Summer 2009

Even though summer isn't officially over, it's officially over. School started for Brian at the end of August and the boys started preschool last week. And, while I love these precious little things, it's amazing how my blood pressure seems to rise with the level of noise in the house.

Some people take pride in maintaining a steady weight between doctors visits. My source of pride is maintaining healthy blood pressure. Seriously, I cannot wait until they strap on that cuff and become amazed. 110/70, baby.

So, yes, preschool helps me maintain my solid gold performance when it comes to those blood pressure cuffs. But, man, it was a good summer...

• We kicked it off with some Memorial Day fun at the Fort Worth Stockyards and Burger Lake. Yee haw and tattoos.


• My dad, the boys and I drove to Denver for my cousin's wedding. Kansas...wow, you are enormous.


• Brian went to Extreme Camp as a counselor with our youth group. Fun times. Hot times (Oklahoma June + broken A/C = sweat).


• The boys went to visit Brian's family and got to experience the thrill that is Wonderland Park. Oooh, how this family loves us some log riding fun.


• Brian went bald. By razor. By choice.


• The boys made it through their first full movie at the theater. The fact that I'm documenting this should tell you how enormously significant it is. Our boys = ANTS in their pants.


• My cousin, Abbey, came and stayed with us for a few days and went to VBS with us. Highlight of my summer - I was with her when she began her relationship with Jesus.


• We celebrated our nation's independence with some friends who cleverly brought along some light sticks to keep the kids entertained before the fireworks. What was not so clever was the gigantic Curves hot air balloon inflated right before the fireworks started. Nothing says, "Happy Independence Day, America" like a gigantic Curves balloon amidst the fireworks.


• Brian and I went to YoungLife camp in Colorado and signed on to work with the sophomore class. If you start to notice me adding letttttersss to my spelllllinnngggg, it's totally because I'm under the influence of teens.


• We celebrated the lives of some incredibly precious people, Connor Cruse and Yallo David. Connor would have been nine at the beginning of October. He valiantly battled cancer and made more lasting impact than most of us could hope to leave. Please pray for his family as they mark Connor's first birthday in heaven. And, Yallo...a warrior as well.


• And, as we remember God takes away, we also remember that He gives. We are getting ready to welcome another precious person to planet Earth. Caleb Olsen, our first nephew, will be here October 5th!

What else?

• The boys honed their swimming skills. Noah can swim across the width of our pool and do somersaults off the wall (Momma did NOT teach him that. Hint: a bald headed man did.) As for Tyler, he loves to take his time floating/drifting towards us with an occasional kick. He always comes up smiling. Such his personality. He also can hold his breath like a saltwater crocodile. Well, maybe not three hours like a crocodile, but, man, it's impressive. And it also comes in handy when you rely solely on drifting to get you places.


• There was also a considerable amount of slip n sliding. How fun to see them playing a toy we played with as children. Except we didn't have poufy inflated pillows at the end to stop us from launching face first right off the nice wet slide and into the rocks and burrs. Yeah, y'all know what I'm talking about. Children have it so easy these days.


• Tyler turned three and had his first official birthday party. He had a party where he could show off his breath holding skills in the pool as well as his slip and slide techniques on the park lawn.


• The boys got bunk beds for their birthdays. And we are still wondering why we thought it was a grand idea to put these two in the same room.


• We took a vacation to San Antonio with my parents. Sea World couldn't contain us. Or the salt water that Shamu sloshed around. And Tyler has never been the same since he had his heart broken.


• Brian got to see the Cowboys at training camp. The world could never be so right for him as during those 147 minutes.


• Noah celebrated his fifth birthday with some bowling. He had his first official birthday party and decided to take it to Strikz. What's more insane than taking six rambunctious boys to a darkened room with loud music and letting them hurl 7 lb. balls as if it were a timed event? And then feeding them cake? Nothing.


• Tyler learned how to write a "T." Just four more letters to learn before he can write his name. And only four more after that before he can write, "loves Mommy." Amazing how nine letters can make your day. And lower your blood pressure.


• We went to a high school football game where the boys sat through an entire game for the first time ever. (Brian thinks that means they're ready for a Rangers game on Saturday. I had to remind him THAT is a test of even my ability to sit still. Since we're not even in contention anymore, does that mean we still stay all nine innings?)


• Noah learned to ride a bike without training wheels. He did it completely on his own for the first time today. Pretty special.


• We got to see a space shuttle and the International Space Station in orbit. I think the boys were underwhelmed. They don't get the giddies over space, the final frontier, like Brian and I do.

So, here is my first attempt at a slideshow. Here's our summer 2009!

Ah, these are "the good ol' days" indeed.