Check out the Student of the Month!

Way to go Charlie!  "I was really trying hard in class - I was sweating!  Student of the Month means doing your best!"  Gonna have your orange belt before you know it!  So proud of you Charlie!

What happened to Spring?

We were having such a nice run of beautiful weather - we were able to get outside and play, take walks, bike rides, blow bubbles.  But we've gone backward, to 30-35 degree weather and occasional flurries!  Such a bummer.  We're back to staying inside - coloring, play doh, playing in the basement.  Thank God Jody has been such an awesome babysitter, getting Bridget and Henry out to the "Big Red Barn" and to the library.  You two love going to Sumeno's for pizza every week!  You eat a ton and she's helping you develop good restaurant manners.  Soon enough, April will be here and we'll get to the parks and playgrounds.

BA BA BA BA BA BATMAN!

No, it's not Halloween, just another day inside!  Henry (with "guy guy") battling evil

and the Joker (Bridget that is).

So cute in ponytails!

Bridget, your hair is finally long enough to get into two ponytails!  SO CUTE!  It suits you but you hate it!  Everytime I come at you with a comb, you scream!  If it makes you feel any better, I used to cringe when my mom braided my hair, too.  Must be that sensitive toe-head.  You are going to have to either get used to it, or I'll have to cut your hair into a nice, high bob, but for as long as I can get away with it, I'm coming at you with a comb and pony tail holders!

Henry's "Guy Guy"

I have to share Henry's "guy guy" before it's in shreds.   Henry, this was your hospital blanket when you were an infant.  I don't even remember at what point it became an extension of you, but for at least two years, it has been in your hand.  You call it "guy guy" because when you were a baby, that was the sound you made almost like a humming while you pulled the blanket between your thumb (which was in your mouth) and fingers.  I'm not sure what we'll do when it is in pieces, but I suppose that's how kid's blankey's work,... just when you're old enough to be rid of it, it falls apart.

Will becomes a Teenager!

How did 13 years go so fast?  Will, it seems as if you were just born, and then just turning one.  I can remember your first birthday like it was yesterday - it was quite a hurrah complete with a clown and out of town relatives and friends.  When you turned 2, your big gift was a red wagon, and when you turned 3, Oma got you a two wheeler Red Rider bike with training wheels.  Shortly after your 4th birthday, you were riding a bike without training wheels!  They aren't kidding when they say it goes by so quickly. 

This has been a rough patch for you - learning to deal with the responsibilities of a cell phone and life in general.  Unfortunately, you were grounded from going to the Canteen at school over your birthday weekend - which would've been so fun for you.  Someday, you'll understand how hard it is to be the mom and take these things away from you but at the same time want to pummel you! :)  To make sure you still had a fun birthday, we took you to get what you wanted for your birthday - a guitar.  You got a really cool electric guitar, but were wavering on learning to play acoustic.  So you used your own money to buy the acoustic.  Saturday night, you  spent lots of time working with the online lessons that Jim has.  You did great!!  I hope you'll keep it up.  It looks good on you.

Sunday, you opened a few gifts, an UnderArmor sweatshirt from Grandma and Granpa, an UnderArmor backpack from Oma, and a watch from us to keep you from missing your "better be home by" time this summer.  You also got a Phiton necklace with your money from Aunt Molly - we'll see how long that expensive fad lasts!  Aunt Megan's gift of money went toward your guitar.  We went bowling with your dad and Robin and TR and his girlfriend.  Lots of fun!  A yummy dinner at Steak-n-Shake. 

Hopefully, these next few years as a teenager will be as wonderful as the rest have been.  You're turning into such a handsome young man.

It was a good day to be Charlie Brandol!

So tonight was the Boy Scout Pinewood Derby!  Charlie, you and Dad spent some time choosing good decals and thinking about the design.  You were going for the "Coolest Car" award this year, not so much concerned with being the fastest but Dad still worked on polishing the axles and added lots of graphite.  You were excited about making a camo car that you could play with after the race was over, so we got some good paint effects going and glued on an American flag and an army guy laying in the bed of the truck.  It was a pretty cool car!  So low and behold, the races begin and your car just doesn't seeem to be losing!  We fly through the double elimination round and on to the championship race to WIN!  So exciting!  You said it was the best night of your whole life!  You brought home a first place trophy as well as the award you were hoping for - your car was voted "Coolest Car".  A very fun night!

Today, Mommy's gonna complain...

This has been a stressful couple of days as the end of the class I'm taking is drawing near and I have a HUGE project to turn in on Thursday night.  I have been a slave to the computer between the 10 page unit I wrote and getting slammed with papers to grade for the online class I teach.  My eyes are buggy and I'm craving some movement.  This has been on top of getting Charlie's Pinewood Derby car ready for the big race on Friday night, trying to entertain Bridget and Henry, drying muddy, wet paws (because of course it's raining AGAIN and our backyard is a pond!), Will trying out for baseball team, and on and on.  There are days like these and I want you all to know that it's hard being a mom.  Tonight Will, you and I had another talk about becoming 13 - the kind of person you see yourself becoming.  You're struggling to find your place right now and it is hard to be the mom.  This is where I wear my heart on my sleeve.  I want you to make the team, have that success and confidence that comes with being a part of something bigger than yourself and the good social connections that come with it.  Unfortunately, wanting it doesn't make it so.  You still have a chance and we'll do the cages again over the weekend, but I hope you'll be okay if you don't make it.  Such an odd concept that middle school sports is competitive enough that a good athlete like you may not make the team.  More than the team though, I hope I can help you begin to define what it means to be "Will".  To help you become a teenager who is willing to do the work to be the person he is capable of being.
Charlie - you and I had a heart to heart about growing up as well!  You began counting the days today until your 8th birthday, and yet had tears about doing your spelling words.  We talked about accepting all parts of life, that include homework and all the other things we don't always want to do, but have to.  You are so stubborn!!!  I just know you're going to be an amazing man when you grow up, but getting you there is sometimes hard, hard work.
These are the days when I have to put aside being tired, wanting to do other things myself to get my job done.  What I really want tonight is to snuggle into my bed with my kids all around me, read lots of books, and settle you all calmly into bed.  But tonight - tears from here and there.  Even some of my own.  Maybe when you are parents yourselves, you'll understand.

Bridget and Henry painting

While I worked away on my own art project for my class today, Bridget and Henry got to paint with watercolors.  They stayed pretty clean and loved every minute of it!  Look out Picasso!

Playing in the dark

This is the time of year when the kids are getting antsy to get outside and blow the stink off.  It's still dark at 6:00, but today the temperature was a balmy 50 degrees.  Thomas and Kyle were over to play in the evening so needless to say, the Clone Troopers took to the darkened backyard to fight the galaxy!  Kyle was so nice to you Henry, giving you the "baby" light saber and helping you around in the dark by a flashlight.  Won't be long guys!  Daylight savings time begins this weekend!

Dad's Birthday

Surprise!  Charlie - you're home again because of a fever on Sunday night!  Very low, but can't send you to school.  The cough is enough anyway.  And then, Surprise again!  Dad took Will to school and decided to play hookey for his birthday!  I was thrown off and wasn't ready, so we decided to make it a family birthday present hunt - Dad's such a good sport.  He picked out some new grill tools and a few t-shirts.  Exciting stuff!  We hit Steak and Shake for a birthday lunch and enjoyed just hanging out together.  Charlie thought it was just about the best birthday party he'd been to, except that Will wasn't there.  Happy 42nd Dad!

Sunday night

It's been a full weekend of nothing too exciting.  Laid low on Friday night watching Star Wars while it rained, rained, rained.  Saturday morning, Will and Casey went to the batting cages to get their groove back.  Will starts baseball tryouts this Monday at school - so hopes he makes it.  Trying out for the basketball team, Will was rightfully, hopeful, but there were just so many kids that tried out and only 10 chosen.  Maybe this will be his calling.

Saturday, Will had the semi-final basketball game for his DYA league - a GREAT game, but they lost.  Very proud of these boys and the progress they made over these last few months.  And Coach Alan did a great job with them.  Had some pizza together after the game and called it a season.  On the way home from the game, we were riding up Riverside Drive along the river and were shocked at how high the river was!  You couldn't even drive into Leatherlips Park and houses along the river had already been reached.  We drove down to the bridge by the zoo and saw the waterfalls which were roaring like a freight train!  Bridget was a little freaked out by the noise, but Charlie and Henry thought it was so cool!  Our backyard was once again a pond, but the basement was dry, thank God!

Dad and I went out to dinner with Carla and Tony to have a little adult time and celebrate Dad's birthday.  Man we're getting old - we were home by 9:45! 

All the kiddos are watching Annie and getting ready for another big week of school.  Like I said, not much doin, but a good 'ol family weekend.  The best kind.

Charlie lost his 6th tooth!

It was a pretty busy day, full of school, a visit from Oma, Will's basketball and scouts, but in the midst of the afternoon, I thought, "I better get a picture of that cute little chicklet tooth before it's gone!".  It was danglin'!  You obliged me Charlie, and gave me a sweet little smile with your tooth sticking out over your lip.

Not four hours later, after I had you tucked in bed, you came down to announce you'd lost your tooth.  A big gap where some very invasive adult tooth will soon be.  Funny how the loss of a tooth is as much of a milestone to me as a birthday.  It's a bittersweet reminder of how fast you are growing up!  Now, where am I going to get a couple dollar bills at almost 10:00?

It's a June Cleaver kind of day...

It's been a busy day for mom but not much to speak of that's noteworthy.  The sun has been out since morning and the temperature has gotten warmer and warmer as the day goes on, so the windows go open and then the need for spring cleaning takes over!  I swear, it's like genetic!  I've washed sheets and other laundry, bleached bathrooms (you boys and toilet seats,...), some windows and mirrors, bathed B & H, and a roast is in the crock pot for dinner.  I told you, June Cleaver!  Don't be too impressed, you kids will remember plenty a dinner of leftovers and grilled cheese!

The backyard is drying out and Bridget is running around out there with the dogs - spring is SOOO close!  Which also means birthday season is around the corner!  Dad will be 42!!! next week and Will, you're going to be a teenager!  Wow.  Charlie's 8th birthday will be here before you know it, too.  Will is asking for an electric guitar.  I don't think he understands that the gift also requires lessons as an added expense!  Hmmm, I'm going to have to think about that one.

Next load of laudry is ready to change and I've got some grading to do.  I'm going to end this post by saying that even though it sounds tedious, this is the kind of day I love - being home and being a mom.