Monday, August 26, 2013

1st Day of School 2013

1) Ben and Alex shopped at all the finest discount stores for their new cologne.

2) Dori and Wynnie were all packed up with diapers, wipes and baby food in their backpack. No room for books.

3)  5th Annual iHop "Thank Goodness the Kids are FINALLY Back in School!!" breakfast was coordinated.  Chris once again was the only male present. We don't discriminate even though this year the invitation was intentionally given to dads too.

4) The only known mishap on the big day was that Dori pee'd all over his teacher just 5 minutes before I picked them up.

Overall, it's been a fun day and I look forward to hearing all about Ben and  Alex's new 4th grade adventures when they come home this afternoon!

Notice Luna looking sadly from inside the window. Alex was all worked up this morning about how he was going to miss her.  Didn't mention a darn thing about missing his selfless and devoted mother. 

Wynnie was checking out Mrs G, not sure is he was ready to get back to the whole academic thing.

Dori was so proud to show Chris his super cool locker to Papi today.  


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Summer School and Blind Driving

This past Wednesday was Dori and Wynnie's last day of summer school.  Here is a picture of them with their lead teacher, Mr. Miller.  Dori has been very upset since school ended because now he doesn't have a specific place to go every morning.  He keeps asking anyone who has a set of wheels if they can take him "bye bye."  Whether it's the therapists, the nurses or friends that come to visit, Dori is always trying to hitch a ride out of here.


Last day of summer school 
"Me and My Shadow"

Ben is always on the quest of the perfect picture of Luna snuggling with him.  This is as good as we could get the other night.


I finally was able to capture a video of Dori driving with his eyes closed for his therapist.  Notice how he squints his eyes and pretends like they are closed.  What a stinker!  That's why we have so many dings and chipped paint around the house...wreckless driving.   




Just a couple more weeks until all 4 boys head back to school and our normal routine will be back on track.  Chris is busy studying to finish he CFP this fall, September is busy for me with a couple of speaking engagements and business travel, plans are sprouting for our annual MPS Halloween party, and the boys are getting geared up for basketball and football season to start in just a couple of weeks.  Chris is doing all his Husker research and getting ready for football season to begin and I can't wait for temps to drop just a little so I can start training for my half marathon.  Fall has lots of fun things in store for our family!  If you are in the neighborhood, just stop on by any random Saturday and you'll find us all in the backyard watching college football.  Don't be a stranger... Dori would love to show you his mad driving skills!  



Sunday, August 4, 2013

Ozarks and Dori

Every summer I plan a trip where it's just Ben, Alex and myself -- a trip where we can bond, tell silly jokes, learn stuff, visit cheesy restaurants, try new things and make new memories.  This year's trip happened to land on the same week Dori was slowly recovering from his Emergency Room visit for his inability to maintain his oxygen levels.  Chris convinced me that Dori would recover just fine without me -- that between his angels that assist in taking care of him during the day and his night nurses all will be well.

So with lots of worry in my head and guilt in my heart I went ahead and left with Ben and Alex to the Ozarks.  Since Dori wasn't well, and Wynnie does not do well on road trips nor heat -- we left both of them in good hands and Chris oversaw all the logistics of meds, nurses, etc.  My best friend Stacy (sorority sister and close friend of mine since kindergarten) and my very dear close friend Jaymie (sorority sister, bridesmaid and the wise cracking jokester of the group) and their sweet children were exactly what the doctor ordered for the boys and I.  First I want to thank their husbands for letting their children and women run amuck with me -- but the laughs, the stories and the love were heaven sent.

Ben and Alex have been so understanding these past two weeks about being super quiet for Dori's naps and when the babies at times get sick I know they get nervous and try their best to help;  even if it's just hugging their baby brothers or just given Chris or I a hug.  So we all deserved this fun road trip to the Show Me state.  If you really want to know why they call it the Show Me state, you have to take a boat to party cove, but Ben and Alex will never have their sweet innocent minds tarnished with that for another 50 years I hope.

By the time I drove back home (8.5 hours) on Friday, Dori was already breathing well on his own on room air (no need for the O2 machine) and was maintaining his saturation levels perfectly fine.  He was talking more and was even rapping.  That made me so incredibly happy and relieved.

Ben and Alex were able to knock off alot of "firsts" at the lake.  They swam in the lake (only after obtaining double assurances that barracudas nor sharks inhabit the Ozarks), they rode on sea doo's, they dove off boating dock roofs, had a dance-off contest (moms vs kids, glad we old moms didn't pull our backs out in the process since we were doing dance moves from college before "Drop it like it's hot" even was a phrase), played sand volleyball, fended off a crazed bully who was pulling kids swim shorts down and making babies cry by taking their toys away (that poor boy had issues), they went to the worlds largest gift store, they visited Missouri's largest candy store, and they learned what the word "tidy" means.  What a week!

So blessed to have friends that
- can tell me "I can't believe you have a son as loud as you are!" and instead of being insulted, I am filled with pride
- that can bust out a rap song in sync with you --  based on just one word an innocent little girl says
- who can be as raunchy as any male truck driver in the entire Ozark region
- who won't judge you when you begin happy hour before noon on a Wednesday

Here are some fun pictures of our days at Stacy's lake house.  I'm glad the boys bonded so well with Jaymie and Stacy's children, truly made the trip even that much better !  The best part of the trip was when Alex asked me if Jaymie's and Stacy's children were their cousins.  In unison, Stacy and I answered yes : )
The kids were catching fish left and right

For a trio of old broads,we held our own with keeping up with the kids

This picture was taken from the sea-doo.  We won't go into detail about how scared I was to ride it, but Ben is the 2nd to the left, Alex is the 2nd from the right.  Fearless!!! 
Alex strapped in and ready to go.  Collin was an awesome captain


This water mat is hands down the best invention ever.

Our children get their weirdness from their mamas.