It's Just a Game

I am the first to admit that football season is like 12 weeks of Christmas in our house.  We look forward to each and every Saturday, cozy up to the TV for the day and watch, not just our teams but all teams, march their way down the field.  We cheer, we boo, we yell and we laugh...occasionally we cry.  We rarely cheer for the same teams, so we all know how to win and lose with dignity.  Unfortunately, not everyone learns those behaviors.

Tonight was the Little Miami/Kings game.  Two football teams, two bands, two stands full of spectators....and 80 police officers.  In the nine minutes of game play that we were able to endure, there were a handful of personal fouls and lots of booing from the stands.  The admission gates were secured, no re-entry allowed.  It wasn't until the band took the field that it felt like a high school sporting event, lighthearted and fun.

I know that every sport has rivalries and everyone wants to win.  But when the game is overshadowed by the level of required security, the love of the game is lost.  It's just a game.

Warranty

One of the most feared expressions in modern times is 'The computer is down.' - Norman Ralph Augustine

Nothing lasts forever, especially when it comes to technology.  Now call me crazy, but I do expect it to last a little longer than the warranty.  In this case however, I'm glad that the warranty is still good.  Coming home from Alaska, dying to upload and publish pictures only to find that my hard drive has crashed and died.  Thankfully, Tech Jeff came to the rescue and is currently replacing the drive and restoring order to the portrait kingdom.

A Part Time Job

Eight months seems like such a long time.  Until the landscape planner arrived tonight with a to do list of things that need to be accomplished by the first of June.  Furthermore, half of the list are items that should be completed prior to the ground freezing.  Yippee...because we didn't have enough on our plate over the next few weeks.  Oh well, it's worth it...right?  Years from now, while I'm admiring our handy work, I'll forget the crazy amount of time and sweat it took to complete it.  At least, that's what I hope!

No Worries

Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase.  Hakuna Matata ain't no passing craze.  It means no worries, for the rest of your days.  It's our problem-free philosophy.

It's been seventeen years since I've seen The Lion King on a theater screen and fell in love with Simba and Rafiki.  I was also pregnant with H.  He grew up with the music and the movie.  Together, I can't even begin to count how many times we've seen it.  When Disney announced that it would be returning to theaters for a two week special showing (in 3D), H and I were certain we'd be able to fit it in.  But if you know our schedules, it wasn't going to be easy. 

Thankfully, H managed to clear his afternoon schedule and we got to share a very special afternoon.  I'm sure that it was more sentimental for me than it was for him...but maybe not.  Life is made up of little moments to cherish...a minute, an hour or an afternoon here or there.  This was definitely one of them.  And one day, the boys will share those same moments with their kids.  It's the circle of life.

Not By Me...

H and his friends.  W and his friends.   They're always good for a laugh or two.  Since my computer is temporarily being held together with a bandaid, I thought I would take a minute to share some of my facebook favorites...taken by their friends.  They're definitely moments they'll want to remember!

Just Because

The Top 10 Reasons to Give Flowers

(I'm raising boys...their future wives will thank me!)

1.  Birthday
2.  Anniversary
3.  Gradution
4.  Promotion
5.  New Baby
6.  Holiday (specifically, Valentines Day!)
7.  I'm sorry you're sick
8.  I'm sorry you lost someone you love
9.  I'm just sorry...and it was my fault
10.  Just because I love you

Please note, the "just because I love you" flowers are the best.  Every girl will agree!

Fall Homecoming

What is the saying?  A picture is worth a thousand words.  Tonight was the homecoming dance and for the first time, both H and W attended.  W left with his date and several friends for dinner at Carrabas and the dance, to be followed by the frightening sites at FearFest.  H and his date had a quiet dinner at Outback beore heading off to the dance.  I'm hoping they are both having a wonderful time.  If their "before" smiles were any indication, I'm sure they are!

Our Homecoming

Tonight was Homecoming...for all of us.  It's amazing to think that in the last twenty hours, we watched the sun set in Anchorage, the sun rise in Ft. Worth and the sun set again in Maineville.  And we manged to stay awake long enough to see the awesome half time show at the homecoming football game with the boys.  Did I mention how much I missed them and how great it is to see them perform?  My high hopes today included processing some of the pictures from Alaska to share.  As you can see, that didn't happen.  We were lucky to get milk for coffee in the morning.  So instead, here's tonights pictures of the ones we were happy to come home to!

Goodbye to Alaska!

Today is our last day in Anchorage.  We'll be catching the red eye home tonight and our few days of wonderful will be a memory.  Not to worry, I plan on packing more into today than Jeff thinks possible!  So before we leave (and have no internet access for the rest of the day), I wanted to share one more picture of the beauty of Alaska.  We don't get sunrises like this at home.  See you guys tomorrow!

Not Enough Words

I would normally start this post with how tired I am.  I am weary down to my bones, so is Jeff.  I'm sure that my muscles will twitch for days.  But all I want to share today is how amazing and wonderful it was.  I'm pretty sure that today is a day I will remember for a lifetime.  A friend told me yesterday that the best thing about Anchorage is that it's 15 minutes away from Alaska.  I'm pretty sure that we saw some of the most amazing things the 49th state had to offer and we barely touched the surface.  In a nutshell, we traveled to Exit Glacier...that was our end goal.  Two hundred and fifty miles of driving, 3 miles of hiking and 500+ pictures later, we accomplished that goal and many others!

Since midnight (EST) is rapidly approaching, I don't have time to get more than a few pictures posted but I'll make up for that once we get home.  The only things missing today were H and W.  They may have hated the ride, the hike and my need to stop at every snow covered mountain.  But I assure you that they would have loved feeling the cold air drifting off of the glacier!  I love you guys and can't wait to see it again...with you!

Not the Museum!

After dinner last night, I've decided I'm not coming home!  I'll send for the boys, the sun, my sweatpants and a few other amenities but I'm definitely staying.  You just can't find fresh seafood in Cincinnati like we did here.  W might consider relocating if he tried the king crab!

Anyway, my plan for today was to hang out at the Alaska Museum for the day.  It's supposed to be a wonderful taste of the history of the state.  Jeff is working and the weather forecast was less the promising.  But when I headed out the door and sun was shining bright, I changed my mind on a dime and decided to drive around the city until I found the perfect picture of the day.  I think I was successful.  It's such a small city, but the views are amazing.  I'm still hoping to catch site of a moose, but all I found today were moose crossing signs.  Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Alaska - Day One

We made it.  With a few hiccups along the way, but I went to sleep last night looking out the window at the mountains.  I think I could live here....well, maybe until it gets really cold.  The 40's are certainly a huge change from the 70's at home though!

I want to take a minute to tell you about our flight in last night.  You know the rules, no cameras or phones out on take off or landing, so I missed capturing one of the greatest sights I've ever seen.  There is something about watching the sunset, high above the clouds that takes my breath away.  But when you add those warm golden tones to the top of snow covered mountains, there is nothing more beautiful.  We landed just as the sun ducked out of sight for the night, and watching it sink below the edge of the ocean was amazing.  While I may not have a picture to share, I'm certain that memory will live with me forever.

So after a few hours sleep, I decided to see what the Alaska Zoo had to see.  I braved the cold and the rain (ok, just a few drops here and there) to see some of the animals native to Alaska, or at least those that can tolerate the cold, cold winters.  No elephants, no lions, no tropical birds.  Lots of bears, ox and a lone moose!  Here's just a few.....

We're off!

Short posting as it's been a short morning!  Our bags are all packed and we're heading off on our Alaskan adventure.  With the time change and length of the flight, we won't make it to the hotel tonight until after midnight EST.  Happy Sunday everyone, I love you and we'll be safe :)

They Make Me Laugh

Do you want to know what two teenagers do when they have a little too much time on their hands?   All you have to do is give them a webcam and it's amazing how long they can amuse themselves.  Since we'll be gone for the next few days and I'll miss them bunches, these will make me smile until I can hug them again!

I've Got a Date!

A picture for today is in hot demand.  H was going to email one of his "cool" web cam pictures but band and friends (not necessarily in that order) got in the way.  So I needed a plan B.  Unfortunately, I've got all of my camera equipment packed up for a session tomorrow at the park.  I won't even mention that I couldn't come up with a topic for the day as my creativity was tapped after making custom baby announcements for the afternoon. 

So what do you do when the evening doesn't turn out quite as planned?  You play games. 

When the boys were little, I became enamored with The Sims.  Great, mindless game with a little strategy and a lot of every day life.  I loved it.  Since H never slept when he was little, I didn't either.  That left lots of time between midnight and 2am to play.  Over the years, our life got busy and there was little room for my Sim. 

All of that changed when Facebook released the new online version of Sims a few weeks ago.  And it's not just me, Jeff is playing nightly too.  For that matter, W now has his own Sim.  If I see H for more than a few minutes, I'm going to get him in the game too.  Nothing like being a family online too, right?  As much as I'd like to tell you more about it, I'm late for a date in Simsville.  It's with Jeff's Sim, so that's ok.  Right??

Easy Peasy

Finding something to talk about every day can be a little difficult.  For the most part, we lead normal lives.  Work, school, errands, menus and laundry.  Today was definitely a little more exciting though.  Mom came for a great visit.  We shopped for W's first homecoming tie (and it's purple!).  H found the perfect shoes and belt for his last fall homecoming. 

The only thing more exciting than those things is the fact that Vampire Diaries returns to TV tonight.  H, Jeff and I have been waiting for this hour for months!  No, I'm not kidding, we're thrilled!

Now I just have to wait for H to get home to watch it. 

Boundary Training

Touch the flag, get a treat.  That's the new goal for both of the puppies.  Tonight we learned boundary training and I'm very excited to get started.  Hopefully, the girls are too.  Since boundaries are something everyone should know, we've decided to get the whole family involved in teaching the girls the yard boundaries.  Our goal is for them to be outside without being on a leash at all times.  Wish us luck!  If tonight was any indication, it may prove to be a long process :)

Reflections

I had to head out to the park today to scope out lighting for an upcoming session.  It's so nice to do it when you have someone to pose for you.  So when I asked for a volunteer this afternoon, W was the first to say he'd go.  I think he always forgets what it entails until we get there.  We got a lot accomplished, saw some beautiful sites, watched the ducks and scoped out a couple of great areas.  This is my favorite picture of the day...I can see forever in W's sunglasses. 

Mulligans

According to Wikipedia, a mulligan, happens when a player gets a second chance to perform a certain move or action. The practice is also sometimes referred to as a "do-over". 

Some days you would like to live over and over again - sunny, summer vacation days, wedding days, birthdays, days that you want to cherish forever.  Some days you want to ask for a mulligan - go back to bed, start all over and pretend the day didn't happen.  Unfortunately, mulligans are reserved for games like golf.  Life isn't easy, its not always fun and some things are out of your control.  Life is going to happen to you, but how you respond to it is up to you. 

I think I'll respond by taking up golf.

Not Just Another Day

I've been thinking about today for weeks.  Jeff and I wanted to make sure that we found the perfect way to spend  normal, relaxing day with the boys, while still remembering the tragic events of 9/11 on the 10th anniversary.

Normal day...we definitely got that covered.  H had Interalliance, W had the Eagles game. Jeff and I checked out the trees at the nursery, grocery shopped and made a quick trip to Lowe's.  Normal Sunday stuff when Saturday is a chaotic mess.

As for remembering 9/11, we didn't forget that either.  Trust me, we'll never forget.  Ten years have passed and it's a strange feeling.  I can't tell if it feels like yesterday or seems like a lifetime ago.  The boys were 4 and 7.  Austin was 10.  Now they're in high school and Austin is in the military, hoping to serve in the war that was started on that day.  So to honor the day, the innocent lives lost and the heroes that were born, we hung a flag.  And hopefully each time we see it or pass it, we'll be reminded of how blessed we all are. 

 

9.10.11

I'm tired and it's only 8:30pm.  We still have at least 6 hours until the boys get home and I'm sure they are far more tired than we are.  But no complaints here.  When you spend the day with great friends supporting causes that are close to your heart, you end the day happy...no matter how sleepy.  Today that included the DSAGC Buddy Walk and Vinoklet (a fundraising event for the marching band).  So while the boys were off performing with said band, we were selling wine tickets to ensure that all kids that want to march can. 

If you spend a minute or two looking around, you'll find someone that inspires you to be a better person.  I was lucky enough to spend the day with several of those people...Pamela and Sharon, the Tomlin family, Bev, Mark, Jeff, the band parents and lots of others.  All people that give their heart, soul and time to make someone else's life better or easier.  It was an honor to be part of that group.

Jeff and Dylan's Cincinnti Enquirer Picture

Annual favorites at the Buddy Walk (and they let me hold the gun!)

Vanna and his lovely sidekick (Thanks Bev!)

Winter Uniforms

As I've mentioned the last few days, cooler temperatures are upon us.  Nothing says fall like Marching Band Uniforms.  You know its cool when the band trades their polos and shorts for full uniforms, complete with tails and a plume!  I know I've raved about the boys before, but seeing them dressed in full uniform was one of the coolest things I've seen...ever.  All I want to do tonight is share it with you!

W's grand entrance.....

H's stoic stance......

And this is H's solo.....

The Life of a Cat

In between working and chores today, I found myself sitting watching the cat.  I've decided that in my next life, that's what I would like to be.  Really, it's got to be the life.  She looked so peaceful all curled up on the couch, not a worry in the world.  And when she's not snoozing, she's running the house.  She has the dogs well trained.  For that matter, she has Jeff and I well trained.  It's the life of a queen. 

After further reflection, I've changed my mind.  I no longer want to be a cat.  The litter box has completely changed my outlook.

Slipper Day

There are always signs that Fall is just around the corner.  Completing yard work becomes a priority.  A leaf or two starts to float through the air.  The air conditioning unit doesn't run nonstop.  Football games take the place of dropping the boat in the lake.  However, the sure sign that cooler temps have arrived is the appearance of Jeff's slippers.  They're not just any slippers.  To him, they are the closest thing to heaven.  H and W have followed in his footsteps when it comes to the slippers too (no pun intended!).   They'll all be walking though the house with toasty tootsies by the weekend.   

Evening Treats

It's no secret, we all love sweets.  Well, all of us except Jeff.  Ice cream is my first choice.  H and I have that in common.  Although, he likes his with brownies or Coco Pebbles.  W, he's an Oreo guy.  You can set your watch by both of them, 9pm and not a minute later.  The chocolate sauce and milk are just the final touches.  I've tried to tell them that they won't be able to eat like this forever, but it's more of a "do as I say, not as I do" lesson.  Maybe we should all take up jogging together to work it off. 

And yes, those are strawberry Oreos...from Columbia.  Another find at Jungle Jims.

A Star is Born

The "unofficial" end of summer arrived today.  It brought with it our first taste of some cooler temperatures and plenty of rain.  Not that I'm complaining about either.  I do admit that we will all be complaining about the cold temperatures soon though.  But what a great end to a long weekend.  We had  great time with Jan and Gary, followed by a wonderful evening of dinner, laughs and Superman.   The final event of the day was slicing up W's star fruit and providing samples to the whole family.  Such a bright and sunny fruit, on such a cold and grey day.  One more first food covered.  Over all, it was a hit.  Although, I'm not sure that H would agree!

Jungle Jims

Foodie.  A person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food.

Can you be a foodie if you're only interested in the consumption part and not the preparation aspect of food?  I love to eat.  I love food.  Something that I have in common with all of our family.  Jeff likes to cook as does H on occasion.  W and I aren't chefs, but we can certainly eat.

So when Jan and Gary mentioned visiting Jungle Jims while there were here, W and I were jumping for joy.  Lots of things to see, foods to try and places to explore.  Once we finished scouring Ikea for deals, we headed over.  Remind me never to visit there again on a holiday weekend though!

After fighting all the crowds, W and I found lots of things that we'd like to try.  Our food for tomorrow will be the star fruit and tonight I'm sure W will be digging into the strawberry Oreos he found in one of the foreign food isles.  We have enough green beans to last the week and a new smoked cheese that W picked to try too. 

And as always, Jungle Jims was full of new things!