I know this tells me something

While waiting for the bus, CT (the 10 year old boy) was telling me about the book that he was reading.  I wished I had a pen and paper to write down his description, because it was really something.  It was something about butts taking over the world.  In fact, the title of the book is The Day My Butt Went Psycho.

The same day, PJ (the 8 year old girl) , who can’t read much English yet, came home from school very excited with a book from the library called Black-eyed Suzie.  She thought this book was about the flower, Black Eyed Susans.  Once I read the back and the first page it was clearly about a 12 year old girl who is struggling with a sever case of mental illness.

This is not the first time that these two are so diametrically opposed and it will not be the last.

Good lord, what do the teen-age years look like?

Bring on the low Brass

I’m loud.

I have loud children.

Our house is not that peaceful place where children do puzzles.  Our house is that place where the walls are typically shaking and you can hear what’s going on inside the house out on our street corner.

So when CT came home with the very large, very loud tuba…how could I be surprised?

It’s perfect.

Ready, set, SCHOOL

As for the start of school, we had mixed reviews.

KP was really nervous and did not want to go.  Until he got on the bus and saw his buddies, then he seemed to breath a bit easier.

PJ was the first kid up, did her chores and even made her own lunch with 30 minutes to spare, standing by the back door with her backpack on.

CT eased into the morning and was fully ready to embrace 5th grade.  I think it helps that his best friend Sam is in his class this year AND he got the teacher he wanted. I call that winning the 5th grade lottery.

Here is to the beginning of a GREAT school year!

Heavenly Angels

Only one week of summer left.

How can this be?

The hood takes it to Chisago

What do you get when you have a neighborhood of adults that spends part of their free time hanging out and drinking together and the other part of their free time doing road races, bike races, marathons and triathlons?

You get all their kids wanting to do what the adults are doing.  Racing that is…I am guessing the drinking will come later.

So here are the cast of characters who participated this year.

Dunc:  He is 3 and can ride a bike without training wheels.  He stands about 2 feet off the ground, is a touch shy and is FEARLESS.  Yeah, took 4th in his age group.  Yo Yo littlest racer.

Pete:  He’s 6 and runs so fast his legs blur.  He took 3rd in his age group two years ago and is back for more.  He held the bar high for EVERYONE and crossed it, bringing home another 3rd place finish.

KP:  Clearly looking nervous here.  We walked through the transitions so he would know where to go and when it came down to it, he was rock solid.  He took 11th in his age group.

Super Cal:  With his dark eyes and steadfast demeanor took to this race and did not stop.  Coming in 6th in his age group.  At the end, when his twin brother was sad he did not get a metal, Cal gave him his.  I know…seriously!?

PJ:  Coming in strong and looking for perfection, found this year’s race a little more difficult.  Her brother’s bike got caught on hers in the transition area, which caused a little bit of an upset to say the least.  After taking a deep breath, chucking her brother’s bike to the ground and moving past it, she took 12th in her age group.  Way to overcome baby!

Ellie:  One of PJ’s closest friends came to join the fun this year.  Her parents are amazing athletes in their own right but don’t do triathlons.  That said, without even knowing what the hell to do, Ellie kicked in a 4th place finish.  Then she got on her bike and rode another 30 miles to a camp site with her family.

CT:  Wanting nothing more than get a top 3 slot this year.  He and Sam worked hard on trying to swim through the water this year, instead of walking through the water like the majority of the kids.  I think it paid off for both of them.  CT had a good race, he worked hard, tried his best and ended up with a 5th place finish.

Sam:  As one of the veterans of the race, Sam knows the twists and turns well and is extremely skilled at navigating the process.  With a swim stroke as pretty and elegant as a swan, he swooped in to take the 10th place slot.

When it was all said and done this little amazing group of athletes cheered each other on, supported one another and had a wonderful time eating pancakes at the end of the race.

Great job Team So Ty!

Well stocked

“I have a plan just in case we need to go into battle.”

Track practice

When the only thing you have is an open field and your little brother…why not hurdle him?

Our Future

At the dinner table tonight, we talked about what the kids would choose to be if they had to choose their occupations RIGHT NOW.

CT said an architect or an astronaut.

PJ said an artist.

KP said…A ROBBER!

Yeah, we’ll see who picked right!

Double Digits

Dear CT,

10!  You are 10 and you got to celebrate your birthday on Easter this year, how Grandpa would have loved that.

Every year I sit down to write a little something and every year I find it hard to think back.  There is so much to say, that I could go on forever about how you have grown not only in size but in spirit and generosity, in gratefulness and kindness, in maturity and thoughtfulness.  But what I really want you to know, with these years that are flying by so fast, is that you are growing into a really wonderful person.

I cherish you my first born son.  You lead the way, it’s not always easy and it’s not always fair but you take it and make it your own, finding your own path.

May this year be filled with all things wonderful and challenging and exciting and even peaceful.  May you continue on your path, wherever it may lead.

To being 10!

I love you so.

Mom

BARF

You realize your kids have gotten older when they can actually throw-up into the bucket they’ve been given or make it to the toilet before everything hits the wall or the floor.

Poor CT spent the ENTIRE night throwing up.  I haven’t seen this kind of stomach flu in a long time around here and I hope it leaves quickly.  It was so nasty that I was gagging while rubbing his back.

As we were up throughout the night, it reminded me of when the kids were so much younger and that was just the drill.  Up every few hours feeding, changing and being their for them because they could not do anything for themselves.

I am so glad to be beyond that stage but the realization that they are still so young and the little reminder that they still need and want their mommies when they throw-up, is heart warming.