SUMMER

It is official. We now have a 3rd grader and a kindergartner! We made it through a crazy last week of school full of fun and excitement. There were presentations, picnics, field days, baseball games, parties and fun. When the last day finally came we were all exhausted. We are ready to start the summer routine. PJ's until pool, pool until rest, dinner, outside until dark. It can't get any better!!!!!

Mississippi River

We just returned from a visit to Kevin's Dads house on the Mississippi river in Iowa. It was a very busy weekend, but of course, we had a great time. We always have fun fishing(OK not really WE, more Kevin, Gabe and Ben. Ben likes to hire out someone to bait his hook and "watch" his pole. He will of course, reel it in, but again, negotiates for someone to take the fish off!) We also celebrated Grandma Betty's 80th birthday(really late) and enjoyed watching the many barges go by the sun room windows. Of course, no trip to the river would be complete without a dinner at the Marina where the food is as greasy as food gets and the kids can enjoy the rope swing. We are all glad to be back home today!!

A Video for Ben

Hot (Almost Summer) Fun

Our neighbor invited the boys to play on their water slide today. They had a great time. It is very hot here today!!! This week is the last week of school for both Ben and Gabe. It is suppose to be HOT the whole week-close to 90 every day. Last night, it stayed light out until almost 9:30PM. How are we ever going to convince these boys that summer vacation is still 1 week away?

Chores, Allowance, Blah, Blah, Blah

I do not like the whole chore- allowance thing. My feelings- you are a part of this family, we all have work to do, no one gets paid extra, you do it because you are a part of this family. Besides, I would much rather do it. Partly because I am a perfectionist, and you would not catch me dead vacuuming my dining room table with the swiffer I just used on the floor. (But I did laugh at him) and partly because I usually go back and re-do it anyway. Things I like the kids to do, that they do very well are. Clear everything from the table after dinner. Kevin and I can usually talk about our day, plan the next and catch up while the boys are running items to the sink and fridge. Kevin instituted the "no lazy mans load" rule in our house which means you have to take a couple items at a time so nothing drops. Smart because it gives us more time. My boys are also good at taking their laundry to the laundry room. I do not believe in laundry baskets in the rooms. After showers, you immediately sort your clothes in the laundry room. It saves me so much time (I could do a whole post just about our laundry system) The only items that NEVER seem to make it are socks, they are found everywhere which is why you now get a fine for every sock found! So we have decided we do not pay them for things that they should be doing anyway. I would rather give them 5.00 and tell them to go read a book!!!

Garage Sale Mania

The professional garage sale queen and king (that would be Mary and Gabe) were at it again this morning. We had a productive morning and I would like to remind you all to give the garage sale thing a try. Today we found a giant box of legos. After washing the billions of pieces we realized included in the box was the Lego NBA Sports Challenge Set which retails for 125.00 complete with the players, backboards and hoops. We paid 3.00 for all of it. Gabe also found some transformers and a poke' ball to store all of the poke' marbles. Hey, I am all about organization! I also fell in love with these 3 old mason jars and this old farmhouse table. The owner said they lived in a old farmhouse in Virginia. Well, no old farmhouse here, but it will be put to good use in our old 2001 home! Gabe and I do have to work a bit on our garage sale etiquette. For example, you can't walk into someones garage throw your hands in the air and exclaim, "What a bunch of junk!" you also can't tell your mommy in a very loud voice that the elderly gentleman in front of you needs to "pick up the pace" (WOW who has he heard that from?) And you can't walk quickly around slow people and turn and stare (OK that was me- but really they were in my way and I spotted Legos from the car!) Total spent today 10.50!

This was the theme song in the Kahl house this past week. If you would have had the pleasure of entering you would have found two sick children with high temperatures, vomit, ice cream buckets strategically placed, Popsicle wrappers, doctors receipts, Tylenol, Motrin, laundry all over including various amounts of linens, DVDS strewn among various toys and books. A crazy mommy who was trapped in this ridiculous mess.

What you would NOT have seen would have been KEVIN (IN Chicago on business), any other human being, clean dishes, clean people, happiness!

We hope this week will return to normal for us.

NO WAY

You will never believe what this child asked for tonight! A chameleon- not a lizard- not a gecko- he did not just use the word reptile but he actually was very specific and used the word Chameleon! I said NO WAY so fast I think I surprised him. I said WHY a chameleon?- which by the way you will NEVER have! He responded "Since you won't let me have a dog, cat, guinea pig, and I don't want a boring fish this is good." And so I thought (not about getting one) but about WHY we will never have one and then- I remembered.... The incident...

My older sister CAL (I used initials so my other sister does not think she damaged me in this way) well- CAL was a pet collector of sorts- They were always "rescued" of course and brought to our home, usually while my dad was gone on business and my Mom was too busy dealing with the day to day life with 5 children.. I can think of so many pets, they were not ALL acquired by CAL but she was always the most convincing in her speech to keep the animals. Tiger, Taffy, Tippy Joe Jellybean , Big Gray Cat, Little Gray Cat, Jack the Greyhound, Little Black Cat, Twinkle, and on and on...Tiger was the most heroic of her rescues as she saved him from "a pack of fighting dogs"

Well- She got a chameleon once. I am not sure where but it appeared in our shared room one day which meant I also got a chameleon! It was YUK! I can not say it any better-YUK! It's buggy eyes that would stare at me and the little yucky tail. But- my sister liked her newest treasure and would will me to touch it which would send me screaming.

So here is the part I will need therapy for.. The reason we will never own one of these creatures. One morning I woke up with that THING on my face and my sister explained that she wanted to see if it turned the color of my face. I have not been the same since! So when the handstand incident happened- lets just say I was not sad!!!

So Ben the answer to your question is NO WAY! NEVER! NEVER! If you choose to acquire on after you are married- go ahead! Now-never!

***** I must not close this post without acknowledging that my sister is a dear, sweet women who I am sure in no way wanted to harm her poor,innocent, vulnerable younger sister (I will not start the ear piercing story at this time) She has grown up to be a responsible mother of 8 children who to date has owned several pets.

SECRET

Gabe and I have kept a secret for a very long time. There are only 3 other people who know our secret. Dad, Ben and Aunt Cathy. The reason I am choosing to let our secret be known after all this time is is because the most AMAZING thing happened today and I feel like if I share our secret, other people will want to give it a try so they can know and feel the pride and absolute giddiness of how I feel right now. Once I tell you this secret you all have to promise to not talk about it with us- no discussion, No- I am proud of you Gabe. No- what a great thing- nothing- promise. You will embarrass me and Gabe will wonder how his secret got out- Everyone understand?- EVER- OK so here is our secret. Gabe and I have been secretly buying people lunch around town all winter long. When we go to lunch we are doing spy work the whole time- finding our subject, listening to conversations, asking wait staff questions... TODAY- I was able to see the benefits of giving from the heart and teaching our children to do what Jesus wants us to do which is to give of our time and ourselves and also to teach our children this.
Gabe's day started by getting 4 shots, 2 in each leg(for kindergarten). It was not pleasant, but his reward was pizza at Target as well as being able to spend some birthday money. So after picking out a "big boy" watch and a Bakugan. We sat down for lunch. We were discussing how he still had 20 dollars left but we will save it for later you never know when something will come along you have been wanting. We had just finished our GIGANTIC chocolate chip cookie (I told him it was because he was so brave, but really I just wanted it.) and got up to leave when we noticed our subject. Man. Mid 50's- Spreading butter on saltines- no drink (We are pros at spotting) I casually mentioned to Gabe that we need to sneak around and buy him a pizza. The man at the counter was not comfortable with our plan(we have learned some are not) so we have to ditch the "secret" part of our plan and just be bold. So we just asked the man. Can we buy you lunch? He was extremely grateful and said just a pizza will be fine. Oh how this humbles my heart! Gabe had other plans for him-
This boy- my 5 year old child, said he wanted to use his money now to buy the man a "feast" This is the part that makes me giddy. GABE went through the line picking out items- pizza, bread sticks, drink and THEN took his five extra dollars and gave it to this man as he explained (my mom lets me keep the coins you can have this). This man was so grateful and I was sooo proud which is why I have to tell the world. We have kept this a secret because we do not do it so people will tell us how great we are- Hey- we already know this. Some of the fun IS the SECRET. We do not do it to please ourselves even though the feeling is pure joy. The reason I am choosing to tell you all now because I want everyone to try this- It is simple- You spend what you have. It can be someones lunch, a coffee, it does not have to be big!!! It is a reminder of how we act (both good AND bad) will be reflected in our kids. Buying someone a coffee or lunch secretly, sure doesn't make us great but it does show our children(who we think are not looking)- that God is living within us and reaching out to others is a part of God's plan for us so others will know that although their circumstances may not be the best at this moment there are good people who use God as their example- that person may be only 5- but he knows- and now they do too! So Gabe and I challenge you all- do it- you will never regret it!

Gabe Likes To....

JUMP!!!!!

Gabe loves to have his picture taken while jumping. He is a very good jumper and is even learning that if he throws his hands in the air it looks like a bigger jump!!!

Gabe won the Kahl quote of the day today. I was putting him to sleep tonight and I was singing the song "Oh the Lord is good to me and so I thank the Lord..." And I was repeating it (so he would catch on) BUT I was starting to fall asleep and I was babbling rather than singing. The next thing I know, Gabe is poking me saying, "Oh no Mommy, mommy, MOMMY, you are stuck on rewind, are you OK?"