Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Time Passes

It's so funny how fast time passes, kids grow-up and people change.  

You don't see it until after it's happened.  

Remember when Molly was mute in public for 3 years?  

That phase passed and she now gave a high five to the deaf guy in Winterset who used to scare the daylights out of her when we saw him at the grocery store this week.  She played with this little girl while I worked the Food Pantry last week and is begging for an opportunity to babysit a toddler.


She's my sidekick and has a ton of common sense.
She also tells me she's the horse at recess and all her friends ride on her back.
She's such a beast.


These 3 love to hike with me to Clarks Tower at the Winterset City Park.  



It always makes someone have to pee or poop though, and these photos were taken to "pretend" we were doing a photo shoot when Maisie was actually looking for a place to drop trowel as people walked by.  
She hasn't figured out how to pee outside without removing her pants, underwear, socks and shoes, which could lead to an awkward situation if busted by another hiker.



Mack works 3+ days/week, and when he's not working, he's with his friends or working out.  
I hardly see him, yet at the same time I'm thrilled he has the opportunity to experience being a teenager in America.
He's happy.

Maisie has her final cheerleading event Thursday and then she will be trying out for the fall play at school.  
Seems like just yesterday she was getting ready to sing "Like a small Boat on the Ocean" at the Winterset Stage in that purple dress...

Jayson continues to crack me up with random statements about everything from Roblox, the future and technology.  This kid can type like nobody's business and was teaching me tricks to Google Earth as he showed me around China the other night.


Ross is almost finished with Football and is definitely ready.  Every sport gets to the point where you're DONE.  
He's there.

And as time passes we age and evolve as well.
Bring it!


Friday, September 11, 2020

Homecoming Week

It's not very often Mike and I have time for ourselves.  
So when he came home with a picnic date last weekend and I was at a football game, we had to postpone. Luckily, the long weekend allowed time for us to sneak away for a couple hours Sunday night.  
His heart of gold melts me every time.



Maisie had her first debut as a cheerleader and absolutely loved it. 
This is "her" sport and I'm so glad we finally found it.


It was cold, misty and miserable.



Yet the smile never left her face.









And Homecoming week has been EXHAUSTING.
But due to this cutie having a role in the festivities, I wouldn't change a thing.



Sunday, September 6, 2020

A Dad First

This guy has a zillion and seven things to do each weekend.  The weather has been fabulous and I know the itch to play Paul Bunyan in the woods or or reenact a scene from Dukes of Hazard with his Jeep has been thick.  

However, he's a dad first and wouldn't trade that title for anything.

Which explains why I've found him like this over the past three weekends. 



With teenage boys, sometimes this is the best way to show them what love looks like.

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Our Herd

Well if this isn't the most adorable thing I've seen in a while, I don't know what is.


She's the only 7th grade cheerleader, but based on her current TicTok moves, this girl will have no issues learning the cheerleader groove.


This little rascal celebrated his 15th birthday with his best buddy.  
We ended up going to the Mexican Restaurant in Osceola.  Mack brought his friend along as well.  


There were only a few jokes about the white boy in the big Sombraro surrounded by Guatemalans.  


Jayson encouraged me to test out the new 'portrait mode' settings on my phone and taught me about the different light and focus modes.  
Each of us are demonstrating our fake smiles in this shot.

And then there's this girl and her herd...
Some days I feel I can relate.