31 days of July......are almost over

Instead of a picture today I decided to just blog.  I was pictured out and honestly I didn't have a blog-worthy picture.  The highlight today was of Nick whittling a big stick and I couldn't get Nick to take his eyes off the stick.  We are on the count down to school starting or at least I am.  School starts in 3 weeks.  School supplies are ready, football clearts are purchased and Nick's soccer sign up form has been mailed.  Once we hit mid-August things get busy for us but that's just the way I like it.  The boys aren't in sports during the summer and one of my boys specifically needs some organized, structured activity....gee, guess which boy I'm talking about?  Yes, Jay!  \
July has been a hot month - one of the hottest I can remember.  I'm sure when I get my power bill I'll probably have a stroke.  The boys have spent so much time in the water this summer and have been in their swim trunks 80% of the time which in my opinion is just the way summer should be! 

30/31

Jay loves taking Copper for rides on his four wheeler and Copper knows the drill now.  She happily sits up front while Jay drives.  It is so darn cute.  And speaking of four wheelers.......against my better judgement I took a ride with Nick tonight and let him drive.  We took off together on Jay's four wheeler which is quite funny to see a little 6 year old driving this huge four wheeler.  By the time I got home I had bugs in my hair, scratches on my legs from the twigs and cob webs on my face.  It was "fun." 

Nick took a dip in Laura's pool tonight.  Jay is at football camp so he enjoyed some solo swimming which he very much enjoyed!

29/31

This weekend has been nice.  We spent some time at Laura's pool.  And my mom watched the boys so Mike and I could have a date night which was LONG overdue.  I can't speak for every couple but Mike and I really need to get out together about once a month.  If we don't, I find we are exhausted by all the demands of parenting and forget what it's like to be a couple.  All we need is 2-3 hours and I find we are reconnected and re-energized.  Mike and I joke (but it's really not a joke) that we often find ourselves "punch drunk" from the demands our kids place on us.  We love being parents and we love our children (dearly) but it can get exhausting day in and day out.  It's normal and healthy to need/want a break.  So thank you, mom, for keeping both of the boys together!  My mom even went down a slide at a pool and off the diving board.  I think that rocks for a 61 year old nana!  Kim and her kids came over on Sunday to swim.  It was a hot mess!  I'm just saying.  Mostly with my kids.......Jay!  Me, my mom and sister have decided we need a girls night with no kids.  Amen to that.

Alpha Mike

By now you know we got a new puppy at the end of February, Copper.  Copper has been with us for 5 months now and we really do love her.  She was easy to train (minus the carpet eating incident) and she is loyal.  She loves the boys - even Nick (who is not as patient with her).  But Mike gets TOP DOG in Copper's world.  That dog loses her mind every time Mike comes home.  He is her Alpha!  She has this routine where she runs outside, jumps all over him, pees all over during the process and then comes in and lick's him from his toes up to his knees.  It's kind of creepy if you ask me.  Last night Mike was sitting on the couch enjoying some R&R when Copper started her usual of licking Mike's toes (he has learned it's better to just sit there and let her go on with it - however gross it may be)  when Mike asked me........"How come you can't get this excited when I come home like peeing all over and licking my toes?"  I didn't even respond.  I mean really!

27/31

My mom bought us sweet corn and it was delicious!  Thank you, mom.  The boys offered to schuck the corn!  It was a great Friday.  Nick hung out with my mom and she continued her tradition of taking her grandsons (once they turn 6) to Wheels O Time Museum.  Jay still remmbers when his nana took him when he was six.  The only grandson left to go (in about 4 1/2 years) is Lukie!  Jay hung out with me.  I worked and he happily played quietly.  I love those kind of days.

26, 26/ 31

My mom came out for dinner last night.  It was so nice having her visit.  We took a very short walk and sweated the entire time because it was 103 at 7:00 in the evening - Crazy. 

The Heat........23/24 of 31

What does this picture have to do with heat?  I'll tell you.  Central Illinois is experiencing a horrible drought.  We haven't had rain since maybe early June.  Our grass is brown and dried up and feels like hay on your bare feet.  The crops are a wash this year and it's so miserably hot no one really wants to be outside, for very long anyway.  I fully anticipate my power bill for July will be close to $400.  Ugh.  But the heat is hard on our puppy.  She loves to be outside with the boys but what happens is she runs around then drinks too much water and throws up.  At night after everyone has taken a shower - a cold one I might add she "parks" herself just like how you see her above.  She does everything she can to get on Mike's lap (we don't let her on the furniture, although from the picture above you can't tell that, jeez) and then she tries to maneuver herself so she is touching Jay too. She is so cute.

22/31

Thanks Aunt Karen, we sure had fun.

21/31

I am failing miserably with trying to post a picture per day in July.  Mike left for a business trip on July 19 and got home today so it wasn't long but trust me when you're trying to manage two boys it sometimes feels like an eternity, hence why I get behind in blogging/posting pictures.  Today I took the boys to my Aunt Karen's.  We swam at her pool and then visited the awesome sporting goods store, Scheels.  It was a great way to spend a day.  The picture above is of the boys with my cousin, Kelly.  She is 19 and goes to college in Alabama.  She has a southern drawl now......it's so cute.

My favorite Aunt Karen and Jay.  Notice how the picture looks a little blurry.  It's actually not blurry.  It's Nick shooting water into the air.....of course.

18/31

The dust in central Illinois is awful right now due to the drought.  Copper gets as dirty as the boys most nights.  Tonight Jay took her to the beach and she swam in the lake with him and got very dirty and sandy.  So she got a shower with Jay when she got home.  She's such  good dog.  Nothing really gets to her.  She sits in the shower, gets her fur brushed off with Mike's air hose and lives with two very active boys. 

My favorite summer things

Tonight I don't have a picture.  Instead.........I thought I'd spice things up and remind myself of what makes me smile these days.  Mike and I have a lot going on lately - nothing no other working parent doesn't go through - but it's good to stop, take a breath and remind myself of my favorite things. 
*The smell of the boys' freshly shampooed hair after their nightly shower
*Crawling into my comfy bed at night in my cool house where the A/C is constantly blowing these days
*A fresh pedicure, which I desperately need right now
*My flower pots that Mike bought me for Mother's Day.  They have beautiful flowers in them (that will be a picture for another post)
*My dog Copper.  She amuses me in some way everyday.
*Talking walks with the boys
*Eating watermelon
*My daily chats with my mom.
*My morning cup of coffee from my Kerig!

We are enjoying our summer.  There are 5 more weeks of summer left before school starts.  The boys are not ready to go back (big surprise) but I am ready for them to go back.  As much as I love summer, my boys thrive on structure (especially Jay) and it can get a bit stressful when you work from home but we make it all work!

16/31

Today kind of stunk work-wise but the evening turned itself around.  First I took a very brisk 2 mile walk with Jay and then I came home and took a 1 mile walk with Nick and Copper.  So I got in a good 3 mile walk today......hence my happy dance below.  Ha!  Actually I was being silly with Nick and he snapped the picture.  On our walk tonight I was asking Nick if he thought he could get through first grade without being sent to the principal's office.  His response was Yes because he now knew how to act but then he paused and said he might just have to go once!  That boy.

15/31

Today we headed 2 hour north to my Uncle Mike's farm so the boys could four wheel.  We made a summer "bucket list" and four wheeling at Uncle Mike's was first on their list!

Nick and his 2nd cousin.

We took Copper along.  It was really hot so she "settled" under Mike's truck.  I use the term settled loosely.  She does really well traveling but she didn't know what to make of Mike's farm. 

Uncle Mike, Nick and Jay

My 83 year old grandpa with Nick and Jay.

Nick and Grandpa.  We had a really good time.  It is always worth the 2 hour drive to Uncle Mike's! 

13 & 14/ 31

This weekend was my 20 year high school reunion.  The picture above is of Emily, Melissa, me and Allison.  I've been friends with Melissa since Kindergarten and we are still friends to this day.  She is my oldest friend.  I've been friends with Emily since elementary school but we lost touch a bit after high school.  It was so fun seeing everyone.  The picture below does not do my class justice.  We are a large graduating class in 1992 but the group last night was a small group.  That was okay though.  It was still so enjoyable catching up with everyone.

Me and my buddy Nate.  Nate and I have been friends since junior high.  When I look back at what I was doing the summer of 1992 a few things come to mind.  I was babysitting everyday for $100 a week and I thought I was rolling in it.  I had to make enough money to buy my books when I went to school.  I was dating a guy named Glenn - Big Mistake!  I was driving my mom insane.  My poor mom was still adjusting to being newly divorced and although I didn't give her much trouble my senior year I was the typical 18 year old who couldn't wait to leave home and thought my mom knew nothing.......how quickly that changes when you go off to school and what a slap in the face it is when you become a mom yourself.  Ha!  I was also preparing to head off to Parkland Junior College with two roommates.  My roommate, Mary and I were being throw together by the other roommate and Mary and I did not know each other.  How ironic is it that Mary and I had two other roommates and we only keep in touch with each other?  Mary is still one of my dearest friends and I think the Lord knew I would need a friend like her when I went out to spread my wings 20 years ago. 

12/31

                                                            Here's to the boy with eyes as blue as the ocean

11/31

10/31

My wish

I'm interrupting my picture taken for a quick "writing" blog.  Recently my family went to a party.  Two grown brothers were at this party - the Elgin brothers.  The Elgin brothers are grown adults raising their families and they are four years apart.  These brothers are close.  They live in the same small town and raising their children together.  The older brother is currently helping his younger brother build his house.  Tonight I ran into the older brother and he told me he got such a kick out of watching my boys together at the party we were at.  He said it brought back a lot of good memories of him and his brother.  I thanked him and we both had a good laugh about boys and brothers.  What I didn't mention to him (but should have) is how cool I think it is that he and his younger brother are so close.  My boys are different, no doubt about it but I've really tried to instill an appreciation for each other in them.  It helps that they both like to do the same things - play outside, get into mischief, ride their four wheelers and running full force straight into the lake.....sometimes on bikes!  Are they close?  I'd say Yes.  Will they stay close?  It's my wish, my prayer, my hope that they do. 

8 & 9/31

Okay I'm a day behind in posting pictures.  Yesterday Jay had his good friend over.  They rode bikes, went to the beach and he had dinner with us.  We really love this friend of Jay's.  He's so easy to have around and such a nice boy. 

Tonight Nick had soccer camp and wow did he play aggressively.  He was soaked by the time it was over.  He came home, devoured his dinner, took a bath and cuddled on the couch with his dad. 

7/31

Today we went to a pool party and my friend, Laura, sure knows how to throw a party.  We had so much fun.  The picture above is Nick and his good buddy. 

Laura's husband, Mike throwing Jay in the pool.

Laura's hubby is so good with the kids.  Here is is ready to jump in with them.  Nick is on the far right. 

6/31

Look who is missing from our house tonight?  Our sweet puppy Copper is gone tonight because she had her female surgery this morning.  Jay was pretty torn up about leaving her this morning and tonight we are all finding that we miss her and our house is not quite the same without her. 

5/31

Nick is my Dancing King!  Jay is watering flowers for a neighbor who is on vacation so while Mike and Jay were gone....Nick and I danced!  Notice his penguin in the back ground.

4/31

Happy 4th of July.  Wow is it HOT here!  Like 100 degrees hot.  I hosted a brunch this morning and it was so nice.  Of course the boys just had to get muddy!

Me and my girls: Amy, Laura, me and my sis.

Me and my momma

                                                        We ended the day at Laura's pool which was Oh so nice & relaxing!

3/31

My fourth July of strawberries!  Thanks to my patient husband for melting the chocolate and dipping the strawberries.  They look pretty but they were kind of a hassle.

2/31

Okay so these pictures didn't happen today but I loved them.

1/31

The entire month of July I am going to try (oh so hard) to post a picture everyday.  Today we went boating with grandma and grandpa.  We sure enjoyed ourselves.  The boys always love going and they get to go frequently but Mike and I get out only once a summer and today was it. 

Grandpa is always good about getting in the water with the boys.  The man will also be 61 in August and still water skis.