Finished Bannister

Our bannister is finally finished.  (sigh of relief)  We started it back in November. . . .and finished it in July.  We installed it in November and then it sat there unfinished (unstained) for the rest of time until I got fed up with looking at it, knowing it still wasn't done.  It looks much better than the original.    

Summer T-ball

Matt played t-ball this summer.  He enjoyed it.  He said he liked the practices better than the games because during the games he had to wait around for his turn, where as at practice they were constantly doing something.  Four of his friends from his kindergarten class were on his team.  Their team was called the Cardinals (not sure why they were given yellow shirts).      

 Fielding a ground ball.

Matthew is the fourth from the right.

Life is a Teeter-Totter

I feel like my current life is one huge balancing act--teetering between my family and my calling.  I spend a lot of time on the phone and away from home now, either at meetings or on visits.  I can tell it's been hard on my kids.  A lot of things have had to take the backburner, both for me and for Robert.  My projects go undone because I'm too busy; Robert's go undone because he's covering for me and/or with the boys.  We didn't plant a garden this year and I don't want to even talk about the rest of our yard.  Matthew has always been a momma's boy, but lately he's much more attached.  He's been playing t-ball this summer.  He likes it but doesn't like to go to the games without me.  He's refused to go to a couple of them because I had meetings.  Tonight is his last one and it will be only the second one I'll have attended.  Oftentimes, he waits up for me to get home, trying to stay awake in his bed.  I think it will just take time for everyone to get used to our new "normal".  We leave for Miami on Monday.  It will be really nice to have that time together as a family. 

Bicycles & Backboards---Matthew is in Heaven!!

New Couch

Our new couch was delivered this week.  We had had our previous ones for 11 years and sold them earlier this month at our garage sale.  We are loving it!  

Happy 6th Birthday, Matt

Instead of having a birthday party, Matthew wanted to go to Wichita, and especially go to
Chuck E. Cheese.  So, we headed to Wichita for the weekend.  We had Matt's birthday there--presents, cake, etc.  He really liked it. 

The boys had a lot of fun at Chuck E. Cheese.  We spent $40 on tokens. . .so they better have had fun. 

Over the past six years, we've been to Wichita for at least 8-9 weekends.  But we had never been to Tanganyika Wildlife Park.  What a neat place!  It's a private zoo with tons of interactive exhibits.  We got to pet kangaroos, goats, giraffes, rabbits, tortoises, guinea pigs, . . . the list goes on.  They also have horse and camel rides. 

 Gavin giggled with delight over the goats.

"Basketball is my life"

Matthew has been wanting a big basketball hoop for a long time.  So, wasn't he surprised when he saw this in the living room on his birthday morning?  Now we just have to figure out where we're going to hang it in our backyard.   

Even Adam and Gavin liked it.