Memorial Day

We spent the morning in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at the National Civil War Museum, a Smithsonian sponsored museum. It was a wonderful museum, and we were, sadly, just about the only ones there. It had many original pieces and a very nice multi-media approach similar to the Marine Museum at Quantico.

With lots of talk of good guys and bad guys, violent battles, hospitals in wagons, and various weapons, the boys went to the gift shop to buy guns. Don't let the irony of our attempt to show the hardships and violence of war become lost on our children who wanted nothing more than to reenact the violent battles. We weren't home five minutes and the boys were outside in the tree line playing war. After hours of playing outside, they returned to the house to say, "We won two wars, Mom."

If only it were that easy to declare victory and be done with the battle.

Hershey Park

I knew I was getting old, but a day long trip to an amusement park confirmed all of that this weekend. 

First, I do not know how anyone goes to a park with flip flops, but every female under the age of 30 had them on. I am old school and couldn't fathom wearing anything but my running shoes. And my feet still hurt at the end of the day.

Riding a water ride was about the worse thing the boys could have asked of me. Walking around for hours in wet clothes is just not fun. I don't remember it ever fun as a teenager but that didn't mean I didn't do it. Luckily, it never occurred to the boys that you could get wet in street clothes. We avoided the entire water section.

When I laid my head on the pillow last night, my first prayer of thanksgiving was for that sixteen year old boy who had one too many corn dogs at lunch didn't upchuck all over us while riding the Flying Falcon. It was a close call. Really close call.

I was in bed and asleep by 9:03. Wes was asleep at 8:15, snoring at 8:30.

And then I woke up with three big gray hairs. I guess the seven hour day filled with riding roller coasters did more than I ever imagined. As I began to pluck them out, Wes asked if I really thought I would reverse the aging process by removing them. Maybe not, but I was grayless today.

But don't let all of this make you think for a moment that I didn't ride some rides because the park is known for coastin', and I did plenty of it. I squealed as loud as Evan or Keagan with the pure joy of steep falls, sharp turns, and dizzying spins.

Until next time...Let's hope it is at least another year so that my feet and hair have time to recover.

Hershey World

If you had asked me how I would have liked to celebrate our twelve year anniversary, I would have never suggested a weekend get-a-way to Hershey, PA with two children. But we are here and having a wonderful time. 

Yesterday we visited Chocolate World and made our own candy bars. That was a must see because after mentioning it as a possiblity, Evan dreamed about it the following night. There was no way we were getting out of that. 

Today we will spend the day at the amusement park. Nothing says romance and love like a roller coaster ride. 

Look Out Kindergarten! Here Comes Keagan!

Keagan's last day of pre-school was Tuesday. Tears were shed when Keagan's class left school with little sunvisors that said, "Look out Kindergarten! Here I come!" On Wednesday the class celebrated the end of the school year with a picnic at one of the local parks. Today we attended the graduation ceremony. 

No one is upset in the least that Wes is on leave and Keagan is out of school while Evan and I still have three more weeks of school.
Nope.
No one at all.

The Mayonaise is on the Table

For the past two weeks my life has been consumed with a battle. The battle to prepare the house for our big move. First up on the agenda: remove a heat/water stain on my dining room table.

Last winter I became sick when I placed a hot, right out of the dishwasher dish onto the table and then found it left a round water stain. We bought the table in Germany from an antique dealer right after Evan was born. The German sales lady informed us it was originally owned by a Jewish family that lived in the area and owned a furniture business. In the 40s they left the table behind due to "an unfortunate event", German code for Holocaust. Another family took possession of the table fully expecting to eventually return it to its rightful owner.

But that never happened. True to the unspoken German rule that the Holocaust should never, ever be mentioned in public, much less with a idealistic American couple living on a local military installation, the German lady never explained exactly why.

I was distraught with the stain, but I was even more distraught at the thought of paying someone, big bucks no doubt, to refinish my table. That is when my grandmother suggested mayonaise.

When I came home with an industrial sized bottle of Hellmans, Wes became sick with disgust, but when I explained the situation and the nontraditional use of fat, he was the first to give it a try.

Just prior to sticking all four fingers into the jar for a handful of greasy sandwich spread, I suggested the more appropriate use of a spoon. (I take full credit for that suggestion. Sometimes it hurts to be this smart.) Wes spread it evenly and into a perfect circle, and then let it sit for hours. And I couldn't believe that after several applications, the stain faded.

Forget chicken salad and ham sandwiches. We "bring out the best" in our house on Keagan's morning waffles and with our inexpensive home repairs.

Move over Vern Yip. I believe your job is in jeopardy. The Tooles have a whole new make-over for the traditional sandwich spread.

Following the Rules

Evan was awarded the Character Counts! Citizenship Award again this year. I went to the program's website to find the descriptors of the citizenship trait because it's Friday and I am brain dead. Here is what I found with the description of the six pillars of the program:
• Cooperate with others
• Get involved in community affairs
. Stay informed; vote
• Be a good neighbor
• Obey laws and rules
• Respect authority
• Protect the environment

Since he is only seven years old, I think it means he is able to follow the rules.

Orioles TBall

We played our last Orioles t-ball game on Saturday, and Keagan informed me that baseball is just not action packed enough for him to ever be a favorite sport. I think this means that I should not worry with researching baseball leagues in Georgia. 

Joshua, Cody, and Keagan at the most exciting part of the game, literally the most exciting - snacks and juice boxes. I can't say that I am sad to say good-bye in the least.