Stop and Smell the Roses...if you can.

 

If you stop to smell the roses and you can't smell them...does it still count? It does if you get the story behind the roses. This house with the beautiful roses is just down the street so I get to see them everyday on the way to work. Not long ago I stopped to smell the proverbial roses but couldn't smell them. I was dealing with (or not dealing with) an undiagnosed sinus infection. I went back today and took some pictures of the roses and the owner, Bill, came over and told me a little about the roses. They are 7 years old and were planted after the roses before them, which were 40 years old, had died. His parents planted the first set of roses and on an especially hot day Bill's father passed away. Seven days later Lincoln had a frost and Bill's mother passed away...and the roses died. So this batch of roses are pretty important to Bill. Even though I can't smell the roses (or anything right now for that matter) I think it still counts.




I did go to the doctor and am on azithromycin (God bless you). I don't like going to the doctor (dentist and insurance people aren't high on my favorite list either) but this doctor had a wonderful sense of humor. He came in and asked how I was doing and I said a little rough. He said at least I was up right and breathing so that was something. We talked at length about the NBA playoff games. My dad said that was probably an expensive conversation. I brought the doctor back to the situation at hand by telling him my wife was having the same symptoms but seems to be getting better. He said that just goes to show who is the stronger of the two. Must have been a slow day for this doctor but I enjoyed it.  



Cindy and I did go out to see the super moon last night. Super moon? Anybody/ Anybody? A super moon is a full moon that is at its closest point to the earth. It happens once every 14 full moon cycles and appears to be 14% larger and 30% brighter. Woohoo! Only, the moon rise was almost 2 hours before sunset last night which meant it was not quite as spectacular as I thought it was going to be.

 But Cindy went out with me to the hill behind our house and we spent 2 hours enjoying the summer evening together. I played with my camera waiting for the moon to rise while Cindy walked laps around the field...win-win.

 

The grass was deep but there was a path cut into it.

 

 

So when we have the chance to stop and smell the roses or to gaze at the super moon, we better take it...as long as we are upright and breathing. God Bless you.

 

 

Michael...where are you?

I felt a little lost coming home today! Ashley, Alex and family headed back to Castle Rock this morning. That meant  no little one greeting me "Grandpa" as I walk thru the door. I thought about asking Cindy if she could come early and kneel in the kitchen chair and help me with supper...that wasn't going to happen. We have had a wonderful time with the Cranes this past three weeks. I will leave you with a few of my memories.

One potato, two potato, three potato, four.

Liam is getting into the act.

Story time with Grandma.

Liam time.

Liam has the best smile.

Kind of a forced smile but still cute.

Liam is smiling at his Mom...he is a momma's boy.

"No sit still."

Life is an adventure.

 

We heard Michael give a yelp and found him stuck in his toy box!

We shall see Ashley, Alex and family in two weeks up in the Hills. After that we are looking forward to our next adventure to NC to see Dene' and Tyler. Hope your adventures this summer are going well.

Bonus Bonus

We are into the bonus round...Ashley, Alex and boys have extended their visit and are still here. It may have had something to do with the house offer rejection (see Ashley's blog on the newest news) but I like to think that they are just sticking around for my cooking and the company.

My favorite thing to do after getting home from work is to get Michael up in a chair at the counter (please sit or kneel)  so we can make supper together. He has this chef thing down...tasting and eating everything we are preparing. How often do you have to tell a 2 1/2 year old boy "Now Michael, that's enough veggies and cheese, you have to save room for supper." I'm asking myself why I don't have a picture of this...oh that's right...I'm making supper! Picture to come.

Speaking of pictures, check out the sunset in Ave.

Liam has the sweetest disposition in the morning...we could all take lessons.



Perpetual smilier.

Michael has learned how to turn this smirk on and off at will...it's hilarious.

Michael did have a bump in the road yesterday and came down with strep. Besides the obvious fever and barking cough (Michael would bark like a seal and then ask "what's dat?") he was pretty lethargic. Alex would ask him if he wanted water? "no", did he want milk? "no", did he want juice? "no" then he would drink anything you handed him anyway. Last nite they let Michael watch a Thomas the Train movie on the Ipad. Alex gave Michael a 5 min warning when it was time for bed and Michael gave a barely perceptible "okay dad". Then when Alex went over and turned off the Ipad Michael got up and headed for bed without a word...that doesn't happen unless you got a sick little guy.






Down but not out...barely.



Michael got this sticker on his hand at the doctors and is
pretty proud of it.

 


 

As you may or may not know, Cindy has been in the Hills for CFO church camp all week and is coming home tomorrow...YEA! So this extra time with Ashley and Alex has been a very welcome bonus...and spending time with my two grand boys...Priceless!

Our Happy Thoughts

Dene' and I are a little off schedule for blogging on a common theme (see what's happening at Ave). With Dene' and Tyler down at Ave, and Ashley, Alex, Michael and Liam here visiting we decided to blog about current events for awhile. (check out the Cranes in Lincoln)




Going to the zoo and breakfast at Panera and bed time stories and playing in the backyard and lots of Thomas the train...we are enjoying our time together. Here are a few pictures of our adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                        I pray your summer has started with happy thoughts too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suger and Spice and Everything Nice

What flavor was your week? Was it smooth and cool and simply delicious? Or a little dry and stale, burnt popcorn in the microwave type week? If it was anything like mine, it was probably a little of both. (Check our Dene's flavor of the week.)We went to Dubuque last weekend and had a wonderful time...then said goodbye to Dene' and Tyler until when...? What is "good" about saying "goodbye"? Not much. But they are off on an adventure that they are excited about and I believe it is where God is leading them. That's a good thing.

We video chat with Mom and Dad  almost every Saturday morning. They have coffee and yummy things with any family members that drop by and Cindy and I get to be a small part of that via the computer technology age. That is a blessing...and we feel like we are there. Almost.

We get to see our grand boys via video chat too...Michael likes to watch himself in the video screen chewing on almonds...it's pretty hilarious. The video chats help us to stay connected from a distance.

Pope Francis said "If a person's prayer life is boring, that generally means that he or she is focused too much on the self and not enough on Jesus and the needs of others." Oh...that's me.

 I am very thankful for all our family and their well being. We feel far away at times...probably because we are...but that's what is.

 

Thanks for letting me wine a little.

           

May your week be sugar and spice and everything nice...with a very little burnt popcorn.

Come Sail Away

If you said 'Styx' for the song-group in the title...you may give yourself a point...but that's another blog.

Dene' and Tyler have left the "Port of Dubuque" and are heading to Belmont, NC via Montgomery, AL and summer training in Ave Maria, FL. That's a lot of sailing.  But before they left Cindy and I spent the weekend in Dubuque doing some of our favorite things...spending time with our kids and eating angry noodles!

We went to Galena, a little town in Illinois that has some wonderful shops including one with 100 varieties of popcorn of which we always partake, and a canning shop which offers wonderful samples. We took Fannie to the river walk AND (drum roll please) went downtown to a restaurant called "The Crust". When our waiter came and asked us if we were ready to order, I told him I was ready two weeks ago and had come from Lincoln, Nebraska for the angry noodles. He wasn't sure what  to say but took our order anyway. Angry noodles are hot and spicy and delicious. It is worth the drive to Dubuque :) Cindy and Dene' had something called "Thai one on" which was a spicy pizza with a peanut-ginger sauce. Tyler...like the wonderful son-in-law he is...had angry noodles, too.



Galena...I stole this pic from a previous bog of Dene's.



Fannie says lets get walking.



Dubuque was still in bloom and very pretty.



River walk.



"The Crust"...ya!



Angry noodles.

We left Dubuque Sunday around 1:30pm and dodged severe weather all the way back to Lincoln. Just west of Des Moines on I-80 we hit a downpour with some hail and missed a tornado by 40 miles which crossed the interstate behind us. We thank our Lord for safe travels and pray for all those affected by the storms these last few days.

Dene' and Tyler left this morning (Monday) for a long journey to Montgomery.  Cleaned their apartment, locked the keys inside and walked away.

We look forward to our next adventure down to North Carolina. I just hope they have angry noodles there.

(See Dene's goodbye to Dubuque.)