Schools Out...Scream and Shout

People we made it.  The end of the 2012-2013 school year descended upon us and has officially been laid to rest.  Thank the Lord.  The girl Things survived finals and papers and studying and late nights and cram sessions and all that.  So did Husband Jared and I.  There was no lack of celebration around this household at 11:45am last Friday.  The weight had been lifted and when the Things walked through the door we promptly loaded up and went for lunch at Lion's Tap where we toasted to summer and shared our high's of the year.  And guess what, this last year there was copious amounts of learning and growing that took place.  This will not be the post to address such things though.  We are talking about celebrating here! 
 
Group selfie? 
 Do you still call it that when it includes other people?
 
Per the Things request we drove around  with the windows rolled down and blared the country music loud, I mean loud enough for the entire city of Eden Prairie to hear.  Good times.  After all, we're all about making memories.  Traditions are important to these Things so our annual kick off to summer ice cream party was next on the docket.  A healthy day of eating for us, which may or may not have included donuts to jump start the Things and their friends on this morning.  We had so many kiddos with us we were forced to take two cars to our favorite donut shop, Yo-Yo!  To make the day even sweeter it was National Donut Day.  How could we have missed out on that one?  Free donuts, at least all the ones with  holes in them.  Yum! 
 
 
Ice cream celebration!
 
So many treats, so little time.  The day was full of ridding the Things' rooms of all school related paraphernalia, tossing papers and folders into the trash, taking care of a few chores and then more dancing around!  More time with friends, a graduation ceremony, loads of teenagers at our house, a little covert ops for one girl, a sleep over for another and too many late night giggles and shenanigans than I care to share here.  It has been a full weekend and summer has only just begun.
 
Another notable moment this week was Thing 4's promotion to the Upper School at ERA.  Moving from 5th grade to 6th.  Our days of elementary education are behind us and it only seemed right to document the occasion here.  Thing 4 gave a speech at the ceremony.  He stood up in front of 70 classmates and their families and shared what his first year at ERA was like for him, what he learned, how his teachers helped him and all that was accomplished in 9 short months.  Husband Jared and I are thinking we might have a politician on our hands.  And for the record I do mean that as a sincere compliment, the child can talk.  There were no "ums" or "like" used, the words flowed.  The moment was sweet.  Thing 4 then received his certificate from his teacher and the classes spent the afternoon at the park, partaking in root beer floats and running around exploring. 
 
 
And once again the blog has done this to my photos.  I have tried to download differently, rotate, save, blah, blah, blah.  To no avail.  My apologies.  I must include this photo because just look at that smile.  Come on people, what's this Mama to do? 
 
So summer kicks off today.  The Things are sleeping in.  There are cloudy, overcast skies outside and we are all hoping for a pool day soon.  Fingers crossed it will happen today.  Nonetheless, we are beyond thrilled that schools out.  We have done our fair share of screaming and shouting.  No doubt the fun will continue. 
 
 

 
 




 




Thankful Thursday


Mema's cat, taken by Thing 1
 
3073.  funny statistics shared by a friend
3074. hugs from Things at school
3075. jazz music loud through the speakers
3076. Husband Jared, Mr. Fix It
3077. for my Mother in Law
3078. picture of Turkish coffee from Brother
3079. sweet text from sister in law
3080. school, almost out for summer
3081. a book being shared with some special friends
3082. new recipes to try

This State....

State of what you might be wanting to ask.  Well not that kind of "state".  What I mean to say is I am referring to the state I live in.  My posting relating to the weather has ran the gamut.  This I know.  And I'm positive that it might sound like I'm being a whiny baby here.  It is quite possible I am.  This grand state of Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes, yada yada has not been my favorite geographical location that we have resided in thus far.  Now don't mistake my disdain for this state for lack of love for it's people or the beauty of creation that surrounds.  I just don't know that I have the heartiness within me to make it here.  There seem to be statistics showing that I have had more sinus infections these last two years than ever before.  I may be the only one sure that it is because of this state.  The self diagnosis of allergic qualities to this state did not meet Husband Jared's high standards of approval.  Nor did it make him say, "alright, pack it all up, we're out of here!".  Quite frankly, I'm not too certain those were words that I actually wanted to hear anyway.
 
It was a moment of weakness.  Utter frustration.  I don't make for a very good patient when I am ill.  Not at all.  I much prefer to be on the side of administering the care and the medicine.   And thankfully for Thing 1 I was on that side just yesterday.  Seems she has her Mama's inclination towards the sinus-ear infection combo.  Unfortunately this is happening during finals week.  Poor girl.  We came home early yesterday, parked ourselves on the couch and tried to breathe through clogged everything.  You don't need those details, right? 
 
Anyhow, back to the weather and the correlation.  It is June.  Not that  you would necessarily know that here.  At least I wouldn't. I suppose I'm more of a Cali girl than I thought.  I do love a rain storm.  The sound of drops hitting the window.  Watching them dance on the sidewalk puddles.  The seasons here in this state seem to come later and later.  Or just not end, ever.  It really is no joke when the locals tell you that it won't be "warm" until July.  Last year was an anomaly.  This year, maybe too?  Seems to me that the rain hasn't stopped and if it has the colder temperatures haven't followed suit.  Strange.  It fluctuates from the 50's to the 70's and back again.  Clearly I am no meteorologist.  I am just a transplant in this state hankering for some vitamin D.  On the bright side, I haven't needed to water my newly potted flowers and the land surrounding us has the most vibrant shades of green invading.  Something to be thankful for. 
 
This might about sum it up.  Although I do feel like I need to make a list of all the "things" I like about this state.  I will.  Maybe not ALL, but at least 10 things I like.  Let's end this post with positives, glass half full.  This weekend, well at least Saturday the forecast shows sunshine and 70 degrees.  Doing my happy dance here. 
 And now, the list.
 
1. all four seasons, whatever their duration may be
2. water, every which way
3. late night sunsets in the summer
4. walleye
5. nature trails
6. bridge over the Mississippi
7. museums and theatres abound
8. arboretum
9. starry skies on clear nights
10. new adventures are around every corner
 

This Season

I am here.  Waiting and wishing for summer.  But as soon as those wistful words land on the page I want to take them back.  For if summer is here then that means the Things are another year along in school and we will be celebrating the onset of summer vacation and growing up and camps and all that is to be.  Here in 2013.  So I'm here.  I'm here.  I'm going to be present in the now.  In the chaos that is May.  Shout out for all the Mamas that wrestle through schedules and all the lasts that this season brings.  The last choir concert.  The last art show.  Last test.  Last school play.  Last, last, last.  I don't know that the word itself does me any justice.  Why do the months of May and June necessitate this?  After almost 11 years of schooling I still do not understand this phenomenon.  There are graduations and promotions and goodbyes and all that comes with it.  Why oh why do we put more on ourselves in these months.  And for those of you with littles nipping at your feet summer often means everyone home, all day, everyday.  Oh my.  Yes, I remember.  It can also mean no schedules.  Sleeping in late.  Getting messy.  Creating.  Laughing.  Staying in pajamas.  Building forts.  Catching lightening bugs. Playing flashlight tag.  Sidewalk chalk.  Popsicles.  Yes, even for those of us with teenagers it can mean all these things.  At least I hope so.  For at least one more year.  Pretty please.

So as I beckon summer and it's long, lazy days I am grateful for this.  The scattered, overwhelming now.  Where there are two football matches a week, late Wednesday nights, study sessions with note cards and candy, a little fretting over finals and the countdown of Mondays until it's over.  I will be ever the optimist that these days are few and far between and I won't fret that we have only two more summers with the eldest Thing.  And so, so much to learn.  Agh.  I'll be ever present and then soon enough we welcome in high regard our summer.   

Last Weekend and The One Before

There has been some activity around here.  An art show at school in which all the girl Things had pieces on display.  A visit from a cousin and a football tournament.  Not to mention we are still struggling with the weather here.  Let me rephrase that, I am the one having a hard time.  Last weekend at the tournament we were bundled up.  Yes, winter coats and beanies on the sidelines.  Here it is almost June, scratch that, today is June 1st, and that just couldn't go without being documented.  I do wish I had photographed the silliness of it all.  Moving on, as I do agree I've never talked about the weather so much before living here in the great White North.  Here are a few photos sharing what this family of 6 has been up to. Well, here's what happened, I uploaded about seven photos and every last one of them turned when I posted them on this page.  Hmm.  When I uploaded and saved them they were all the right direction and edited and such and now, I can't even get them to turn the right way.  So frustrating.  Such is life sometimes.  I don't have much else to say as I was going to expound a bit more with my captions.  Bummer.  What rambling I have left you all with.  Now I've decided to post the wrong way photos, at least so I have them preserved here on the site.  Just don't get a kink in your neck trying to look at them.

Thing 3 and her palm tree art work

Thing 1 and her b&w photo of the guitar at Hard Rock, Chicago

Thing 2 and her collection of faces, including Thing 4, Thing 3 and Polo

Girl Things and Eden bowling

Cousin love

Thing 4 and Eden enjoying DQ after the tournament
 









 













Friends

 
"In Friendship…we think we have chosen our peer. In reality a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another…the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting—any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances.      

A secret Master of Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends “You have not chosen one another, but I have chosen you for one another.” The Friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of others."
--C.S. Lewis
 
 
 
Just a few words about friends.  Old and new.  Near and far.  Heart friends.  Soul sisters.  About those we pass and wonder, should I reach out?  Yes.  Yes, you should.  Let it be so.  Those that you wouldn't choose for yourself, He chose for you.  The surprise friends and the ones that are the opposite of your inclination in every sense.  There are the ones that challenge and spur you on.  That comfort and listen.  Stand up for you and hold you up when you can't.  Need I go on?  Probably not.  When I read this quote from C. S. Lewis I couldn't help but stop and contemplate it a bit more.  How could I ever express my gratitude for those that he chose for me?  I couldn't.  I can love them and love them well.  I can thank them and Him for the beautiful collision of souls colliding.  All in His name.  Thank you sweet Jesus for the gift of friends.  For all that they represent in your kingdom.  

Thankful Thursday #132



 
 
3063. one more Monday
3064. house guest this weekend
3065. trees blowing in the wind
3066. sunshine
3067. a bowl of cereal in the afternoon 
3068. larkspurs on the table
3069. upside down prayers
3070. sisters sharing
3071. flags flying high
3072. our military, strong and brave

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