Speaking Of Baptism...

Tonight at dinner, it was me and the 2 younger pies. We sat at our favorite restaurant and had a wonderful discussion about whatever crossed their minds.

Pot Pie: "When can I get baptized?"

Knowing that in their church camp and VBS this is something that is discussed a lot, it didn't surprise me that this is what they decided to talk about.

Me: Anytime you want. You just have to proclaim that Jesus is your Lord and Savior and believe it with all your heart.

Pot Pie: And you have to know one thing about Jesus...like....Jesus died for our sins!

Pumpkin Pie: Well...(if you have never heard Pumpkin Pie say well, you must...he drags it out with a little baby Southern drawl. It sounds like "whaaaaale"...it's hilariously precious)... He can touch power lines. That is one thing I know about Jesus.

Me: Well, Nothing is impossible for Jesus...this is true...

Pot Pie: Who will baptize us?

Me: Our Pastor, Deron. You know, Seth's dad. Or Ethan's dad, Brian. He is a pastor.

Pumpkin Pie: (in complete shock) He passed away!?!?!

Me: NO! No, he didn't pass away. He's a PAST-OR! He's the pastor at Center Cross.

This led into an entirely different and much more somber discussion about heaven. I wish I knew all the answers to their questions. Pot Pie wants to go to heaven, but he is very concerned because he knows (barring some tragic accident) we won't all go to heaven at the same time and he doesn't want to be separated from mommy and daddy. I try to reassure him that being separated is something he won't have to worry about for a long time, but his tears brought tears of my own. Praying and searching for guidance are high on the to do list now.

End of the School Year

Today marked the last day of the school year for our children. I know they have learned so much this year, and they've grown so much, physically and emotionally. We are very blessed to have three awesome sons. I love watching them experience life and I'm looking forward to a summer of fun with them!

Our Cutie Pie... Here he is on the first day of school.

And here he is today, leaving the building for the last time as a third grader. (Ignore the holey towel...it was water day...)

And here he is with his student of the month award that he was awarded with yesterday for trying his personal best and being most improved! We are so proud of him!

Here is our Pot Pie at the beginning of the school year...

And here he is leaving the building for the last time as a first grader!

Here is our Pumpkin Pie at the beginning of the school year!

And here he is, leaving the building for the last time as a kindergartener!

A Sense (as in 1 of the big 5) of Urgency

There are many things I think about for the future on a daily basis. Like, retirement. Every time I see a financial planning commercial or story on the web, I think to myself, "Man, I gotta increase contributions and invest more to make sure that Clint and I aren't eating canned meat every night after we retire!" (Who knows? Spam may be a hot commodity in 2046, which would mean something if I actually get to retire at 65. HA!) The same goes for recycling. Every time I throw a plastic bottle away, I think about sea gulls and landfills and tell myself, "One of these days, we're going to recycle." (If only the City of Tulsa provided a much better service for this sort of thing. Every other week pickup? Seriously? Like I want a house full of glass, plastic and paper. Ahem, Mayor Bartlett! I know you're reading...not really, but you should be. This. Is. Riveting.)

However, there is one thing that I feel a much greater sense of urgency about. With Pumpkin Pie entering the world 4 months earlier than expected, we have faced some issues, but nothing compared to what we could have faced, and so I really feel like I have little to complain about with his lot in life. But in reality, there is one thing that is always in the back of my mind. And with a recent visit to the ophthalmologist, it has come screeching to the front of all my other thoughts. Every time Pumpkin Pie goes to visit his eye doctor, his vision is worse. For awhile, we were able to get by on the same lenses, but his most recent visit, after a big growth spurt, showed a significant decrease in his sight.

So, you see, my sense of urgency is over something quite unique. Barring some huge miracle (and believe me, we're praying) or technological advance, my son will be blind almost certainly by the time he reaches adulthood, which raises a few questions for me.

How do I give him life experiences now that will be visually appealing enough to make up for whatever experiences he isn't going to be able to see in the future?

I feel the urge to make a list of places and events, and take him there as soon as I can, no matter the cost. Disney World is at the top. I'm working very hard on making this happen in the next 12 months. I am motivated by the thought of watching his face light up when he sees Mickey Mouse up close for the first time, so no matter what I have to do, I will make this happen. But what after that? He's 5 years old. There are things I can think about that I would like to see, like the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, New York City, Mount Rushmore, etc, but right now, he probably won't care about any of those things. I want him to look back on his childhood and remember seeing some of the greatest sights in the world.

What is he going to do, professionally?

We won't let him just sit at home. He will attend college. He will get a job. But what job? I have searched the web for careers for people who are blind. There are a lot of customer service type positions. There are heartwarming tales about piano tuners and bicycle repairmen. But there are also accompanying miserable stories, such as being taken advantage of by people who tell you they are giving you five $20 bills when really they are giving you five $1 bills. Because we will make sure he gets a good education, I can only hope that he will be able to do something fulfilling. But what? One job that keeps coming up is lawyer. And of course, I can't think about my son's future career without thinking of him taking a similar career path to that of David Paterson (minus the extramarital affairs) Governor Pumpkin Pie has quite a ring to it. Amiright? Right now he wants to be a fireman, and of course I can't break it to him that he most likely won't be able to do that. He also wants to play football, but he has limited peripheral vision, and if he were to get hit really hard, the possibility that his retina could detach is very high. For now, he is content, and doesn't demand a lot of explanation, but the thought of telling him that he can't do something breaks my heart.

Of course, these questions also lead to more questions, like "who will take care of him when Clint and I are gone?" and "will he ever be able to get married?" I want his life to be as normal as possible. I know I'm getting ahead of myself (I mean, he is only 5), and I shouldn't be thinking about tomorrow because tomorrow is God's and whatever He has in store for us all will be part of His plan. And the more I think about living every moment to the fullest today for fear of what he won't be able to see in the future, the more I think, "Shouldn't we be living like this anyway?" Anything could happen tomorrow. Accidents and freak medical occurrences come out of nowhere all the time. I can't live life as though there's a timer about to expire and I can't be on a quest for the perfect childhood all the time, but I will strive for a happy existence, for myself and Clint and for the boys. I want all of my boys to not feel like they missed out on anything, especially hugs, kisses, laughter, smiles, love, patience, understanding, acceptance, and support.

Hello Again

Wow. Its been a long time. Since the beginning of the year, things have been extremely busy. I feel like we've been in survival mode for the past 8 months, due to a really super strenuous time for me at work. But, I have started a new position at the hospital, and things are definitely starting to feel normal around here again. :)


Speaking of back to normal, SCHOOL STARTED TODAY! WHOO-HOO! And the moms and dads rejoice. HALLELUJAH!


Here is my biggest boy, CUTIE PIE! He started 3rd grade today. He's looking forward to a year of standardized testing, multiplication tables, and maybe some long division.

Here's POT PIE! He started 1st Grade today! He was so excited to start school today, and he is definitely ready for some homework.

And last, but certainly not least, is PUMPKIN PIE! He's a great big KINDERGARTENER! He had a super fun day!

Here's all of our big boys together, ready to start another great year at school!

IN OTHER NEWS, my sweet hubby has taken up the hobby of photography. Coincidentally, I have taken up the hobby of editing photos in Photoshop. Here's a photo he took of me last week.

And here's a photo I took of him. ISN'T HE HOT!

All in all, things are going pretty well around these here parts. I hope to get back to more active blogging soon. Take care, ya'll!

March of Dimes Gourmet Gala and Chef's Auction

As the March of Dimes Ambassador family for Tulsa, we were given the privilege of attending the formal fundraiser event, the Gourmet Gala and Chef's Auction, this past Saturday night.

Jack-Jack was given his very own chef's jacket, and he had a blast being the center of attention, eating all of the pumpkin cookies he wanted, and showing off his brand new shoes!

It was truly a night in heaven for the amateur foodies of the Ryan house. Over 20 of Tulsa's dining establishments, including Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill, Bodean Seafood Restaurant, The Brasserie, The Chalkboard, and many others, provided food for the event, giving the guests a chance to sample some of the tastiest tidbits around! The Star Chef Chairman was Michael Fusco himself, who has worked with this charity that is near and dear to our hearts for years! It was a pleasure to meet him, and we look forward to enjoying dining in his restaurant in the future.

Everything we tasted was FANTASTIC! We started on one side and just worked our way around. The first table we came to was from a couple of guys from Oscar's Gastropub.

These guys were serving a flavorful pork tenderloin with rosemary mash. It was a great way to start off the evening!

Next we were on to the dish prepared by the Chef Chair, Michael Fusco.

He had planned to make a smoked chicken lasagna, but unfortunately, the dish he made was upset from its perch on a serving rack onto the floor below, and he had to make a brand new dish. How infuriating! However, this ziti was delicious! I'm sure he's adept at making any difficult situation come out appetizing!

Next we went on to something a little more adventurous. On the right side of this plate on the triangle is foie gras pate from The Brasserie! It was not what I expected...though it was very tasty! Its just one of those foods I wanted to mark off of my Consumable Bucket List.

Next was a perfectly delectable bowl of lobster bisque from Bodean Seafood. It was warm, savory ladle-full of perfection in a bowl. The picture I took does not do this dish justice.

I have been dreaming about it since this Saturday night...

With all of this yummy food around, Jack-Jack was able to eat anything his little heart desired.

His pick? Chick-Fil-A.

Can't go wrong with chicken nuggets.

It was such a great event, which raised a lot of money for a great organization, and we had a blast! We look forward to attending every year from now on!

Mmmm...lobster bisque... *drool*

New Fund the Mission Video for the March of Dimes

Here's Pumpkin Pie's new Fund the Mission video. Let me know what you think!

Extracurriculars

I could sit for hours and watch my kids do anything...as long as they are having a good time, and are benefiting either mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, creatively, etc...I will make time to take them to and from any activity they are interested in. So, when Cutie Pie asked to start taking Hip Hop lessons, we were all for it! He's having a blast and he learned so much over the summer...its really making him come out of his shell. He's already enrolled in classes through the school year, and he also asked for voice lessons, so we'll see what happens! We may have a future boy band member on our hands. HA!

This is a video from his last summer dance class...



And speaking of extracurricular activities...for 2 years now, Pot Pie has been taking gymnastics (except for the six months he had to take off when he broke his arm...) He is determined to start competing so that he can win trophies, and he has already informed us that one day he will be at the Olympics. I don't know where the summer Olympics is going to be in 2020 (Wikipedia says a local group is trying to get it set right here in T-Town!), but, whatever city it is in better watch out! Team USA has Pot Pie, and he's going to wipe the mat with them!
Okay, maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself...
This is a video of him on the parallel bars, which currently is his favorite in class. However, last week he started private lessons with his coach, so in December he'll start competing, and he's already decided he wants to master the rings.


Now we just have to figure out what activity can keep Pumpkin Pie's interest...we're thinking along the lines of another dance class...perhaps tap and ballet? He loves to dance, but he mainly only seems interested in contemporary dance, and nobody offers that for 4 year olds...

Back to School

I've been meaning to write about this, but like everything else I try to get done in a day, it falls to the wayside. Here are some pictures of the boys' first day of school.

Cutie Pie's 1st Day of 2nd Grade...geez, I feel old

Pot Pie's 1st Day of Kindergarten...he's developed a little bit of a sarcastic attitude over the summer...Don't know WHERE he gets that from...hopefully it won't get him into a ton of trouble this year...DRUM ROLL PLEASE! This year also marks our littlest one's entrance into public school education. Pumpkin Pie started Pre-K this year, and, for those of you keeping score, you'll notice that means I no longer have any kids in daycare!!! Throw the confetti now. Hip, Hip, Hooray!

While this may seem like I am completely and utterly blissful about this, I actually am crying a little inside. Never again will I send another of my babies to their very first day of big boy school. That hits me a little hard...not that I regret us making the choice to end our days of baby making for fear of a repeat of son number 3's entrance into the world, because I don't regret it. I'm enjoying the freedom of having 3 Mini Clint's around who can completely entertain themselves...

The boys all enjoy going to school, and thankfully they have teachers that we already know and love. We're looking forward to a FANTABULOUS year!!!!

Rescue Mission

Tonight started out like any other night. After dinner, we took a family walk like we do every night. When we got back, Clint started watering the garden and the boys were playing in the back of the truck. What began as joyful frolicking soon turned into a dire situation.

Beau was playing with his Batman on the top of the truck when suddenly, it slipped out of his hands, in between the truck bed and the back window. Batman did not fall through to the bottom. He appeared to be lost forever.
But wait! Dad came to the rescue! He climbed under the truck, and reached into the dark crevice, searching into places no one else would dare put their own hands.

And just when we though Batman was lost forever (or at least until the next time I got going pretty fast down the road), Dad found him!

Beau inspected Batman thoroughly. He made sure that Batman didn't have any scratches. Batman had a wet cape, so Beau sniffed it, and proclaimed that it was okay, but that it smelled like "Poop water", to which Jack said "Let me smell!" and he concurred with Beau's previous statement by shouting "EW!".

Afterwards, the victorious father started to scoot out of from under the truck, and all three of his grateful sons came to help, or so it seemed. As Luke and Beau got by each arm to help pull him out, Jack took this opportunity to exact revenge for some previous occurence on Dad, by slapping him in the face. Not shaken, Dad emerged from under the truck and all was once again well with the world.

March for Babies 2009

Thank you to everyone who supported our team this year. It was so much fun for Jack to be the face for the March for Babies and their fight against prematurity. We are so blessed and hope that one day no baby will have to face the fight that Jackson had to overcome. Your support for the March of Dimes doesn't have to end here. Donations can be accepted throughout the entire year and there will be other events as well. Thank you to Kara for taking these awesome pictures today!

We were so lucky to have the outcome we did with Jackson, but unfortunately, not all families can say the same. Please take the time to read on Maddie Spohr, a precious little girl who fought to survive but lost her battle. Please pray for her family as they adjust to being without her.

Fund the Mission

Below is our fundraising video for the March of Dimes. We are the Ambassador family for 2009 for Tulsa, and we are so excited about working with everyone to raise money for this cause which is so near to our hearts. Let me know what you think!

Best. Toy. Ever.

For me, anyway. I could sit and watch the kids on this thing for hours!!!

Broken Beau, 'Round the Table, and Family Dominoes

I don't think I have blogged about this as of yet, but Beau has a broken arm. It was such a freak occurance. He happened to fall on it at just the right angle, and after a conversation with the medical director of the urgent care physicians, I learned that the initial x-ray just barely missed the fracture, by mere millimeters. With the missed fracture, Beau walked around for 6 days with a broken arm...falling on it at gymnastics, attempting to use it at the request of my husband and I who thought that if he used it after what we thought was just a contusion he would get better, and favoring it so that it wouldn't hurt, never really letting us know how bad it was hurting him. He's healing well, says the orthopedist. We keep him in the sling for a few more weeks, and then he should be back to normal.

I hate to admit it, but to keep my blogging integrity, I must. Beau has gas...constantly. I swear, he could probably fart on command. Today was no exception. I was playing with Beau and Jack while Clint and Luke were at Tae Kwon Do, and amidst the fun, Beau let out a very stinky poot. And then another. Perhaps a more proper mother would have thought before she spoke, but I, for some reason, couldn't stop myself, and I called him a...

Fart bucket!

You would have thought I was the headliner on a comedy tour. Beau practically had tears coming from his eyes from laughing so hard at this new word I introduced into his vocabulary today. Sorry, Mrs. Davis...

A short time after I thought the moment had been forgotten, we were sitting at dinner. As we quietly ate, Beau, again, passed gas. This time, Clint commented on his gas, to which Beau replied, "I know! I'm a fart bucket!"

The look I got from my husband was one of bewilderment and shock. Perhaps he had never heard the word uttered before this evening, and certainly not from one of our children. I quickly stuffed my mouth full of smothered chicken and green beans, so that when my husband asked me where he could have possibly heard that word, I was able to just shake my head and, with a mouthful, mumble an inaudible "Idunno..." Of course, Beau gave me up, and Clint just shook his head at me. Oh well, there are worse phrases in the world.

After dinner and some homework, we played a fun game of dominoes as a family. It was hilarious to watch the boys and their fun competitiveness. Luke loves games of all kinds, and Beau loves to play dominoes, especially if he can have the double blank. Jack just likes to steal the dominoes...but fun was had by all!

Boo HAHA

Today was a super fun day. Actually for two reasons...one being that it was the first day I have left the house since Wednesday, considering I haven't been able to sit up without puking. You see, I had a very minor dental procedure on Wednesday that left me feeling a little dizzy Wednesday night, followed by a night of said hurling, followed by an entire Thursday of not eating for fear of hurling, another night of sleepless migraine-induced dizziness, a Friday spent in bed, finally braving dinner that evening, and waking up Saturday morning, not feeling entirely 100% better but picking myself up by my boot-straps because my Indiana Jones needed his jacket. Which brings us to the second reason it was a fun day. It was BooHAHA on Brookside, the annual prequel to the big show (aka Halloween Night Trick or Treating), where all of the businesses on Brookside hand out candy to hundreds of Trick or Treaters. We don't necessarily go out for the candy. In fact, there are so many Trick or Treaters that its really not too fun to attempt to get candy. We prefer browsing the other costumes to standing in lines. We didn't see very many Indiana Jones costumes today, but Luke got quite a few compliments about his, and I beamed every time. Of the homemade costumes, I think Luke's was in the top 2...the only reason I don't say his was the top is because someone had an absolutely fantastic Wall-E costume. Check it out for yourself! (Ignore the mess in the background...gimme break...I've been super sick) He fits the part, don't you think?

Beau and Jack were also super cute today, even though I can't take credit for their costumes besides finding the Transformer online and the Dinosaur (yes, I know its really a dragon...just don't tell Jack) on sale at Old Navy.

After BooHAHA, Beau attended his first classmate party! His friend, Victoria, had an awesome Halloween Party at her house, and Beau obviously likes her a lot. They were attached at the hip most of the party, either jumping in the Jupiter Jump or playing in the backyard. It was so cute to watch them! I had a blast meeting his friends and their parents. Beau is already talking about his 5th birthday party and inviting all of his friends. Too much fun! Here's Jack wearing one of Beau's party favors...

Jack's new favorite thing to say... "Are you kidding me?!?"

The Birds and Bees (Preschool Version)

Yesterday, my little sister gave birth to her daughter, Dallie Marie. Our family of five made the three hour trek to see her for the first time, and the time in the car allowed for an interesting question and answer period.


Luke: Did Aunt Kalee get married?


Me: No...(dreading the next question)


Luke: Then how did she get pregnant?


Me: Uhhh...(thinking fast) Well...hmm...(look at Clint, who just smiles and shakes his head, then I give up) She just did, sweetie...(Praying he'll drop it and ask me anything else!!!)


Luke: What is her name?


Me: (Thank you, God!) Her name is Dallie.


Beau: I've never heard that name before.


Luke: When is her birthday?


Me: Today!


Luke: Today? Why is today her birthday?


Me: Because this is the day she was birthed.


Luke: Birthed? (Sounds like Burfed)


Beau: Barfed?


Me: Yes, Aunt Kalee gave birth to her today.


Beau: Aunt Kalee barfed her?!?!? GROSS!!!


Jackson: Ew, YUCK!


Nevertheless, it was a fun trip, and here are some pics of my new niece. The first one is of my future sister-in-law, Andrea, holding the baby. The second one is of Luke looking at the baby as Kalee's future mother-in-law holds the baby, with my little sister Diamond next to her. The last picture is of Dallie. She looks just like our cousin Chelsea, who is the daughter of Aunt Billie Jean and everyone always says Kalee looks like she could be Aunt BJ's daughter!

Big Boy Glasses, Part 2

Did I mention that we found Jackson's loaner glasses? His optometrist called and say they had received in the frames in the color that I had originally ordered. We went to get them today after his 4 month recheck (his vision is the same as at his last appointment!), and here's Jackson in his new glasses!

1st Grade Watermelon Night

Tonight was Watermelon Night with Luke's class. They had cut out and colored a cute little rhyming book about watermelons, and so we read it as a family while we ate our yummy watermelon.

I chatted with Luke's teachers and became even more encouraged about what a great year we're going to have!

These two have been team teachers for 10 years now! They are so incredibly cheerful and obviously very driven to see their students succeed. Luke enjoys going to school so much and he loves coming home to do his homework every night. I know this won't last forever, but its nice now!

We also played at the park for awhile during the event. Jack is becoming much more adventurous...

The kids all had a blast! Tomorrow night, Beau's Pre-K Family Picnic!

Differences

Even though people comment often about how much our sons look alike, there's obvious differences when it comes to their personalities.
For example, every Friday is Popcorn Day at the kids' school. For 50 cents, the kids can purchase a bag of popcorn. Luke happened to have enough change in his pocket to buy a bag, while Beau's teacher had forgotten to tell the kids about Popcorn Day and kindly purchased a bag for each of the students in her class. Luke quickly tore into this bag, while Beau held onto his until he got home. Upon arrival, he grabbed Jackson's hand and said "Come on, Jack. Wanna eat some popcorn?" And they walked into the kitchen together, to share a snack and enjoy some time together. It was absolutely the cutest thing ever and I actually teared up a little when Clint was telling me about it. Luke definitely has his moments of kindness, but Beau is significantly more compassionate towards others, and is quick to offer an encouraging word, especially to Jackson. They have a very close bond...I'm assuming because there are only 15 months between the two of them.
Beau is also pretty shy except around people he knows, and every morning, Luke offers to walk him into the school building, but Beau isn't quite ready for that, so I have walked him into the gym every morning to meet his class. And I don't mind...I actually prefer seeing that he made it to his teacher. With Luke, however, we have finally reached the point in our relationship where he doesn't want anyone to know I exist. The minute I pull the van into the parking lot, he hops out, yells "Bye!" and runs off to join his class. When Beau, Jackson, and I enter the gym, Luke basically ignores me, only acknowleding my presence with a glance out of the corner of his eye. I'm okay with it...sort of...I don't want to embarrass him and I'm glad he's becoming independent...but I do miss the days when he wanted to hold my hand and needed a hug to start the day.
Another difference is their clothing. Luke will wear whatever I say looks good, which, while I know will be shortlived, is a blessing every day that I don't have to fight with him about what he's going to wear. Beau, however, refuses to wear anything I pick out for him. He has to pick out his own clothes, and no matter what, the shorts have to be "slippery". He tells me every morning, "Where are my slippery shorts? I only want to wear slippery shorts." When I tell him that he should just wear what I pick out for him, he says his new favorite phrase, which is "I never get to wear slippery shorts." Its ridiculous!
Jackson, however, is a whole other ball game. He's having a very hard time with the fact that he goes to school by himself while Luke and Beau go to school together. And we have reached a point where everything hurts his feelings. EVERYTHING! Its so bad that I'm concerned about his over-sensitivity. Its hard for other people to realize, because even though he doesn't communicate well, he can understand everything that's said to him. For example, this morning, when I dropped him off at school, he was proudly wearing a bracelet that he had made at church last night. He went to show one of his friends, who quietly stated "You're not my buddy." Jackson's teacher immediately got onto the other child, but not before Jackson was pouting, with his bottom lip sticking out and his head turned down to the floor. When we tried to comfort him, he pushed us away and laid down on the floor, face down, crying into the carpet. Because he can't (won't) talk to us, he has no way of communicating to us how he's feeling besides crying, screaming, and pushing. Its unbelievably frustrating, and we often get the same reaction when we get onto him when he gets in trouble. Its so hard to know what to do sometimes, or even how to handle it. Most often, he ends up crying in his bed and he won't leave his room. He refuses any comfort at all and it breaks my heart to see him that way.

I'm baaaack...

Wow! I can't believe its been over a year since I posted last. Things have been a-changing over the past year. I finally graduated from college in May...



and since then I have been trying to get things back in order around the house, in anticipation of the boys' new school year. Luke will be starting the first grade, and Beau will start Pre-K. I'm excited about what this year will bring, but I was also a little worried about staying on top of everything, so I have instituted a new daily family schedule. Here it is...


Its worked well for us so far...and we're enjoying spending the extra time with the kids helping them with reading and writing. This time usually extends far into the free time that we have scheduled afterwards. I'm hoping we can continue this schedule and help the kids everyday with what they will be learning at school. I know Luke is finally going to start having homework, so it will be fun to watch him learn and help him along as much as we can. I know we are in for a busy school year, but at least it will just be the kids learning this time....

Now Jackson is my only child in daycare. Whoo-Hoo!!! I don't know what I'll do with all the extra moo-lah...oh yeah, pay for glasses. Jackson loves to wear glasses...any glasses he can find...when he finds a different pair of glasses, he takes his off and leaves them wherever. Hence, we are now having to pay for the temporary glasses he was given by the optical shop as well as for the glasses that we had ordered. I would be infuriated, if he wasn't so gosh darn cute!!!

Some of my favorite summer quotes:

"Allright guys, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is we've got pizza. The bad news is there's bad guys in there!" - Beau, while playing Transformers with Luke

"This is a drawing of me. This one is of God, doing the robot!" - Luke after Gathering Kids at church