Happy 15th Birthday Cody!!!

Cody turns 15 today. As I write this (at 11:40am) I remember that it was around 11am on September 12, 1992 that he was born.

What an amazing adolescent Cody is. Calling him a child or a kid is so not fitting to him anymore. He is moving into his older years for sure. He is so much taller than me now too. He stands at 5' 10 1/2". Slade wonders if he might pass him up at some point as well.

Cody started High School this year at Minnehaha Academy and is on the soccer team there. He is truly enjoying his time there so far. He has made some good buddies on the soccer team and enjoys getting the excercise. Lugging his backpack around is a work out in itself! But so far he is enjoying his classes. He is taking Art, World History, Geometry, Health, Chemistry,and English.

Cody is truly growing into quite an amazing guy and we are so thrilled that he is part of our family and so proud of how he presents himself outside of the family. He is a great role model for his many younger siblings.

Later today .....

We took Cody (and Seby & Zane - Graham is on the Odyssey trip in Mississippi) out to dinner for his birthday.
Before we left for dinner he opened his presents ...

Thank you Clip Clop & Papa for some cashola! (Thank you note was actually written TONIGHT, in the mail tomorrow)


I saw this elephant t-shirt and I just had to buy it for Cody. When he was little he was crazy about elephants, luckily he hasn't lost interest and wants to wear his new shirt tomorrow!


The big surprise - a new Ipod Nano!


Thank you GranAnn for the earphones and Itunes gift certificate (again thank you note written tonight and to be mailed tomorrow).


No pictures of having a b-day cake as the dinner and dessert that came with it was more than all of us could handle. So the cake will be dessert for tomorrow night.

Labor Day Weekend

I know it is way past Labor Day Weekend, but I have to post some of our pics from being up at the lake house last weekend. This will be a quick post with pics and details.

We annually go up with friends from Chicago - Sean & Lisa and their three kids: Hallie, Sydney & Jake and John and his two boys Tom and Kevin. Sean and John are two guys that also work for Citigroup and Slade used to work with down on the CBOE. This is our third year of going up for Labor Day with them and we have consistently had a great time!

John always brings one of his ATV's and with our new ATV this past spring there are plenty for all to ride. Taking the ATV's to the river is always a big hit and it was one of the first activities. Here is John driving Sydney and Seby, I think that Jake is also on there you just can't see him from this shot.



When you drive to the river you have to get in the water. Here are Jake and Zane on the old remains of the bridge. It is totally overgrown and the kids are always finding something in the overgrowth.



The bigger boys are experienced enough now to go off on their own. Here are Kevin, Graham and Tom about to take off on a short drive.



This past spring we expanded the deck down at the water and it has been awesome to spread out more. It is hard to believe the smaller space we all squeezed onto.



This must be some kind of mid-western way of sunbathing. Or maybe it was the watermelon drowned in vodka that was consumed?



Slade has a new Canon camera, this is my favorite sunset pic he took, followed by his favorite.





The weekend isn't complete without some poker playing.



Another ride to the river for the Dad's and older boys.





MOTHRA



The leaves are already starting to change up north. With the cold we have had this past week I bet even more have changed. We are going back up for a weekend in October and it will be interesting to see if there are any leaves left.



Kevin



Hallie



Cody, Graham, Seby & Zane at the river.



Seby's bear has been "attacked" by some animal.



I took about 20 pics of Jake and really these are the best ones!





It was just warm enough to do some boating, here are Sydney and Seby doing some tube surfing.



Before we take the boat out the big boys have to do their annual tube wrestle. They did best of three this year. I get to drive the boat and whip them as best I can. Luckily I started it off by getting them all off the tube right away. It increases the challenge of the wrestling if they are all wet and COLD! Sean won two and Slade one.



Some loving.

First Days of School!

I've been in amazement for months now that my oldest is starting high school and my youngest is starting kindergarten - though our Montessori school calls it the "After Nooner" The first two years you are picked up at Noon, then your third or fourth year you stay for the afternoon.

As I was loading up these pics I started crying looking all these cute faces and remembering when Cody, Graham & Seby were his age, the house became even more quiet.





As you can see Zane was very excited about going to school today.

Yesterday he said a few funny lines, one was

"I wish it were night time and I was sleeping, and then when I woked up it would be tomorrow"

Zane has been wanting school to start since we came home from the lake - August 6th!

His first day of school was today, the last of the boys to start school this year! He has been waiting ever so patiently. He started to use a notebook a couple weeks before school and practiced writing his friends names. He is very excited about all the new "work" he will have in the classroom. I remember Seby having the same eagerness.



Seby & Graham starting school this past Tuesday 9/4. Graham's first day was leaving on the Odyssey South for two weeks. Seby and Graham were equally excited about getting back to school and their friends! Sebastian is now in his second year of the 9-12 classroom. Graham is in 8th and will graduate from LCS this year. This year the Odyssey takes them to Mississippi for 5 days of marine biology. They camp the travel days to and from there. One of the stops along the way will be Mammoth Caves. Hopefully he will take some pictures that I can share.



Cody has been thrilled with all his new experiences at Minnehaha Academy. He first took a two week drivers ed class at the end of June. He met lots of Juniors and Seniors - which later I may regret, but hopefully not. He turns 15!!! next week and will get his permit then. He had a week of soccer tryouts the week of August 13th and then daily afternoon practice until school started Monday, August 27th. He is really enjoying his classes and keeping up with the homework. He says when he is in Chemistry he starts to fall asleep. He has enjoyed being on the soccer team so much that he is now looking at the winter sports team. Alpine Skiing is looking like his first choice. Then spring sports. Seby & Zane love to watch him play.

We have more pictures to share, but another day.

Yoga Weekend & More!

on saturday, slade took the kids to the state fair. i went to a yoga retreat thru the school, Lake Country School in Minneapolis, yet another Montessori school we have been at.















Here are the kids with some of their winnings. Slade seemed to be amazed by Cody's ability to win ever game he played. I guess there are a lot more stuffed animals around the house then I have seen!



Here are some pics from the yoga weekend I went on. It is an event called a "Great Gathering." This is a fundraiser/community building event from LCS - families come up with event ideas and donate them. Some people have parties at their house, this one was a weekend at our Land School (the farm component to our Monteesor school) to do yoga, women only.

I remember being the last person to sign up for it. There was a limited number of slots 10 or 12? It was really fun to get to know old friends and new. The yoga was great. But taking the time just for me was the best.

I started going to a personal trainer two weeks ago and knew that I needed to add yoga back into the routine. The three hours spent on yoga were perfect to remember what I love about doing yoga, and actually remembering the moves without looking at the teacher. I still won't try head stands. Or rolling on your back to sit up. My back does not want to do those things.

But I have put it on my calendar to do yoga with Michelle this Thursday. That is the instructor who presented the weekend and who many folks go to. One thing I really liked about the yoga sessions at the LS was doing it with folks that I know and like. It was almost easier to get into my poses, knowing what support each of the women in the room would give any of us. Needless t say, it makes one want to do more yoga.

Here we are sitting outside after doing two hours of yoga. Some of us had changed and we were all drinking wine and eating yummy cheese and olive bread, and something with a yummy fig jam.












At some point five of us went to pick corn for dinner.









We then had a wonderful dinner outside. It was one of those perfect weather, perfect food. And a family from the school stoped by that was spending the night in a cabin of some sorts and then doing work at the farm the next day, we invited them to stay for dinner and it was a really wonderful meal and great conversation.



Here we are this morning doing a one hour session, after having coffee and breafast - even with the food and drink I could of gone for the second hour.



Here is how Bryan, Issiah & Rena spent the hour of yoga this morning (Nadine who did yoga with us along with Bryan and kids lives at the LS year-round). Rena was a few weeks old when Cody did his residency at the LS this past spring. Graham will do his after the Odyssey trip NEXT WEEK.



Tomorrow is Cody's first day of high school. Graham goes to school on Thursday and Friday this week for orientation to their trip to Mississippi for two weeks. They will study marine biology. Since Cody is gong to a christian high school, his first day tomorrow is a retreat for 9th graders. It is 9am - 7:30pm. Seems like a good way to get to know some folks. Cody is very excited about starting. He did drivers ed this past June and got to know mostly juniors and seniors, then he started soccer two weeks ago and has met a ton of freshman.

Summer is almost over!

Once back from the lake house (August 6) we have been wanting water. Not just the lake that is 15 minutes away, but right in the yard water. So, we went to Target and bought an on-sale pool. It is the biggest pool we have ever had. It has a pump/filter and a cover. I had to put our step ladder out there so the boys can climb in and out. Cody and Graham have no interest in it, but for Seby, Zane and I it is wonderful. Slade sits on the lawn chair and reads while we "swim."



Cody and Graham were at a sleepover last Firday night and we decided to walk to a favorite new restaurant find - Christos (Wes, remember going here when you visited?). When we first went here, the week of the robbery for the boys, we wanted to walk but didn't feel comfortable. This time we felt safer going. Zane and Seby love to dress up for occasions, tonight Zane picked quite the ensemble - shorts, button-down, tie, boots! And Seby with his shorts, button-down, tie, and blazer looks awesome with his favorite small bear - named Bearie Junior (after a larger bear named Bearie of course).



Last weekend we did our first bike ride to Lake Calhoun. It is about a 15-20 minute bike ride, just enough to break a sweat, but not get you out of breath. We had lunch at a great "restaurant" on the lake. It was actually really good food. And made in a healthy way, even better. Slade and I each got a fish sandwich and the boys got the chicken strips. The chicken strips were homemade and very good. Cody and Graham were still at their friend's house from the sleepover - otherwise we would have pics of them too.



After our lunch we went to the beach. Seby & Zane played while Slade and I sat and watched. Then off we went to ride home. I think we bought the pool that afternoon.



This past Friday we went to a "Great Gathering" for our Montessori school. They have these events called Great Gatherings that are a fundraiser and a community building in one. At the last school auction you could sign up for different events. This one was a Beatlesfest. Parent Paul Umbarger and his wife Caren put on this great event. Paul's band plays only Beatles music and provide desserts and drinks. It was awesome. Our kids all love the Beatles and have listened to the music for years. It was pretty to watch Seby & Zane sing and dance along. Here Zane is resting before spending most of the evening running to the front of the yard and back to us. He went to sleep in the car on the way home!

Dean, stay away from my sister!

Hurricane Dean is heading right to my sister (and hubby Jamie, kids Jesse, Pike, Sissy & Ellen).
They are in PaaMul (south of Cancun).
They are heading to Cancun right now. I guess that is because there just isn't enough time to get off the Yucatan. They say there are some concrete structures that they can get to. You can keep tuned in to her story at her blog: www.hopalog.com
My sister bought a palapa (which is a shelter you can pull an RV up to). They have been working on said palapa, fixing previous hurricane damage - so it is very clear why they need to get out of there!

I will add some photos to distract myself.

shit shit shit

so tonight i'm sitting on the couch that is on the 2nd floor back porch. i'm on the laptop doing i don't even remember what. then i see two guys walking thru the yard! now it is 1am, and we have a locked gate that they had to jump. so i grab the phone and call 911, while i'm on the phone with them i see them jump the fence in the back. it totally freeked me out and i'm so glad that i had the outside house lights on AND that the alarm is set. slade just happens to be away in new york. then, i go to bed and start to open this blog and the FUCKING phone rings. scares me that it is the alarm company saying they are getting an alarm signal (it has happened before). it is the cops. they just caught two guys two blocks away that fit the exact description i gave them. i could come down and make a citizens arrest for trespassing. slade isn't home, i can't leave the kids and do this. last week i had to call 911 for hearing and then SEEING gun shots in the alley. i couldn't wake up cody (and graham would wake up too) and tell them this. they would be freaked the whole time i was gone. i would be freaked going to the car and driving to and from there. ugh. i know some of you think we should move from this neighborhood, but the more this happens the more it makes me want to stay. some sickness i have, but it's my neighborhood too. i love the diversity of the folks that live in our hood. sadly it makes me feel privliged to have only these violent experiences in our lives. when i think of what goes on in other countries, how some families have to live with extreme violence and death. too much cnn. i wish i could of done my civic duty, but i was too scared. just more reasons to get more involved in the police and their efforts in our hood! once school starts i'll figure out where i could get involved. i'm calmer now and can go to bed.