The beginning of something awesome

My current band assignment

(according to what I heard anyway)

is to just get out my trombone

and put it together.

Dad thought we could do better.

He showed me how to hold it

and how to hold a long note

The look on my face would suggest

I think my dad's driving me crazy.

But I'm actually working 

on my embouchure.

This could be the start

of a fabulous trombone career

Happy birthday, Ranger!

Ranger turned

a whole year old today!

This calls for a doggy cake.

We made it with egg,

peanut butter,

bacon treats,

and dog food.

We sang him "Happy Birthday"

and presented our creation

I think he liked it.

Happy #1, Rango-Range!

Pinnable?

Mom has been DYING to build a mud room.

Apparently, our stuff being everywhere

is bothersome.

So Dad came up with a big plan

to move the guest bathroom,

bust out some walls,

move the door,

and make Mom her mud room.

But then,

at soccer this weekend,

Mom was talking to her friend Nancy

who converted her hall closet

into a mud room of sorts.

WHAT??!?!?!

So here's before:

Here's after:

And here's in use:

It may not be exactly

what Mom wanted

but for $75 versus $15000,

we'll take it!!!

Sunday night boatin'

When Grant, Brock and Harper

invited us to have dinner

and an evening swim on their boat,

we JUMPED at the chance!

There was a lot of swimming

and exploring

topped off with feeding the ducks

and carp

Group pics!

All the 'rents

Thanks for the awesome time!

Hello, daaaaling

We were cleaning out closets today.

I couldn't resist

trying these beauties on!

Don't I look smashing?

The return of Soccer Saturday

The Pirates have been practicing hard!

We were excited to get back out there

And look who else is back out there?

Jack had a great game too!

We kinda missed

Saturday mornings out on the grass!

Dream come true

Oh my gosh.

I can't believe this is real!

We own a JEEP??!?!

I missed the 'burb

for only a minute.

This is so cool

Mom wanted to make Dad's

16th birthday dream

come true.

Just 24 years later.

Happy 40th birthday, Dad!
(a month or so early)

Marching in Mom and Dad's footsteps...

In 5th grade,

we get to join band or strings.

I tried out a lot of instruments

and thought about them all

but I ultimately settled on...

the trombone!

My brothers were

relatively patient while

I was making this big decision.

Relatively.

Tijuana Taxi, here I come!

Bedtime whispers

Tucker says the funniest things at bedtime:

Mom:  Tucker, I want you to go to sleep

Tuck:  You can't get what you always want (he's been listening to a lot of the Rolling Stones with Aaron--and sometimes misquotes them)

Tuck:  Mama, you smell lovely.  Dad--he smells stinky.

Tuck:  Will you wrap me up in a canoe?  (It's supposed to be cocoon--his Blue wrapped all around him like a swaddle)

My new favorite--

(Rocking quietly for several minutes...and he sits up...)  Mama, if I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?  (it's lyrics from the 3 Doors Down song Kryptonite).  Aaron and I laughed until there were tears.

Favorite things

Beckett LOVES cicada shells.

He raids the willow tree

and puts them all over the deck

He's on a mission

to fill a quart sandwich bag with them.

Mom is not a fan.

Wes and Tuck LOVE their TMNT gear.

It was rediscovered this weekend.

It has been worn repeatedly.

Look out for the hidden ninja

on the swings!

Goofball.

And we all LOVE storytime.

Even Ranger.

Another B first

Mom and Dad were nice enough

to drive me to school

on the first day.

So today is my first day

to navigate the bus.

Here it comes!

I gathered with the whole

bus stop crew

I got a bit nervous at the last minute

and grabbed Jack's hand

Up we go!

Can you see me?

This may not be so bad!

Huskies back in action!

Here we come!

Jackson, Class of 2026

Weston, Class of 2028

And announcing

Beckett, Class of 2031

The obligatory brothers picture

(I was not having it.

I'm not a morning person)

But apparently my brothers are

Since it was B's first day,

we drove to school

to be sure he made it ok

Everyone was pumped!

Weston was psyched

to sit with his crew

of friends in Mrs. Strickland's room

And Beckett was excited to start his year

with Mrs. Palmer

Have a great day, B!

Once we got back from the

Boo-hoo Yaw-hoo Kindergarten breakfast,

I was feeling much peppier.

I told Mom and Dad

"I just didn't want to take my picture

with all those brothers around."

So here I am,

Tucker, Class of 2033

Here's to a great year!