Monthly Archives: May 2015
Lilies blooming!
These guys just popped out over the past week! It’s getting pretty warm here, a sure sign that summer is around the corner. Just a few more days of school left, and it feels like we’re going out with a bang. May and June are always frenetic, but we’re finding time to just be together between the spurts of frenzy. I finally got a good night’s sleep last night so I’m ready for this week 🙂 I’m also looking ahead to the summer – lots of unscripted time, as well as time to focus on neat projects we don’t have as much time for as we’d like during the year. The boys are very lucky to have teen mentors who will be working with them (and a few friends) on hockey and skating, maybe learning how to skateboard (Ben and me), programming and robotics and indulging in the card/board games they love. The teens benefit from being paid to do things they love to do anyway, while mentoring the younger guys. And they get paid about twice minimum wage. Good for everyone! This is my second summer coordinating this informal co-op of neighborhood boys. Wish me luck! 🙂
Hope you’re all having a good weekend!
Dear Ben,
Dear Ben,
It’s your 7th birthday! I cannot believe how fast time has flown. I remember thinking how lucky I was to have two more years with you at home when we moved here in 2011 when you had just turned 3. Now 4 years have passed and you’ve done both kindergarten and are nearly done with first grade! You are so big, and you run faster than me already. Your feet hit the ground running when you were a baby, and we have had a joke for a long time that “Ben doesn’t know how to walk yet” because you only know how to run!
Here are some pictures you will enjoy.
You weighed in at 10 lbs 2 ounces, and were born at 12:22pm Hawaii time (3:22 pm here on the Pacific coast).
Daddy is introducing Sam to his little brother. What is Sam thinking right now? Do you know what Sam said when you were 3 days old? “Will he be with us for a very long time?” I think Sam maybe thought you were just having a sleepover that first night. 😉
Mommy was very happy that you came out just fine!!!
Gramma gave you your first bath!
Uncle Tim was visiting for a month, and flew home the morning I went into labor. This is where hockey all started – a broom, a golf club, and a ball on our tiny driveway!
You spent a lot of time in the water – even before you were born!
So, Ben, Mommy would like you to know that you have been a happy, bouncy boy for 7 years. When you’re upset, you are really upset, but you bounce back quickly (unless you’re making a point). You still love to play the ukulele and are just now learning not to SHRED it. You’re an excellent dribbler, bouncing the basketball through your legs and around your back at high speed. You are also good on skates, keeping up with big kids and working on your wristers, slap shots (nearly knocking me out with one!) and enjoy hanging out with the D3 teenagers at the roller rink. You’re quite the conversationalist, and very independent. Sam likes to tease you about your girlfriends – everyone says “Hi Ben!” to you at school, and you have a friendly, warm attitude when “coaching” other kids in sports. One really nice mom commented on that specifically while watching you play with her son. She said “You are so good at saying positive things while sharing the rules, like ‘Well, you wouldn’t want to do that in the NBA because it’d be a foul and the other team would get a free shot, but it’s ok today!’ ” ‘.
Other Ben traits to note…you do the laundry for both of you boys. You load the wash, put in the soap, set the dial and start it. Then you listen for the bell and switch it to the dryer without being asked. You help fold carefully, just like Gramma showed you. You like to dress smartly, and are careful to always tie your shoes nice and tight, with a double bow. In fact, you are such a careful dresser, it’s hard to get you out of the house, whereas Sam is already out shooting hockey pucks with his hair all over the place and his pack still in the house! You don’t like to be messy, and don’t like the brunch for lunch option at school because the syrup is sticky. You never forget to wash your hands before eating, and always like to clean up afterwards. You and Sam could not be more different! Daddy thinks you’re a mini-Mommy. Well, I would take that as a huge compliment!
Ben, we love you so very much and hope you have a wonderful day today!!!
Oh – Sam liked to know how big he was each year. Here are your stats: 4 ft 4 inches. You still haven’t passed 60 pounds. I keep trying to sneak you food…
Love,
Mom and Dad
Ben’s 7th birthday party
Ben got to have his friends over for a soccer birthday party. Snoopy attended because he is Mrs. Baker’s favorite character -the birthday child gets to take Snoopy home for the weekend and record in a journal what they did together.
Daddies against kids!
Nice job, Safeway!!! $16 – I consider that a bargain!
Singing loudly!
Testing out one of the toys! A HUGE SUPER SOAKER!
Thanks to all the friends for coming! He got right into the Minecraft Lego set!
First roller hockey game!
Sam scoring a goal! I can’t believe Deborah (Coach Harris’ wife) caught this action shot! The puck is actually in the air.
The game started out with a 0-0 first period – tight game! In the second period we came back from being behind by 2 and just rallied with 8 goals scored in all! I think the game ended 8:3. Lots of great passing, defense and teamwork.
Coach Harris – another most AWESOME coach. We are so lucky! In the hoodie is Asst Coach Ethan (in high school).
Coach Harris made this “Tough as Nails” award. Sam earned this one for finishing his shift strong after blocking a shot with the side of his leg. He actually has a decent lump there – it missed the shin guard.
Mother’s Day
The start of a beautiful Mother’s Day hike with friends – this is at Point No Point Lighthouse. 11K walk through the Hansville Greenway. From L to R: Sam, Adam, Ben.
I had a wonderful day with my boys – only missing Dave due to work (inspection week). We went on a long hike with some friends up near the coast in Hansville. Since my friend was sick and had opted for an easier hike than originally planned, I thought we were doing a 2-3 mile jaunt. Poor Sam was sick with a sore throat this morning, so I figured that would work well. Turned out to be an 11K tour of the Hansville Greenway! But thankfully I brought snacks, water, and bought even more at the tiny grocery. Turned out the white powder donuts (who doesn’t want that sugar kick on a hike?!) were MOLDY! I proudly handed them out and Adam took a nice bit then Ben said “Hey Mom, what’s this hair stuff?” I thought it was ok at first (those things don’t look natural anyway), then we saw green hairy stuff further into the package! Ewww! Everyone had a nice laugh about that. The expiration date did not include a year, so who knows how long they’d hung out on the shelf next to the lonely looking bear claws?
The greenway is a place I’d visited with Sam when he was 9 months old. Kim had hiked there with baby Adam as well. It was fun to go back with our big “babies”.
Hiking the Hansville Greenway when Sam was 9 months old 🙂
Anyway – came home to clean the chicken coop and bury a chicken who unfortunately passed through the night. Sam now has 102.7 fever, poor guy! So – got to experience it all in just one day 😉 But who am I to bemoan a bit of work? The frontier ladies probably didn’t even have a Mother’s Day!
All three throwing nearly at once!
Some Scotch broom of a different variety. Pretty – but a weed on the “noxious” list. Poor weed!