Walk With Me, Daddy

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking behind these two and captured this priceless photo.  What were they thinking and talking about during that long walk in Chicago while Isabella and I were noticing all of the beautiful flowers?

It was at that moment, the poem by Helen Bush popped into my head.  Just like that....

Walk With Me, Daddy

By Helen Bush

Walk alongside me, Daddy

and hold my little hand

I have so many things to learn

that I don't yet understand

Teach me things to keep me safe

from dangers every day.

Show me how to do my best

at home, at school at play

Every child needs a gentle hand

to guide them as they grow.

So walk alongside me, Daddy

We have a long way to go.

Independence Day

We got super lucky this year with Independence Day falling on a Tuesday.  That meant that we got to take time and relax on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday AND Tuesday.  What a treat!  We were able to enjoy family and friends, a few cookouts, a parade and of course, FIREWORKS!  The girls had a nail painting party, swam in the pool multiple times and even lit off sparklers together.  Giselle is still a bit scared of the loud noise that a firework creates, so at 6, she still wears her “ears” (which means comfortable construction ear muffs to protect her ears from LOUD noises).  I wish I could buy Baxter a pair of those too because he does NOT like fireworks!! 

I have to say; the Fourth of July is moving up there to be one of my favorite holidays.  I love that it is warm outside, you get to eat yummy food, see awesome displays of lights in the sky AND most importantly, spend time with your family and friends.

Giselle DOMINATED Kindergarten Soccer!

At the beginning of March 2017, Bob and I signed Giselle Eloise up for co-ed soccer with the Homer Soccer Club.  At the time, Isabella was playing basketball and Giselle wanted to participate in a sport, just not basketball.  When Giselle was three years old, she told us she wanted to play soccer.  We signed her up for soccer and would go to all the practices and games and she would just sit there and stare at all the players.  She didn’t want to play.  At all.  She went out there looking all cute, as all three-year old’s do with her pony tails and shades.  Perhaps she was studying the sport?

Giselle - 3 Years Old - SOCCER

ME?  Play Soccer?  3 Years Old

We gave it a break after that.  We always ask the girls if they would like to participate in something (whether it be an after-school program or sport) and if they say yes, we go for it!  Fast forward to three years later to the age of six – Giselle said she wanted to play soccer again.

Giselle’s practices started mid – April.  She had a practice session once a week and a game every Saturday from April until the second week of June.  8 games and 8 practices later, I couldn’t be prouder of her progression.  Her first two games and practices, she went out there and was just going through the motions.  I thought…here we go again.  Sometimes, your children expand your horizons when you least expect it.   

By her third game, something within in her became FAST and FIERCE!  She was running at lightning speed ahead of the pack, scoring several goals and became VERY competitive.  The coach and parents would come up to us after each game and mention how fast she is and what a great player she is.

At the end of the season, Coach Dennis came up to her and told her that she really had something, that she needed to keep playing.  We asked her if she wanted to continue playing next season and she said YES! 

Thank you for such a fun season of soccer Giselle!  Mommy, Daddy, Isabella, and Aunt Dawn really enjoyed watching you out there on that field!  I love how excited you get to dress in your uniform, to play and how competitive you are!  You are not afraid to "Get in the Game!"  It has been very rewarding to watch you grow and learn about a new sport!  KEEP being YOU……

Camp Invention 2017

Last week the girls got to participate in a week long camp called "Camp Invention."  What is Camp Invention?  It is a program designed to bring Science, Technology, Engineering and Math subjects to life through hands-on activities.  (I wish they had a camp like this for adults, I would love it!)  The children who participate rotate through four modules to build their creativity, strengthen their problem solving skills and gain a foundation for developing an innovative mindset.

Last year, Isabella participated and made a cricket that was solar powered, it was very creative.  The girls had to bring in a bag at the beginning of the week filled with old electronics and crafts to up cycle.  I sent them with two old DVD players - those are always fun to disassemble! 

On their first day, the girls were virtually introduced to National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee JD Albert - one of the inventors of Electronic Ink.  He challenged the girls to think about the powerful connection between being an inventor and entrepreneur. 
On the second day, they were MISSION SPACE MAKERS!  They got to learn all about space.  They created Space Labs, complete with plants, sea life, crystals and an animal egg.
On the third day, they made bubble gums and homemade alarms.  And the last two days, they spent disassembling their DVD players and making creative crafts.
On the last day of camp, the parents were invited to come preview all the Inventions that our campers made.  Isabella and Giselle were very excited to walk us around each classroom and show us their creations from the week.
I captured a few photos from the week.  Can you guess which little girl absolutely LOVED this camp?

Schools Out for Summer!!!

On Thursday, June 1st it was the last day for Giselle as a kindergartener and the last day of 2nd grade for Isabella.   Over the summer, the girls have some fun camps that they are participating in.  A science camp where they take recycled items and make crafty inventions and also a girls scouts camp. 

Isabella is signed up for a summer reading program for 6 weeks over the summer.  This will help encourage her to become a stronger reader and more confident! 

Lastly, they finish the summer off with a gymnastics camp, which they both love!  And Giselle will be participating in a soccer camp to refine her great soccer skills!

I am looking forward to a fun summer, creating memories with my girls!

LOVE makes EVERYTHING GROW

You may or may not remember a post that I wrote on Monday, April 21, 2014.  Let me refresh your memory……

This is an excerpt from that blog on that particular day in 2014….

Today, we feel super sad and it is all because of a 30 something year old tree and a BUG! Who knew something could make several family members feel sad! The Emerald ash borer bug that is, that infects trees. OUR ash tree. When I woke up today, I took the girls out at 6:45 a.m. to play on their FAVORITE TREE. One last time. As I drove down the road after playing on the tree with them and taking pictures, I passed the tree service coming to our house, and my heart and stomach sank to the ground immediately. All of the memories of my girls and this tree were flashing through my mind at that moment. And those that know me, know that there are very FEW things that I get sappy about. This particular tree was an ash tree and when we moved in to our house, 3 years ago, it instantly became their favorite because it had a swing on one of the branches. It was UNIQUE. NOSTALGIC, to say the least. Forget that we had a play set in the back with swings. THIS WAS THE ONE. That they played on, all day every day, for 3 plus hours. And I, as well as Bob, smiled from ear to ear watching their ENJOYMENT.

What a BEAUTIFUL tree that had to be cut down!

The last photo with the ASH tree in 2014

Fast forward 3 years.  I am outside in the yard, right before Mother’s Day.  It was very late in the day and it was time to call it a wrap!  Yet, I was daydreaming about the beautiful weather and I caught myself staring at A TREE!  You know you are tired when you are staring at a tree!!  It was in that moment that I had an AHA MOMENT!  You know those moments.  Where something just DAWNS on YOU!  I ran to the barn and grabbed that tree limb with the swing attached that once housed so many memories and LOVE for the girls, and for us.  And the wheels were still turning….HOW can I hang this swing for the girls to this ASH tree that we have desperately been trying to save.  It’s the last one of 13 trees that we have NOT had to cut down.  I ran to ACE hardware with both girls in tow, as they grabbed every paint card imaginable in the paint section to make a craft, AND I got the tools necessary to get the job done!  YEAH!!!  Meanwhile, they had NO IDEA what I was doing. 

Bob came home and we had 40 minutes before we had to head to a soccer practice on a Friday night.  All dolled up in his suit and tie…..I said…Can YOU pretty please hang this swing…..it will only take 5 minutes!!!  And he laughed at me, as he always does.  Does anything ever only take 5 minutes?  In two shakes of a rabbit’s tale, he had the swing hung up!  VICTORY!  After it was hung, I decided it needed to be beautiful and magical for the girls, as it once was.  I started drilling holes in tree limbs to hang baskets of flowers.  Put a few pots around the tree with annuals.  Included a sign that says “Love makes everything grow” from my 70-year old neighbor that moved.  LOVED HER!  I put Giselle’s old monkey rain boots in front of the tree that she wore when she was 3 years old and stuck some flowers in there too. 

WHO was the first daughter to run out there and her EYES lit up like Christmas when she saw her old swing back?  It was Giselle!  And what did she say?  MOMMY!!!  OUR OLD SWING IS BACK!  YOU DON’T NEED TO MAKE IT ANYMORE BEAUTIFUL…the SWING IS ENOUGH!!!  And Isabella was the second to notice it.  NOW?  They both continue to fight over their old friend that has been re-introduced again.  Endless hours of LOVE and MEMORIES to be once yet re-created on a NEW tree………….The saying goes…Life is not measured by TIME….It is measured by creating Memories….Here are a few pictures of the ash tree that was over 30 years old and had to be cut down and here are a few pictures of the ash tree that now houses that swing that is LOVED so much!

The hardware photo so I could talk intelligently with the gentleman at ACE hardware!

The old ash tree branch with swing still attached.

THEIR NEW TREE SWING!!

They call me MOM

They call me mom and what a privilege it is!  Happy Mother's Day to all!  Whether you raised children in the 50's or NOW, mothering always has its challenges, no matter what era! And with challenges, there are always rewards!  I wouldn't be the woman I am today without the values my mother instilled within me - which are - love, honesty, compassion, loyalty, hard work in, a little sass, good cook in, good look in, a lil stubbornness, and so much MORE!  And that is just the half of ME!
Thank you!  When I SMILE BIG its because of YOU!  Loved our walk together today.  Our planting time in the garden.  Stopping to smell the "lilacs."
Mother's Day....loving up on my mother......planting in the garden with my mother and father.....watching the girls swing together.....PURE BLISS...loving up on everyone......the girls ever personalities lighting souls.....I am BLESSED!  Warm weather....and SUNSHINE.....Happy Mothers Day to ALL!