Catching Up

Heard about a new app last night while Peanut was at gymnastics and it got me looking at my photos and vids.  Also got me realizing I have missed recording some pretty important things in this little storybook blog.

My beautiful son turned 15 last Friday.  So hard for me to believe.  I am sure part of that disbelief comes from the fact that he is still a bit of a kid.  I like that.  Actually, I LOVE that!  Patrick had to work that night (of course they changed his schedule at the last minute) so we took him out to lunch to celebrate.  He didn't get one of the athlete schedules where he has athletics and then lunch - he has 2 AP classes on either side, so it had to be a quick pick up and drop off - Geometry test right after!  So we took him to Cheddar's and let him get a dessert as big as his head.  Nothing like a Monster Cookie to make you feel special on your birthday!

We also got him one of the Burton hoodies that mimic the Olympic snowboard uniforms.  He was obsessed with all the extreme sports in Sochi - especially the Slope Style.  Only kid at his school to have one... and he loves it.  Sadly, it took an act of congress to get it off him to wash it finally!  Boys!




Peyton finally got her back handspring on the ground.  Big accomplishment!  High adrenaline!  Not the best video - but at least I got it.  I am trying to insert it here, but failing...for the moment.  I don't give up that easily!




Then we had Saturday - 81 degrees outside - lots of yard work and sunshine.  Mom was happy as could be to sit outside.  Murph mowed, Patrick and I raked.  Peyton cleaned the windows the old fashioned way - I taught her the newspaper trick that Katherine taught me at the motel years and years ago!  Sophie just sat around enjoying the sunshine and barking at squirrels she couldn't catch!

Saturday night also meant Murph's "party" - not that 15 year olds have parties anymore.  We did take a group of boys to Altitude (the trampoline place) and then had a sleepover with pizza and birthday brownies.  Peyton went too...perfect place to practice her gymnastic stunts.  And for the first time in all the times we've been there - they were all ready to leave 20 minutes BEFORE their 3 hours was up!  I call that a successful trip.

Then they ate pizza (wolfed pizza, to be exact), drank too much soda and stayed up pretty much all night playing video games.  Yay!




Then on Sunday we got freezing rain and ice, 20 degrees tops and the Oscars.  Lazy fireplace day except for getting the boys home and quick run to the grocery.  School ended up being canceled on Monday - for no real reason.  But the kids loved it!

Peyton disappeared upstairs at one point and came down with some balloon animals and this flower.  You gotta love YouTube tutorials!

They also "watched tv" - which these days means - the tv is on a show they have already seen and Peanut is on the iPad and Murph is on his phone.  But hey!  They are getting along and his room is back to normal after the sleepover.  I'll take it.

Tuesday sent everybody back to reality - school, dance, conditioning, homework, work, trying to build a website...thank goodness for my sweet husband.  It is something I really want, but I am in completely over my head and he just plows right through the tech jargon and overlapping computer nonsense.  I'm making a nice binder of all the things we need to remember - include 340 passwords...perhaps I exaggerate...but not by much!

Last night I'd say we OD'd on reality...we had a mental and physical meltdown after gymnastics.  This back handspring (which seems to come quite naturally to some)  is pushing my daughter to the limit.  And although I am tempted to coddle her - that's not going to help her get it.  She needs to face the fear or decide it's not that important.  But it breaks my heart to see her so upset and frustrated.  She can still do it, but it's still hard, she's still scared and it hurts her body to go over and over and over again on her wrists...I just don't think there is anything else you do that can prepare you for that kind of impact on your wrists and elbows.  So she broke down a little.  And she cried.  And she melted into my arms.  And then she put on the fuzziest jammies she could find and she got out Spot and Bubbles and sat by the fire to finish her homework.  Obviously, there was a need for a dish of ice cream after all the trauma/drama.  And this morning she is ready to go again.  God Bless our children and their resilience and determination and strength.