March Madness 2016

As Emeril would say, we decided to "kick it up a notch" in March.  It was literally madness but in a good way.  We were able to spend lots of time with family and friends both near and far.  And...we actually remembered to take pictures, an improvement over the last two months.

• The annual school Science Fair was replaced with Stemfest, which made both the child and parents in our household very happy.  Mighty created a Lego set that does not currently exist to go with one of his favorite books, The Night Gardener.
• We were able to kick off a lacrosse season like no other.  Many games we were able to see two Wilhelmi boys midfield for the face-off and playing as teammates throughout the game.  This may never happen again, so we made sure we treasured every moment.
• Klein's dirt bike gear came together like a champ.  His bike, however, took a little longer to make an appearance.  Repairs that take all of your birthday money and then some aren't always quick.
• Sara Benolken has a way of getting even the hardest of eggs to crack at her Easter egg hunts.  This year was no exception.  Our bookends were smiling.
• Mighty's class took a field trip to a YMCA.  He thought it was going to be terrible, but he actually had a great time.  I was glad to be there for his change of heart.  
• We celebrated Nan and Gran with family and amazing friends from far away places.
• Easter was awesome.  Parker and Ben joined us for P's first egg hunt.  
• For Jackson's 12th birthday dinner, he chose fried shrimp.  We kind of twisted his arm a bit so we could eat together.  He loves shrimp any way it's cooked so I don't think it was a big deal.  He also chose his favorite dessert over a traditional birthday cake...Gooey Butter.  

February 2016: Smiles

• In February we celebrated Klein's 14th birthday.  He chose his current favorite meal - Jeremy's version of Mr. B's BBQ shrimp.  I don't think anyone was sad about his choice.  The only downside is that we had to eat in shifts instead of all together.  I'm pretty sure the birthday boy and his brothers found it to be a worthy sacrifice.  
• Lesson learned this month:  
• It's okay to smile on your 14th birthday.  
• Hunting and fishing with friends make your heart smile.
• Pretending to be asleep so your dad won't make you move to your own bed is a risky maneuver but one worth trying.  You just never know when it might work in your favor.  When it does, a sneaky "asleep" smile appears on your face.
• Cancer and surgeries aren't fun, but you can always find a reason to smile.

Noteworthy Events: January 2016

January seemed to go by in a flash, and apparently we don't have many pictures to document  our adventures.  What we do have is noteworthy.

• Mighty completed his commissioned art project for the second grade restroom at Blackland Prairie.  In an effort to beautify our school and find different ways to infuse the 7 Habits, the second grade teachers asked Mighty to put his creative energy to work on ceiling tiles.  Somehow I don't think it was as fun as he had hoped it would be, but he was super proud and excited when he finished.
• Jackson finally agreed to go hunting with Jeremy and Klein on the last trip of the season.  After a quick nap in the stand, he was successful.  Klein also got a deer that day.  Needless to say, we had two happy boys and one proud papa on our hands.
• Jackson completed his first year of Junior Cotillion.  See the entry about this from January.

Reflections on Christmas 2015

So this entry is several months in arrears, but I am determined to get back on track.  I've made good use of summer time to catch up on projects at home.  Thus is the life of a teacher.

Our Christmas season was filled with many fun and funny memories.

• We enjoyed time with all of our White family cousins.  This time is never complete without good food, gag gifts, teenagers serving as bartenders (might need to rethink this one), and a little harmless target practice.  
• Mom and I were able to sneak in a visit with my childhood babysitter, Maw Maw Ouida.  
• A lesson I learned is that you can lead boys to culture, but you can't make them enjoy it.  Exhibit 1:  The Nutcracker
• A lesson the boys learned is making mom upset days before Christmas is probably not a good idea.
• Our Christmas Eve, Christmas, and post Christmas festivities were complete because of the people we hold near and dear.  We celebrated many days in exactly the same way we always do and were able to add some special memories that were long overdue.
• A Christmas season will never pass without at least one picture of Jackson with a package bow on his head.  This year Pop decided to join in the entertainment.
• We finally added a memory-making trip to the Christmas gifts for our boys.  Our first stop New Orleans.
• Did I mention that you can lead boys to culture but you can't make them enjoy it?  Exhibit number 2:  Oak Alley Plantation
• A lesson Jeremy learned is some traditions shouldn't be changed.  When in New Orleans with your children, always stay at the Westin on Canal.  A rat motel just won't do and will cause a move mid trip.  Traditions are traditions for a reason.
• We also learned that boys like celebrating important events by drinking sparkling grape juice out of champagne flutes.  A regular glass just won't do.
• New Year's Eve with sparking grape juice and game night in your robe is actually pretty great.
• Babies in Santa hats are super cute, especially on a beach.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Junior Cotillion Ball

JC was lucky to enjoy Junior Cotillion this year with lacrosse friends.  They certainly kept him entertained.  We joined these fellas and their parents for a nice dinner before the ball so they could show off their newfound manners.  We caught a glimpse of good manners every now and then.  Needless to say, it was a fun evening.

Holes

I got an email from the 8th grade reading teacher outlining an assignment that was due in a few days.  It was a book report of sorts.  The first checkpoint was either to tell about a favorite part of the book or a significant part of the book.  When I asked the 8th grader at my house about the assignment, he assured me that he was working on it.  I asked what book he was reading.  The answer:  "Holes."

Hmmm.  I seem to recall this same child reading that book in 2nd grade.  The conversation that followed went something like this:

Mom:  What part did you write about?
Son:  I wrote about X-ray's shovel being two inches shorter than everyone else's.
Mom:  Why was that important?
Son:  It shows the lengths they would go to get out of work.

Touche.

Looks like we might have another English Literature major on our hands.

The Mouths of Babes

Well, it's been a while since I posted anything here (just a few years is all).

Mighty laid the guilt on tonight.  We were enjoying an old photo book when he informed me that he misses the stories I used to write about all of the funny things he and his brothers did and said.  Basically, the photo album I just worked so hard to create doesn't quite measure up to his standards.

The sad part is that I agree with him.  So...with the utterance of one small sentence, we begin this journey again.  Welcome to our life.