my life....

summer update

Here is a recap to what we have been up to this summer:

- got Jake "buzz" cut 'cause could not deal with the shedding of his winter coat...it worked....highly recommend it for those with shedders...Jake though felt a little naked at first:

- I got Shingles...don't ask....I was really feeling my age when I was told that...don't only really old and "delicate" people get them? I was lucky and had a mild case...guess my killer good health and youth were on my side...LOL -End of June had us heading down South for 2 weeks to Trey's parents house in Arlington, Texas. Trey sister and family travel up from Corpus Christi, his Aunt came over from LA and his cousin and family came up from Houma, LA. We had an old fashion 4th of July with everyone...swimming, ribs, hot dogs and corn on the cob and lots of fireworks. Trey and I also snuck away down to Mexico (with Hurricane Alex) for 4 days while his parents watched the boys. Cousins Cade, Kyle and Will:
Kyle with Caroline (who just turned 2). He was such a good cousin and "babysat" her often:
Cade watching Grandaddy playing the piano - Cade even learned how to play London Bridge is Falling Down:
Kyle:
Mean Dad and Uncle Jason scared the boys right off the ground with some fireworks: Get all the boys huddled around Uncle Jason, then Dad sets off some fireworks behind them!:


the girls, Hannah Grace (5) and Caroline (2) (They did good being surrounded by all the boys, Kyle (9) William (8 - there brother), Cade (7), Joseph (7- 2nd cousin) and Andrew (6 - 2nd cousin):
The boys swam everyday in Boppi and Grandaddy's pool and LOVED it:

Trey with his sister:
- July had the boys and I (minus Trey) heading to California to visit my parents. We hit the "pools" every day ( think I have the best sun tan I have had in years), the Orange County Fair -talk about bringing back a bunch of childhood memories, Medieval Times and miniature golf. I became addicted to genealogy with Moms help:




Well, that brings you all up to date on our summer. Hope you are all keeping cool and making some great summer memories of your own! XO Kim

Summer vacation

School ended on June 11th, so summer vacation officially started at the Thames house at 9:21 (school was only from 8:20-9:20AM).  There has been some adjustment needed in the house as I reacquaint myself to 24/7 kids home again.  I forgot the joy with having the kids home 24/7  LOL....tears, kicking, screaming, fights....all that is all from me....won't even post what the boys have been up to.  After one week and 2 full days spent at the beach I think we have gotten into the grove of things ;-)!!!

I always take a picture of the boys on the first day and last day of school.  Being with them everyday I don't see them growing...but know they do...these pictures are such fun for me to look at and realize all that happen (growth wise) this past school year!  Hard to believe that I now am a parent to a 2nd and 4th grade boys!

To funny that Kyle is wear the exact same outfit...can you say favorite! Also, wish I had gotten Cade's full mouth of teeth...they did all grown in!!!

BLACKHAWKS WIN!!!

After 49 years the Stanley Cup will be returning to Chicago!  A long time in the waiting!!!! Fireworks last night and a parade tomorrow...It has been a long time since ANY Chicago team has brought anything home.  The Bears said today they would try and get a "BOWL" to match the Hawks "CUP"....2 in one year???? Be still my heart!!!!!

Let's Go Blackhawks!

Well, Game 5 tonight and the Blackhawks have been 2 games away from the Stanley Cup for 6 days now....after completely wiping away their 2 game lead!  Now, the Flyers and Hawks are tied....The Hawks have not played well the last 2 games....they don't deserve to win after this past Fridays game...let's hope with home ice advantage they are back to playing like they did the first 2 games....but then again we do live in Chicago where were a home to so  many playoffs and no trophies to show off....Bears....Cubs...oh wait that "other" team (the White Sox's) did win awhile ago.  Our house will be pulling for those Hawks tonight....the boys in their Hawk's shirts....it's time for a win.....

This is a rock on a corner street near our neighborhood that get painted by a street residence for different event....Bears-Super bowl game....Cubs-World Series play-offs...watermelon for summer....pumpkin at Halloween...you get the idea...what an artist....once the Hawks made it to the play-offs you better believe she was out with her paint again....

In other news the boys are entering there last week of school.  We have parties, picnics and field days this week!  Kyle played  his last soccer game on Saturday and Cade has only 3 baseball games left....summer we are ready for you....days of sleeping in and nights of staying up late....packing lunches for the beach and not the lunch room....days of sandy wood floors from the Lake and dirt knees from playing.... can't wait till Friday!!!!

5 years and counting....

5 years ago today we moved into our new (really old...age 68) Chicago area home.  I could not love her more....the old gal (as I call her has had some major face lifts- many more must come when the economic picks up).  Here she is in all her glory....

She got a paint job last summer, 2009 and she got her floors re-done in the boys rooms, stairs, up stairs hall and entry and a new upstairs bathroom (new floor, cabinet, sink and counter top, toilet and tile in the shower/tub....the original Kohler tub stayed as it was a custom size and did not want to spend the $$$$$$ putting in a new one....it'll get resurfaced this summer). 2008 she received a new kitchen and power bath. Of course new paint inside, window coverings, basement windows etc. continue to be updated as needed, which does seem to be often....but I do love her so much and Chicago. Will try to find some good before and afters so you can see her as she it updated....wonder what another 5 years will bring....a detached 2 car garage...master bath...single garage turned into a dining room and dining room into a study....one can only dream :) !!!

Organic gardener?

Well, I planted bulbs last fall.  They were to be small, little ones, with pretty pom pom light purple flowers at the top...instead I got green onions....at least I can cook with them if I can't enjoy the beauty of the non existent flowers!

I also had another garden disaster....last fall I planted saliva in between my boxwood balls. They died out over winter and I have spent plenty of time making sure they would come back completely this spring...extra mulch over winter, fertilizer and water...then Trey announces after taking out the trash, how he pulled 4 large "weeds"....I thanked him (first weed he had pulled in 5 years) and thought nothing more of it. The next morning I went to check out all my plants and water them....mysteriously 4 out of my 5 saliva plants was gone....roots and all. I was distraught and in near hysterics as I accused all varies animals (opossums, raccoons, bunnies, fox) of "digging" up my saliva.....I told Trey the gloves were coming off and I would take them (the animals) down at all costs! He was now in near hysterics and admitted he had removed them thinking they were weeds.....REALLY....does this look like a weed?
I asked why he left "1" and pulled the others...said he did not see this one???? What????They were all in a row???? Whatever....I replaced the 4 others with flowering ones....Trey said he would never pull the new ones as they had flowers....I said the "others" would have had flowers in about a month if they were not in a plastic trash bag being suffocated to death! Hopefully, he will never help with the garden again...maybe that was his plan all along!!!
I got around to finally painting the patio furniture this week....with a fresh coat of black the table and chairs are calling for some cold drinks.....
Lastly...some pics of some plants in bloom in the garden...thank goodness these all bloomed early or their death may have come by plastic garbage bag too :) ....

A month and a half up date

Hope this finds everyone well.  The start of the school year and the end of the school year always seems to be such a busy time!  Then the days, turn to weeks, then a month and I begin to panic about how I will start to re-cap a month and a half worth of our lives....so I'll do my best and this may be the most random post yet :) !!!!!

I find my life surrounded by dirt, guns and bullets (nerf, of course), scrapes and bruises (and the refusal of band aids, so lots of drippy blood), gas and burps (sorry to share, but it is such a big part of my life) and LOUDNESS....this is all from my four boys....Trey, Kyle, Cade and Jake.  At least, when Maddie was around it was 3 against 2...now I am so out numbered I have finally waved my white flag and seem to spend ALL my time cleaning up hair (from the dog) and dirt (from the boys).  Then I am cooking....cooking.....cooking to feed these growing boys and their friends!   Now that I have surrendered and know I am a maid,cook and laundrier of really dirty and smelly clothes I think I have found some peace!!!!

I have done somethings for myself.  I finally got up the nerve and launched Klosets by Kim (you can check it out at klosetsbykim.com if you want).  I am hoping for 4-8 hours a week...Enough to make me feel good about doing something creative and rewarding, but not taking me away from my boys.   So far I am really enjoying it and have been working about 6 hours a week...perfect.  My tennis lessons will wrap next week and I am happy to say my head has healed nicely from the racquet/head collision.  With the warmth of Spring I have been spending time gardening and planting too.

The boys have been busy also.  School field trips, play date, soccer games and practice (Kyle), baseball games and practice (Cade), Kyle turned 9 on April 16th (can't believe that I have a 9 year old!), Kyle had his school musical concert - they sang and played their recorders...it was so funny and so cute to watch.

Trey continues to play tennis, coach Cade's baseball team and work so hard, he now if able to sneak in some rounds of golf with the spring warmth here in Chicago.

As we round out the school year we have more field trips, class picnics, field days, and musical instrument selection for Kyle for the upcoming 4th grade year...he is thinking of the trumpet...God help me!

This summer will be filled with trips to Mexico, Texas and CA with I am sure lots of trips to the lake and hopefully a house full of those LOUD, MESSY boys.

Have added some pictures below....the first is one of the 11 nerf guns that litter our floor...second, Kyle at his birthday bowling party...third, making his birthday wish....fourth, Kyle at his concert...the last 3 are from our yard....and yes that is a super sharp pointy stick that has been whittled by one of my boys....

gotta smile...

when you open up the weather page and the snow count has been replaced with the pollen levels and Lake Michigan wave and wind conditions :)....

gotta smile when it's opening day for our beloved Chicago Cub's...Cub's vs the "other team - AKA - Chicago White Sox's" :) !!!!!

Easter treats

The Easter Bunny visited us this morning...did he hit your house too? We will be dining outdoors (it's to hit 72 today - yeah) tonight as we celebrate Easter, being thankful for Him, our blessing in life and grateful for our family and friends...HAPPY EASTER!

The hunt is on.....

Spring Break....

We left this god-for-sak'n cold a** state and flew to warmer climate for the boys spring break!  Arizona was the perfect spot for us all to gain back all the vitamin D we lost during this past winter!  We stayed at the Hilton Squaw Peak and I highly recommend it.  With a water slide, lazy river and 18 hole miniature golf course the boys were never bored....and since they are old enough to 'wonder' on there own Trey and I actually got in some R & R too....a first I think on a family vacation. 

The camera never made it pool side...I guess I really was that relaxed...but it did make it to the Cub's spring training game we went to...

We all returned rested, tan and ready to take on the chilly Chicago Springs...we actually returned to a 87 degree day...wow what a nice treat...I also returned with an additional 4 pounds from all the yummy Mexican food I literally stuffed into my mouth every opportunity I had...hey...it was vacation :) !!!!