Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Fleeting Instant of the Last Six Weeks

Since my last post, there have been so many important episodes.  Unfortunately, I have been living according to the following formula:

Make it through breakfast +
Make it through workday +
Make it through dinner +
Sleep +
Make it through workweek +
Make it through weekend +
Start again at breakfast =
Time Rocketing at Light Speed (not just flying)

Surprisingly, there is no “mop the floor every Thursday night, and then blog for 2 hours,” which was part of the equation when I first began this whole online scrapbooking attempt in Mayish 2005ish.

However, recently I got inspired by Husband to take up this forgotten art.  Two events prompted this revival: (1) Husband’s newfound interest in photography, initiated by a Christmas gift from yours truly -- a waterproof, smash-proof camera, which Husband has taken to with unexpected enthusiasm; (2) a boys-visit-Wisconsin trip, which involved a crazy-good garage sale wherein Husband purchased not only an entire, chicken-themed replacement for all of our dinnerware, but also, a four-volume set of The Mother’s Encyclopedia © 1933. 


When I opened the aforementioned reference book, I was quite curious about the first section, “Adolescent Boys.”  Within that overarching area, there were subtitles such as, “The Stocky Type,” and “The Tall Lean Type,” which were appropriately followed by, “Mother & Son.”  Just after those were the “Adolescent Girls” section and then the ever-important “Adolescent Goiter” piece.  (?)

As you might imagine, I have spent an inordinate amount of time working through the four volumes, so much so that it probably needs to be added to the aforementioned Kimberly'sLifeFormula.

Every age has its problems.  The Mothers' Encyclopedia will aid you with all of them.




Here are my favorite tidbits:

The unspoiled baby seldom makes any fuss.


Low hooks encourage habits of neatness.


MOTHERHOOD IS AN EXCITING, DANGEROUS, AND REWARDING JOB. (my emphasis)




Accidents are infrequent after a child is three.

REALLY?  


The only child is but slightly less social than the average.





































Now, I know what you are thinking (besides how apropos all of these are):  WHY DID SHE WAIT SIX WEEKS TO POST ANOTHER BLOG AND THEN POST ONLY PICTURES OF THE INSIDE OF AN 80-YEAR-OLD BOOK?

Touche.

So, here are some pictures including, but not limited to, most of the important/interesting/fun events of this summer.

Sam finished the soccer season with a flourish, getting, then promptly breaking his $6 "attendance" trophy.  



We went to the aquarium in Chattanooga, and the children ran wild and scared the sharks.

Sam caught a fish! (not at the aquarium)

The boys have gone on numerous Dad Trips, which usually involve creeks or rivers.





Cousin Scott came to visit! 








Minor league baseball!




John's piano recital.  We have videos too!  When will those get posted?  Good question.  Here's the answer: As soon as I find them on the hard drive.


This picture and the ones below it were taken in Wisconsin while the boys were visiting The Paternals.

An historical game in which the orange team actually captured one of his OWN pieces.




More kayaking 







 We also went to Mississippi:







I drank a green smoothie on the way.  


 The end.

To my first on his 14th, 15th, and 16th

Dear John, Happy Sweet 16th, sweet boy. You are now taller than me and your dad. You can pick me up. You have a job. You built a motorized b...