The Boy is Definitely Mine.

I was feeling some stress today and needed to get out of the house. Rick took Logan, so Josh and I took off on a walk. I had my iPod, he had his mp3 player. He doesn't usually walk with me, but when I walk (or even when I'm on the treadmill), I can't help but dance along to the music. I looked over and noticed that Joshua was dancing along to his music too. He's definitely my kid. He might look and act exactly like his dad, but there's a tiny little bit of me in there and it comes out when he listens to music. I'm ok with that  :)

Just Another Saturday...

So, here I am, sitting in my hometown, covering the family business for my dad. Funny how when you've been gone for so long it just feels different. Not that I'm not here on a semi-regular basis... my parents live here, my grandma lives here, I have friends and family all over here! It's just different being here for a slightly extended period of time.

I was sitting at a friends house last night. She lives behind my mom's house and I used to babysit her kids way back when. We're still good friends with them - shoot - they were our daycare for the boys before we moved away! She's known my kids since the very beginning.... and I've known her kids from early on. Her youngest just turned 16. I've known him since he was born. Her oldest is 20! Her middle daughter just got her Senior Pictures done... it's hard to wrap my brain around that. We were sitting there talking and just catching up since we don't see each other much.

They've had some big changes in their lives this past summer... her husband's job was outsourced, he's been home all summer and now he's looking at being able to start collecting retirement this fall. Her oldest daughter has decided to go to school for Theraputic Massage this fall, her youngest is thisclose to earning his Eagle Scout Badge... it's amazing.

I sit there and think that MY oldest is about to be 10. As in double digits (eek!) 10! In less than two weeks!!! My youngest is starting first grade in just a few short weeks. My husband and I just celebrated a decade of marriage last month.... it's crazy.

I guess sitting at the family business, being surrounded by the very things that put a roof over my head and food in my stomach makes me think about the past. It's quiet here at the lot - I've only had one customer so far today (although I fully expect to be swamped right about when it's time to close up shop!) but I'm just sitting here looking around and feeling a little bit sad. Not really sad, I guess, more like... I feel like remembering. Being grateful for my past and excited about my future. My boys are still relatively little, my husband and I are still relatively young... I hope we have a lot of good years ahead of us.

I Heart Summer!!!

So, I wanted to take a second and kind of do a photo recap of summer so far. Keep in mind, it's only June, so there will be more to come! 

Let's start with Memorial Day weekend - the unofficial start of summer here in Michigan:

My mom, the boys and I took a trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee!

This is how I know where to turn when we go see my sister and her family - yes, they live about halfway up Lookout Mountain. The first time I drove there, it was kind of freaky. This time, it was no big deal:

We went for the weekend t0 see Anna:

 And Solomon:

 And of course their parents  :) My sister showed my mom how happy she was that we were there!!

The boy cousins had a ridiculous amount of fun! 

Josh was loving on Anna the whole time (that boy LOVES babies!!) and Logan and Solomon were like two peas in a pod. They were even good sports for taking pictures before we had to go back to Michigan.

My mom finally got a photo of all her grandkids together at once - that was the whole reason she came with us I think, since I totally dropped the ball last time I was down there and didn't get the coveted photo! Ok, so maybe she wanted to see my sister, too, but I think it was mostly so she could get this:

And ESPECIALLY this:

 The drive home on Memorial Day was long, but the scenery was nice!

Most of the rest of summer so far has been devoted to soccer - the sport of choice for my boys. Joshua had an amazing coaching staff and improved his game by leaps and bounds. Logan was just in love with soccer in general and gave 150% each and every game - well, except the last game when he wasn't feeling well. He must have been super sensitive that day because he heard me on the sidelines and started crying. Yeah, I was "that mom" - the one who makes her kid cry by trying to help. I promise it wasn't on purpose, though! He just gets like that sometimes. I promised him I wouldn't talk ANYMORE (lol) and he went back out there and scored a goal. So, it could have been worse! 


Here are some of my FAVORITE soccer shots for your viewing pleasure:

Last, but certainly not least - since summer is still just beginning - we spent a Saturday in Pentwater. It just so happened to be the same Saturday as the annual "Start of Summer Party"!! Rick and the boys helped set the tents and tables up and then we enjoyed some super yummy picnic food!

Logan looks so angelic at the State Park!

Had to make a stop at Cosmic Candy!

 Taking a break after setting up for the "SOS Party":

And finally, Josh the photographer took a REALLY nice picture of Rick and me. We don't have a lot of those, since I'm usually behind the lens, so that was a bonus!

Tonight, the boys and went to the beach after I got home from work. I love that I live close enough to Lake Michigan that I can do stuff like that! I'm really excited that summer is still young... we have a lot of fun plans, which means a lot more pictures to come of our summer adventures  :)

Haha! Twice in one day!

How do you like the new blog look? I was bored with the old one and decided to change it up. This is just a basic template (thank you, Blogger!), but I didn't want to have to mess with it much, so I'm ok with it. 

I'm a fan - what do you think?

Look mom! It's only been a week since the last post!

Aren't you excited... only a week between posts this time around!! I know, your life is not complete without a blog post from me, so I'm happy to indulge. I saw on mlive that Blandford Nature Center in GR is rehabbing a Barn Owl! Joshua is OBSESSED with Barn Owls, so I think a trip out there this weekend might be in order! Barn Owls have been thought to be extinct in the state of Michigan, but this one happened to have been found on the floor of a barn in my hometown (and where we lived before we moved up here), so it feels a little serendipitous. The nature center has an animal rehab blog and I signed Josh up to get updates - he's on cloud nine! There's also a Raptor Rescue not too far from our house, I think, and I've been thinking about taking Josh there too. He is absolutely smitten with birds! He thinks he's getting a canary for his birthday, but I think Rick and I are going to surprise him with it early - like in the next month early!! He's had a rough couple of months but he's been amazing and we think he deserves it! If we make it to the Barn Owl, I'll make sure to post some pictures :)