Random Happs

Around here lately from my camera phone's perspective....

 Ladybug cuteness.  That's all.

 Last day of pre-school with Miss Claire.  It was a great year for the little spunky brewster.  Next year she'll go for 3 half days.  She'll be in the same class as Miss Molly...hold on tight Miss Ellen. 

 Squirt and I have been trying to savor our girl days as they come to an abrupt halt for the summer.  The tone changes when the two little monsters are together.  We're working on finding harmony.  

 Last day of 2nd grade with Mr. Olsen.  These two are alike in so many ways.  Next year he'll have a new teacher who he got to meet his last week.  He said she's my age and another kiddo said she's like a grandma age.  Mmmmmm... 

Dude also got to help Principal J with crosswalk duties on the last day of school.  Not the best shot, but it was a drive by opportunity.  

 

 Farmer's Market by church.  The farmers market of all farmers markets I might add. 

 He requested a water dragon so it could be a nice dragon.  I loved that. 

We're in love with his sweetness.

Bronze Medal

Last weekend was a pretty big deal around here.  Dude has been putting in two hours per week in our Tai Kwondo studio for the past year and has grown leaps and bounds in his coordination, flexibility, endurance and confidence.  It's been heartwarming to watch him through the tall glass window each class as he gives it his best and learns how to master the skills being taught to him.  It's his sport, which we're incredibly grateful for.

His head master invited us to participate in their annual competition, which made Dude practically pee himself in excitement.  He was motivated to be part of this important day and didn't sway.  So we put on our stark white uniform, our white belt (the beginning color) and headed to the high school for the big event.  Unfortunately, Tim was out of town, so we took lots of phone pictures and kept Dad up to speed throughout the morning.  The entire day was nothing short of impressive.  Tai Kwondo is a culture based on respect, perseverance, encouragement, and individual goals.  This event stressed all those things as well as love for God as our Creator.  We were in and out in about two hours and Dude's portion only took about 4 minutes, but he won a 5 pound bronze medal and was invited to take the medal stand with his team mates.  That caused tears from his teacher who was silently standing behind me.  Her tears caused me to well up.  And his head master was waiting there for a big hug when he stepped down.  He was treated like a hero.  Not because he didn't make errors and not because he was a picture of grace and elegance.  Because he showed up and gave it his all.

 Talk about impressive skills - these guys were unbelievable. 

    

We listen to other parents highlight the athleticism of their little people and talk about the rigorous 3 sport schedules they have to keep in order to keep up in the sports world.  We don't relate.  We never will and that's okay.  Tai Kwondo is Dude's thing and that's awesome.  We might be the minority when it comes to athletics and that hits home for us from time to time, but I suspect it's only because it's expected that kids are athletic and able to keep up with the Joneses.  I think it's bunk.  If I could build a gym for the Dudes of the world to come and learn a sport in their time and according to their ability I would.  It's a dream we have as a family, but for now we're sticking with what works.  Dude won a bronze medal and he's over the moon about it.  Did he make errors in his performance?  Sure. Did he look like butter out there?  No.  Did he try his best?  Absolutely.  And did they recognize his effort and reward him accordingly? They did, and that's why we'll continue to go back and watch him grow in confidence and athleticism through that tall glass window.      

South Padre

Vaca.  Ahhhh vaca.  I can't stop closing my eyes today, wishing myself back to the beach.  Tim's brother and his family live across the border from South Padre Island in Mexico. Adam works for the foreign service and their family moves every 2-3 years to a different corner of the globe.  They head to China to adopt their 6th little person this summer, so Tim's mom decided to organize a family reunion before they make the trip.  We got three condo units at a fabulous resort on South Padre Island, beach side, and spent the week hanging out, swimming, swimming some more, eating community meals, visiting a turtle farm, swimming, building sand castles, jumping enormous waves and swimming.  Did I mention the swimming?  It was a perfect set up for our group of 13.  Dreamy really.  I'll let the photos speak for themselves.  It's not often we're all together, which is a sad reality of all of us separated by a slew of miles.

When we flew in, Adam picked us up and took them to their Mexico homestead.  It's a beautiful house in a rough area, but basketball knock out in the alley made it feel like home.

All 11 of us us piled into their mugo van and headed for Texas the following day.  Cozy quarters, but who cares when all your cousins are in the same space!

We all checked into our condos and unpacked for the week before heading down for the good stuff.  Water and sun.  And a little orange juice in a mini wine glass of course.

The waves were crashing monsters the entire week, which made the kids happy ocean campers. Dude could not get enough, nor could his father. Mom and Marc's pool was the favorite.  It was bathwater warm, included swim up bar and food service (hello!) and was typically empty for our brood to occupy. And that we did.  Marc's muscles got the work out of the year given the 7 children who required constant pool tosses.

Every night we would trade off who cooked for the group.  We chose rocket popsicles, fresh from my memories of the ice cream truck in Worth, Illinois.  Wouldn't dream of purchasing something edible from an ice cream truck today, but the memories are fond all the same.

 These 2 are a pair and a half.  Great minds think alike and act alike too.  Enough said. 

The local turtle rescue was an awesome outing one morning.  It was free, which made it that much more enjoyable.  Most of the turtle inhabitants were missing a fin, so naturally Dude tore off the fin of his ceramic keepsake turtle to be more true to form.

And back to the pool...Dude worked hard at getting over the infinity pool wall...

 ...and he finally had sweet success.

 These two were darling with each other.  Carin and I ate up the opportunity to watch them interact with each other.  So similar in so many ways.  

Tim and Dude left half way through the week as planned, which we ended up regretting.  It felt so empty without them there.  Fortunately, my friend Amy and her little Liam drove in from San Antonio and spent the last 3 days with us!  These two were quite the match.

 500 pieces later, fini.  Amy and I made this a vacation goal.  

 Aren't they lovely?  They sure do know how to spoil their family.  It was a blessing that we were able to spend so much QT with them.

Tim's Uncle Mark was randomly in the area-ish for a work conference and flew in to hang with our group for a couple days.  After losing his beautiful wife, Rhonda, to cancer a few months ago, we were all so grateful for the opportunity to look him in the eye balls and squeeze him tight.

That's all she wrote.  South Padre definitely treated us well and we hope to go back again next year to do it all over again.  With the addition of Tim and Dude full time this go round.  Thanks Mom and Marc for making it all possible and for spoiling us the way only you can!