new adventures, new car

Friday night, I took the boys to the baseball game.  it was the last night for fireworks- actually there were only 2 more games left in the season after this game.  Our team color is Red, but the boys were in blue coats and the rest of the folks around us were all in blue for their team. Their team is in first place in the division, so it was like being at an away game as the Reds are in last place in the division.

 

The boys were quite happy to be at the game. 

It was a little cooler than other weeks, temps in the 60s (20 C).

 

As usually, I brought dinner. Falco was loving it- pulled pork sandwiches, chips and fruit.  The boys also found the $1 hot dog stand later in the game.  The Reds lost 7-2, but Falco got to see a grand slam home run by the Reds.

The fireworks were great.  I realized while I was taking pictures that it is so nice to not worry about how much film I have in my camera and just take pictures.  I think I took over 100 pictures of the fireworks.  I will spare you though and only share 2

 

We had no issues with parking or parking garages this time, but there was another adventure as my friend Fran though her car was stolen.  I think that will be a memory for a long time.

Saturday, Falco was off to a XC race (see details below), and I took Mam to see Rocket play soccer.  His team won their second game of the season.  I don't think he was too happy with me during the game as he was jogging the field while his teammates were racing toward the ball.  He finally picked it up and I was able to get some good action shots.

 

meanwhile- Falco was at XC.  He had to be picked up at 7:40 am for the race, but his race was not until 12.  He did not eat between breakfast and his race and that caused some issues.  Apparently, he feel 2 times on the race course, he says he was told he blacked out.  But I can not imagine the race marshals allowing him to continue racing if he came up to him and found him on the ground. His electrolytes were off for the rest of day.  When he got home, he was sick and really should not have sat to eat a heavy lunch.  He ended up going to bed and sleeping for 2 hours. When he woke up, he was much better.  while he was sleeping, I saw Dr. M (Rocket's doctor, who is also a runner and who also has a son who runs cross country).  Dr. M explained what was likely going on and told me to keep an eye on Falco, make sure he stayed hydrated and to not eat really heavy food- soup and crackers was a good place to start.  Everything is OK- but let me tell you I was not too happy with Falco's coach for having them too early, not encouraging them to eat something around 9 am, and then not knowing that he was down on the course 2 times and not notifying me.  this is the worst part of having kids in 2 separate activities and being a single parent.  Thankfully both boys' seasons should be over in the next few weeks (please God, don't let Rocket's team be forced to go to end of season tournament when they don't have a winning record- please, please, please).

Rocket did some bike riding this week.

 

 

But, the biggest news is that I had to buy a new car!

this is the old car.  My parents owned it for 7 years and then I have owned it the last 12 years.  Wednesday, I took it into the dealership for some servicing- there was a noise under the driver side and the steering wheel had to be at 2 and 7 O'clock.  Well, I did not hear anything from Tommy (the service guy who always takes car of my car) on Wednesday.  On Thursday, when I had not heard from him by 10 am, I called to see if there was news.  because I did not get a call on Wednesday, I knew it was probably going to be bad.  Well, Tommy called back around 11 with the news that the car was not repairable unless I wanted to pay out lots of money and it was so bad, they could not let me take the car back as it was unsafe to drive (thank you God for keeping me and the boys safe).  But, while that was the bad news, he had good news. He knew the car I wanted to buy based on our conversations over the last few years and he had the sales team find the exact car I wanted.  The car was up the road at their other dealership (1 hour up the road), but if I wanted it, they would get it brought down.  I looked at the car online, called my credit union to arrange financing and began the process of buying a new to me car (it is a used car).

 

 

Friday after work, I went to pick up my new Toyota Sienna (mini van)!  I decided not to tell the boys that I knew the car was coming home on Friday, when they asked about the car on Thursday.  I told them we were still looking for a car and it would probably be Tuesday before we had one.  I am so sneaky. 

 

The car came home at 2 pm on Friday and I waited

 

Rocket got home first and I met him at the door instead of letting him come through the garage.  He asked where the loaner car was as it was not sitting in the driveway like it had done since Wednesday.  This is my boy's happy dance when he saw the mini van.

 

Falco was even more fun- he gets picked up from school after practice.  I knew he would be looking for the loaner car, so we were able to drive right up to him without him noticing.  He thought the mini van was another loaner car.  Neither he or Rocket was too happy that I kept it a secret on Thursday, but I enjoyed the fun of keeping a great surprise from them. 

 

the van is great.  it is pleasure to drive and there is lots of room for us.  As you all know, my dad (Pap) has not spoken to me since February 2014.  Well, Mam came home from the soccer game on Saturday raving about the mini van.  On Sunday, I pick up Mam before church- she usually locks the door to the house behind her, but this time, Pap told her he would lock the house door.  She and I were both laughing, he came to the door to look at the van.  He still not talk to me, but he had to see it.  

 

that's all for today, Falco should be texting me soon to pick him from practice.

 

Have a great day, love and hugs,

Deb

what's been happening at our house?

It has been a busy month here at Casa Cole.  We started the month with Mam's birthday- pictures to come tomorrow when I download the pictures from the other camera. Then we headed to the baseball game on 07May, for the Star Wars themed bobble head give away.  Since food is unbelievably expensive at the game, I packed us a picnic dinner- some grilled chicken, a quinoa/tomato/cucumber salad.  F brought grapes and L brought some more fruit.  The Reds lost the game in the 10th inning, we had already left, but we had a great time visiting with friends.

Our seats were in the highest section, but right behind home plate.

The following Friday (Friday the 13th), little man's school had a carnival.  it was a great success.  He and his friends were excited to win light sabers at the carnival.  They were then happy to spend the rest of the evening having battles.  I entered some raffles and we won a week of camp for little man.  He is not excited about it, so we will donate the week to an organization that works with under privileged kids.  He did not like it because none of his friends are going.  Even the possibility of going to a week of camp with horse back riding every day was not enough to have him consider changing his mind.  Oh well.

Little Man and his buddy having an ice cream. He was a happy boy at the carnival.

I began the process of picking a color to paint my room.  We are going to host an exchange student again, and the boys will share my room and I will move into little man's room.  I have to do this because I need my office, so at the end of the work day, I can shut the door and leave work behind. So we had about 6 choices of colors. I posted them on facebook and it was amazing how many people ended up choosing the color I ended up going with- which was not my first choice. 

The color in the upper right below is the one I went with.  It is called "Sea Ice", a very pale blue.

I wanted the one below in the top right- called "Tahitian Breeze", a little more blue/green.  But as I looked at it at the store, it was just going to be too dark in the room

On Monday, I met with other volunteers at a local pizza place for the volunteer dinner hosted by the school PTO.  I am not sure what was going on here, but I really was having a great time and enjoying the time with other adults.

At the end of dinner, I was sworn in as the treasurer for the PTO for the next 2 years.  It is big job, but I have lots of support.

 

Back to the colors- with the white around the colors, they stand out a little more. I was still going for the one on the top right and little man had decided on the top middle one

 

On Friday, 20May, little man had his last bowling lesson for this year.  they ended the Spring session with a pizza party and glow bowl  You know the boy, he was happy bowling, eating pizza and enjoying the glow.  I had to go pick him up a little early as he was leaving for a weekend boy scout camp at 6:30 pm.

I sent the camera with him as they were going to Indianapolis 500 time trials.  He did not take a single picture. He came home with a new tee shirt and hat.  I will post those pictures soon.  I thought about going on this camp out- parents are allowed to go- but I really wanted to paint.  So I painted Friday night, then thought I could go up with some other moms on Saturday.  They decided to leave at 7:30 am and did not come up until 7 pm.  I am glad I did not go, as I would have been so tired and would not have finished the painting.  Next year I am going, this is the camping trip with running water and flushing toilets!  And, there is the fact that I love auto racing.  Definitely, I am going next year.

 

So here is the start of the painting on Friday night.

This is Saturday, 3 walls are done. I decided to paint the last wall a very pale green.  I am going for a serene sea glass theme.  I am going to end up making a new quilt for me, which means I need to finish little man's Star Wars quilt.

 

Tonight, little man had his year end band concert.  He is in advanced band now all 5-8th graders from local catholic schools. 

 

Mam joined us for the concert and I treated them to ice cream after the concert.  Little man has 6 more days of school.  Expect a bunch of photos next week from the end of the school events.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

First baseball game of the season for us

I am behind in posting pictures and updates.  I will have some more tonight, but for now, here are some pictures from this weekend when we went to the baseball game.

 

The weather has ben rainy but warm.  Saturday, it was warm, but rain was expected just south of us around the time the ball game got started.  Our seats were directly behind home plate, but up in the highest level of the stadium (also known as: the nosebleed seats).  Usually we are in this section but over toward the 1st base line.

 

We got to the game early because it was......

Star Wars night, with a Mr. Redlegs (one of the mascots of the team) bobble head night.  As you can see, he is in a X-Wing fighter from the Star Wars Movie.

One happy bug with his momma

Ms. Franny and Ms. Lisa came to the game with us.  Lisa is a big baseball fan.  Franny comes for social time with us. 

 

This is still batting practice going on, but I was trying to get the sign.   Little did we know that Cousin Jason was across the river getting pictures of the stadium.  I will have to pull some of his pictures once he posts them on FB.

A better shot of another sign

The stands filled up as the game started.  We had our row to ourselves until the end of the first inning, then our row filled up and it was very cramped.  By the end of the 3rd inning, we knew where there were whole sections of empty seats.  I seriously considered moving, but then other folks in our row started moving or leaving the game.

Food is EXPENSIVE at the game, so we bring our own food. I grilled chicken breasts, made a tomato cucumber salad, and Franny brought chips and cookies and Lisa brought fruit snacks and peanuts.  I did buy some other game snacks for bug, but as an example, a bottle of water is $4.50 at the game.

Lisa said this was the best picnic at the game.  We ate good.

Later in the game- the lights south of the stadium.  The storms were supposed to be running south - across the river, but nothing ever materialized there.

 

The game started off well for the Reds, they were leading 6-2 until the 6/7th inning.  They gave up many runs - this is the problem with Reds bullpen (pitchers), they can not hold the lead.

 

At the end of the 9th inning, the score was 6-6, all tied up.  We had to leave then due to the time and having to get up the next day for church.  As we walked back to our car, we hear the noise from the stadium, not realizing that the opponents scored.  The Reds lost 13-7 in the 10th inning.

 

As we drove home, we could see the lightning north of the city- the direction we were going.  By the time we got to my house, it was pouring.  So the rain that was supposed to come from the South, came in from the North. UGHHHHHH

 

Sunday, we had Mother's day (it is always the 2nd Sunday of May).  We wish you, Momi Mireya, a happy Mother's day on 10May. 

 

Love and hugs,

Deb