Memories

I am sitting at Chicago O'Hare waiting for my 11:00 flight to New York City. My mom will be here in an hour and in just over four hours we'll meet Nell Lynn at Laguardia. My excitement may be palpable.

I was reminded this morning of one of the reasons I am going. After 6-10 trips there over the course of about three years, the last times I was in NYC were in 2003. They were my mom and sister's first and only trips to NYC. Here we are about to do it again. Life has changed some since then and there are five kids between us (I was pregnant with Max when I went last time) yet the thrill of this time with them is the same. The reason I am going is the memory of this last time and to make more with them.

Here's to a new photo of all three of us!

NCAA Basketball Tournament

I love everything about the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

The anticipation, the hype, the games, the heroes, the unexpected wins, the upsets, the Cinderella teams, the defeats, the amazing shots, the tears, the smiles, the shock, the pools, watching with my boys, .... and One Shining Moment.

I wait to hear Luther Vandross' voice and to see all the games come together for 3 minutes. And to top it, I love that I share it every year with my friend, Erica, via text or email. This year was no different - half a dozen messages back and forth in anticipation and then agreeing that while love it, 2016 was not the best one. Doesn't help that the Hawkeyes didn't get a single shout out!

Here's to 2016-2017 basketball not arriving soon enough.

And this year, I love that I won the Loupee-Cary-Beckman pool!!!!

Quote of the trip

All the kids informed us part way through Strange Magic that they did not really like the movie. Too much singing. By the same people who did Rango according to Max. And none of them liked it. Janel and I agreed.

As we are sitting in the living room, Graham passes through to brush his teeth.

"I don't really like the movie. There is too much of that, what's the word? Romantic. Yes too much. And too much love singing."

Great description Graham.

Old time fun

Having ice cream at Jay's Drug Store Fountain, might be the best part of having the Carys in Shenandoah. Okay, second to the fact that they now live closer.

Ella - 3
Pierce - 3
Max - 8
Hannah - 6
Graham - 5

Who doesn't love ice cream?

Excitement

The boys are SO excited to go see Hannah and Ella. Who can blame them? So am I! Janel, Brad and the girls have been in Iowa since August and we have yet to go visit. Not for a lack of trying but of coordinating schedules. Two moves for them, Walt Disney World for us, school starting, football season, visits by friends from Portland.... Then we all decided to gather at my parents on Wednesday for Thanksgiving so anything seemed to close to that visit. I said who cares, we want to visit you in Shenandoah so we're heading there this weekend. The boys have told everyone they know this week they are going and often times share the details - "we're getting out of school early" or "did you know we have to drive four or five hours" or "we get to play with our cousins this weekend." Here are today's two stories and the ones that best sum up what they've been saying.

When I volunteered in Graham's classroom this morning, here was the conversation between Lyncoln (Graham's friend whose dad is a Penn State grad and has family in Pennsylvania) and Graham,

Lyncoln, "We're going to Pennsylvania on Saturday."
Graham, "I'm going to my cousins in Shenandoah (love how we says this town). It takes like four or five hours to drive there."
Lyncoln, "I'll have to be in the car 12 hours."
Graham, "Why don't you drive?"
Lyncoln, "Because we're taking our dog [Daisy]. I get to ride by her."
Graham, "We don't have to fly any more. We get to drive and see them more. I get out of school early. It's going to be cool."

And when I picked up Pierce today,

Pierce, "We're going to my cousins tomorrow." As if Mary didn't know that from me or hearing it from him dozen times.
Mary, "Pierce, what are you going to do at Aunt Janel's house?"
Pierce, no response but a huge smile.
Mary, "Are you going to wrestle with Uncle Brad?"
Pierce, "Yes." Even bigger smile. "I will wrestle with him."

Friday at 1:30 can't get here soon enough for any of us.