Next Level - The Atmosphere

So we began the day as the others...boys in at 6 asking for candy. Trey asking to play the Wii, then catching himself halfway through to make sure he covered off on the "good morning, Dad. Did you have good sleeps?"

• Everything was already set up to make our next round of Monkey Bread, even the chairs to help. Too funny. Everyone continues to refine their mug requests - types, size, color.
• Actually did some preliminary clean up - gonna take a while.
• Off to the library - request for theme songs. If you haven't been cruising in sunny 55 degree weather, windows down, blasting Free Fallin', watching your 4 yr old time his lyric wailing in your rearview mirror....you have not lived, yet. give or take half a beat - Taatjes is money (& the cutest thing ever!) Trey needs a little "Rock Me Gently" - another wailing song. Librabry will have to wait as we serenade the parking garage.
• We have Trey do all his own asking at the help desk, so he becomes confident with adults...and I realize Taatjes hasn't popped back for a while. Turns out he has the lady searching the computer for "Nickelodeon people/humans" - she was actually doing something!
  
• Not a lot of picture moments - but Teague begs to hold my mug and pretend he's still drinking coffee. Blurry, but tell me you couldn't eat this kid up!

Then we set out to build and launch ROCKETS! They thought this was so cool...and that was before they saw the things actually fly.

• Remember these from when you were a kid? Much cooler now. A bit less scary than I recall, too. I'm running over to adults in the field 100 yds. away, warning them of the impending launch. (They actually come down about 50 ft from take-off.)

• You want to talk about Warrior Poet courage? Try clipping on the launch nodes to the flamable rocket engine, knowing Taatjes (a.k.a The Wildcard) is 20 ft. away looking down at the launch button.
• Also, tough to show how thrilled they were at the first launch (it did invoke a "Braveheart" cheer after the fact, though), but here is a quick clip of a later launch aftermath.

• btw...doesn't work to try to shoot them sideways. they go about 30 feet, smack into the ground, blast out the parachute, burning it into a block of plastic. (....uh...we read about this) :)

Stunt Kite

• In typical fashion, Dad got a little overzealous on the kite. "I can get a stunt kite for $3 more?!" This was hilarious and awesome all at once.
• They have a tendency to slice at heads when they go into a looping spin at 50mph. (ask Teague) Even I went from cheering to hitting the ground for cover in about 2 seconds.
• Let me just say, everyone got it up and fought with it for a while. For all the yelling instructions thru the wind, untangling, running, ducking, cold faces.... I found myself whooping and hollering with exuberance when they succeeded. We all did. It was a rush to see them swell with joy and confidence at succeeding. It was one of those "world-freezes", "this is fatherhood" sort of moments. It shot across my mind that this is the essence of Fatherhood - and if I were to write a book, it would be titled something like - "...Because Flying Your Own Kite Isn't as Fun."

Ended the day digging for bugs and practicing casting (Bass: beware this year). And, if they are to be good, Italian, Warrior Poets - it was time - Grandma Belgiano's Meatball recipe.Things Michelle wouldn't do:

• Return all of Trey's school library books to the public library, sending the "worrier" into a panic. (we're still waiting on the phone call.)
• Walk around their room, picking up clothes, to look underneath for any possible sock that could join a new pair for the day.

Also, Michelle is traveling back today and tomorrow.

Is there any way to bring Michelle home and still freeze this week forever?! I still can't believe all 3 of them are "mine". All we have to do is give them back to God...and until then, we get to keep 'em?

Have I said, yet, what a ridiculously undeserved, unreal, incredible life I have?!