No More Luck

Brian and I bought our first house in Marion, Ohio in 2007.  After we moved in, his friend sent us a plant; a bonsai money tree which is suppose to bring good luck, fortune, and positive energy into your home.  I have carried this plant from house to house around the Midwest.  I have babied this thing.  As a matter of fact, when we moved to Wisconsin, the plant rode shotgun in the truck with my dad and Martin.  It even had a name:  Mr. Miyagi.  This plant has been a staple in our home for over a decade.

Not anymore.

Mr. Miyagi lost all of it's leaves, turned brittle, and died.  

What does this mean?  No more good luck, or fortune, or positive energy?

Maybe Mr. Miyagi realized he couldn't complete with the energy (positive or negative) of four kids?

To be honest, I had a hard time throwing away this now bundle of sticks.  I'm not a sentimental person, but Brian and I have had this plant longer then the kids.  The flimsy shell of Mr. Miyagi sat on my counter for days while we both watered it hoping it would be resurrected.  

No such luck...or fortune...or positive energy...

I finally let it go and tossed it into the trash.  But not without taking a picture first, for memory's sake.

So long, old friend.

Second Place!!

When he was younger, the moment Martin laid eyes on a trophy, he wanted one.  He has a lot of ribbons hanging in his room, but no trophies.  He has been playing team sports since first grade and never was lucky enough to earn an actual trophy, until today...

His baseball team placed second in the Bower City Classic Janesville, Wisconsin little league tournament!  His team was ranked number 7.  They went on to beat the 10th, 7th, and 2nd seeds and advance to the final two.  Martin's team lost 5 to 1.  However, second place comes with a trophy and life long memories.  Proud doesn't even come close to explaining my feelings, or Martin's.  I think I'm going to have to build a trophy shelf in his bedroom.

'Tis The Season

Martin Logue: Number 42 on the field, number 1 in our hearts.

Starting pitcher!

Catcher!

Strike!

Hey Batter Batter!

Swing!

Nine Months!

Stu is 9 months old today!

He has spent just as much time outside utero as he has inside.

Nine Months!

Stuart loves blocks, bananas, and carrots.  He is almost crawling; like painfully close.  Peter has been encouraging him along desperately waiting for his little brother to become mobile.  Meanwhile, Helen swings him around like one of her dolls under Martin's watchful eye.

Little Stuart Xavier has become very vocal, taking after his father.  Or, he's just trying to be heard in this very loud family.  Or, he's yelling at his gums to grow some teeth.  I'm sure he's tired of gumming his food and would like to actually chew something. 

Happy Father's Day!

Brian's Offspring

What Is Going On Here??

- Maybe a young Jackie Robinson showing off his physic and colorful sweat band?

-Perhaps an adolescent Michael Jordon modeling Jennifer Beal's headband from Flashdance?

- The bicep of a future basketball Hall of Fame inductee?

- 100 pounds of muscle on 10 pounds of skeleton?

- Helen's ballet partner?

- Raw dynamite power wrapped in human skin?

- A very lifelike Roman sculpture?

- Grandpa's future condo supplier?

- The La Crosse baseball madman?

- Neighborhood cat sitter?

- Tall, thin, and wire like?

- I'm not sure if it's a skeleton showing off muscle or muscle showing off skeleton.

- Your guess is as good as mine.

Comedy Credit: RSD

The First Few Weeks of Summer Break [in pictures]

Batman vs. Princess

Martin (finally) discovered books.

Little Flowers Catholic Girls Club Tea Party

Outdoor tea with friends.

Stuart is so close to crawling...

A lot of baseball.

Ice Cream with the Grandparents.

This kid is always so messy.

Screaming for ice cream.

Mother Daughter Time

Ladies for Life Tea

Stuart {hearts} baked beans.

The scar left on Martin's bat after a great hit!

Mom vs. Martin in SNES Zelda.

Fishing!

Caped Crusaders.

More baseball.

Fun times at the Children's Museum.

Mathematics.

Sweet Helen.

My cool kid.

The Wal-Mart Aquarium.