Pete's Summer

Pete, you are my sweet child. 

 

 

 

Your new found love is a golf club and a golf ball.  You know what to do with them and can actually hit the ball.  We're all impressed.

 



 

 You have eczema, poor thing.  Your skin is scaly and has red splotches all over.  I don't know if its caused by what you eat, or if you have allergies, but it makes me sad to see you scratch your poor skin.
You LOVE Jesus.  Seriously.  You can spot a crucifix anywhere!  As we come downstairs in the morning we pass a large crucifix on the wall.  We stop and say good morning to Jesus while you point up at Him.  As I lay you on my bed at night after the bath, you point up to Him on our wall.  If I ask you "where is Jesus," your head scans the room until you find Him on the wall.  Melts my heart.

Putting you to bed at night is a joy.  After you are bathed and jammied, we find your best friend in the whole world...you blanket.  It is a tie blanket that your Godmother made for you when you were born.  It is darling to watch you find the three specific tie pieces that you MUST hold onto.  They are getting easy to spot since they are stretched way out!  Once you find those three pieces you smile and give an "oh yeah" and then your thumb goes straight to your mouth.  I believe this is heaven for you!  We stand in front of your pack and play (which you still sleep in) and I pray our night prayers.  Your head usually scans the bedroom to find the three crucifixes hanging on the wall and I pray as you point to Jesus!  Then I bless your forehead, you give me a smooch and I lay you down on your blanket, turn off the light and shut the door.  You are so good!

 

 

You love to sit on the couch in the kitchen with me and look at books.  I always love to see what book becomes each child's "favorite!"  Yours is called "I'm as Quick as a Cricket" which was Thomas' when he was a baby!  At one point in the book it reads, "I'm as quiet as a clam..." at this point you put your finger to your mouth and make the shushing sound!

 

You are my cuddliest child by far.  Your head rests so nicely on my shoulder.  As long as you have your thumb in your mouth, you are so content to just be held and resting on my shoulder...however Sunday Mass seems to be a different story!  We've split up and gone to mass at different times some Sundays this summer, due to the fact that it's too hard to hold you in the back of mass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Evelyn's Summer

Miss Evelyn,

I think you are growing up quicker than anyone else because you have three siblings to follow.  You pretty much do what they do.  You have a terrible problem with cutting your hair.  I'm serious.  I continue to find random chunks of your hair sticking up after being cut.  Please grow out of this phase!

You loved going swimming and taking swim lessons this summer.  You loved riding your bike and trying to keep up with the big kids as they zoom past.

 

 

 You LOVE to wear feet jammies even through the sweltering hot summer.  I just don't get it.  The kids stuffed you with blankets...

 

 

 

 

You helped me plant the garden this summer.  Tomatoes were your job to pick!  I'd send you out to the garden with a bucket and you'd pick and pick!

 

 You are so expressive when you talk at home, which is funny considering you are silent and emotionless when around others.  When you are telling me something, your eyes grow big and your lisp is in full force...it's darling.

 

 

 Your thing this summer is to be pregnant.  According to my records you had about fifty births in three months!  I would always find you with a baby stuffed into your shirt all lumpy or sometimes with limbs hanging out...This afternoon I found you napping while pregnant.

 

 

You amaze me on the trampoline.  You can flip like crazy.  I never taught you, you just followed the big kids!

 

George's Summer

George, I can't believe how fast you are growing.  You are no longer part of the little kid group, but have definitely joined the big kids. 

You spent a lot of time this summer just playing outside with "the boys," our twin neighbor boys and Thomas.  The moment you would see them outside, you dash out of the house and hop on your bike.  I would see you all riding up and down our street going back and forth.  You followed them around the neighborhood, funny that I didn't really mind you riding your bike around as long as you were with Thomas.  Frank and Lily, our neighborhood turkeys still wander around and you would try to find them on your bike.

 

 

 You are a master on the trampoline.  You can flip and fly like no one I've ever seen at your age.  You also make me panic the most as you never seem to tuck your head under until the very last second.  On really hot days you guys would put the sprinkler on under the trampoline and jump with your suits on!

You were not old enough to ride your bike to the pool with Thomas and Annie, so when they would leave, you usually grabbed your blanket, stuck your thumb in your mouth (yes, you still suck your thumb) and just lay down somewhere.  Sometimes you would look at books, but mostly you would just lay somewhere.  Then when Pete was awake, you would grab your suit and goggles and be so excited to get to the pool. 

 

 

You liked watching Thomas' games this summer and towards the end of the season you were the "official" bat boy!  It cracked me up to see you with the "big boys" and walk out there like it was no big deal, although it really was, and grab the bat that was thrown to the ground.  You took your job very seriously!

 



 

 

You are always the last one to bed in our house.  You get about fifty drinks of water and ask for your back scratched just as many times.  The only bonus of you not falling asleep until eleven o'clock or later was that you would sleep in sometimes until ten thirty!

 

 

 You have found a new style that just cracks me up.  You love to pull up your socks to your knees.  It doesn't matter how hot it is outside, you hike those puppies up.  It makes me laugh especially at baseball how you wear ski socks, bright colored ski socks, and pull them up.  It's good that you are not concerned with looking just like other kids.  I like your style!

 

 

Every Tuesday this summer, you and Thomas would go to Boy's Choir at St. Teresa's.  Monsignor Nemec leads a choir of all boys.  I'm so proud of you being a part of that choir.  You had no trouble getting up early on Tuesdays and going.  I would always ask Thomas if you actually sang and he would just smile at me!  

Annie's Summer

Annie,

It was nice having you home this summer. You really grew and changed over the summer months.  You begged me to get your hair cut, short.  You walked out of the salon with the cutest stacked bob I have ever seen!  The back of your hair is as short as can be and then it gets longer around your face.  Darling!

 

Some of your favorites this summer included getting to ride your bike to the pool by yourself.  You and Thomas would pack your bag, making sure to have a snack and towel and then head off to the pool.  It was so nice to be able to let you go when Pete was still sleeping and I wasn't ready to go yet.  You spent a lot of time swimming as I slowly watched your lovely skin turning darker and darker!

 

We found out this summer that you really are affected by the heat.  Twice, after being outside all day in the heat and sun you got dehydrated.  From then on we made sure you had water with you and you probably were annoyed with me asking you ALL the time if you had your water bottle.

 

 

You had your friend Tess over one day to play.  You decided on baking something, and so after looking through all your cookbooks and narrowing it down, decided to make meringues.  You were so good to let Evelyn be a part of it, so thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent the fourth of July in Norfolk.  Oh, how you love your baby cousin Sylvia.  She's such a squeezy baby and lovely to hold.  You helped Laura and I pick cherries and pit cherries the whole time we were there.  You also got a chance to ride in a helicopter.  You were so excited at the thought of getting to ride in one, and then after Pop had paid for it and you were waiting your turn to go, you panicked and held on tightly to me.  I kind of forced you to go, knowing how much you would love it once you were up there.  And you did.  I was so proud of you for going and when you landed you couldn't stop talking about how FUN it was!!

 

 

This summer was a first for spending the night with your friend Abby.  We figured since letting Thomas and Joe do it, that you could stay with Abby and Kate.  I've never seen you so excited! 

 

You, Abby and Kate also decided to have your own lemonade, coffee and cookie stand after seeing the boys great success with it the weekend before.  We had the girls over to make the cookies and wrap them up, then headed over to the Vaceks to set up your stand. 

 

 

 

You mastered the front flip on the trampoline!!  Every time we were out there you would ask me to watch you as you would get closer and closer to landing it on your feet.  Then one day you did it!  You talk a lot about wanting to do gymnastics.  I'm amazed at your ability on the trampoline!

 

If someone asked you what your favorite thing to do is, I guarantee you would say "going to get a pedicure and then to Yougrtini."  You LOVE to get pedicures and we went a couples time together this summer.  Then watching you try the different flavors at Yogurtini and trying to decide which one to pick is an event in itself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas' Summer

Thomas, you were such a joy to have around this summer.  I love your innocence.  You still are young and yet I'm starting to see a glimpse of you maturing.  We didn't do anything big this summer, just stayed around home and went swimming or to baseball.  I know you would have loved a big summer vacation, and I so badly want to give you that, and yet you were content to just be here. 

 

 

This was your first year playing Salt dogs Baseball which was more of a time commitment than the YMCA which you have done in the past.  Your practice was held at a field in our neighborhood so you could just ride your bike there.  Twice a week you played a two hour game.  It was so fun to see you out there on the field looking so grown up!  I will never forget taking you to get your uniform.  I watched your face light up as we looked for pants, socks, a belt, glove and a new bat.  You kept thanking me over and over, I'll never forget your gratitude.

For one of your night games pop and I got a sitter for the kids and we went out to dinner and then sat and watched you play your game.  That was fun!

 Your birthday fell on the last day of school this year.  You got a new tent, sleeping bag and lantern for your present.  But I think the best part of your birthday was getting to have your buddy Joe spend the night with you outside in your new tent.  This was your first time having a sleepover and you were SO EXCITED! 

Getting to spend the night was a highlight of your summer for sure!  I remember on night we had the Vaceks over for dinner.  As we were sitting, talking with them we hear the vacuum cleaner running.  Odd.  Then we notice the kitchen has been cleaned.  Ah ha!  You and Joe figured that if you helped clean, maybe you could spend the night! 

 

 

 

 

 

One weekend, you and Joe decided to have a lemonade, coffee, and homemade cookie stand!  Friday evening, you both made cookie dough by yourselves with the plan to get up early Saturday, bake cookies and set up your stand.  When I got home from my run Saturday morning I walked into the fabulous smell of coffee brewing and cookies baking.  I helped you take everything to Joe's house.  You both stood out there from 9 until 2 in the afternoon.  Unbelievably you walked away with sixty dollars from that little stand!! 

You both decided to spend your money on a real dagger you had seen at Scheels.  I can't explain your excitement upon buying that dagger.

 

 

 You got to serve Mass for the first time this summer.  For one full week you woke up at 6:00, got dressed in kacki pants and polo shirt and off you went to serve 6:30 am Mass.  I took you the first day and after Mass we went to a little breakfast restaurant for a pancake breakfast.  You LOVED serving, which was no surprise to me since you have been "playing" Mass since you were three!

 

You really took to baking this summer!  I can't tell you how much I loved seeing you look through my cookbooks and figure out what cookie or bar you wanted to try making.  Usually at rest time you would do your baking.  You and Dominic would trade recipies and talk all about what you both made that week on our way home from boy's choir!  I love to see you in the kitchen. 

 

Two great things happened to you when we were staying with Laura and Jarod this summer.  First, was that you were able to ride in a helicopter!  When we were at the lake for the firework show, we saw they were offering helicopter rides.  You, Pop and Annie hopped in and off you flew, just like that!  I was so excited for you and couldn't wait to hear all about it from my safe position on the ground! 

Then, after having your eyes checked by uncle Jarod, you learned that you needed glasses.  True excitement for an eleven year old!!  You knew the exact pair you wanted even before going to the store, the same pair as your buddy Dominic. You asked every day if I had received a call from ShopKo saying your glasses were done!  I think you look so grown up wearing them!

 

 

 

 

You, Dominic and Joe participated in a week long camp.   I'm glad that it was a good 25 minute drive out there just so I could listen to the three of you talking in the back seat.  You all are into the "Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings"  right now.   Your conversations consisted of those characters (none of whom I can name) and looking out the window as we drove into the country deciding what field would make a good hobbit hole.

Camp Gargano is run by Doug Barry who has an incredible passion for forming boys into strong, holy men.  One day after picking you up, you all were covered in mud.  I smiled when I heard you say from the back seat how Mr. Barry kept telling you to "embrace the dirt!" 

 

 



Living It

I was blessed to be able to get away for the weekend and go on a silent retreat.  I haven't been on a retreat since our engaged encounter weekend, BEFORE we were married! You can bet I'm planning on making this a yearly event!!  I came away with so much inspiration to know my faith better, especially through reading scripture.  It was such a gift and I'm grateful to TJ for holding down the fort at home! 

The amazing priest who gave the retreat, Father Courtney, spoke a lot about Blessed Theresa of Calcutta and her amazing work with the poor, homeless, dying.  She LIVED the gospel, every word of it.  She truly was Jesus here on earth.  She did things no one else would do.  She touched people no one else would touch.  He said something that struck me, "ask a homeless person their name, because no one ever does.  That will get them to smile."  How often do I walk right past the people holding signs on the corner downtown?

Oddly enough we went downtown tonight for dinner.  Earlier I had told the kids what Father said about asking a homeless person their name.  After ordering I took Pete outside to walk around the block while we waited for the food to arrive.  And sure enough, there was a homeless man sitting at the corner holding his sign requesting money for food.  So I did it.  I walked up to him, stuck out my hand and said "hello sir, what's your name?"  As he shook my hand he said "Duane", and then smiled.

When I got back to the table I quietly told Thomas what I had done.  He said that he saw him there too and thought of what I had said.  So I told him to go.  Go shake his hand and ask him his name.  I was so proud of Thomas for living the gospel, even if only in a small way. 

Tonight's Dinner...

 

Smoked Grasshopper....

 

 

 

 

 

and Piedmont Opossum, caught, skinned and smoked by Craig.

 

 

 

12 Years