WWII Weekend, here we come

This morning we packed up and heading back in time to the 1940's. Robby has been eagerly anticipating his favorite days of the year, the weekend of the WWII festival.  This year we are attending all three days of the event, and my history buff son and husband are thrilled. To be completely honest, three full days of looking at planes and tanks does not register high on my list of favorite activities. However, being with the boys and experiencing their enthusiasm makes me happy. 

Timmy will be staying with my mom until tomorrow night. I plan on picking him up late Saturday evening and bringing him to our hotel room for the night. That way he can experience the getaway and see the planes and tanks along with his brother and daddy. I would love to bring him for all three days, but I know that his attention span is short and that he would quickly become bored by walking around the same airport for consecutive days.

I'll attach some photos tonight!  

Short Lived Pride

Yesterday Timmy and I went to the Animal Park where he participated in the Animal Preschool class. I was nervous about whether or not he would behave and pay attention, especially without the oversight of his brother, but he did a phenomenal job.  I felt a surge of pride as I watched him sitting on the little circle rug, participating and following the instruction of his teacher.

The pride I felt during the first portion of his class was short lived and completely erased by the time the teacher began the discussion portion of the class. She went around the circle, asking each student what they would do if they found a bug in their bedroom. Based from the discussion, the story that she had just read and the fact that we were at an animal rescue site, the answers varied from "I would get my parents" to "I would scoop it into my bug box to release." 

Not my Timmy. When it came to Timmy's turn, he simply stated that he would, "take Momom's other leg and squash the bug."  Yes, during a class about the importance of bugs and bug preservation, my little bug squisher drew a line in the sand. Definitely not my proudest moment.

Alas, the embarrassment over the bug confession was quickly overshadowed by the reptile portion of the class. Holding a large boa constrictor and after letting every student touch the new slithery friend, the teacher asked the students what to do if they find a snake. Spoiler alert- Timmy did not provide the correct answer.

Without hesitation, and while she was still holding a snake, Timmy said that he would "Hit the snake with a stick until it breaks its booty to pieces. Then it will go to a dirt hole." Needless to say, Timmy was not chosen to hold any of the animals during the class.

Sigh. Yesterday definitely wasn't my proudest demonstration of parenting. Contrary to his answers, we are an animal loving family. Unfortunately, I don't tend to tolerate bugs and I detest snakes. (I do feel the need to clarify that we don't kill snakes. When we find one in our yard, we take a stick and try to fling it away.)  I guess next time I'll check the discussion schedule before attending another class. I don't want Timmy to get a reputation as a bruiser.

Adoration

Yesterday was laid back and relaxed. After working in the morning, Timmy and I went to the park before returning home to ride bikes. He spent hours (literally) pedaling up and down our road, giggling and singing on the way. 

Although he enjoys playing with me, there is no doubt that his preferred playmate is Robby. When his big brother came outside to play, Timmy's face lit up. The adoration the youngest holds for the oldest is palpable. 

Today will be another day playing outside. My leg is again feeling comfortable, although I know that the situation can (and will) change without notice. I'm still waiting for a new liner, and until I have the proper supplies, I am going to continue to patch together a solution to remain mobile.  

Graduation Advice

It seems like every time I log onto social media I am seeing graduation pictures. I love seeing the happy faces, optimistic with the glow of future potential mixed with the satisfaction of completing a goal. I always end up reflecting upon my own graduations, reliving my own experiences through the photos on my screen.

During my long sleepless nights, I can't help but think about everything that I didn't know when I graduated from both high school and college. Honestly, I want to facepalm and hide when I think about my youthful arrogance. My only solace is that I see many of my own mistakes playing out in the next generation.   I am lead to believe that perhaps the feelings of youthful superiority and of being indispensable are universal among those who are in their late teens and early 20's. 

Graduation season is filled with well-meaning advice. From celebrity commencement speeches to those from uber-talented students, reflections on growth and the optimism of potential are overflowing my social feeds. I can't help but smile when I realize that the same well-intended advice was lauded upon me as well. (Of course, I didn't heed the warnings because I was young and knew better.)

Inspired by graduation season, this week Dave and I recorded a podcast with the theme of post-graduation advice.  This was a fun episode to record.  Enjoy!

Night Ranger

This past weekend was busy and action-packed. 

Friday evening Scott and Robby headed to the Night Ranger concert. The rockers were thrilled to receive VIP badges and a meet and greet opportunity with the band. As I hoped, the musicians were impressed that Robby was celebrating his 13th birthday by going to their concert with his dad.  Between meeting the band and the concert itself, the pair had a fantastic night.

While Robby and Scott were at the concert, I took Timmy to a new ice cream shop in our area. I heard that their cotton candy wrapped ice cream cone was sure to impress, and the reviews did not lead us astray. Timmy was so excited by his treat that he was relegated to simply saying "Woah" and giggling as it was being constructed.  

I spent Saturday at the Pollinator Festival at the Animal Park. Timmy played with a variety of new buddies, running and sliding through the afternoon. After four hours he finally agreed to come home, but I'm pretty sure he only consented because he was under the misconception that the park was closing.

Yesterday it was hot so we spent a few hours playing in the fountains at our local splash pad. Again, my little social butterfly made a new friend and the pair played until the storms began to roll into the area. Timmy and his buddy played so well together that I asked the mom to text me the next time she was coming to the fountains. This was a huge step outside of my comfort zone.

Although the school year is winding down, today we are back to the grind. Robby has to finish his Algebra final and a few assignments in English. Wish us luck!