Spring Storms

Now that's one heck of a Spring storm!  Those chairs are light!  Thankfully it was just one chair....and only about 20 feet.  We'll see what tomorrows storms bring.

I Promise.

Beautiful, aren't they!  They are Jethro Tull Coreopsis.  They are a golden yellow and have a unique "fluted" petal.  I love them!  

While they may not look all that spectacular to everyone, they are worth millions to me.  If you know me, you know I love fresh cut flowers. On occasion, Jeff will surprise me with a bouquet of lilies and I'll keep them in the kitchen until they're beyond wilted.  But these, these are the first flowers that I've EVER clipped from my own garden.  

I spent my early years watching Mom grow veggies (in a boat!).  Hilton Head wasn't really conducive to gardening.  Then I grew up and moved out on my own.  I've grown veggies, impatiens and a host of peace lilies.  None of which were suitable for clipping and displaying.  But these, they are my pride and joy.

So to my boys...when you  move into your first house with your new wife, plant a flower.  One that looks pretty in a vase.   Your wife will love it.  Forever.  I promise.

  

Almost Over!

Can you tell that the school year is coming to an end?  Most of the kids get out this week.  Unfortunately, we still have another week to go...and it's exam week, at that!  But you can tell by the SnapChat I received from Will that they must not be working too hard.  Hopefully these two don't blow the school up, lol!

Do you like it?

It's time for a vote!  I'm trying to decide on colors for the spare bedroom/sewing room.  I'm in LOVE with the teal and orange color scheme.  Here's the colors I have picked out.  What do you think?

What do you do?

Happy Anniversary, Jeffrey!  Yep, I'm a little early, but we have to take a free weekend where we can get it so we decided to celebrate now.  And what better way to celebrate than a weekend away!  A weekend away at a Castle!  

Cool, isn't it?   We had a plan.  No internet service, no cell service, no television. It screamed quiet weekend away.  Until we checked in and spent the first hour staring at each other, trying to figure out what to do.  I mean really, if I took away your computer, your phone, your cable television and your radio for three days...where would you start?  And how long until you've gone crazy?

So what to you do?  We started with games.  I won Battleship (barely) and Jeff won Name 5 (barely, but with style!).  An evening of games got us through the first few hours.

So the next morning, we decided to get out and enjoy the fresh air for the day.  First stop, food.  Second stop, Cedar Falls.

We really did see the falls.  I just liked that picture better!  After the falls?  The suspension bridge.  It was beautiful.

On a side note, I learned Jeff hates suspension bridges!  Who knew?  But now that I do, I won't make that mistake again!  Thankfully, he was a good sport about it.  After the bridge, I thought I should do something to make it up to him.  So a trip to the Wind Chime Shop was next.  Really, he does love the place.  It wasn't for me!  We did manage to find a few Christmas presents along the way too.  And this little guy....man, it must be the time of year for turkeys.

We'd now made it more than 24 hours without technology.  No calls, no texts, no emails.  That's when we stumbled upon dinner.

Amazing pizza and 4G internet service!  For one hour, we became that couple we make fun of when we're out.  You know the ones.  The couples that sit at a table, completely immersed in their phones and totally unaware of anyone else in the restaurant, including those at their own table.  But I got to touch base with the boys and answer a few studio emails.  Jeff got to check emails and do a little "Google"ing. 

Then it was back to the Castle for an evening of peace and quiet.  Oh, I almost forgot...we weren't actually staying at the Castle.  We had decided on something a little more rustic.  It was on the Castle grounds, but you had to drive to reach it.  This is the Frog Prince cabin in Fairy Tale Village.  A bed, a bathroom and a coffee maker.  Those were our requirements and this was perfect.  With the cold temperatures, the heat was a bonus! 

The second technology free evening was much easier.  A movie on Jeff's laptop helped that considerably :)  I know that's cheating, but we haven't managed to sit and watch a movie in months so it was like a vacation for us.  

After another great nights sleep and brunch at the Castle, we started off on a trek to Moonville.  If you haven't heard of it, google it.  It's a beautiful, historic railway town...or at least it used to be.  It was a great hike and the pictures were beautiful. Too many to post, but here's a peek.  Unfortunately, we didn't find the ghost!

We did manage to find a great cup of coffee and an antique mall on our way out though.  It was later afternoon before we finally managed to make it to Old Mans Cave.  Safety warnings and caution tape covered the place.  You couldn't look left or right without seeing a park ranger.  Yet the number of people "off trail" was amazing.  Some people have to learn the hard way.  Still, it was an amazing afternoon hike.

After a second night of pizza and internet, we headed back for one last evening of quiet.  I have to admit, I was getting used to it.  It's easy to forget the outside world when you have no connection to it.  It was the best anniversary present!  

Today we headed home.  We both had sore calves and smiling faces.  Nine years later and there is still nothing better than a quiet weekend away with Jeff.  Thank you for a great weekend of smiles and laughter.  

Oh, and when we get another free weekend, this is what I would like you to build....

Road Trips

Memorial Day for our family has always been synomous with Road Trips. As a kid all I can remember was dreading road trips. Sitting in a car for hours on end was something that an energetic child dreaded. Luckily Mom and Jeff always had ways of keeping us entertained. For each family there are some similarities and differences when it comes to road trips, and for me there was nothing better I could think of than to share with you guys my favorite memories of road trips.

To me when I think of road trips I think of many different things. First off passing people pulled over by cops (I now have sympathy for the people I used to drive by and laugh at, if you were wondering yes... it is a sore subject, please don't bring it up). Secondly and my favorite, singing songs that annoy Mom, songs about Bennie and her electric boobs, the buffalo soldier, why unicorns are extinct, and every classic comercial theme song you can think of were just some of the many that we sang on every trip and still know by heart. And then there's always the classic sights of, reading, sleeping (taking pictures of people sleeping), and then Will and I in the back seat with our head phones turned up all the way to not hear Mom and Jeffs music.

As many of you know this weekend Mom and Jeff went on a road trip, as did Will, Ashley, and I! And since I'm sure you will all get to see pictures from Mom and Jeffs trip when they get back, so I thought I would take a chance to show you guys some of the highlights from our trip!

So I hope you all had a great weekend! and maybe even a road trip! I know we did!

We're off!

I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again.

Ok, so we're leaving by car, not plane.  And I do know when we're returning, but that song is stuck in my head.  I just wanted to wish everyone a very happy Memorial Day weekend!  I hope you have beautiful weather, yummy food on the grill and safe travels...even if that's only as far as Kroger!  We're off on our Medieval adventure and will be out of internet and phone range until Monday!  No worries though, we've got two guest bloggers that will be filling in for me until I return to the modern age on Monday!  I'm sure you'll find each of them to be very entertaining!

And we couldn't think of a better way to start our adventure than lunch with the gang.  Hopefully, they'll have as much fun this weekend as I plan to!

Off to Oz!

Oh, I wish there were a few more hours in a day.  Today, I would use them to finish all of the stuff I don't have done.  Yesterday, I would have skyped with Hunter for a little longer.  Tomorrow, I would add them to my lunch hour.

In a mad dash to get it all done, I have finally finished my Wizard of Oz trading cards.  In the big scheme of things, they're not really all that important.  But it's the little things that bring a smile to all of the Oz fans in the family.  Unfortunately, I haven't finished them in enough time to get them scanned so you can see them tonight...so hold tight.  A picture will arrive by morning :)

Never give up.

That's my motto of the day, of the week, of the month and of the year.  Time passes, whether you work hard or sit in front of the television.  I choose to work hard.  But tonight, I've worked so hard I'm falling asleep as I type this.  Here's to a good nights sleep and a day off.

Just Tuesday.

It's Tuesday.  Nothing exciting, just Tuesday.  But sometimes, those are my favorite days.  A day of work, a bit of planting, dinner with two of my favorite guys, an evening of Smallville and a beautiful sunset.  Plain and ordinary is a blessing today.  Nothing exciting is just the way I like it.  My thoughts and prayers are with the families in Oklahoma that will never know plain and ordinary again.  I can't even imagine.  

Teenagers.

See what happens when I let him out of my sight for a few minutes?  Or in this case, for a few days to attend a heavy metal marathon.  How did it happen, you ask?

"While I was ROCKING OUT, I got kicked in the face by a crowd surfer.  My sunglasses broke and it cut my face.  But I went to the first aid station.  I think it's cool....at least I don't have to shave for a while longer."

Ahhh, to be the parent of a teenager.  And yes, I think he needs a haircut too!

Ummmm...

Me:  "Is the deck on fire?"

Will:  "No."

Jeff:  "No, the grill is still on."

Me:  "Are you sure?  That's a lot of smoke."

Will:  "Nope."

Fast forward ten minutes.

Jeff:  "Want to walk out and see the new trees?"

Me:  "Sure."

Jeff:  "Look at the Poplars."

Me:  "Look, the decks on fire!"

Jeff:  "Oh sh!t, it is!"

Today's lesson:  Mom is generally (always!) right.

Will's Big Day!

There are just some experiences that will stick with you for a lifetime.  I'm pretty sure that Will had one of them today!  Rock the Range was everything he hoped for.  And I'm sure he'll remember meeting Asking Alexandria forever.  They're on their way home, tired and happy.  Before he crashed, he shared these....

Awesome Day!

Some days there just aren't enough words.  Or maybe it's too many words and I just can't choose.  Either way, today was one of them.

Will and Daniel are off to enjoy their big concert weekend. Hunter and Ashley got to join us for a while.  I got to see Mom, Ryan and Hunters new digs.

Will? Is that you?

Most days, I try to use images that are mine.  On an off day, I'll find a meme or a joke because I haven't managed to snap a picture worth posting.  But I would be doing us all a huge disservice if I didn't "borrow" Grumpy Cat.  He is Will's favorite internet character.  The cat kid thanks this is the funnies cat on the planet.  I have to admit, he makes me chuckle each time I see his scowling face.

Not familiar with Grumpy Cat?  Take one second and google "Grumpy Cat Memes".  The images you find will keep you in stitches for quite some time.  The funnies part, Will makes that face on a regular basis.  I'm not sure who learned it from who.

Afternoon Snack

Look who came to visit for an afternoon snack!  Oh my, how he's grown!  Jeff found another one in the yard later this evening.  It makes me breathe a little easier.  Is it terrible when you worry as much about the bunnies as you do your own kids?

Uh oh, he's back!

I had an idea all set up for the blog.  Until I heard Joey start growling.  That in it's self is a rare occasion, but when she's glued to the back door looking out into the yard, I can only assume its an animal.

Look who I found!  Jeff's arch nemesis and one who's been MIA for quite some time.  I'm thinking a bb in the rear end will make you stay away for a bit.  But food always wins out, I  guess.

Either way, Jeff cringed and I laughed when I saw him :)

5am

There's not a lot worth getting up at 5 o'clock in the morning for.  Quite frankly, I can only think of a few things.  Court is not one of them.  Fortunately, Jeff's early morning trip transitioned into lunch  with Hunter and a chance to check out his new digs.  So while Will was eating "horrible" lo mein noodles at school and I was sneaking in Hot Heads....Jeff and Hunter got to visit at Canes.  They definitely got the better deal.  Even if they had to get up at 5am to do it.

Mothers Day :)

Will and I had a wonderful day, finishing up with a gourmet dessert picked just for us (thank you, Jeff!).  And while I couldn't spend the day with Mom or Hunter, it was nice to know that they got to spend part of the day together.   And Friday I get to see them both!  An email from Austin made the day complete.

I'm lucky to be the daughter of an amazing woman.  I'm lucky to have have the two most amazing young men on the planet call me Mom.  And I'm lucky to be married to someone who thinks I'm amazing.  Happy Mothers Day, everyone.  I hope you're as lucky as I am!

Mrs. Robin

On the eve of Mothers Day, I couldn't have found a more appropriate picture.  After a day of running around, we came home to find all of the babies peeking out at us.  We watched Momma feed them, call them from a nearby tree and quickly realized that tonight wouldn't be the day they left the nest.  I could watch them for days...and I probably will  - starting tomorrow.

But the hours got me thinking of everything a mom will do to prepare the little ones to leave the nest.  Over a month ago, we watched Momma build the perfect nest.  The old one had made it through the winter (barely) and with a little hard work, it was good as new.  Nothing was too good for her babies.  She sat there for weeks, keeping them warm and safe.  Once they were born, she didn't even move for us.  She protected them from the wind and the rain.  She became a scavenger, finding each and every worm she could feed them.  We watched them get bigger and bigger each day.  And each day, she left for a little longer.  She flew a little further away from the nest.  She taught them to have faith that she would always return.

Tonight, she sat in a nearby tree and sang to them.  They knew her voice.  While they couldn't see her (they were looking at us), they knew she was nearby.  And in the next few days, they'll find the confidence to fly.  She'll teach them how and off they'll go....knowing that she'll be waiting for them.

Again, its not often you get to see the very basics of life.  It's even less often that you get to see your life reflected back at you.  Thank you, Mrs. Robin, for reminding me that it's my job teach them to fly!

Jealous?

Such a sweet text from my youngest.  I just wanted to share his thoughtfulness.  It was so nice that he was thinking of me as he was shoveling down his seafood dinner.  I'm sure he wanted to bring me some, but after he cleared out the buffet, there was nothing left.  Oh, except a few fried bananas that he claimed were "disgusting".  Poor kid.  Horrible dessert after his yummy dinner.

It's the thought that counts, right?

BEEt it!

That's one of our bee traps.  Yes, it's empty.  Yes, that's a bee hanging on the outside of it.  I'm hoping I'll find him inside it in the morning.  I have to admit, it bothers me that we have to kill them.  Not quite as much as it bothers me that when they're alive, they are boring a million holes in our woodwork!  And just so you know, that's the only empty trap.  We've already disposed of 30+ bees and the other four traps are full again :)

Very Cool!

I know I shouldn't be outside - the honeysuckle is starting to bloom.  But in between sneezes, I caught a glimpse of a beautiful dragonfly.  I was positive that by the time I got my camera, he'd be gone but I lucked out.  So here is yet another bug.  Who knew they looked that cool close up?

Lollipop Moments

I wanted to take a moment to share a story.

A few days before Hunter got home for his mini vacation, I received a package in the mail.  It was full of goodies and art from a person that I've never met.  This wonderful lady send me a "thank you" for being so NICE to her.  Long story short, she was a newbie on our trading card site and she was too nervous to join my newest swap because she was inexperienced and didn't know what others would think of her art.  First, let me tell you that her art was amazing.  Second, we've all felt that way and I wasn't being nice, I was being me.  But she touched my heart by taking the time to send something to show her appreciation.  That doesn't happen anymore.  I'm just as guilty of everyone else, but now I'll try harder.

Fast forward to Hunter and my trip to IKEA.  It was a few days later and we'd been shopping all day.  As we were leaving the self check, Hunter stopped at the desk, thanked the women for helping us and told her to have a wonderful day.  I giggled and told him that he'd become much more polite since he left for school.  He told me it was a Lollipop Moment.  It got us talking about the nice stranger who send me the package.  So when we got in the car, Hunter played me an audio of the following video.  He was lucky enough to see him in person, I had to settle for the YouTube version.  Touching, just the same.

Hunter and I both took a lot from it.  I'm hoping you do too.  You never know what someone else is going through.

To watch our new favorite video, click the blue link below:)

Lollipop Moments

Ugh!

Oh my, I feel horrible.  This morning it was because Hunter left after our brief vacation and headed back to Ohio State.  Him driving to Columbus and knowing that his next break isn't until August is enough to make any mother feel a little off.

Who knew that it would continue throughout the day and by nightfall I would be running a fever and ready to head to bed by 9:00.  Ok, I was ready at 7:00 but Jeff and Will would have been appalled to miss an evening of Smallville.  So I'm finishing up here, popping some pills (just Advil and Sudafed) and heading to bed.  

I really do feel crappy.  But maybe that was someones way of making sure I didn't sit and cry all day that he left.  

Hunter Arnold, Come on Down!

Drew Carey?  Nope, that's Hunter.

What do you think of his new glasses?  According to him and the lady at the eye doctor, these frames are all the rage.  According to me?  He looks like he should be hosting The Price is Right or doing a stand up routine.  Either way, they look better than his last pair which was from 8th grade!

When a days starts like this......

When a day starts like this, it's a great day (to be a Panther!).

We attend every band concert.  I'm sure that somewhere in the back row, Will is playing his heart out.  Unfortunately, I NEVER get to see it.  He's in the middle of the back row, buried behind another sax and a clarinet player.  On a good day, I can make out his shoes.  But I knew today was going to be a good day when they asked the back row to stand for a picture.  I was one happy mom.  It didn't hurt that Hunter was sitting next to me.  I was sure that was the highlight of the day.  Little did I know it was just going to get better.

I admit, when Hunter mentioned a fire in the fire pit and s'mores, I was a little apprehensive   I blame it on the coyote.  The back yard just hasn't looked quite as appealing since I saw him wander through a while back.  But hesitantly, I agreed to sit out there for a bit with all of them.  Four hours later, I'm pretty positive this night will stick with me forever.

As a mom, there is nothing that will warm your heart as quickly as old stories, new stories, funny jokes and a campfire.  An evening surrounded by the people that you love the most is an unforgettable experience.

I smell like a campfire.  My fingers are sticky.  I'm pretty sure the ashes blowing through the air burned a hole in my favorite jeans.  But my heart is light, my mind is clear and I've learned that being a parent to adults is just as rewarding as when they were learning to take their first steps.

Now if only I could appreciate the taste of a burned marshmallow.