistic know that all of their experiences won't be positive ones.  But all of them will shape their lives.  Unfortunately, you hope that some of these moments will come later in life  - leaving them time to be kids. 

Last night, H attended a candle light vigil for a classmate and friend that was shot and killed yesterday.  A teen love affair gone wrong.  A HS senior snuffing out the life of another...a bright young woman with her entire life ahead of her and then taking his own life.  It's every parents nightmare.

Tonight, as the boys sleep soundly in their beds, I will be saddened by the experience that they've been forced to endure.  They've been introduced to the real world  - where not everyone is nice, where life isn't always fair and one persons poor decision can have dire consequences. 

B is for....

B is for Ballard, baseball and bologna.  Of course, if you look at this one another way, you may see a 1 and a 3.  If you look just a little closer, you may recognize the 1 and the 3 from our address marker at the house.    Just like geocaching, I'm always suprised to find whats right under my nose.  I've found half of the alphabet so far, but there are still lots of letters evading my sight.  I'm hoping to have the entire alphabet completed by the end of the year.  Of course, it has to get a little cooler out for me to go searching.  The only thing I find in the heat of the summer is a steamed up lens and beads of sweat on my brow.  

What Happens When....

the puppy tries to play with the cats toys!

38 Things He Taught Me

As I mentioned several times this year, birthdays are my favorite.  I love to celebrate them!  Unfortunately, we couldn't be in Columbus today to have ice cream with Dad.  But we'll be there this weekend to deliver birthday hugs from all of us.  So until I can get home, here is my present for Dad.....

The 38 Things My Dad Taught Me

1.  Always wear shoes in the house.
2.  How to catch buckets full of perch.
3.  The most amazing site you'll see is a storm coming in across the lake.
4.  You can't hurt a Ballard in the head.
5.  Lisa is not a person, but a computer...and I LOVED her!
6.  The Wizard of Oz is the perfect family movie.
7.  The words to Feliz Navidad.  He taught me in his office at the box factory on one of the many Saturdays that I bugged him to take me with him.
8.  How to make the perfect Thanksgiving gravy (no, I haven't perfected it yet!)
9.  The importance of our family tree.
10.  Patton is one movie I just can't sit through...again and again.
11.  How to care for a philodenron.
12.  Manners - which I hope I have passed on to my kids.
13.  Cream Puffs should be on the dinner menu, not the dessert menu.
14.  Lawrence Welk was talented...I was just to young to appreciate it.  And I still am!
15.  You can live without cable.
16.  How to swim.
17.  What a jib is.
18.  Space Mountain is a must at Disney.
19.  If your dad is arrested during a parade, chances are he's ok.
20.  Cold weather is for the birds.
21.  The love of your grandchildren is worth anything...including tolerating the above mentioned cold weather.
22.  How to drive..especially around the circle on the island.
24.  Diamond Head is the most beautiful place on earth.
25.  A Shirley Temple is the drink of princesses.
26.  Family vacations are even better when you're an adult.
27.  I can do anything that I set my mind to.
28.  Articles from the newspaper, sent to your kids, will be their most cherished possession.
29.  Pelicans are mean, mean birds!
30.  Try everything that's on the dinner table.  You may be surprised with what you like.
31.  The love of a good book.
32.  Plaid suits should never be "in style".
33.  There is not a more beautiful car than a corvette.
34.  Building and decorating a doll house on Christmas morning is the experience of a lifetime.
35.  Funny cards are always better than sappy cards, no matter the occasion.
36.  Having a bedroom with no heat really isn't as bad as it sounds.  A warm fire is all you need.
37.  Never forget to put suntan lotion on your ears.
38.  And lastly, with a lot of patience, love and attention...anything will grow.

Happy Birthday, Dad!  I hope you had a wonderful day!