Go Ben, Go!

Soccer season is back. Last Saturday, it was over 90 degrees. This Saturday, the rain let up just prior to the start of the game and it was about 65.

No complaints from the boy, who was just happy to play. He took to heart our suggestions that he play a little more aggressively and really focused on attacking the ball.

Four goals today and a lot of smiles.

Kitchen Update

We've been making slow but steady progress on the kitchen remodel. Since I last posted, the remaining upper cabinets have been removed.


There's a giant pile of broken pieces of cabinet in the driveway. We get eau de old man every time it rains.

I moved the IKEA bookshelves from the kitchen to the guest room. Seems like a good place for the flour and the rice maker. Lesson number one: do not try to move top heavy objects which are taller than you without assistance. Luckily, Dad showed up to provide assistance after I learned lesson number two: top heavy tall IKEA cabinets can withstand an impact load, although the doors not so much. Sigh. We forgot to do it before Travis left for the week, and they have to be moved so the new 36 inch gas stove can be placed in the middle of this blank wall and floor, where I really should have used the dustpan before taking the picture (the gas man comes tomorrow!):

Did a little investigation into flooring options. We've ruled out cork and bamboo because of the scratch factor (chunks of cork would surely go flying everything Kenzie ran into the kitchen from the backyard). We think hand-scraped flooring is our best option and really like this one. There are so many nice looking versions of the same thing, it's hard to say for sure. Since my picture isn't the greatest, we're looking at the autumn maple.

The countertops are a little trickier. We've been leaning toward black quartz countertops. A number of people, however, have told us that they show everything, which probably wouldn't be too great in our household. We liked the Cambrian Black because it was a little more matte and less reflective. Some of the other versions, like a lovely coffee colored countertop, looked a little off in a larger sample and we couldn't quite figure out what to do about the backsplash. We stumbled across the Ocean Blue by Zodiaq and are a little smitten. Here's my attempt at what it might look like on the cabinets:

Feedback welcome and appreciated. Just don't take it personally if we ignore you.

Funny Skills

When one of the boys does some strange acrobatic contortion, or makes a Lego tower taller than me, I might comment that they have "mad skills". True for soccer goals, bike riding and model walking, too.

Last night, Ry's singing in his room. I hear, "I've got mad skills. I've got mad skills." This makes me chuckle.

He then follows up with, "I've got happy skills. I've got happy skills." Funny, funny boy.

New Shoes, New School Year

Today was the first day of first grade for Ben and Ry's long-awaited, much anticipated first day of preschool. The morning went so smoothly - I'm proud and saddened at the same time. The boys did a fantastic job getting back into the swing of things and Ry settled right in to the welcoming arms of his teachers (how could you not love them?). But, really, how much of an effort would it have been for them to pretend to miss me, just a little?



Ry has a shiny new backpack (just like Ben's) and Ben has shoes that can probably be seen from space. I think they are his substitute for tie dyed shoes.







Ben happily rejoined friends - only two new kids out of 14 in his class. It was a sweet reunion.



Ry's building is separate from the main school area, and as parking is always a challenge, we hiked back up the hill to Ry's class and his introduction to school.



Ry found some toys, and settled right in to his new routine.

In fact, he enjoyed it so much, he didn't want to come home with me. He asked - GASP - to stay and take a nap with his classmates. This from the child who gave up naps in February. I'm glad he liked it, but still ... of course, tomorrow is a new day and I ought to be careful what I ask for.

I Dressed Myself

And I practice good dental hygiene.

Happy Birthday Ry!

Before we left for our trip, we had an impromptu, last minute, short notice party for Ry. This is me doing some serious catchup before we start the next school year and I have to post pictures of both boys starting school. I think I'm really going to need to work up to that post. Anyway, Ry had a great time at his party, received more toys than he needed and we all tried to stay as cool as possible in the 98 degree inferno that was unleashed on the backyard.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Silly Boys

Dessert last night was a square of chocolate (not the good dark stuff, just some leftover milk chocolate from s'mores). Travis and Ry each had a square. Then Travis got some ice cream.

Ry asked, "Daddy, why are you having ice cream? You already had chocolate."

Travis replied "Because Daddy's silly, Ry."

Ry, without pause, replied "I'm silly, too."

Yes, he got a bite of ice cream. Stinker.