A little bummer....

I guess there are worse things in life.  If I have to stay off of my foot, at least there's plenty of college football to watch!  Unfortunately, it means no hiking this weekend, but I'm thinking maybe this was God's way of saying we needed a break.  Lots of rest and relaxation.


Happy College Football Day!!

Schools in Session!

I used to take pictures of the boys every morning on the first day of school.  Now, they take pictures of themselves :D  Thankfully, they still think of it and send it to me to share.

Happy first day of classes, Hunter!

Flying by.

Dear Father Time,

I know you have a job to do.  You're responsible for the miracle moment in which the boys entered this world.  You sat with me for hours each night as I rocked sick little ones and you graced me with my fair share of mornings to sleep in as those little ones grew.  You're responsible for the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve and the alarm clock buzzing each morning.

Most of the time, you go unnoticed.  Simply standing in the background watching each minute pass.  In the chaos of our lives, we don't really even notice.

But tonight, I did.  I saw you there, ticking off minutes as we attended Will's first college meet and greet.  I could almost hear ever second that you marked.  You see, right now, you're my biggest adversary.  I'm working to stretch each minute and you're making each hour about half as long.  Time is rushing by.

So as a mom, I plead with you, please cut this girl a break.  Let Will enjoy each hour, second and minute of the upcoming year and let me have each minute to prepare for his big move.  I can't tell you how much I would appreciate it.

Sincerely,

The Mom of Every High School Senior!

I like big trucks (and I can not lie).

It's been almost 10 years since that poor deer wrecked my truck.  And not one day goes by (seriously, not one) that I don't tell Jeff that I miss my pick up.  Damn that deer.  But the Tahoe was more "responsible".  It fit everyone, it towed the boat, it towed the trailer and it was a little more comfortable for us grown ups.

But did I mention how much I missed my truck?

Fast forward to the now.

When we make changes, we make BIG changes.  HUGE changes.  Like sell the house, by a smaller one, downsize and declutter.  As we go through all of our stuff, we realize that the indoor storage is less of a concern as outdoor storage.  We have a tractor, a wagon, seeders, spreaders, snow blowers, blowers, weed wackers and a trailer.  A full size trailer.  And yep, you guessed it....NO outdoor storage.  Now, there's really not a need for the snow blower, the tractor, the spreader or the weed wacker.  But that dang trailer is a problem.

We haul firewood, junk to and from camp and it's made at least a million trips to Lowes.  No trailer?  Big problem.

Unless you have a TRUCK!  Bingo, I'd found my in.

So meet my new baby.  With a little tear, I traded in my Tahoe for a big girl truck.  And now we still have seats for everyone, but a bed that will replace the trailer.  And for not one penny more (thanks Jeff for your awesome negotiation skills!).

So goodbye trailer, I've got my truck back.

Not one.

I didn't take a single picture today.  I'm not sure how that happened.  

I did spend the day with Will at the new house planning out his new room.  He's so excited that it's hard not to be excited with him.  Man, it's going to be one cool room.  Well, cool to him and that's all that matters.

So we'll be back tomorrow with some cool picture!  

Counting down.

We're all ready for camp now!!!  It won't be filled with moonshine, but I'm suspecting no one will notice that :D  I can't wait to go...just a few more days!

One more goodbye.

I'm a little late posting tonight.  It's been a long day in our home.

As a mom , it's so hard to watch your kids hurt.  It's even harder when you hurt right along with them.  Tonight, we all said our good byes to Miranda.  While we're all so proud of her and excited to see what her future brings, we're going to miss her terribly.

With each one that leaves, I think it'll get a little easier.  Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.  And it reminds me that we have just a handful of minutes left with Will so I'm determined to spend as many with him as possible.
 

One sad dog.

Think she's still mad that Hunter is gone?  I used to think she was my dog.  Apparently, that's not even close to the truth.  I'm guessing you can figure out who's seat that is, right? 

Hunter, come get your dog!  

Our first fish.

The first.  The last.  The biggest and the most.

Will won them all today!  

An hour or so of fishing followed by a picnic pizza dinner on the floor at the new house.

Now I'm off to bed to try and nurse this cold away.  I just don't have time to be sick.

For Sale.

For Sale:

Extremely large brass candelabra light.  Recently rescued from the 1980's.  Free of dust for about 2 minutes given the design.  Husband and both sons will deliver if you'll take it immediately.  According to wife, would be absolutely amazing if painted a teal color with a bit of white wash and $20 artsy light bulbs.

If you're interested, please comment here quickly before above mentioned husband donates it to Rumpke.

Happy Sunday (and I mean happy!)

I can't think of a better way to end the weekend.  After a wonderful day with Jeff, the evening consisted of watching Alaska: The Final Frontier with Toccoa and finishing up a baby present.  It was just what the doctor ordered.

Although my 20 minutes of McAwesome was probably the highlight of the day!!

The key to a restful weekend.

You know that Saturdays that being with an alarm clock at 7:30am are going to be a long day.

In a few short hours, we managed to get the house cleaned from top to bottom and headed to the Duck house.  The short list of to do items was changing all of the locks.  We managed to get that done and a bit more before we tuckered out for the evening.

I'm off to bed, a few hours sleep and we'll start again in the morning.  I thought weekends were supposed to be restful?!

I'm in love.

It's official.  We're home owners...again.

The Duck House is ours.  I still can't believe it.  We've loved the house since the minute we laid eyes on it.  Jeff always promised me a house "on the lake" and now we have it. 

We've made all of our decisions based on the boys.  This was a Mom and Jeff decision.  A home that would be best for us for years and years.  I hope the boys love it as much as we do. 

I'm completely overwhelmed yet completely in love.  I can't think of a better home to share with Jeff as we embark on a new chapter in our lives.   He gets a duck and I get a lake.  Who could ask for anything more?

Meet Charlotte.

and her beautiful web.

For weeks now, Jeff has been watching her.  Every evening, she builds this AMAZING web.  And every night, Jeff uses the broom to wipe out her home.  Home showings and very large spiders just don't work well together.

Then I saw her.  I was so excited.  I mean really, how cool is that web?  I was so excited to see her last night but it was way to dark for pictures.  But before bed, I made Jeff promise he'd leave her for just a day so I could snap her portrait this morning.  Imagine my surprise when I went racing out this morning, camera in hand, just to find her gone.

So after a little research (thank you, Jeffrey!), we learned that she is an orb weaver.  And after a little more research, we learned that orb weavers eat their web every night so they can recycle the silk.  Isn't that awesome!  She's a "green" spider.  Recycle and Reuse.

Anyway, we spent most of the evening outside tonight, waiting for her to arrive.  She was late and it was dark, but with a little camera magic, I was able to catch a few shots.  Better luck tomorrow...maybe she'll be a little more prompt.  So until then...

Very little left.

Just to be clear, absolutely nothing happened today.

I took tons of pictures (all to clear out junk from the studio) but you don't want to see those.  

Jeff had a pretty rotten day and Will's second day of school was apparently less thrilling than the first (although I didn't think that was possible).

Hunter did get to hang out with Mom, Reese and Ryan so if I had to wager a guess, he has a better story than I do today.

So with no pictures, nothing witty or fun, all that's left is to wish Jeff and Hunter a Happy National Lefthanders Day.  A day especially for everyone that just isn't right.  Hope you guys found a way to celebrate :D

The First.

Want to know what my favorite part of back to school is?  Snapchat.

Since I'm not allowed to get up with Will in the morning before school (Mom, I don't need you to get up with me!), it's so nice to wake up a bit later and find a snapchat on my phone.

They're always funny and a great way to start the day.  Especially this one.

Happy First Day of your Senior Year, Will!  You've been waiting for this day for years.  I know you're hoping it flies by.  I'm kinda hoping is goes a little slower.  But either way, I hope you enjoy every second of it!

It's a school night.

The first "school night" of the season...and this is what it looks like in our house.

Don't let the look fool you, he's thrilled for school to start tomorrow.  Not because he's excited to go back, but because he's excited to git 'er done!  

Happy Back to School, Will!  I hope tomorrow is wonderful!  

Season Finale.

I've spent the afternoon reminding myself that today is not the end of the world, just the season finale.  Fall will bring football, surprise visits from Hunter, long weekends away with Will and a family Thanksgiving.  Summer has to end at some point, otherwise the "break" wouldn't be so special.

So how to you say good bye to summer?  You go camping!  And we didn't just camp, we jumped in with both feet!  We started with a little work around the camp site.  Anytime you get all three guys together, they must complete some sort of project.  This weekend, it was taking down the circa 1970 television antenna.  Next time you see Hunter, ask him about his redneck saw :)

Hunter, Jeff, Will and Miranda shook up the corn hole tournament for the first time in ages.  Will and Miranda made it to the second round (although they had a bye in the first round) and lost a tough game to some pros.  However, Jeff and Hunter made it through five rounds to play in the final game!  Talk about shaking up the holler.  The new kids on the block drew all sorts of attention.  And I mean all sorts of attention.  You'd think we hadn't been camping there for almost a year now.  While they lost the last game, they certainly made a name for themselves...and made a few friends along the way.

All the excitement of corn hole helped us work up quite an appetite.  The only way to quench that was dinner at "the Kitchen" with fried Oreo sundaes for dessert.   I mean really, what kind of send off weekend would it be without that fried goodness?  We ate our sundaes at the shelter house, listening to quite possibly the worst band we've all ever heard.  But we laughed, we sang and we people watched.  And trust me when I tell you, there were lots of people there worth watching.  And after another hour or so in front of the fire pit, it was time to call it a night.  

This morning we set our alarms (yep, on a Sunday) to make sure we got Hunter to his new home right on time.  On a side note, can I tell you how much I hate all of the construction on campus?  I can't believe these guys can find their way around!  After a circle or two around the block, we made it to Hunters new dorm and got all his stuff loaded in.  It's such a nicer dorm than last year.  He'll be happy as a clam.

After a quick lunch, it was time to say good bye.  Selfishly, I always think I'm going to miss him most.  But when I see the look in Jeff's eyes or watch the hug between Hunter and Will, I remember that all four of us are sad to see this day arrive.  Yet it's so full of excitement, anticipation and pride that I can't be as sad as I once was.  We're all growing through this process.  And at the other end, we'll be stronger and more independent.

That being said, only 106 days until Thanksgiving Break!!!!!

YES!

Is there any better fortune to get?

I'm hoping that means that there is an offer on the house in our near future.  Or that a winning lottery ticket falls in our lap.  Or just that we get to spend an extra night or two together.

Oh wait.  That's it.  An extra night together.  At camp.  That's my dream.

I can't wait until the boys and Miranda get here tomorrow and we get to spend one last night enjoying summer fun.

I say YES!

Here we go again!

And so it begins!  As we pack Hunter up and get ready to return to OSU this weekend, this comes in the mail for Will.  It's his campus tour information packet.  Thank goodness they included a map (insert sarcastic eye roll here)!

At least I know that with all of the upcoming visits Will will have to make to Ohio State, we'll all get to sneak in a few extra moment with Hunter too.

Dear heavens, please slow this down just a little though?

What I did today.

What I love to do all day....

What I wished I could do today....

What Hunter and Will did today....

Thank you.

Our summer is wrapping up.  For the last ninety days, we've been able to be a family again.  It's been two years.  Two years too long.

I know that we'll be saying good bye to summer this weekend when we take Hunter back to school.  And just a few days later, Will will start his Senior Adventure.  Both take my breath away.

But I look at this....

and I know that no matter where we are, how long in between visits and no matter the time of year...we're still family.  And if you give us five minutes together, we'll jump right back in.

I love all three of you with all of my heart.  Thank you for making me the happiest mom in the world this weekend.  Hopefully, we'll find our way here at least one weekend a year, as a family, to do it all again!

Another awesome day.

The view from behind....

The view up ahead....

Floating down the Hocking River, surrounded by those I love the most.  Who could ask for a better day?  

Of course, it's been a while, so it's also reminded me how much my muscles have aged in the last 7 or 8 years.  Hopi

Oreos and Tequila Shots

Those were the topics of conversation for the day.  Along with Bawls root beer, the Detroit Lions, the House of the Rising Sun and probably a half of dozen things I can't blog about.    

In just a day, we managed a fabulous camp breakfast, Walmart, the flea markets, golf cart rides, dinner and several hours in front of the fire pit!

The most amazing part of the day?  The fact we got to spend it all together...laughing and joking.  No television, no phones, no internet.  Just a lot of laughs.

It's days like today that I know I'm the luckiest mom and wife in the world.

I hope they each know how much I love them and how thankful I am for days like today.

Passing Time!

A rainy day at camp is better than a sunny day at home...anytime.

The boys arrived first thing this morning.  Unfortunately, the rain beet them by about an hour.  And although the official forecast called for periods of sun, Mother Nature had a different plan.  It wasn't until late evening that the rain passed and we could come out from cover.

So what do you do when it rains?  HGTV and Uno.

The boys stretched out in the extra room and watched a Property Brothers marathon.  Jeff and I sat on the floor of the camper and played a heated game of Uno.  It took all afternoon and it was a fight to the death.  But as usual, luck was on Jeff's side and he squeaked out a win.  The weather man is calling for a few afternoon showers tomorrow...so I'm already planning my rematch!

Thankfully, the weather cleared in just enough time to allow us to grill out and splurge on fried Oreo sundaes (yep, I finally tried one!!).

Hopefully the weather holds out tomorrow as we have tons of plans.  But if it doesn't, I'll be just as happy hanging out, with my three favorite guys, playing cards and watching DIY.  It doesn't matter what we do, as long as we do it together!

It's almost over.

Where has the summer gone?

As I sit here tonight, I realize that no matter what I do, time seems to move faster than I can imagine.  I work hard to slow it down.  I try to cherish every single moment, but like everyone, my attempts are often futile.  

Work happens, whether  I like it or not.  The lawn needs mowed, the house needs cleaned.  No matter how many minutes I try to "save" each day, something happens to eat up all the extras.

And now Hunter has a feeling of that too.  Getting up at 5:30 in the morning to get to work by 7am makes for along day.  The endless hours of sitting up at night are quickly exchanged for a few extra hours of sleep.  The minutes between quitting time and bed time are filled with dinner, dishes and all of the other things that didn't get done during the day.

BUT.  We have a week.  One short week without work, before he's due to report back to school.  I'm sitting at camp, anxiously awaiting their arrival.  We have four days of no work, no commitments, no clocks.  We'll sleep late, eat too much, laugh too much, watch too many movies.  We'll use all of the gas in the golf cart and maybe even grab a dip in the pool. 

I'll cherish every single moment...and hopefully they'll last a little longer here than they do at home.  

But before we get started on all of our fun, I want to tell Hunter exactly how proud of him I am.  Not one missed day of work...actually, not one minute.  He worked a week longer than the other interns, just for the experience.  He's learned what FICA is, how expensive a daily commute can be and how much fun a work outing can be.

But most of all, he learned responsibility, work ethic and the value of a paycheck.

And I learned that my oldest is all grown up.  

    

Ooops, forgot to push the button.

This is last nights blog.  In the chaos of my evening, I forgot to hit publish.  So I'll try harder tonight to get it right!

If I actually blogged about the kind of day we had, it would have A LOT of  #&*^% words and anything warm and fuzzy.

Stress and chaos has become the norm around here.  

Our buyers have flaked and the deal is off.  So we're back to square one.  

A weekend at camp has to make a big difference.  If it doesn't, we're all liable to kill each other by the time it's over.  But we've got canoeing reservations, lots of movies, firewood and fishing poles.  How bad can it be?

Dear Hunter and Will...believe it or not, I'm really, REALLY looking forward to it!

PS.  That's my "Seriously?" face.  It's going to freeze that way.