So Much to Do, So Little Time

I cannot believe just how quickly summer is slipping away. In the infamous words of my little Carter, "I don't love it!" We have a lot planned for the remaining weeks, starting off with a trip to the zoo tomorrow. Yes, I am taking all four of my darlings to see the primates, snakes, raptors, penguins, giraffes, and elephants just to name a few. Between the heat and the pricey food, drinks and souvenirs, I'm sure it will be a blast! My boys go to their dad's after our excursion with the wildlife, so Thursday before he returns to his mom's, I'm taking Trysten to see Ryan at his office and have lunch with him in Addison. I remember visiting my father at his office when I was little and thinking it was the coolest place ever. I can recall thinking, "So this is where he is all the time!"


Friday night Ryan and I are going to listen to a band we love and a double date with some of the baseball crew on Saturday for sushi. Monday and Tuesday mark the beginning of obtaining my staff development hours for the quickly approaching school year....That's enough about that...Preston and Carter start baseball practice for the fall season just a few days later and Austin begins daily football practice for his school the following week. We have dentist appointments and well check-ups to attend, school supplies to buy and I have to decipher how to wrap my brain around the fact that Carter is starting kindergarten! BUT....before the big day back to school, Ryan and I still have our trip to paradise, otherwise known as Mexico. One last hurrah before the grind of homework, sports and schedules commence once again!

So much to do...so little time!!!

Thinking Outloud...=)

I woke up to the sound of rain on the windows, a dog snoring quietly at the foot of my bed and laughter coming from upstairs. As soon as the boys realized I was awake, they piled in bed with me, and the day began. I'm such a sucker for the simple happy moments that put a good life in perspective. I guess when you go without simple happy moments for so many years, once you finally have them, you appreciate the gift more than having never gone without. Life is funny that way. =)

Happy Monday!

Another Fantastic Weekend!

As I said in my post on Friday, it was our first weekend to have all the boys together since our vacation, and I think they'd all agree it had been way too long...so this weekend was all about making up for lost time! On Friday, we took the 3 younger boys...Austin was spending the night with a friend...and the dogs over to Pop and Grandma's again to let them play and had a ball! The night consisted of basketball, playing on the playground, multiple games of hide and go seek, scooter riding and lots of family time! Saturday morning, I headed to Katy to visit one of my very best friends, Carrie, while Ryan packed the cooler for a day at the beach pool with the boys. Once Austin and his friend, coincidentally named Austin as well, joined the crew at the pool, Ryan had 5 boys in his care and supervision until my return late Sunday afternoon. Everything went better than expected, the boys got along fabulously and had a great time to boot!

Shooting hoops at Pop and Grandma's! We miss them so much!!!

I love the look on Trysten's face. =)

Ryan emailed this picture to me from the pool on Saturday!

Carrie and I! We had so much fun! It was so great to spend time with such a special friend. =)Hope you and yours had a FANTASTIC weekend too!!!

Why Am I So Happy?

So nice of you to ask!

• It's Friday!
• Our whole family is back together! The boys haven't all been here at the same time since our vacation!
• I am going to visit one of my very best friends in Katy tomorrow!
• The house is clean and the laundry is done!
• The carpet is getting cleaned upstairs next week! (It's the little things...)
• Ryan and I are going to Mexico in 19 days!
• Everyone in my immediate family is healthy.
• Did I mention it's Friday!?

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!

Summer Nights...

Is there anything better than a summer night? Absolutely my favorite time of the year...the warm air, the smells, the sounds, the beautiful sunset, the laughter of carefree children, everything and everyone a little more relaxed than typical, the lack of a rigid, predictable schedule. How can you not love it!? Ryan and I took advantage of that freedom on Tuesday evening and took Preston and Carter...Austin was at a friend's and T at his mother's...over to his parent's house to let the dogs run free and the kids play with reckless abandon. It's funny because we always think we need to take our children to expensive venues with constant visual stimulation, but sometimes they just want our time...

Silly Preston!

Carter...again...obssessed with the dogs...=)

Preston is not so sure about the shot he has to make for "PIG"!

Ryan teaching Carter how to shoot a basket...so sweet...

Slam dunk!

Hanging out...

It's the little things that make life fun!

GOOD TIMES.....

Weekend Highlights...

Just a few quick highlights from another awesome weekend....

• Attending a fundraiser for leukemia research on Friday, in honor of a sibling of a former student of mine...So touched that the parents invited me
• Dinner at Kobe's Steak House where Ryan and I shared the lobster, steak and shrimp meal...Yum!
• Eating fried pickles at lunch on Saturday
• Catching up with an old friend on Sunday
• Beating Ryan...once again...at dominoes...okay he beat me too!
• Starting the final book in the Twilight saga
• Relaxing and having uniterrupted conversations with my hubby
• Talking about our upcoming trip to the Riviera Maya
• Watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...such a sweet movie

HOPE YOURS WAS GREAT AS WELL!!!

Happy Monday!

Family Pics...

Here's a sneak peak at some of our family pics taken right before we left on our vacation....

Love this picture...

The Boys!Trysten...He's so photogenic...

I love this pic of Austin...He is looking so much older!
Sweet Preston...
Carter...Such a silly mess!

Our Family...Could we make a better couple!
The most important people in my life!
Happy times...

Because we always have to have at least one pic of us kissing...=)


TOGETHER WE MAKE A FAMILY...

Dreaming of Mexico...

This past Thursday Ryan and I were trading texts back and forth in Spanish...via an online English to Spanish translator...goofy, I know...when he text a sentence with the words "Mexico", "reservado" and "viaje". With the little Spanish I remember from college, I knew those 3 words meant Mexico (obviously), reserved and travel. What he was trying to tell me was that he had booked a 4 day getaway for the the 2 of us to Cancun/Riviera Maya in beautiful Mexico! We have gone away together every year since we've been together...so important for couples to do even if it's just a weekend trip to a hotel in your own city...just a chance to reconnect...and simply saying I cannot wait is an understatement...

In exactly 32 days from today, this picture of paradise is where Ryan and I will be vacationing together...sand, sun, fun, margaritas, no children, alone, sleeping in, staying up late...a little slice of heaven! Thank you, baby! I love you!!!

Party of 6: Lake Hamilton Style

Our 2 week adventure on Lake Hamilton has come to an end, but has given our family enough memories to last a lifetime…or at least until next summer! I understand now why it was always so important to my parents to take us on a vacation every summer…The bonding, the memories, the laughs, the helping each other by grabbing a float that got away or taking less time in the bathroom because there are 5 more people waiting their turn; the experiences are all part of what makes a family. I can already picture the boys making fun of quirky things we did on the trip when they are adults…just as my siblings and I do now. We definitely had our Griswold family moments!

I am sure my parents would get a kick out of the occasional “Come to Jesus” meetings we were inclined to have with the boys after a little too much “togetherness”. It’s inevitable there will be squabbles in paradise when traveling with FOUR boys! I remember the same “meetings” when I was little, and now I feel awful for complaining to my parents about things such as “He’s touching me!”….okay, then MOVE…"He got more than I did!”….sorry, life’s not always fair, bud…"He took my float!”…Dude, there are 3 more! It’s merely part of vacation, as are the incredible moments when we would look outside and see all the boys sitting together on the dock eating a snack and laughing. It’s all worth it, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Top 10…or 11...Moments of “Party of 6: Lake Hamilton Style”

1. The look on the boys’ faces when seeing the lake after opening the blinds the first morning
2. Austin and Preston asking if we could move to the lake house forever
3. Watching the boys play ENDLESS games of Uno on the deck…Ryan, Austin, Preston and I played so many time that the cards were covered in sunscreen and bug spray by the last night! Even though Trysten and Carter didn't play, they still sat at the table and watched...when they weren't swimming. =)
4. Watching the boys tube all over Lake Hamilton and absolutely LOVE it!
5. Playing mini-golf on Preston’s birthday…I think everyone but Austin and Carter scored a hole-in-one!
6. Cooking on the grill pretty much every night…food just tastes better on the grill at the lake house…
7. Taking 6 times to get a family picture on the deck on the 4th of July using the self-timer on the camera...hilarious!
8. Chris and Kristin joining us for a few days of fun!
9. Shooting fireworks off the dock with the boys…Definitely on their top 10!
10. Relaxing outside every night under the stars with music, wine and my sweet hubby once the kids were in bed asleep…
11. Everyone waving goodbye to the lake house as we pulled out of the driveway to return home…until next year!
    

WEEK 2...

Carter and Lu Lu...He is absolutely obsessed with animals!

A little imagination goes a long way!

Every boy's dream...

I must have heard, "Throw me again Ryan/Dad!" a million times!

The boys!

"The Teenager"...

Father and son...Trysten wore the goggles to make sure no one swiped them while he "drove" the boat!

Helping each other out!

Pure joy!

Austin diving! The boys begged me to dive with them...so I did...They were amazed that I still could in my "old" age!
Playing "Sharks and Minnows"


I love this man...and the tiny little pieces of grey hair starting to appear...
This simple picture was anything BUT to take!
The boys watching "The Teenager"...supervised of course...light "Black Snakes" after Ryan taught him the precautions of and how to light a match...A very scary moment for me!
Horrible pic of me, but love it anyway! They could barely wait to shoot fireworks off on the dock! Sweet boys...

The anticipation!

The grand finale...The boys called this one "The Big Daddy"

The Big Daddy!!!

GREAT TIMES!!!

On a side note...
Ryan and I were laughing this afternoon on the phone because since we have spent the past 2 weeks together 24/7, we were already missing each other and had only been apart for a few hours! Go ahead, Carrie Retzlaff....make your jokes! =)

Happy 4th of July!!

WISHING YOU AND YOURS A FUN FILLED FAMILY

4th OF JULY!!!!!

I Heart This Family...

Tagged!

I was tagged twice....but am having the hardest time trying think of 10 things I haven't divulged already...

1. I have an insane fear of my children getting hurt...really hurt...in particular drowning or getting caught under a boat, so being at the lake has caused many bouts of anxiety for me!

2. I cannot sleep with my feet under a blanket, sheet or covered in socks. It drives my hubby crazy because I kick ALL the above over on him!

3. I went from keeping track of payment due dates, paying all the bills and reconciling the bank account by myself to being married to a man who is competent, intelligent and responsible enough to do it himself, and I love it!!!! Love me an organized man!

4. I put 3 pieces of ice in my wine glass. White trash.....maybe. Cold....YES!!!

5. I am obsessed with word games. My current favorite is Eight Letters in Search of a Word...I'm a nerd...I know.

6. I love listening to live music, and it really doesn't even matter what genre...I can appreciate them all. There's just something about the live music experience.

7. I have a severe aversion to body hair. It absolutely grosses me out. Just ask the baseball crew...They have given me a nickname!

8. There are people that "friended" me on Facebook, and I have no idea who they are. Their profiles say I went to school with them, but I have absolutely no memory of them.

9. I am a morning person in every sense of the word.

10. I have given up on trying to tell "the teenager" how to fix his hair...It's a needless, never ending battle that I will choose not to pick.

That's it...I hope you feel enlightened! I will tag a few people later today...We're off to see Transformers!