The first week of summer has come to an end.  I never cease to be amazed at how fast time flies.  I never fully understood this concept until I had kids.  The school year goes quickly, but summer, that is a whole different animal.  You blink and it's the Fourth of July.  You blink again and you are buying back-to-school clothes and backpacks.  So I'm trying to enjoy each moment....which is difficult at times.  Like today, I got so frustrated with my boys while we were Father's Day shopping at Academy.  I mean...how hard is it to stop touching each other!!  For just 15 minutes!  After a complete and utter meltdown in the car (by me mind you), the boys pulled it together while we fought our way through the 1 million people in Central Market shopping for incredible things to grill for dad.  I know that days like this are fleeting...that someday I will miss the tousle and banter and constant poking at each other.  That Father's Day will be just a phone call from some distant location or card in the mail.  That a trip alone to the store will make me miss the craziness of shopping with 4 rambunctious kiddos.  Time goes too fast.  I see the posts of my friends on Facebook remembering dads who have passed and celebrating dads yet-to-be.  I know that I am truly blessed by the amazing father of my children.  I am lucky to have 4 happy, healthy and amazing kids.  So I try to enjoy each moment...and hope that it slows down just a little, because it is moving so fast, and I don't want to miss a thing.

Thank you, LMFAO?

So this weekend, I was playing cards with Jack and Will. Phase Ten requires a double deck of cards, which was hard for the boys to deal, so I did the dealing after each hand.

Will, the pop culture maven, sat there watching me at one point, and finally says, "Dad, every time you're shuffling, shuffling, shuffling."

One month down, 325 beers to go...

One month into my beer quest/journey/challenge, and here are some stats and thoughts:

41 unique (as in "different," as they weren't all "unique" in the other sense) brews. They came from 9 different states in the US (California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon and Texas), plus 7 foreign countries (Germany, Jamaica, Scotland, Mexico, Netherlands, Australia, and England). I am 10 beers ahead of schedule with 325 beers left and 335 days left in the year (but I don't anticipate keeping up that pace for the rest of the year).

Lowest ABV 3.5 (Amstel Light), highest 11 (Saint Arnold Divine Reserve 10), with an average of approximately 6.36 (two unknowns). Mostly bottles at home; a few on draft or from the growler; only two were from cans so far.

I'm liking a lot of these beers that I've never tried before, as well as some of those old favorites that I've revisited. However, I'm increasingly aware of how bad some of the beer is that I used to drink and that so many of my friends drink. Oh well...more good beer for me!

MLK Day

Today's MLK Day and unlike about 90% of America, I'm working. After being prompted to do so, I thought I'd take a few minutes to read Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. King. After doing so, I'm embarassed that (1) it took me 40 years to read this, and (2) I had any resentment for working today. I'm also amazed that he wrote this while sitting in a jail cell, without access to literature or any other resources. I wish I could put coherent thoughts together while sitting in a quiet office with the resources available on the Internet just a click away. Even if you have read this more recently than 40 years ago (he wrote it April 16, 1963), it's still worth a read.

Making Excuses...

So as part of our New Year's resolutions, our family headed out to church yesterday morning like so many others dedicated to being more regular attendees.  I have to say that when I go hear our Pastor I always feel a little better about my life.  He is a great speaker, funny, and right in the trenches of marriage and parenthood, just like me.  So the sermon yesterday was called "iQuit: Making Excuses"...sounded like something I needed to hear!  And he started off by saying "many of you are probably here because you made a NY resolution to come to church"...busted!  He also talked about how people find excuses not to exercise like "I'm not a morning person" or "the kids just make me so tired"...busted!  He also told a wonderful story about how if he hadn't gotten in the car and driven to the gym on this one particular day, well then, he wouldn't have met the cute girl holding the clipboard, who is now his wife.  (see the complete sermon here www.hpumc.org/cornerstone)
So, I set the alarm last night, got up this morning and worked out.  I know, not a big deal, it's only one day and one time, but at least I did it because...I'm not a morning person and the kids DO make me tired! :)  Hopefully on Wednesday when it's time to set the alarm again, I will remember the sermon I heard and try my best not to make excuses.

So I know I'm crazy...

If you know me, you know I like beer. In recent years, I've made the transition from drinking beer in quantity (hello, college!) to drinking quality beer. I try to be a beer nerd rather than a beer snob, but I've been accused of both. And that's OK with me.

So this year, I've decided to do something productive with my drinking. It's not quite a New Year's Resolution, but more of a goal: I'm going to try to drink 366 beers this year.

Why? Well, to paraphrase what Sir Edmund Hillary said of Everest, "Because they're there."



So here are my self-made rules for this project. First, I can count each different beer only once. That is, I can have any given kind of beer more than once, but it only counts once toward the project. Second, It has to be more than just a taste--it has to be at least 10 ounces to count toward the total. Third, I'm not going to be obsessive about this. It is supposed to be fun...for me, that is. I'm going to keep a tally of the beers I drink, including the name, style, ABV, and origin of the beer. Oh yeah, Sambo challenged me to include in my efforts a beer from every state. So I may need help in finding beer from some of the more remote states!

Six days in, I've had 9 beers, from 5 states and one foreign country. I think I'll enjoy this journey. But who knows? I may get burned out on beer...but I'll have fun finding out!

Our Hero

Today my sweet boy crossed a major item off his bucket list....he ran and finished his first marathon!!!

As if training for 4 months in temperatures ranging from 107 to the 30s and running over 400 miles in the process wasn't enough, Mother Nature decided to torture him today of all days.  His first marathon (and last if you ask him...today) had to be in the freezing cold rain!  So, sweet Ames, we are so very proud of you.  What an amazing lesson you taught our children today about setting a goal and working to meet it...no matter what gets in the way.  Quite an accomplishment...we always knew you could do it!  Way to rock the Rock!

I wish...

Bulk Trash Man: Y'all getting a new bathroom for Christmas this year?
Me: I wish, but sadly, no.
Bulk Trash Man: Then what's this toilet for?
Me: My husband and I just turned 40.
Bulk Trash Man: (with very confused look on his face) Oh.  Ok, then.

I guess he didn't have a toilet with balloons coming out of it in his front yard on his 40th.  Maybe he'll start that lovely tradition in his neighborhood.  

Legos - we are in a love/hate relationship

Ah, Legos. It is Christmas time again, and on each of my boys' lists -- Legos.  How could we possibly need more Legos.  We currently have a box the size of a small boat full to the rim with Legos.  That does not account for the Legos that are not in the box because they are ... on the kitchen counter, in the bathtub, under the sofa, under the beds, lining the baseboards down the hall, on bookshelves, in drawers, even in the fireplace (note: must discuss that one with Jack), and always lurking, pointy-side up somewhere in the darkness, in the carpet, waiting for you to dare to walk through barefooted and quiet to check on your children each night.  Many a war has been fought over "that special piece I NEED" to make the coolest thing EVER!!  But also, many an hour has been spent, peacefully playing together, encouraging one another, creating and imagining all sorts of wonderful things to make.

So, off I go again...online and to the store...to purchase more dreaded/delightful...Legos.

Christmas Spirit

To say that Annie is bothered by her three little brothers is putting it mildly. She often laments to anyone who will listen about the "burden" of being the eldest of 4 and the ONLY girl!! So I love it when days like today come along. Annie's Reach class holds an auction at the end of each semester. The students bring items to "sell"... and you can imagine the fine quality of the wares, everything from a liter of Dr. Pepper to an MP3 player that "kinda still works". Annie has brought home some treasures in the past....a giant stuffed bulldog and a very large Bart Simpson doll (for her Dad of course), just to name a few. But today, she came home with items that are truly special, and I have no idea what they are. Today she used all of her "money" to buy Christmas presents for her brothers. She flashed me the hugest, sweetest smile and told me it was a surprise for everyone. Lord only knows what she bought, but that's just about the sweetest example of Christmas spirit I've seen in a long time. I love that my children never cease to amaze me!

New Do

This newly coiffed Sam greeted me after school today! This is what happens when a pretty little girl with blonde pigtails smiles and asks to cut your hair. She even said please!

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change because you're amazing...just the way you are!!

Flat Chicken

Overheard in the kitchen tonight...

Sam: mom, whats for dinner?
Cathy: flat chicken.
Sam: where did it come from?
Cathy: from here. i'm making it now.
Sam: no, i mean what part of the chicken did it come from?
Cathy: huh?
Sam: i mean, which part of the chicken is the flat part?
Cathy: there isn't a flat part, sweetie. i flatten it.
Sam: good. because i think a flat chicken wouldn't taste very good.



PS--This picture is not "our" flat chicken...

The Artist in Residence

This morning, Will decided to get out his paints and easel again. He set up camp in the kitchen and set to work.



Sam walked in and saw Will's work, and he exclaimed, "Will, you are an artist!"

Halloween 2010

A little Kiss for Halloween?














Nothing like a little kindergarten angst to make the outfit complete.