A First

I went visiting with some ladies from church today, and two of them have boys Nicco's age. Whenever we visit, these other boys, who have known each other for a while, play together easily. Even though they are willing to let Nicco join them, it is not easy for him to jump into their established friendship and he usually sticks with me and the moms.
Today was a little different. For some reason, he joined in their fun, ran and giggled with them. He usually begs me to go home before my visit is finished, but today he didn't want to leave because the boys were talking about going to jump on the trampoline. We did need to wrap it up, however, so he was a little upset that his fun was ending. That is a first for him with this particular set of kids.

One of the other moms offered to take the other boy to her house for lunch to play and walk to school. Katie was grateful because it gave her the opportunity to do some things she needed to do, and it gave her boy a chance to play some more with his friend. Stephanie probably felt bad for not including Nicco in the invitation (it didn't bother me, or Nicco probably) and she quickly made up for it by inviting Nicco along too. It threw me off guard for a moment...I don't do spontaneous that well. Once she assured me that it was no problem, that she has car seats and boosters for all the kids, and that she was happy to bring Nicco back home since I am scheduled for 2 hours of work and I really didn't want to impose my kid on her for two and a half hours, especially with this being his first time at her house. When Nicco seemed not just happy but actually excited about going to his friend's house for lunch and play, I sent him off in her van.

I came home and called my sister. I feel weird. This is not his first play date, but it is his first play date at someone else's house without me around. It isn't just a first for him, it is a first for me, and it feels weird. I told Stephanie to call me if there was any problem, and I would quit my work and come get him. It has been 2 hours, and no phone call and my kid is still playing. I guess it is going well! Either that, or Stephanie is way more patient than I would be.

Here's some random fun:

This is Nicco's aquarium. It is "just like Grandpa's."

This is a blooming bud that will probably turn into another arm on one of the cacti in our back yard.

And They're Off!

The Guys got up early this morning to put a little fuel in their bodies and to make sure that they have everything they need packed  and ready. (I just looked out on the patio and Dan's swim trunks are on the gate where he left them to dry. He may be a little disappointed, but I'm guessing that if they have a pool and he needs to improvise, he'll find a way. I just hope he doesn't resort to skinny dipping...)

Nicco was up late last night playing Silly Rabbits one last time before the Daddy goes off  for "The Five Days" so I figured I would have to rustle him out of bed to give Patrice a proper send off, but the boy did actually wake up on his own about 5 minutes before they were ready to go.

Silly Dan, I tell ya.

Down the street...

...and around the bend.  The grand adventure is underway!

Live to Ride, Ride to Live

Dan came into town this morning to go on The Big Ride with Patrice. They rented big cruisin' bikes for Discount Tire's annual charity event, Ride to Raise. They will be on the road for five days, making a loop from Flagstaff, up to Lake Powell, through Bryce and Zion canyons in southern Utah, and back. It should be really fantastic and both guys are excited for the pending adventure.

These are the big cruisin' bikes. At the Harley store, Nicco checked out all the bikes in the showroom, counting their lights and checking their engines. "That engine looks good," he said. I was impressed that he knew which part was the engine.

Nicco and the Daddy, checking out the big comfy seats.

Just about ready to roll. There is the packing and attaching equipment yet to do, and all The Men are in The Garage working hard. Nicco is riding in, out, and between the cars and bikes, making engine noises, shifting, talking on the phone, and changing the radio station on his trike.

Point of View

The Boss gave Patrice this shirt:

Every individual has a different point of view. When I first saw it, my initial reaction was a cynical snort-laugh of concurrence. Then I questioned the question mark. Really? Does anyone who would wear this kind of t-shirt actually wonder or question whether Dear Leader is a "bummer?" My feelings are actually much more emphatic, and profane. Also, I would never be able to bring myself to put this guy's face on my body {{shivers}} even if the saying more accurately reflected my personal emphatic and profane sentiments toward Dear Leader.


My small boy also has an opinion. When he saw the shirt, he said "Would you take that thing away? It's creeping me out."

Envy and Jealousy Part V

Mom and Dad's trip is coming to a close. They are (or will be) in France for a couple of days. First, they spend some time in Burgundy. Patrice advised them to splurge on a fancy-pants dinner, since Burgundy is the cradle of culinary genius in the land of culinary genius. I hope they actually splurge, rather than kind of splurge. Dad has a tendency to be....frugal, shall we say? Then again, his frugality over his entire adult life is the reason he's celebrated several recent birthdays on different continents. Still, splurge, I say!
This is the Hotel Dieu, a medieval hospital turned museum.

Burgundy castle

Paris. They will get to explore some comparatively unbeaten paths in Paris, since they did travel to London and Paris a few years ago. Then again, the beaten paths are well worn for a reason. They may just retrace their steps.

Now I'm feeling a teeny little bit of sadness? something else? that I don't live in Colorado anymore. I wish I could pick them up from the airport and listen to their stories on the way home and look at their pictures with them. Really, I do! That's what we do you know, listen to and tell each other stories. I'm a little jealous of Sheila, who is next on the Mom and Dad visit list. Or is it Diana? Now that I think about it, Di is probably next. The deer hunt comes before the baptism this year.

Envy and Jealousy Part IV, A.K.A. The Hills Are Alive

Mom and Dad are in Switzerland now:
Lauterbrunnen

Schilthorn tram

Trummelbach Falls

Spectacular! It is good that they are hiking in the Swiss Alps after a couple of days wandering casually about mediterranean fishing villages. They may need some energy for this leg of the trip. When I was there, we met a giant saint bernard (I re-read that....is there any other kind of saint bernard?) named Benny at the top of the hill. He was kind of awesome.

Signs of Fall

I've been reading and hearing from all these friends and relatives in Utah and Colorado about fall approaching. They mention the autumn splendor of leaves changing colors and a new crispness in the air. About a week ago, our temperatures dropped into the 90s and I was all ready to write a sentimental goodbye to summer. The pool cooled down to 79 one day and the AC didn't kick on in the middle of the night. I told Patrice that I am actually a little sad that summer is ending and that I will miss our hot days. The signs of the fall cool down were all around.

The lemons are turning, and we even slept with our window open one night.

Then, as promptly as they dropped, the temperatures rose again. It is back to consistently 100-105, the pool is back up to about 84. (I do think our days of 88 degrees and night swims may be over) The air conditioner still kicks on in the middle of the night and I can't quite open doors and windows to let the fresh air in.

Patrice came home overheated and sweaty the other day and said I don't need to complain about summer ending yet. I reminded him that I was anticipating, not complaining. I have a few more days (weeks?) of relaxing on the hammock while my boy swims, jumping in to cool off a bit then continuing to enjoy this view while I read my book:

Summer can stick around a while as far as I'm concerned.

Happy Constitution Day!

Read this today. And maybe tomorrow. And the day after that. And every day, until at least November 2. Then, make some phone calls. Remind your representatives that THIS is their job, to uphold the Constitution. Remind them that they work for YOU. This is our contract, renewed every day by the blood of our soldiers and on the backs of every hard working American. Read it, remind yourselves where we came from and what makes this nation great and exceptional.

Read it and remember in November.

Be prepared to defend it against those who would send it to the shredder.

To arms, Patriots!

Boys' Club, Part II

Nicco just put his arms up in the universal symbolic gesture of triumph and shouted "BOYS RULE!!"

I think I'm in trouble.

Envy and Jealousy Part III

Mom and Dad are in Venice now. I think Dad was most excited about the Italy part of the tour. Venice is pretty dirty and stinky, but fantastic. When I was in Italy last, Steph and I wandered around side streets and found a really great little restaurant. If I remembered what it was called, I might have told mom and dad to go there. The kids we were with were always disappointed with food and people pretty much everywhere we went, but that is mostly because they stuck to the main tourist drags and only ever spoke English and really expected that everyone would speak English too. Very often, that is a safe assumption, but completely pretentious and rude. Plus, they were in high school.
I hope Mom and Dad ride in a gondola and have a schmoozy gondolier sing to them!

Ahh, Florence. This city is a cultural, historical, artistic paradise. I was here during a festival. The street performers and parades were pretty amazing. Better than Denver's buskerfest, and better than the 24th of July in Fairview!

And Rome. When you visit Rome, you can hear whispers of the ancient past. It's true.

I'm back to being totally jealous, even though I've been to all these places.

Remember

Where were you 9 years ago today? What were you doing, thinking, feeling? Where were your loved ones, family, and friends?

Honor our fallen by remembering.

Never forget.

Under the Sea

Okay, so it's really just underwater in the pool, but that doesn't make as good a title. We bought a disposable underwater camera last week or so because I wanted underwater swim pictures of Nicco, but I didn't want to spend money on an actual digital waterproof camera because really, how many underwater pictures will I take? So we bought the disposable one. It was really hard to line up the shot, time it right between holding my own breath and Nicco holding his, and actually having to look through the viewfinder. There were a few misses...

(oops...a duplicate...I don't want to go back and delete)

I don't really consider this one a miss, in spite of the bubbles. Actually, I kind of like the bubbles!

Now that's more like it! This is the kind of underwater shot I was hoping for!

And this! Yippee!

I think this one looks like he's in an aquarium.

Every time he gets in the pool, he does a different kind of jump, a cannonball, pencil, 360...this is his "airplane jump."

Hee hee! Love it. My funny little fish.

Boys' Club

Our friend Rob (or Wob, as Nicco calls him) came to town for business and a quick visit. He's a photographer, so we asked him to make some family portraits while he was here. They turned out great, but I recommend doing photo shoots BEFORE a 3-hour stint in the pool, not after.

Nicco loves having visitors, and since the only visitors we've had (besides Mom and Dad, of course) are Rob and Dan, it turns into a "boys only" kind of environment around here. The guys always bring something fun and exciting. Dan brought magnets and glow sticks, and Rob had his house on wheels. He was very kind to tolerate my kid's romping and exploring in his vehicle.

Here Nicco is pondering an extended road trip with Rob. Ultimately, he decided he'd just stay home. Rob is going back to Colorado, and we've been there already. I'm glad he decided to stay!

Envy and Jealousy Part II

Mom and Dad are leaving the Netherlands and heading into Germany. They will enjoy a scenic river cruise along the Rhine as they take in views of the medieval villages and castles.

They will stay in Rothenburg

Visit Dachau

And explore Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles.

I am slightly less envious of this leg of their tour, having visited most of the places on their list for these few days. Still, slightly jealous.

The Scorpion Chronicles Continue

The count is up to 12 since this morning. We found a really small one...apparently, smaller = worse. Uck. This little stinker was alive too, totally creepy. Patice squished it and muttered half under his breath "Where are they coming from?" meaning the front door, or the garage. Nicco said "Maybe under rocks, or in the trees, or the cactus. This is the desert you know, we have scorpions."

Make that 13 scorpions...there was one (floating, dead) in the pool.

9/9 Update: Make that 15. One (dead, but squished for good measure) in the garage and one (dead, but put in a sealed tight glass jar for good measure) under the couch in the living room. GRRRR!!!

9/12 Update: Increase by one. There was a small, orange-ish scorpion near the kitchen in its death-throes. Blech.

9/17 Update: We're up to 17. There was a huge one, dead, in the garage.

9/18 Update: We're up to 19. There were two bloated scorpion corpses in the pool. I'm glad they can't swim!
9/27 Update: 20. There was one caught in a spiderweb under one of our landscape lights. Ha ha! I just don't want to see the spider that caught it...

Envy and Jealousy

In a couple of hours, Mom and Dad will be jetting across the continent to Europe, landing in Amsterdam to begin their latest grand adventure. Some of the things they will be seeing in the next few days:

Haarlem

Anne Frank's house
The Rijksmuseum (Rembrandt, Vermeer, etc.)

The Van Gogh museum

Wind and water mills at the historic open air market

Bon voyage, guys! Bring us home some chocolate!

Words of Wisdom Part 2; aka I Heart Sherriff Joe

The Sherriff's response to being sued by Dear Leader:

The Obama administration has filed three lawsuits against Arizona in the last few weeks … one against a college district, one against the state of Arizona and now one against my office. Each lawsuit centers on something to do with alleged racial discrimination.These actions make it abundantly clear that Arizona, including this Sheriff, IS Washington’s new whipping boy. Now it’s time to take the gloves off. As for today’s lawsuit against my office: These people in Washington met with my attorneys only a few days ago. And in that meeting, Washington got our cooperation; they admitted they already have thousands of pages of the requested documents; and they were given access to interview my staff and get into my jails. They smiled in our faces and then stabbed us in the back with this lawsuit. The Obama administration intended to sue us all along, no matter what we did to try to avert it.Washington isn’t playing fair and it’s time Americans everywhere wake up and see this administration for what it really is. Calculating, underhanded at times and certainly not looking out for the best interests of the legal citizens residing in this country.

Words of Wisdom

In response to the "challenge" from Dear Leader,
"Do we have the wisdom and the courage to walk the path to peace?"

Benjamin Netanyahu said:

"I will not let terrorists block our path to peace, but as these events underscore once again, that peace must be anchored in security."

Why yes, Dear Leader, it sounds like someone does indeed have courage and wisdom, and it isn't you.