Lawsuit-Happy Boys

My kids have a new shtick lately that's getting pretty old. It's their constant and obnoxious comments about suing people. You know how it goes...something like, "Oh no, there's a seed in my seedless watermelon. Can I sue them?" Yeah, funny the first time they said it, completely annoying the 100th time. Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

I guess my patience is worn so thin because of the underlying theme of this type of attitude. It's the "I didn't get what I want or things didn't go my way so someone is going to pay and I'm getting revenge" line of thinking that actually gets me quite concerned. Am I raising future adults who will always feel owed, who can't let things go or just get over it or let it roll off their backs or think "no big deal"? Are these boys always going to sweat the small stuff and never learn to pick their battles? (amazing how many phrases there are on this topic!)

It's quite exhausting explaining this to them on a daily basis, but it is a battle that I'm going to take on (cue the "I am mommy, hear me roar" music.) I don't want whiners and complainers and revenge-getters. I'm hoping that with a little attitude adjustment they can learn to deal with their own problems in a positive way.

Like watermelon seeds are such a huge problem...but anyway...

...in the meantime, I'll let you know who is the next person they plan to sue and for how much and why...

Sara Evans at the Meijer Gardens

GR Press photo

Last Thursday I went to the Sara Evans concert held outdoors at the Frederik Meijer Gardens. A friend of mine had tickets and she's a pro at doing the dinner and concert at the gardens...she knew right where to claim our spot (because of the sun setting and getting a good view of the stage, etc.) Too funny. She also had a wheeled cooler full of food, chairs that were just the right height (that were already tagged to let the chair-checkers know they were pre-screened) blankets, a little table, it was perfect. I just had to show up (and fork over the $57 for the ticket!)

I didn't really know much about Sara Evans, just that she was on Dancing With the Stars. I'm not a huge country fan, but when I was told that she's not too "twangy" well, I was sold! Live music, I'm there! (I think that even if I was told she was twangy, I'd still go!) I didn't recognize any of the songs, even though my friends told me I probably would. Anyway, she did two encores, I Could Not Ask for More by Edwin McCain and I Want You To Want Me by Cheap Trick. Now those songs I knew! And she rocked...oops, can I say that about a country concert? She countried? Help me here...in any case, she was awesome.

Her opening act was Jason Jones and he seemed to be all of 12, really, and totally reminded me of a very young John Mellencamp, even before he sang a Mellencamp song.

Here is what the folks at the Grand Rapids Press thought.

Very fun night indeed.

Mamma Mia!

This movie is hysterically funny! Totally campy and cute and a great girls night out. I went last night with a group of us from my son's Taekwon-Do studio and we laughed so hard we were in tears. Really, you have to be in the mood to endure Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan singing Abba tunes, but that's almost the best part! My ears were hurting during Pierce's SOS number but once we started laughing, we couldn't stop. The singing, the dancing, the hand motions for almost every word, the trotting around in platform boots, the costumes, the jokes, seriously hilarious movie and you gotta see it! I'll go see it again with you!

Could He Be Any Cuter?

After I dropped off the boys for their second week of camp, Weston and I went to Meinert County Park right on Lake Michigan. As the pictures show, he LOVED it! And he loved wearing his life jacket in the big lake, flopping on his belly, and kicking like crazy!

Time To Clean?

I just noticed that Ben has written his name in the soap scum on the shower door. Nice.

My neighbor's cleaning lady is over at their house right now. I'm so jealous.

Priceless

Another disposable camera...$3.50
More sunscreen...$6.00
Another can of bug spray...$4.50

Having a quiet house for another 6 days while the boys have fun at camp again...PRICELESS
(especially since they offered a discount for the second week!)

They Come Home Today!

My vacation is over, I'll be picking up the boys this afternoon. Nick is lucky enough to get to go to another camp on Sunday with a friend. Same routine, Sunday to Friday. (That'll be a mini-vacation for me!) Even though I've thoroughly enjoyed a quiet house and have loved spending alone time with Weston, I do miss them and can't wait to hear their stories!

We didn't get as far with the rooms upstairs as I had planned. Everything takes longer than you think it will! After being in Nick and Jack's room to clean it, I noticed that it desperately needs painting. Weston's room could use a coat of paint too. (And we need new carpet, why does every project lead to another?) I bought some paint so we'll do that next week. When Nick returns, they'll be able to move into their new rooms. Then we just need to decide if we want to do the carpet too. Always something.

Do you think they'll notice the stuff I threw away?

I have certainly loved my quiet house.

I am looking forward to hearing the stories about their adventures this past week. Our van ride home will be full of conversations and songs from camp. They each had a disposable camera to use. Always fun to see those pictures! I'll post the good ones!

Day Four, Just Me & Wes

I think that Weston is into an every-other-day napping routine. Right now he's sleeping like a baby. But, that little stinker didn't nap yesterday. I think we may be nearing the end of napping every day. Bummer.

This morning I had our sitter Molly come over so I could cash in a gift certificate and get my nails done. I know, I know, first the hair, now the nails. Not like I do this very often, mind you. I'm temporarily living the high life until the 3 wonderful and crazy boys come home tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow...still wishing I had signed them up for the 2-week option. This "week" went by way too fast.

Molly is coming over again tonight so we can go out to dinner with our friends Todd & Julie and Wally & Dalin. Looking forward to having some fun with our old friends. Wally was Scott and Todd's boss at a telemarketing firm way back in our MSU days!

Day Three, Just Me & Wes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER, TERRI. If you are reading, hope you have a terrific day! It's 6 hours later in Belgium so her day is really into the evening now!

Tara's gonna kill me, but this makes for a good story. Normally I'm up around 7:30 because of the pitter-patter of feet thundering down the stairs each morning. My boys always wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed just like the squirrels in our back yard. However, this morning I awoke to the phone ringing at 8:30 thanks to Tara! What's up with that, can't a girl sleep in around here? ;-)

Try as I might, but my morning voice gave away the fact that I was lazy and still in bed. She felt horrible, but I obviously needed to get up anyway. Tara, I was truly thankful for the wake-up call! Those weird early-morning anxiety dreams weren't giving me restful sleep anyway!

Come to find out...her plans had changed and she didn't need me after all! She felt badly but I assured her that it was time for me to get up.

Wes and I hung out until 10:00 and then met Marla and Lee at the pool. Weston was so excited to be there with a friend. And I was too! They played in the pool for a while, then played in the sand, then back to the pool. It was so nice to be there with just one of my children!

Another friend, Sheryl, is coming over soon to babysit while I go and get my hair done. It's been way too long and the grey hairs are very obvious. Need...color...badly. Pathetic, really. I've cancelled two other appointments because of conflicts so I'm way overdue. And, we have a wedding to attend this weekend, can't show up with grey roots!

Yesterday Weston did nap so I was able to clean out two bedrooms upstairs. I think I filled our dumpster 1/3 of the way with their junk. Broken toy pieces, leftover school stuff, under-the-bed surprises like candy wrappers and baggies of trail mix. What's up with that? Scott and I finally had a chance to discuss their room situation and we are not going to move furniture, just their belongings. Nick will get his own room and Jack and Wes are going to bunk together. Jack will now get the top bunk, he'll be glad about that! Ben will stay in his room that we re-did for him two years ago.

Tonight I'll be solo because Scott has a work dinner to attend. Wes and I may go to the mall. If he lets me shop, I'll let him play in the play area. Sounds like a good deal? We'll see if that happens! I can always sweeten the deal with the promise of a cookie.

Day Two, Just Me & Wes

Still enjoying the silence and the fact that whatever I clean, will hopefully stay clean until they come home. Saw pictures on the camp's website of the boys and received a picture post card today of them too with a little note from their counselors. So far, so good!

Weston had a friend over this morning to play and I'm crossing my fingers that he takes a nap this afternoon. I do have plans for when he sleeps. Even though putting my feet up sounds nice, we want to move the boys' rooms around upstairs so I need to get going on that. Never a dull moment, always busy!

Day One, Just Me & Wes

What started out as a great day turned south when Weston decided not to nap. Does he not understand that my goal is to sit in the recliner, read my book, and eat bon-bons?

Those toddlers, they have a knack of ruining my solitude!

There's always tomorrow.

Now I am so wishing that I had signed the boys up for 2 weeks of camp!

It's Off To Camp They Go

Ahhhhhh, can you hear it? I can. It's the sound of silence in my home! Three of the four boys are off to camp until Friday. This week there will be no Baldwin bus service to their lessons, no enduring the rummaging through the fridge and pantry while hearing them wail "I'm hungry" as if I NEVER feed them, no load after load of laundry to wash and dry, no extra messes to clean up, no fights to break up, no asking anyone to get off the computer so I can have a turn, no bedtime routine to rush along, no strategically planning my phone calls during the least noisy time (when's that, really?), no having to say "hang up your towel and bathing suit" after swim practice, no hearing them ask "what's for dessert?" the minute they finish eating their dinner, and no hearing them say "I'm bored."

So what will I do with all my free time? I plan to sit in my La-Z-Girl recliner and read a book while eating bon-bons (M&Ms will do the trick.) Friday will come all too quickly, girl's gotta enjoy the downtime!

Jack and Nick with their counselors in one of the new cabins (that has a bathroom!)

Ben with his counselors...he has one of the old cabins. No bathroom in there!

In front of the lodge.

The boys down at the waterfront.

Weston sees a boat.

Peggy and Melanie arrive!

After we dropped the boys off, we saw a canoe livery down the road and decided to take Weston for his first canoe ride! He loved it! They even gave him his own little paddle to use! But I have to add that it was called the Happy Mohawk Canoe Livery. No one was protesting outside of their business so I assume that their name has been accepted among the townspeople! Just seems to me to be soooooooooo not politically correct!

All tuckered out on the way home. Rough life for a 2 1/2 year old!

Melanie and Pete

The last one in our group of college friends has tied the knot! Mel and Pete were married in South Bend on June 14 and it was a Girls Weekend for all of us because we left our families home! Shellie took all of these wonderful pictures.

Shellie and Renae

Carrie, Renae and Leslie

Kami, Liz and Renae

Lauri, Lauri and me

me, Carrie, Lauri and Liz

Liz, me, Carrie, Sheryl, Lauri and Leslie

me, Sheryl, Liz, Leslie, Kami, Carrie, Renae, Lauri and Mary

The whole group: me, Lauri, Sheryl, Lauri, Shellie, Kami, Mel, Carrie, Renae, Leslie, Liz and Mary

Cousins in Muskegon

It was a big gathering yesterday bringing together many families: My dad and step-mom Peggy; my sister's kiddos from Belgium Mathieu and Melanie; my cousin Jennie with husband Justin and boys Zachary, Jesse, Shane and Cameron; my step-sister Autumn and her son Caleb; and my step-sister Lucia, her boyfriend Brian and his kiddos Brian and Cheyenne.

We first had a picnic at Spider Park at Pere Marquette beach and then most of us went to the LST (Landing Ship Tank) which is docked in Muskegon Lake. After walking around the ship and finding our bunks, we then went up to the deck to watch the movie Double Indemnity, an old black and white classic that the boys surprisingly sat through!

It was very cool! A big thanks to my dad and Peggy for making it happen!

Melanie and Mathieu are here from Belgium!

Hanging out like monkeys

My dad is so proud of his chili. Thanks for feeding us, dad!

Justin and Mathieu

Almost the whole gang, Lucia and company had already left.

Jesse is definitely a war buff.

Mathieu, Nick and Ben

Checking the place out...

First, let's find the bathroom!

I decided to spend the night and crashed out on one of those lower bunks. Not too bad!

Jack is trying out the grill on the upper deck.



Ben pretends to cook in the kitchen.

Jack getting used to our hot sleeping quarters.

Good thing we had industrial-sized fans!





This ship was docked behind us.

Fourth of July Festivities

The Cascade celebration was the biggest ever this year. We waited FOREVER for Ben and Nick's Taekwon-Do group to come by. In the meantime, it seemed like everyone who owned an antique or muscle car rode by, along with every emergency vehicle within a 20 mile radius! Good grief! It was the longest parade EVER! But the Tootsie Rolls were plentiful and kept little guy happy while we enjoyed the parade.

Wes and Avery

Jack and Jacob

Big Dog Taekwon-Do...FINALLY!

Ben in blue far left, Nick in red on right.

Jackson on the climbing wall.

We Have Everything We Need

This morning we skipped swim practice and drove downtown. I had an agenda, first the Children's Museum and then Veteran's Park. I knew that with this being Tuesday, there would be free hot dogs served at noon at Veteran's Park across the street from the Children's Museum. We weren't there to eat them, however. When trying to find a taker for our extra hot dogs and buns from the party (I think I expected everyone to eat two?) I learned about the Hot Dog Guy from the folks at Cascade Christian Church. They stored our donation of 160 dogs and buns in their freezer until today. I decided to take the boys to experience this weekly operation of providing free food to the homeless and otherwise downtrodden folks of our city.

Quite the eye-opening and humbling experience, I must tell you. Last week they served 700 hot dogs. This week probably the same. Not only do they serve hot dogs, but there was water, coffee, and chili. I had prepped the boys for what they were about to see, hear, and experience. I also added in a little of the "you are lucky, blessed and fortunate" to go along with the various reasons why people are homeless and come for free food. They did great, Ben even jumped in and helped serve water and coffee.

Then, later in the day, this is what I overheard from the back seat while driving down the road:

Would you rather have a thumb, or a card that allows you to have as much money as you want?
I'd want the card, but how would I hold it without a thumb?
You'd go like this (using the other fingers.)
That would be hard. People would take the card.
With the card, you could buy yourself a thumb.
You can't buy thumbs.
You can buy a robotic thumb and give the money to charity.
But with all that money, people would really be after you.
Well, with the money, you could buy some security guards.
I'd rather have my thumb.
But it's just the CARD, not the money. You can ask for the money whenever you want so you don't have to have it all at once.
Oh, in that case, I want the card.
I'll take the thumb, we already have everything we need.
You're right, I want my thumb.