Weekend in Review

The wands received this week from Saint Nicholas have been put to good use. Keagan used a magical spell last night to turn Evan into a Hooter's Girl. And just so we are clear, Keagan feels strongly that those girls are nasty!

This was after we spent an ungodly amount of money at the Olde Pink House eating a dinner meant for  a king and after a vain attempt by well meaning parents to teach the boys appropriate table etiquette. I think we mastered one skill: no elbows on the table. Evan is still confused by the assortment of cutlery.

This was after Evan threw a fit when I told him he had to wear something other than jeans to one of the nicest restaurants in Savannah. He told me in a rather terse voice, "I would be much happier in jeans eating Five Guys!" He had no problem slammin' that crab cake down, though.

But after ALL  of that Friday night excitement, I was finally, after two weeks, able to finish my final paper of the semester. I know more about the overexcitabilities experienced by the gifted population than should be humanly possible. Six weeks of freedom and then it all starts again!

St. Nicholas Day

I don't know any German boys who wake up on St.Nicholas day to find Addidas outfits or Harry Potter wands in their dad's combat boots. I think they probably find things like nuts, sticks, and oranges; I can't even imagine what would happen if I left a container of Planters mixed nuts for my boys. Probably a mini-coup. After Evan's fit last year when he did not find what he wanted in the boot, I was super proud to have the perfect gift this year. The wands have been hiding in my closet for months. Would you know Keagan was the one upset this year? All because he didn't have a set of football trading cards? Really? It just so happens that a friend of Wes's cleaned out his closet this weekend and found a Troy Aikman football card. Wes, assuming this would totally appease Keagan, brought it home today to show the boys. Keagan took one look, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Yeah? Well, what's so special about it?"

St. Nicholas might just retire from visiting the Toole house next year. Either that, or I'm sticking to the more traditional gift of nuts and dried fruit.

By the way, the Harry Potter wands might be a BIG clue to this year's Christmas trip.

Thanksgiving in Texas

This year we traveled to Texas for the holiday. It was a marked improvement from last year's holiday where we were saying good-bye to Wes in moldy Army barracks and eating Cracker Barrel hundreds of miles away from home.

This year we are thankful for cousins and all the fun we can have teaching them to play soccer and playing hide-and-go-seek. There might be new word or two that these sweet little ones now know as a result of our visit. 

Evan, Abbigail, Hunter, and Keagan - Toole Cousins

Evan, Keagan, Mallory, and Caroline - Farragh Cousins

We are thankful for our Texas roots and our families that provide "home" when we are constantly on the go. A special thanks to my sister-in-law that introduced me to the specialty drink Lime-a-Rita. I've popped the top to a can already today.

TOOLE family

FARRAGH family

 We are thankful for our two smart, athletic, and healthy boys.

Most of all, though, we are thankful to just be together this holiday season!

Card Carrying Dependent

When you reach the all important milestone of double digits, you must carry your own military ID card. Evan is now a card carrying dependent and more than ready for that first MP to ask to see it.

Weekend in the Mountains

Wes completed his two weeks of reintegration training last week, so we are spending our long weekend in a cabin in the mountains of north Georgia surrounded by water falls and hiking trails.

This morning we hiked a trail to see Anna Ruby Falls. Keagan was not impressed with the idea of hiking to the top of a mountain once he learned that we were using a trail and not "using our fingers" to scale the side of the mountain. We have had some pretty adventuresome vacation trips, but I don't know how he ever believed I would let him repel.

Then we hiked a path around Unicoi Lake. This was more to Evan's liking because without a marked trail he was free to roam and explore. I think he secretly hoped he would encounter a black bear.

We ended our nature hike on the Chattahoochee River. Thankfully we never encountered that bear. 

I would be lying if I told you the weekend trip was planned around a quest to reconnect with nature. I really wanted to see the Alpine Village of Helen, designed to look like a small Bavarian village, and reconnect with my love of all things German. 

After eating spaetzle suppen for lunch and sharing apple fritters for desert, Evan wistfully commented,
 "Germany must be a wonderful place." This clearly means that I must do my best to ensure Evan has the opportunity to see for himself how wonderful Germany can be. Obviously, I must plan a trip to the boys' homeland in the very near future...the sacrifices we make as parents.

Just Call Me an Old Timer

Another school play. I found myself yawning multiple times wondering if the next state we live in will have a fine arts initiative.
Please say it ain't so.

This year's musical was America Rocks and it took the audience through important events in America's history. Evan's class represented the Wild West; they danced the cotton eyed joe and put on a really great performance. It was so good that I felt a little guilty for hoping we were attending our last school musical.

Of course he had to dress the part of a cowboy so I pulled out the duster Evan wore when he was a cowboy for Halloween seven years ago. Seven years ago! Today it fit him more like a vest.

 Look at those chubby cheeks!

At the end of the play, I checked him out of school early and walked him to the classroom to gather his things. Four kids stopped him and asked, "Hey, Evan! Is THAT your mom?" They looked me up and down and then nodded and mumbled, "OOOHHHH."

Evan later told me, "Don't worry about all of that, Mom. They just can't believe I have a mom that's not 23."

Clash of the Titans

In order to prepare for our big tournament, Keagan's team played Evan's team today.

They both played mid-field. When one came off the field, the other did, too.

When Evan beat Keagan to the ball, I cheered. When Keagan stole the ball from Evan, I cheered.

 

I think the parents sitting next to me thought I had a personality disorder because I cheered for both blue and white. They had no idea I had a player on each team. 

At one point they were both chasing the ball down the sideline, I jumped out of my seat to see who would win the ball. In all of my excitement, I didn't realize that I had run onto the middle of the field.

 In the end, Evan's team took the win 6 - 1. Surprisingly, the game was never mentioned again. The boys walked off the field and didn't speak of it.

The next game began, and just like that, the Class of the Titans was over.