Memorial Day festivities

I'm SO excited! I have several reasons:

• My sister, Liz, has moved almost 1000 miles closer to me - from NYC to Milwaukee, WI!!
• Two weeks ago, she got engaged to her wonderful boyfriend, Nick. WooHoo!
  
• Liz asked ME to be her Matron of Honor!!!
• We got to meet up in Hudson, WI over Memorial Day weekend for a couple of hours!

Seeing Liz for the first time since November was great! We were able to congratulate the newly engaged couple, eat some authentic German food (Winzer Stube!!!), and spend a little bit of time enjoying the Hudson sites while taking pictures. Thanks, Nick and Liz, for taking some time out for us!!!

And one more makes five!

ANOTHER set of STITCHES!! Ben had a argument with the miter saw and I think it was a draw. haha :) I'm so glad that Ben had the presence of mind to stop cutting when he did. God blessed him with "just" the skin over his left pinky knuckle being cut open. The ER doc showed us how close he was to cutting the tendon and called Ben lucky, but we know better. Thank you, Beth, for coming over in two minutes flat to stay with the kids while Ben and I ran to the ER!! Ben got three stitches to close it up and a nice finger splint as a souvenir. I'm hoping that five bouts of stitches are enough for this family....

Impromptu Nap

One thing that rarely happens in my house... the impromptu nap. Well, here's Greyson taking what might be his first in the hallway after a morning playdate with a friend. Do I wake him for lunch? Seeing that this almost NEVER happens, I don't know what to do now. :)

BTW, I have about 10 posts wanting to be posted. Hopefully my schedule will allow for such things in the near future.

accosted

Greyson and I go to Menard's to look at the 6-pack vegetable seedlings, of which we only pick two because they are so picked over, and then inside to get a small rake and some new pruners. We buy those things and then go out to the van and put them in. Then, since we are *right in front* of the Menard's nursery entrance and the fence where the vegetable seedlings are placed, I see that a new rack of veggie seedlings has been set there. I wonder if they got a shipment of California Wonder bell peppers. I check that the windows to the van are cracked, which they were already, and I ask Greyson to stay put and he obediently says "Okay!" and I intend to spend *literally* 2 minutes going in the nursery just to see if they have the peppers I want (not to buy them, just to see if I should go back later today) all within eye-sight of the van. Now, imagine a woman, about a minute after I enter the nursery, verbally accosting me with "you better go get your kid", threats of calling the police, and calling me a bad mom.... and then stomping to the cashier of the nursery to "report" me. I was shocked! This woman, obviously wanting to protect my child, had jumped to his rescue by attacking me. I truly believe that Greyson was safe the whole time. If this same scenario occurred again, I feel that I could make the same decisions and everyone would still be safe. Sadly, it will probably be my fear of being accosted/accused that changes how I approach the scenario the next time. And how far will my parental judgement slide into societal fear?

Quote to Remember

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."  C.S.Lewis

Easter 2010

It was SO GOOD to see the Rhodes side of the family for Easter this year. It had been WAY too long. I now have TWO nephews that I don't get to see nearly enough. Madelyn had two days off school on either side of Easter (her spring break). So, we took advantage and roadtriped to Oklahoma. Again, Momma-Susan spoiled us rotten and fed us very well, the weather was simply beautiful, and everyone seemed to have a great time! The roadtrip down and back even went well. The kids have ended up being great travelers - so glad about that!

Highlights of the trip:

• Seeing Sam and MEETING ISAAC and loving all over them!
• Susan's cooking
• watching Mad and Grey interact with and get loved on by the rest of the family
• Grey enamored with the airgun
• Madelyn drawing and coloring a whole book full of pictures for Aunt Stephanie!
• the three older grandkids, and the (grand)parents, LOVING the Easter egg hunt.
• the best dress I've made to date
• reading the Easter story (via a book called "Benjamin's Box") to the family the night before Easter
• the BEAUTIFUL Easter day that God gave us!
• .... the rick-diculously large remote that Greyson brought home with him.

I'd have to say, this Easter trip was egg-cellent!