Vacation Shopping

 Yikes! 

In one week from today, Scott and Robby will be on a plane heading to Paris. After two years of dreaming and planning, their epic adventure will begin. The excitement has been building, but I suspect that will continue to swell. This weekend will be spent taking care of the final preparations.

The first thing on the list is having Robby and Scott head to Kohl's for some new clothes. Scott loves his cargo shorts, but they are from 2005 and styles have drastically changed. Robby has requested that he accompany his dad to avoid any "fashion embarrassments" on the trip. To Scott's credit, he wasn't insulted and quickly agreed.

Hopefully the shopping experience will go just as smoothly. The pair have started to bicker and, if I were completely open, I am a little worried about sending them out of the country. I know everything will be okay, but I just want them to both have a fantastic time. If they are always quipping back and forth, somebody is always going to be annoyed. I hope that they put their sarcasm on the back burner during the trip.

Finally Complete

After several weeks of frustrations and a lot of noise, we finally have a new roof, chimney cap and gutters. It was a colossal pain to oversee, but I know we are both delighted to have the issues finally rectified.  If and when it finally rains again, we should stay completely dry. Of course, after so many years of leaking I think both Scott and I will continue to have precipitation anxiety for awhile. 

While the gutters were being installed, both boys buckled down and worked on their remaining assignments for the school year. I know that they both find working on schoolwork frustrating when their dad is home. It is hard staying motivated on school when you have somebody skipping through the house while bragging about being on summer vacation. Hopefully, by the end of the week, both boys can join Scott in his happy vacation dance.

Unfortunately, today I won't be able to oversee their progress as closely as I would prefer. I have meetings all day, leaving Scott at home to hold down the fort. I'd like to think that he will continue with their schedule, but I suspect that everybody will be on vacation for the day.

He Won

After a fun-packed weekend away, Robby has settled back into his school routine. Yesterday morning he woke up and immediately started to tackle his remaining school work. Timmy has been more difficult to focus. All he wants to do, or talk about, is running. He is quite proud of himself for finishing his 5K.

Not only did Timmy complete his race to earn a medal, but he finished ahead of the other kids in his age class. The fact that he beat two 10-year-old boys quickly has become a bragging point. "Those kids must be so mad because their parents lied to them their entire childhood. Parents say that slow and steady win the race. That is a lie because I was faster and I won." 

Timmy now alternates between wearing and admiring his medals. He is constantly putting them on to strut through the house. He now wears them when we walk Friend "just in case" somebody wants to see what a medal looks like. 

Needless to say, he is already training for his next race.

What a Weekend!

Traditionally, this past weekend has been Robby's favorite of the year. He adores the WWII weekend and anticipates it with the same excitement as Christmas. This year did not disappoint. From the weather to the exhibits, he was truly in his element. 

I continue to be astounded by his near encyclopedia knowledge of military history. With growing confidence, he approached the exhibits and struck up conversations with the reenactors. I did not understand much of the content I overheard, but I did glean enough to realize that Robby was holding his own in the conversation. I could tell that many of the exhibitors were as impressed as me. 

While we were with Robby in the 1940s, Timmy woke up early and prepared to run his first 5k with his Aunt Sheri. I was looking at the clock and wishing that I could be there to cheer him on when Robby's phone rang with a FaceTime. I was near to giddy when the video screen opened to a side view of my sweaty Hamlet running. With my sister running next to Timmy while holding her phone, I was able to cheer him on as he ran his final lap. I am grateful that I was able to experience him crossing his first finish line. 

As if the World War II weekend and Timmy's first 5k weren't enough excitement, Saturday was also a special day for my sweet baby niece Tiffany. She graduated from high school with high academic honors. I am so incredibly proud of her. Although I couldn't be at her graduation, I was secure in the knowledge that Timmy would cheer enough for us both.