Sacrafices must be made.

I'm sure I've never mentioned it because I carry my burden so well but, being a parent can be quite the beating. Take Friday night for instance; Chad and I took the kids to the Halloween Spooktacular. 

We buy tickets, drive thirty minutes, wait in a loooonnng line to park, traverse a long dusty walk to the entrance, buy additional tickets for kids' friends, lose children, find children, buy additional tickets for bouncy houses, spend $75 dollars on gross fair food, share back-washed water with Jack, use a porta potty, get smacked in the face with a play axe by Luke, tell Lily to stay with us fifty-eight thousand times, carry Jack seven and a half miles, get smacked in the arm with a play axe by Luke, take forty-eight photos that yield about eight photos that make it almost worth it (taking the porta potty bit out of course).

   
Peace fingers? I die.

Notice the shared smile? A bit blurry, but perfect.

 This is possibly the most accurate depiction the evening, especially Luke.

Happy Memorial Day!

For Memorial Day we did our patriotic duty to have as much fun as possible. We also impulsively purchased a US flag at Costco the weekend prior so that we could finally be legit. Ten years of home ownership and the Mead's finally broke down and bought a flag. God bless America!

Against all reason and logic we thought it would be a good day to introduce Chad into my world of paddle boarding. One billion drunk, and somewhat slow, people looking for a good time? Yeah, lets go where they are. Chad used my board and I borrowed a friends, being 6 feet 5 inches tall is not without its own set of challenges. When you stand that much higher than the water it proves to be quite the challenge to actually doing the standing portion of the stand up paddle boarding.

Being the stud Mr. Mead is he did some slight modifications to the sport and we were our way. Chad enjoyed the general beauty the river provides; even if it was littered with the dregs of society (and their aluminum cans).

Three hours later and we're still in love!

The kids and I went to a Memorial Day party where my friends nudged me to cut Jack's hair for the first time. Jack was sporting the world's tiniest Donald Trump comb over. His hair was short and long and wavy--all at the same time. Jack was quite sad to see it go.

He would only be happy if I agreed to be covered by his precious hair too.

Here's the result! Jack spent the entire party hanging with mom and her friends, looking on at big brothers and sister swimming, and emptying Shelly's purse (over and over again). Good times! USA! USA! USA!

Tin tin, the magic man.

Tin tin is our newest family member, and just my type too; he doesn't eat, speak or make messes. We all just love him.

I have no idea why we have waited so long to get our very own elf. He is magical and the children go literally crazy every morning looking for his new spot.

Tin tin watches every move the children make, especially Lily. I don't have a photo of his spot in her room the day after she touched him. The boy's saw her barely touch him, which is a HUGE no-no in the elf keeping his magic rules.

So the next day, Tin tin moved his spot hovering above Lily's bed watching her as she slept. He even wrote a personal note to her, telling her that he would be watching her extra close and that she is NEVER, never, not ever to touch him again. . .or else. Around midnight she awoke and came out of her room crying saying that Tin tin creeping her out. Chad removed him for the evening but at 6:30 when I got up to get the kids up, I put him back hovering over her bed. Suffice to say, she has been properly psychologically damaged and hasn't come close to touching Tin tin since.

Tin tin has seen many many things; naughty things like these candy wrappers under Lily's bed. The mystery as to where all the candy from the advent calender went was solved.
I'm not sure if you remember Mr. Mead's comments on how markers are basically responsible for ruining our children and their futures. Thinking now he may have a point.

She tried to make it up in small ways; like tucking Duke in at night,
and dressing herself in an outfit made up entirely of skirts and a monkey shirt for a sash. Then wearing the most hated wardrobe item; pants.

Tin tin appreciated all the children's efforts to be good and made them cookies.

Got his thrill on by zip-lining through the living room with a candy cane for sustenance.
Tin tin took a break the next day and vowed to stay in bed all day. That is once he properly cleaned the glass. Tin tin contemplated about what pigs he must live with, that would allow such a fifthly fifthly mess linger.

He cooled his jets on some rosemary and felt fine as he observed teasing and yelling and that was a just the lady of the house. The kids. . .fughedi aboud et.

Tin tin went fishing one day, but since we neglected to take a photo I stole the picture from Bethany's blog, and felt it appropriate since that is the place where we also stole the idea from in the first place.
Tin tin went for a ride on the lamp on day and was knocked off by a flying pillow. Fear ran thick through the children but I assured them that there was an allocated one pick up by thongs allowed each season.

He even watched baby Jesus one day. No one gets off easy with Tin tin on the prowl.

Santa stopped by too! Our doorbell rang one evening and there he was with a loaf of bread all by himself. I must say, it thoroughly creeped me out when I looked through the little door in our door and spied him.

The children's tree.

I give the children our smaller tree that we used when we were in law school. They get to decorate it however they see fit.
I don't move a single ornament. Which leads to an interesting tree but they love it and feel so much pride.



They were immensely satisfied with their work.

Decorating for Christmas.

Saturday we brought out the Christmas bins. I was happy to get to decorate with my mom. In the afternoon everyone watched football while we got the Christmas spirit vibe going. Chad was called upon to help with high up lights. I loved it; our french doors were wide open as the lovely Arizona winter wafted through. Decorating to the sounds of my family excitedly watching Michigan play some football.


Patrice and Bill got there early in afternoon and got to for the first time lay eyes on our boy.










This happened. . .




Being tall has many advantages.



Patrice is awesome. Me, "Smile big! No, bigger!"