The insane week

This is the start of an INSANE week. Just thinking about what lays ahead makes me want to crawl back under the covers and stay there until another Tuesday rolls around.

Tomorrow morning bright and early all of the vendors for this year's bazaar will starting pulling into town. We have more vendors from more places than last year. Selling everything under the sun. And I along with my co-chair are responsible for the well being and "happiness" of each one of them. And hopefully a lot of success for each of them as well. We need a good bazaar. We deserve a good bazaar after all the time and work to prep for this thing.

So, tomorrow morning bright and early the madness will ensue and not ease up until the last one packs up and pulls back out of town on Saturday evening. Then, after that, I get to sleep once again.

Bring on the green tea!

Been a LONG time!

It's been quite a while since I bothered to blog. So much going on, so much to take up my time and sadly, not many creative thoughts. But, I foresee the future being a bit more tame. Fingers crossed.

This week was a big one. The boys started school. I now have TWO middle schoolers! And our youngest will begin getting REAL grades this year. They are growing up way to fast. It scares me. lol

They also all got new glasses this week. Colton for the very first time. He hates them. Of course. Who gets new glasses and truly loves them? No one. At least no one that would ever in a million years admit it. But, I think they all look handsome. And maybe just a tad bit smarter. :)

So that is us. In a nutshell.

Hopefully another post wont take 11 months. LOL

Superhero

This is the result of a goofy moment when Brennan put on a WAY to small "Dash" from the Incredibles (I think Devin wore this 2 years ago!) and actually let me zip him into it.

I actually had the camera right there and ready to go.

Brennan RELUCTANTLY posed for two pictures before the costume gave him the wedgie of a lifetime.

And lastly, I took the picture and played around with it on Photoshop because I am teaching a class on Photoshop to a bunch of ladies this coming Monday.  And being as though I didnt have a ton of experience this seemed like a fun picture to play with.  Turns out, I was quite right!

WHEW!  What a culmination of events.  But I have to say,  the pictures make for some pretty cute superhero comic book looking photos.  Ok, maybe reluctant superhero, but cute, none the less.  And ones I KNOW I will never ever ever get again because THAT costume is NEVER going back on any of these boys! :)  In fact, it has sadly been added to our basket of Halloween memories that are going to the thrift store.

So, it is now safe to say that Brennan will NOT being going as Dash to the school Halloween dance (there has been no talk of a date yet, THANK GOODNESS!) and I feel confident enough to teach my class.  Yes, I have a bunch of other amusingly adjusted photos to prove it.

of them all, this was the greatest

I took over 170 pictures of children this weekend.  And I have to admit, most of them came out rather well considering the subject matter.  :)

But of them all, this is by far, my absolute favorite photo.

Now I know many will say that it is simply my favorite because it is my own child but I don't think that is entirely it.

I think it is because it was not staged, it was not posed.  It was caught in the "moment".  The middle of the game.  He is engrossed in thought of the next play.  I caught him off guard as he turned to run off.  He is sweaty and dirty and all boy.  Rough and tough and "cool".  It is probably a moment I will never be able to capture again.  And for that I am so grateful to have had my camera.

I love this photo.  It is all Devin.  It sums up this football season for him. Intensity, grit, fun and determination.

my afternoon date

It is a BEAUTIFUL, sunny, mildly cool, slightly breezy, fall day here in the heart of Bavaria and I have an afternoon date!

With about 30 wild and crazy elementary school age soccer players!  lol

Yes, I have been hired to do sports photos for two soccer teams this afternoon.  And amazingly we have been blessed with perfect weather.

I am thinking that this could be a true test of my photographic talents and stamina.  That is going to be a LOT of kid energy.  

Oh well, at least it is another job and a creative one at that.  A step in the right direction.  One foot in front of the other as they say.

A basket full of memories

My boys LOVE Halloween.  LOVE IT!  I would even go so far as to say it ranks as one of their favorite holidays.

Why? Because they get to dress up in a costume.

They start planning the costume about July.  That is how much thought goes into this process.

It is hilarious.

And every year is the same.  They tell me that I MUST order them the MOST expensive costume imaginable off of the internet so that THEY will be the coolest kid alive. If I don't they just won't survive.  I say no and life is traumatic for a few days with begging and pleading and bargain making.  But none of that works so they go about trying to figure out what to do instead.

OHHHHHH CREATIVITY!!!  Who would have guessed?  lol

Sometimes we find old costume parts at the thrift shop.  Fun!  Sometimes we find things to make costumes with.  FUN!  And sometimes we might even splurge and buy a costume piece if it is on SALE and very unique.  Those Germans are really getting into the Halloween idea these days.  And they have much better stuff than we ever think of having .

So, back to my blog title.  Here I sit with a basket full of costumes.  All that the boys have outgrown.  The other day we pulled down the costume bag to see what was inside and let the boys browse through it and we discovered quite a few things that were never going to fit anyone in this house again.  So now, they are waiting to be taken to the thrift shop.

But it is sad.  I look at them and see my baby boy faces smiling with happy delight as they wore those get ups on Halloween and ran around like crazy freaks jacked up on sugar giggling with pure innocent joy.  I know that those times are quickly running out.  And it makes me sad.  I want them to ALWAYS be so easily amused and entertained.  So eager to throw on stupid looking clothes and go have fun.  

The world already has one of mine, cant it just wait a while till it takes the rest?

Homecoming 2008

It has happened.  Another one of our babies has grown up.  I don't know how or when it exactly happened and in case anyone is wondering, yes, I am still slightly in denial.

Brennan attended his FIRST homecoming dance this evening WITH a date.  A DATE!  And the crazy part of it is, she asked him to go with her.  Thank you, thank you, I will take complete credit for giving birth to a handsome, smart and totally popular girl magnet.  lol

But, really.  A DATE!?  A HOMECOMING DANCE?!  All in just the 7th grade?  Could we not get a bigger break between Alex finishing torturing me with all the nutso girlfriend stuff and Brennan apparently ready to start it?  Don't I deserve it?  Just a little bit????  PRETTY PLEASE?  With sugar on top?

He looked so handsome and was so happy to go.  And he had been on the ballot for 7th grade homecoming prince.  The title went to the 7th grade super jock but hey, apparently my kid ain't no slouch.  He is the 7th grade Student Council President and helped plan this whole event.  So, yes, he does deserve to go.  I will concede to that.  

BUT THE DATE PART?

Lord give me strength!