Finally

Have you been watching the countdown clock?



Do you know what tomorrow is?



Oh yes, the pool is finally opening.


A few things we have missed during the long, long, long winter:

Doing cool jumps off the diving board


Maybe this year Hayden will jump off the diving board too

Building sand castles in the sand volleyball court

Working your shift as a lifeguard


Waiting on the diving board for adult swim to be over just to be the first kid in the pool

Hanging out with your friends

Hanging out with your brother

Hanging out with your girls, poolside.

Taking a nap in the shade after a busy day of swimming

And yum, yum, yummy drumsticks from the snack bar on a hot summer day.

Happy Summer! See you at the pool!

With a mug like that I guess your daughter can skip the America's Next Top Model audition

I guess you won't be hurrying down to the American Idol try-outs, I wouldn't even sing in the shower with that voice.

Did you sign your wife up for What Not To Wear? She has the fashion sense of an 85 year old escapee from the nursing home.

Rude.

Even if I thought it (which I do not) I would NEVER say it.

I would never suggest someone try out for The Biggest Loser. You put on a few extra pounds or should I say tons?

Or maybe you are in your late twenties and not married yet, have you thought about applying for The Bachelor? Hmm, maybe you need Extreme Makeover first.

Your house is needs some updating, it is kind of a dump. Have your lived here long? Oh, let's nominate you for Extreme Home Makeover!

Have a couple more kids and you can get your own reality show. They can call it, John and Kate Know How To Mate.

No normal person would say those things.

So, why do people think it is ok to say this:

Them: Are you going to apply for it?

Me: What? Spanish Immersion (one track mind)?

Them: No, Supernanny, the auditions are coming to the Springs.

Me: No, I am not.

Them: Why not? It would be great.

Me: Not for me.

Them: But you have the three boys, everyone who knows you would think it is so funny.

Me: No, we are not going to sign up.

Them: Really, it would be so fun.

Me: No, I do not think it would be so fun.

Back up to earlier this morning.
Carter had a friend sleepover and join us for church.
Ben and Griffin were at a father/son camp out for cub scouts.
Hayden decided to sit with Carter and his friend during church. They were so good. I was right behind them. Carter was rubbing his little brother's back for most of the service. I was so impressed.

And then someone has to assume that since I have boys, I need Supernanny.

Do they get a little crazy sometimes? Yes.
Do they burp and fart and think it is hysterical? Yes.
Do they act any different than any other boys? NO!

Do not assume because they are boys that they are bad. Boys are different. Different is good.

100 reasons why I love the Testosterone Zone.

I wish people could think before they speak. I realize he thought what he was saying was hysterical. In fact, he probably thought about it all week and couldn't wait until he saw me on Sunday to mention it.

What I should have said was:
Do you think my parenting skills are so bad? Or is it my children you find horrible? Why would you assume being a parent of three boys would automatically make me interested in Supernanny?

Or perhaps I should have just said:
F _ _ k off. (which is exactly what I was thinking at the time.)

Spring Fun, Mother's Tea, Racing, Camping

Carter and Griffin have 8 days of school left. Hayden has 3 days. Our 8 consecutive years of preschool is over. I will cover this crazy feeling more in another post. As we wrap up the school year the days are filled with activities. (As I write this I should be getting ready to attend the volunteer breakfast at school.) Here is a quick look, in pictures, of the last few weeks.

Our last preschool Mother's Tea. The kids are so proud of their song, the room looks beautiful, the kids drew a picture and wrote a description of their mother.

Hayden's said:
Mom
Dark hair and curly
She is 84 years old
A hat that fits her
She loves crunchy food
She goes to the park and garage sales
When I am at school she texts and knits
Her job is to knit
We go on adventures together
For fun she drinks coffee and looks on the computer
She kisses and loves me

Hayden with his preschool buddies.

Me and Hayden at his Mother's Tea


Griffin ran in the Landsharks Running Club again this spring. His first race was rained out so they combined the first two meets, he ran a 400m (1 lap) and a 50m (sprint). Way to go Griffin.

We took our first camping trip of the season to Lathrop State Park. The kids had a great time on the lake. We went with our neighbors, our group was 4 adults and 6 kids. We all had fun. Ben and our boys, along with the neighbor and his son will be going back the first weekend in June. Their first boys only camping trip. Hmm, what is a mom to do all weekend by herself? So far I am planning to clean the house, precook lots of meals, write tributes to the men in my life, yeah, I am just kidding. Maybe sleep in and watch a Lifetime movie.

Carter jumped over the split rail fence and broke it. He is becoming camera shy so I have to sneak these pictures.


Part of the beach fun is jumping off the bench into the water. Doesn't it look like he is walking on water? I snapped it just before those feet landed in the cold water.


Griffin also made an adorable Mother's Day tribute to describe me. His was a fill in the blank style. Here is is, complete with spelling and grammatical errors:
My mother has brown hair and green eyes.
My mother likes to rest.
My mother is prettiest when put's on make up.
I like for her to cook eggs.
I don't like when she cooks asperuges.
She likes me to help her cook.
My mom thinks the best present I could give her is love.
We really have fun when we go places.
My mom is so special because she is nice.

Griffin at the park.



Do you notice the black dot on my camera? What is that? I have tried cleaning the lens. Is it time for a new camera? psst, say yes, new camera.

I didn't think it could happen to us

There were 4 adults.

There were 3 kids.

Pretty good ratio.

We were watching the magic show at Seaport Village, an outdoor shopping area in San Diego.

The kids were up front, the adults were behind the magician and had a great view of the kids.

Griffin, was asked a few questions from the magician and was stealing the show.

Magician: Griffin, Pick a number.

Griffin: 4376.

Crowd laughs.

This went on for a bit, the magician told us to watch out, this was exactly how he acted at 8 years old.

Hayden gets bored and hangs out with the adults during the remainder of the show.

The magic show ends, Griffin and Carter come looking for tip money for the magician.

As we are getting our contribution together I notice the swarms of people leaving the area. There must have been over 60 kids watching the show and at least as many adults.

Carter and Griffin go give the money to the magician. I look around and my heart stops.

WHERE IS HAYDEN?

I start to scan the crowd. Did someone take him during the confusion of the show ending? Did he go back in the shop behind us?

Somehow I get the words out that Hayden is missing.

I run into the store behind us. No Hayden.

I start to panic.

The man sitting near us says, Are you looking for the little boy? He went that way.

We break off and start searching the shopping area. Seaport Village boasts 54 stores and 17 restaurants on 14 acres of waterfront property. I think Linda took Griffin and my dad or brother must have had Carter. I started walking aimlessly, checking in stores as I went by, I think it was shock. I could not imagine how this happened. He was just right there next to us.

How long had he been gone before we noticed? How far could he have gone? Did someone take him? I can not remember what he was wearing. Why can't I find a security guard?

I still can not imagine how much time passed between when he left and when Linda and Griffin found him. He had wandered off to the other side of the shopping center, he was FAR from us. It was probably no more than 10 minutes, maybe less. It felt like HOURS.

After I cried and hugged him so tight, I asked him why he left us. He said he wanted to go back to the store that makes the special pennies. You know what he means, you put in 2 quarters and 1 penny and turn the handle, out comes a souvenir penny.

He was nowhere near the penny store. He couldn't find it.

This happened during our Spring Break trip to California, almost 2 months ago.

My heart still aches at the thought of what happened and what could have happened.