Grandma's Kitchen Table

There's a Birthday Here Today!

      Yesterday Matt started Driver's Ed classes and today after class we went to the BMV to get his Driver's Permit as he officially turned 15 today.  Happy Birthday, Matthew!  This permit was a very big deal, as you can imagine.  With brand new permit in hand, we headed for the CHS football parking lot with Blue Bernice and practiced driving, parking, etc. for a bit and then hit the streets.  One full hour of driving and he did a very nice job of it all first time out.  (This may seem a common everyday type of phrase for most people, but those of you who know me well...well, you are still standing upright, aren't you?  You aren't being revived by shock treatments or anything, right?  And, those who don't know me well...well we just will leave it with you all thinking I am a nice normal well adjusted person when it comes to other people driving me anywhere in a car.)  He was especially thrilled that at the conclusion of said driving experience, he got to drive to the church as he was going to help Colin with some set up of things for Setonfest this weekend, and Colin was actually outside the church at the time so Matt got to exhibit his new driving talent to Colin (who turns 15 in August).  You can't get much better than that...well, maybe you can...keep reading. 

       After set up at Seton, we met Grandma and Grandpa for dinner at a nice restaurant and celebrated with them, Matt getting to drive home, about 8 miles.  With. me. in. the. car. with. him. driving. on. major. roads. (Pick yourselves back up again, and no smart remarks ifyouplease.) 

       The real topper was, of course, the birthday gift itself...a combination birthday and congrats for all the hard work to net all the hardware at State present...pictured here...Mr. Electronics Gadget guy was over the moon with the dream of his choice:  a brand new iPhone.  (I'm not sure who is enjoying this more, him or me...I think they are all probably regretting dragging me kicking and screaming into the 21st Century...look what they are ending up with...an electronics junkie!)  Happy 15th Birthday, Matthew...it has been the best 15 years of our lives!  You are one really great kid!

There's a Whole List of Reasons to Celebrate!

2007

Indiana

Swimming –

Long

Course

Age

Group

State

Champions

Carmel Swim Club swimmers outdistanced the competition this past weekend at the Fishers High School Aquatic Center and won the team title by over 320 points!  Congratulations to all the swimmers who participated on an awesome performance!  Here are some of the many highlights:

• 11-12 Girls Team Champions
• 11-12 Boys Team Runner-up
• 13-14 Girls Team Runner-up
• 13-14 Boys Team Champions
• 11-12 Girls Individual High Point Champion – Lacey Locke
• 11-12 Boys Individual High Point Champion – Jonathan Astashinsky
• Individual Event Champions
  • Lacey Locke – 50 free, 100 free, 50 back, 100 back, 200 IM
  • Jonathan Astashinsky – 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, 200 IM
  • Mike Vinyard – 200 free, 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM
• Relay Event Champions
  • 11-12 Boys 200 Free Relay – Jim Vinyard, Jeffrey Williamson, Michael Wang, Jonathan Astashinsky
  • 13-14 Boys 200 Medley Relay – Matt Gerth, John Stuy, Mike Vinyard, Harrison Wagner
  • 13-14 Boys 400 Medley Relay – Matt Gerth, John Stuy, Mike Vinyard, Harrison Wagner
• 138 Best Times
• 21 swimmers achieved Central Zone Championship Qualifying Standards
• 3 swimmers achieved National Top 16 Standards
• 10 relays achieved National Top 16 Standards
• New CSC Team Record 11-12 Girls 100 meter backstroke – Lacey Locke (1:07.94)

There's a Time to Hold Back and a Time to Celebrate!

  This was definitely a time to celebrate!  Carmel won the 2007 Long Course State Championships.  Matt's 13-14 year old boys' group won high points, so they were really excited about being number one at state for that...Matt, Mike, John, Harrison...there could not have been a greater honor going for those four. (Usually it is the girls who win, so these boys were just thrilled that they did it this year.)  Matt finished with two medals last evening...a fourth in the 200 Back and a second for their 400 Freestyle Relay (just could not contain Kevin Behrens in either one of those), nevertheless, it was still a Top 16 National Time. The photos here (click on all photos to enlarge) show Matt and Kevin standing at the blocks getting ready to swim...Matt is almost 6'2", and you can see Kevin is well above that in height and stature...he is just some force out there.  The next photo shows how far ahead Kevin was right at the beginning...count from the bottom of the photo and Matt is in Lane 3, Kevin in Lane 4...it was no contest...Kevin just never looked back...it was such fun to see such a great swimmer doing what he does best:  swim!   Matt's  200 Freestyle swim in the prelims in the morning netted only a consolation swim, so he ended up with a 12th place finish in that swim.  Not bad, 8 medals out of a possible 9...we are thinking that is a very fine showing for someone who manages to swim and sing!  The real question is:  Can we keep this up...next year Matt will be in the senior division of swimming and also be in two choirs:  IYC and Guerin.  I am thinking we better enjoy all this hardware while we can.  So now Age Group is a thing of the past...on to the Open swimming and rebuilding as he starts at the bottom of the senior group and builds toward the top to hopefully be "one of the big guys" again.  This weekend he proved he finished Age Group as one of the "big guys" for sure!   It was a lot of fun to watch.

     After the finals, the swimmers and their families were lucky enough to have a Carrabbas restaurant cook for all of us as we took over the restaurant to celebrate and enjoy some Italian fare.  It felt like a big family...as I looked around and saw all the swimmers and families that we have grown to know and love over the past eight years, it felt really really nice to be in that place at that time with all those people.  How lucky are we to have had this all these years?  Each and every one of those families was not only excited for their swimmer, but for each and every swimmer on that state team.  The kids are really lucky to have so many people come up and say how proud they were of them and how much they enjoyed watching them swim, etc.  It was really wonderful.

    While all this was going on, Alex had the opportunity to go with Uncle Brian to the Brickyard 400 and he was absolutely in heaven from 9:30-6:00 loving every minute of being at that race and having the time with his Godfather doing what he loves:  looking at cars!  Alex is a very big fan of anything to do with cars...he just loves everything about them.  His favorite thing each year is to go to the new car shows and see every single car, sit in them, and just dream.  I have never known anyone to like cars as much as Alex does.  He learned his colors when he was two by naming the colors of the cars we saw each day, he learned to count by counting cars...he has always been car crazy, so today for him was a banner day!  Thank you, Uncle Brian! 

There's Swimming and There's SWIMMING

   Still a whole lotta swimming going on over here...yesterday's results resulted in an embarrassing display of hardware by evening's end.  Let's see...First in 200 Medley Relay and a Top 16 National Time (Matt, Mike, Harrison, John); Second in the 400 Freestyle Relay (another touch out ending but this time Munster's first place win) and a Top 16 National Time (Friday's first place relay was also a Top 16 National Time); Third in the 100 Backstroke (photo Matt in lane 3, making the Sign on the Cross, with Kevin Behrens beside him in lane 4...the FORCE in the water); Tied for 4th in the 50 Freestyle (with Harrison).  Kevin Behrens is breaking records right and left out there...Matt has decided to swim his best and just let Kevin have at it...there is no way anyone can touch Kevin in the water, he is just amazing to watch.  Matt and Harrison ended up tying in the 50 Free for 4th place and I thought neither one of them was going to be able to get out of the pool as they were laughing so hard when they saw the scoreboard with the exact same time.  They were having a lot of fun with it...which is so great to see.  Up on the podium, they both occupied the 4th step and were just dancing and enjoying the moment together.  That's what it's all about...those team friendships that make everything so much fun. (Photos:  Matt (Lane 2) and Harrison (Lane 1) before the start of the 50 Free; their scoreboard tie; Matt and Harrison sharing step 4 on the winner's podium)

     Who is Harrison?  Harrison is a friend of Matt's (they first met in first grade in the cub scouts) and the best way to describe Harrison is that he is the team party boy.  Harrison always has a good time...and when Harrison is around, so does everyone else...he is just tons of fun.  The week before state is usually supposed to be one of thinking about the swims, resting, eating healthy, attending practices and really listening and focusing, practices being shorter and fewer for taper.  Taper?  Taper to Harrison meant, "Hey guys, let's get the moms to take us all to King's Island since we don't have practice that afternoon!"  Ian's comment:  "Dang, Harrison, you aren't going to party all week...you are supposed to rest and let the rest of these guys rest, too."  No King's Island.  Monday was Cameron's birthday...everyone partied that night over at Cameron's house.  Wednesday was Harrison's birthday...everyone partied that night over at Harrison's house.  Harrison was on the move all week and everyone kept saying, "Harrison, you gotta rest up for the meet...this is STATE!"  Harrison just laughed and all weekend long so far he has been blowing everyone out of the water...he is swimming like never before and we are laughing and saying..."Harrison's a star out there...who knew...."  He's been pulling off relay finishes, accumulating all new best times, and partying down on the deck.  Last spring at state Harrison managed to break his foot jumping off a bleacher seat and he swam anyway that day by not telling anyone he was hurt.  It's hard to describe Harrison...he is very bright (straight A and a year ahead in school) and he plays Lacrosse and Hockey as well as swimming...it is a testimony to his swimming ability that he attends practice "when he can" and still swims circles around most of the team.  Go, Harrison!

     Ali took my camera down on deck yesterday so I had a lot of fun shots to view when I got home last night and I have to tell you, it is so much fun to give your camera to someone else once in awhile and let them shoot away...you end up with such diverse and fun photos...shots I never would have gotten, not to mention that the kids all pose differently for another kid than they do for an adult...their personalities come alive.  The last photo is Ali with Matt's medal from the 100 Back as Matt was reporting for his next swim, putting Ali in charge of his medal.   What a day!  (As I am writing this and posting these veryoutoffocusphotos, Mark asked me, "Can I throw Didgy's manual away since he is no longer with us?"  "What?  Throw it away...no, no, no...he may return, someone may return him...maybe he is coming on the slow boat as we speak...don't throw it away yet!"  Maybe when I figure out a new camera sitaution...in the meantime, we keep Didgio's manual, and these foggy photos will have to do...sigh.)

Hey There...

Here's what's going on around here:  Swimming...a whole lotta swimming.  Since there are big doings going on at the Nat in Indy in the swimming world, our little 'ole state swimming age group swimming championships are being hosted by Fishers High School at their brand new facility with a ten lane 50 meter pool...cool pool, by the way, and very close to us!  I love their "Flying Tigers" swim mural, so I took a shot of that for you all.  Tony in goggles...how fun!  Since my veryinferiorcameradon'tyouknow does not do lighting well, all my photos at the pool were a big blur...sort of like maybe I took them all underwater.  (Camera shopping ASAP when all the craziness of state is over.)   Yesterday's news:  This is the best I could get...hopefully someone else will have some better ones, and we always get the professional ones, so maybe I can do you better down the road...but here they are:  The NUMBER ONE 400 Medley Relay winners in the State of Indiana.  What an exciting race...down to the touchpad with the crowd up and cheering the whole way.  Harrison (free), Matt (back), John (breast), and Mike (butterfly)...they did it:  they beat Munster!   (It's so difficult to win anything when Kevin Behrens is in that pool...he just outswims anything moving in those lanes.)  And, the final photo is my happy swimmer who finished with his First place relay medal and his Fifth place 100 Freestyle medal.   Today we are going into finals tonight with a good attitude and will to win...will keep you posted.  (He is struggling a bit with the thoughts that he lost too much time going to Italy and now he is in a bit of a panic knowing he is not going fully prepared into that water for the swims...so a few good thoughts our way would be very much appreciated!)  Those relay swimmers were so cute..."Don't mess with the best cuz the best don't mess...don't fool with the cool cuz the cool don't fool..."  Kids!

Thursday's Favorites Fare

Carmel has these very pretty baskets of flowers hanging from the street lamps each summer.  I just love them...each year when they put them up, I can't wait to see how they grow and what blooms! This little house is in the Carmel Arts & Design District and I always think it looks a bit enchanting...as do the flowers! 

READING:  Vatican Museums (Still reading this as I keep reading, stopping to look up other works by the same artists, etc....am savoring it and making it last a long time!)

POOLSIDE READING:  Venice (Mark also brought this home from Italy and it is just great...all about the history of Venice and art/artists there, etc.)

LISTENING TO:  The Eagles...well, I had a Don Henley cd going and then it sort of seemed like I should give a little salute to Don's early years with the Eagles...come on, who didn't love at least ONE song that the Eagles did...admit it...come on, admit it...when the Eagles come on the radio and you are alone in the car, you can't help singing along...anyway...Peaceful Easy Feeling is on now and I have to admit it is one of my favorites...go ahead...listen to some Eagles and just let life pass you by for a bit...its good to do every now and again.  (I will balance it out with Def turned up really loud while I am cleaning house, so don't fear that I am going soft in my old age.)

COOKING THROUGH:  Anything fast and fresh...it's summer!

FAV NEW FIND:   Turns out there is this little thing you hook up in your car and you can listen to your iPod like you would listen to the radio.  Who knew?  Is this great or what?  I am becoming so addicted to learning about all these things.  I even played with an iPhone at the Apple store at the MALL...yes, you heard it here...I went to the MALL...Matt had to get an attachment for his computer for Guerin at Apple, so I drove and we met Aimee and Colin there and all tried out the iPhone...well the three of us did...I am not sure Aimee actually got her hands on one, but she was very supportive of the rest of us.  Oh, are they fun!

FAV THING TODAY;  Hands down, watching the CSC swimmers decorate each other's cars for State tomorrow.  They had so much fun and are so excited for their swims this weekend.  Photos below of the ones that turned out the best...sorry to those of you whose photos were a bit, well, let's say, "not the best."  (Oh, Didgy...who we have renamed Didgio because of the new Italian residence...where are you when we need you...this alternate camera just isn't up to par.)

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  NONE...we have been making a whole lot of memories and taking lots of photos, however!

GOING TO:  Indiana Age Group Long Course State Swimming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

PRAYING FOR:  Families in crisis.  Please join me.

Now for some fun shots from the car decorating...here you go, kids and parents...enjoy!

The Lovely Lacey, who is just as pretty and fun as her mother.  And one of my all-time favorite swimmers, Miss Carly who we have watched grow up with wonder and awe at her swimming abilities and delightful personality.

John with Margaret...who, if you can believe this, they refer to as "Large Marge!"  Margaret is the tiniest thing going and she is a force in the water...as is John who can swim the distance out of anyone! 

Jonathan, Chris, Matt, John, and Elliott...all stars in their age groups and swims...the boys wanted to write "Yeah...We are THAT good" but no one could draw an A-1 bottle...art r not us apparently.

Matt and Ali posing beside Matt's ride...he starts Driver's Ed on Monday and these are the wheels he is going to be practicing on. 

Matt, Taylor, and Ali all smiles at the thoughts of great swims at state...and the three of them will, no doubt, have great swims at state! 

Madeline, Elizabeth, Lacey, Rhiannon, (with brother looking on).  How many photos do I have of Rhiannon...she always takes a great photo and she always is very nice to pose for me so I can have some "pink" in my albums!  Talented, pretty, nice, and a great swimmer!

Lacey, Rhiannon, and the Elizabeth...who for some reason they call YilBlonda...someone clue me in on this one...Elizabeth is the sister of Matt's friend, Matt who is also a CSC swimmer and who spends a lot of time trying to track Matt down for social engagements...next year they will both be in the senior group (Matt F. a year ahead in school), so it should be a lot easier.  Elizabeth elegantly flies through the water...she is definitely poetry in motion in those lanes...and a good sport with the two Matts always outnumbering her in her own territory. 

And, last, but not least, a photo of Ali's dad, Buddy, at the State Swimming Party trying to do the Macarena with the kids...okay, Buddy, first you need to face the right direction...LOL!  Buddy is lots of fun and always brings life and something extra to any gathering...Ali is definitely his daughter!  So, Buddy, here is one for you because you gave me such a hard time tonight at the restaurant for not posting on my blog for two days...you are too funny! 

There's No More Fair...or Fair Food!

   The 2007 Hamilton County 4-H Fair is now history...we can begin working on projects for the 2008 Hamilton County 4-H Fair.  Today the 4-Hers all came to pick up their projects to take home...this photo is as many of the 4-Star 4-Hers that we could round up in one place at one time...Matt and many of the girls...the guys were all scarce today, all occupied elsewhere, many of the other families on vacation. 

Sammie and Meg were delighted with their blue and honors in scrapbooking...posing with big smiles with their albums, hoping I would post them on my blog today...so, girls...here you go! 

The final photo is Miss Caitlin who is just the most darling of girls and she is displaying the rosary Matt brought back for her from Italy from the Vatican, blessed by the Pope.  He even picked her favorite color...a light purple; she was delighted.  Each year on the ICC trips, Matt shops for something special for Caitlin who is the oldest of six children and just a blessing to everyone who knows her.   

       Now, about the end of the fair food...Matt went over with me to work at the scrapbook checkout from 4-6...it followed both a morning and afternoon swim practice today (with the Harry Potter movie sandwiched between the two...transporting Matt and any number of swimmers to and from various activities between swim times is becoming rather time consuming these days...today there were 8 of them, 5 in my car) and in that time, here is what he had to eat at the fairgrounds (don't tell Ian)...a pulled pork barbecue sandwich, a lemon shake up, a walking taco, a large chocolate milkshake, a strawberry slushie, and another pulled pork sandwich.  I am thinking even a swimmer cannot get by with this much consumption, so it is a good thing fair is ending several days before state swimming championships.  When we pulled out of the parking lot he said, "I wish I had gotten another pork sandwich as those are so good!"  Good golly.  As I type this, he is scooping up ice cream for a bedtime snack...it's a good thing he has a long practice tomorrow.

Apparently There is a Right Way and a Wrong Way...

      I am officially out of my league.  I have entered into the "us" and "them" phase of parenting young men.  All those of you who have only pink children, and no blue, reserve your comments, please.  (Unless you are a blue yourself, then you might have memories.)  When our boys were small, it was fairly easy..."Boys can share the bathroom with boys, and girls with girls, but boys should not enter the bathroom when a girl is in there, and vice versa."  We are a fairly modest family...there is no streaking around half-clothed or revolving doors on our bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.  However, we have always been "open" to any discussion that may seem educational on matters of...well, let's just say "delicacy."  We did not go the "babies are found under cabbage leaves in the far part of the garden" route...noting that storks are only birds and don't carry around bundles of anything other than perhaps straw for their nests.  We had the appropriate talks when the topic arose and became a matter of "knowledge as needed" (mostly so they would not blurt out inappropriate questions at inappropriate times...I am sure you all remember the Alex hiccup incident quite well).  Forthwith.  Truthful.  Stick to the Facts.  No nonsense.  Open.  Honest.  Our policy seemed to be working well.  Everyone seemed comfortable asking the parental units meanings of new words being tossed about in the locker rooms, etc.

       Until today.

       Aimee and I were innocently shopping with Colin and Matt at the bookstore getting their books for school ($575.43 -- canyoubelieveitinyourwildestdreamsforhighschool?) and at Target shopping for miscellaneous things like pencils, pens, notebooks, etc.  As we were discussing the various school subjects and needs for such, we happened to mention, very innocently and discreetly, "Well, do you guys need jock straps for P.E.?  That's not on the list, but maybe they just assume that you would know that without it being written down, like underwear."  WELL, you would have thought Aimee and I had taken off all our clothes and were dancing around Target in the nude from their reactions!  "MOM...NOT HERE...don't talk about that HERE...someone might hear you.  We DON'T need those, just drop it."  Hmmmm....all this from a mere mention of...well, I won't mention it again in case he reads this, but youknowwhat.   What's the deal with this, is this some sort of going through puberty thing that I am clueless about these days?  I mentioned it to Mark and he said, "Well, I truthfully am not sure about this.  I would just drop it, though, and if he needs one, he will come home and tell us and we will get it then."  Sounded like excellent advice to me.  (That, and guess who gets to shop with the boys from now on to avoid these sorts of slip ups?)

       It's a conspiracy...men want to keep us guessing at all times...there is some secret brotherhood where they all know the rules and we can only, at best, sort of guess at them and hope we are at least pointed in the right direction.  Clearly, mentioning "jock strap" in the middle of Target on a fine July morning is not one of those directions I have guessed correctly.  Come to think of it, it has been happening more and more lately.  Maybe girls are easier...I might have more of a shot of getting it right with girls.  With the boys....I am way out of my league. 

There's A Whole Lot of Action Goin' On

Yep, there's a whole lotta action goin' on all right over here...the Harry Potter kind.  From the kickoff party on Friday night, to the midnight purchases, through Saturday (no swim meet, so what's a swim family to do?), and well into the night, Harry and his cohorts have been receiving top billing around here. 

There's also been a lot of birthday action here this weekend.  This is the year Mark, his dad, and Matthew all roll over the "5s" in July.  Emil turned 85, Mark turned 55, and Matthew will be turning 15 next week.  Everyone made it up to Elwood for celebration yesterday except brother Luke.  Emil and Mark were not all that excited about reaching their milestones, but Matthew cannot wait until his birthday as with it comes the long-awaited Driver's Permit.  Normally I would be a little sad at milestones such as these...well, sad and happy, of course.  This particular one, however, I am absolutely ecstatic over as it means one more step until that child has his driver's license and I need not ever see another 5:00 a.m. swim practice!  This thrills him to no end because it means that he will have sole possession of a car and keys when that magical time arrives.  This, he is thinking, is reason enough to be a swimmer.  It is also true, however, that nagging in the back of my mind, I am hearing that old adage..."Be careful what you wish, or you will surely get it."  (Better appreciate those 5:00 a.m. times with him while I can...they are on the whole, wonderful times where just the two of us are up and about organizing the day and discussing bits and pieces that only the two of us care about...and this year with him at school all day for the first time, I think those 5:00 a.m. times are going to mean even more.)  Yep, better appreciate all the action goin' on around here while I can...time is passing quickly.

They're Gearing Up for Guerin

Yesterday Matt and I met Colin and his mom, Aimee, at the Logo shop to purchase all the uniform apparel required for Guerin this year.  It was a lot of fun shopping with the boys as they were very excited to be reaching this milestone, etc. (and I do not like shopping as you all know, so for me to say this, you must know we had a very good time).  They humored me with ONE photo as they were trying on all the bits and pieces.  Colin and Matt first met in first grade when I was teaching their CCD class at SEAS.  Over the years, we have watched Colin grow up and the Andersons have watched Matt and Alex grow up.  They all made their Confirmation together this past April, and this fall Matt and Colin are headed off to Guerin for high school.  We had the shop to ourselves yesterday, so we had a lot of fun with the guys...almost like playing dolls, trying on different clothing options, etc.  (If you tell them I said that, I will say you lied.)  Anyway, they are now fully outfitted with the appropriate Guerin regalia.  Alex's comment:  "Matt you are going to look like such a prep every day."  Alex is not the prep type.  (He is going to Carmel for high school where there is no specific uniform.)  Two days ago Colin had a bad accident with his bike and his entire right side is all scraped and looking really bad...you can see some of it in the photo, although he did pose with his "good side out."  Yikes...these boys and their bikes this year!  And to think, they are all coming up for Driver's Ed! 

      Monday we head out to the bookstore to pick up all the high school books and also we go backpack shopping...again with the Andersons.  After that, I do believe, I will have reached my shopping saturation point until the obligatory Christmas season.  Mark, bless his heart, always takes Alex shopping as that child is the WORST shopper in the world...he takes forever and then some because he has to look at absolutely everything before he decides on anything.  Mark's patience is much longer lasting than mine in shopping matters.  I don't remember needing this much stuff to start school.  Ever!

There's No Sense Keeping a Great Pie Waiting...

Happy Birthday, Mark!  Each year Mark graciously shares his birthday with the Hamilton County 4-H Fair...we are always so busy with the fair that Mark's birthday often gets a quick rush and a "we will celebrate when fair is over and everyone can sit down at the same place at the same time...."  This year is no different.  This year, however, he did get his birthday pie already!  (Mark is not fond of birthday cake, but he has never met a pie he could not devour with great relish in a few sittings.)    The lovely Kate entered the pie division in foods this year with a wonderful Blueberry Strawberry Pie and she is pictured here with Matt at the fair yesterday with said award-winning pie, which we all sampled after the judging and immediately fell in love with.  Kate not only made this pie yesterday, she also made one for her dad, and then came home from the fair and made one for Mark for his birthday!   Although Mark's birthday is today, the still-warm-from-the-oven pie was too good to pass up last night, and pictured here is his version of "too good to keep" as he slices into it a day early.  It is every bit as good as it looks...this girl can bake!  Thank you, Miss Kate, Mark absolutely loved the pie and it made his birthday that much more special that you made it for him!  Happy Birthday, Honey, we promise that Saturday is YOURS for birthday celebrating.  (My guesses would be:  sleeping in really late, Starbucks on the way to the fair where you will opt for Indiana Pork Chop lunch, golfing all afternoon, dinner at favorite restaurant, and possibly golfing another round in the evening...am I close?)

Thursday's Favorites Fare

Matt took this photo for me and when he saw it, he said, "Oh, Mom, let me retake it as I didn't notice that flower had ragged petals with a hole in one of them." (Click on photo to enlarge.)  I looked at it and said, "Matt, it is perfect...I want this shot with the flaws...life doesn't have to be perfect...I like this flower just the way it is...maybe more because of the flaws."  It's been a week of appreciating the flaws in life...the photo seems perfect to me...just beautiful, flaws and all...seeing that perfect working order isn't always necessary to have something be beautiful just the way it is.   Sometimes it is nice to slow down, take a break, appreciate what is there, and not to try to organize it into perfection...perfection isn't necessary in the long run for anything this beautiful.  This flower, flaws and all, is just  beautiful, don't you think?  I love the circle in the center that surrounds what looks like a heart shape.  The circle feels like a big hug. I love the warm orange color reaching out from the center and blending into the yellow, separate but somehow together.  Just beautiful.  Just perfect the way it is. 

READING:  Vatican Museums (Still reading this as I keep reading, stopping to look up other works by the same artists, etc....am savoring it and making it last a long time!)

POOLSIDE READING:  The Crucible by Arthur Miller (Matt needs to read it this summer for Guerin reading list and I had not read it since high school...am reading it with more knowledge now about the McCarthy era in the 50's and Miller and his contemporaries at the time caught up in the zeal of all of that...don't you love going back and reading stuff from high school and college now that you are older, wiser, and more adult?)

LISTENING TO:  An Afternoon of Jazz...Mark loves Jazz, and so for his birthday, it's been all Jazz all afternoon!

COOKING THROUGH:  Anything fast and fresh...it's summer!

FAV NEW FIND:   Well...who knew?  Turns out, I am the last in this house to discover, that my computer, Clarice, has a "card reader" which I knew nothing about and makes this photo thing a whole lot easier.  Prior to this I had been using a cable to hook up my digital camera to Clarice and get my photos that way.  Yesterday I could not find the cable (when one has children one is never 100% certain something will be where it is "supposed" to be, I have found...) and Matt says, "Well, Mom, you don't really need that as you can just pop the card in the side slot there on Clarice and get the photos that way...it's a lot easier to do it like that anyway."  NOW THEY TELL ME!  So, that's my "new" favorite find this week.  I have had Clarice how many years and never knew this?  A card reader...who knew life could be this simple?  (Okay, you can all stop laughing now.)

FAV THING TODAY;  Well, today is Mark's 55th birthday, so I will say that celebrating Mark's birthday is my favorite thing today...celebrating is always fun, and when it is celebrating such a wonderful person, it is extra fun!   55 years old...who knew we would get this old this fast???

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  12...while Matt and Alex were doing theirs.  Matt did 18 and Alex did 10.  Don't look for a total next week as we are at fair every day, double swim practices, and PE.

GOING TO:  The Hamilton County 4-H Fair and to Elwood on Sunday to celebrate the three birthdays!

PRAYING FOR:  Updates:  Tom Hedlund: He continues to struggle greatly...had several surgeries this week and is making progress.  Please join me.

Where There's a Will, There's a Way

Matthew at the Hamilton County 4-H Fair Scrapbook Display Area.  (Alex was at P.E. class.)

Scrapbook judging at the Hamilton County Fair was yesterday...for SEVEN hours and I had two judges this year!  144 albums in three divisions:  Clover, Junior, Senior...very impressive one and all.  Congratulations to all the kids in our club who took the scrapbooking project:  they all got blue ribbons!  Seven of the Nine got Honors as well.  (Blue ribbon is a first place finish and with Honor ribbons means they were considered for champion.)  Blue Honors go to (alphabetically) Allison, Bernadette, Caitlin, Holly, Matthew, Megan, and Sammie.  Blues go to Alex and Rebecca.  Very proud of all of you...your albums were wonderful!  This is one of the largest enrollment projects at our fair, so there is a lot of really good competition each year.  (And, to think when I went to the 4-H Council and wanted to start this project 10 years ago, they laughed and said, "No one is going to want to take that as a project." I countered: "Oh, I think they will...can you give me a shot at it as a trial run?"  Well..."Okay, because we know you will keep at us until we do, we will give you ONE year as a trial, you can have a card table for display at the end of the posters in the Winks building, and if you don't have TEN people sign up, it's a no-go next year, deal?"  Me: "Deal."  We had 75 people sign up the first year!  They had to clear one entire wall length for the display.  The council continues to bow before me...LOL...just kidding, but they truly were amazed and delighted that we were the FIRST in the entire nation in 4-H to have this project.  Counties and states fell like dominoes once we put it out there.  How cool is that?  A card table at the end of the posters....ha...we now have a good share of an entire building and specially designed and handmade display racks just to fit scrapbook measurements!)  Congratulations, 4-Star 4-Hers...you represented our club well! 

      And, in other news around here yesterday...the CSC State Team Party!  This is where they announce all the members who have earned cuts to swim at state and also the relay team qualifiers...always a big deal!  As you can see from the photo, Matthew has individual cuts (he got to pick his favorite five as you are only allowed five events at state) and he made the "A" relay team, which really delights him...to be on the top relay team is always his dream.  The kids all enjoy their individual events, but they LOVE their relay team events the best of all.  About one in four member of CSC make the state cuts each year...Carmel sends more kids to state than probably any other team in Indiana, so that is always fun for the kids.  After dinner, the announcements are made, and the fun begins...a whole lotta dancing going on! The t-shirts are a big deal...each year they are different and it is really an honor to qualify and get the state team t-shirt, can you tell from the big smile?  Then the dancing begins:  the big kids showing the little ones how it's done!  It is just so much fun to see them all together having such a good time and celebrating!  This is our last age group state...after this month, Matt will be an open swimmer and in the senior group.  When he was little, he would look at the older kids and say, "I will be there someday, Mom, I just know I can get there, too, like all those big guys."  Now he is one of the big guys...where there's a will, there's a way!  Congratulations, Matt, we know how hard you have worked for this and you deserve every bit of it! 

There's Now a Swim Team at Guerin Catholic High School!

Matt and Coach Ian

Yes, you heard it here first...Guerin is going to have a swim team this coming year! Yesterday we met with the Athletic Director at Guerin and it is definitely a "go."  So, those of you who know Matthew can say that you now know the ENTIRE Guerin Swim Team!  Seriously...he is going to be the entire team.  Since we won't be able to show up with one swimmer at a dual meet, he is allowed from 1-4 invitational meets, which he will attend with his coach.  His coach will be Ian, his USA team coach and more than likely the invitationals will all be ones the Carmel High School attends and they will just slide Matt in on the end of the bench wearing his Golden Eagle apparel...an Eagle among all the Greyhounds.  He will continue to swim with the USA club, the Carmel Swim Club, that he has been swimming with these past 8 years, but during the high school season he will be listed as swimming for Guerin since they don't have a coach or a pool, etc.  At any rate, the idea of the invitationals would be to qualify for sectionals, etc. and hopefully have state cuts to swim at state at the high school level.  He will also be swimming club.  So, now all of you who are asking me weekly, "What is Matt going to do about high school swimming since Guerin doesn't have a swim team?"  This is the answer:  "Now, they do!"

There's Nothing Like an Outdoor Meet on a Fine Summer Weekend

The Noblesville outdoor pool...absolutely gorgeous place to have a swim meet, beautiful setting, ten lanes, great places for the kids to wait between swims, and best of all, only 12 miles from my front door!  We started slow, but we finished well. 

When Matt and Alex were swimming that first year when they were seven years old, I thought those fourteen year old boys looked HUGE and that we would never be that big!  Now the one with big red C on his blue cap in Lane 5 (Matt) is fourteen and the little seven year olds look so little!

Ali had a fine meet, too...took them both a bit to get back in the swim of things, but they finished looking fine.  Really, this is truly Ali...looking serious, looking focused, looking for a best personal time...when she got it, silly fun Ali returned in full force!  Carmel pretty much dominated the finals. 

Matt is in lane 6, one of the center lanes, and finished first in this 200 Backstroke. And, finally, Matt and Harrison show how its done between swims...sitting around and shooting the breeze on a fine summer day at the pool. 

Now There's Something You Don't See Everyday

Busy weekend here...three day swim meet and 4-H projects were due on Sunday, fortunately for us, all in the same place:  Noblesville.  What a deal.  Made going back and forth between the two much easier, that's for sure.  Both boys were scrapbooking their vacations for the 4-H Scrapbook project right up until the last hour before we left to turn them in.  How many tables does it take for BOYS to scrapbook...FOUR.  Alex and Mark opted for the kitchen table and the coffee table for supplies.  Matt opted for the dining table and a completely trashed and covered card table set up in the family room (you can see the chaos behind Mark in the photo).  I just tried to close my eyes to the mess and hope that by Monday sanity would reign once again.  Can you even believe Mark was helping Alex scrapbook????  (Well, mostly just chatting and advising but still, that counts as bonding, right?)  I couldn't believe Alex was actually doing it, let alone Mark.  Probably not something he wants passed around, so shhhhh.  He even posed them out on the deck with their albums when they finished.   I would venture to say, however, that probably is the extent to which any of the three are going to be scrapbooking...until next year and the last possible hours before fair.  It's amazing to me that they get honors each year and Alex even had a champion a couple years ago.  If that judge only knew that he was putting photos in his album in the car on the way to the fair...shhhhh...don't tell that either! 

     Oh, and a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY today to Mark's dad, Emil, who turns 85.  This is the year of the "5s" as Mark turns 55 this month, and Matthew turns 15 this month.  Emil is the most wonderful father-in-law anyone could ever wish for, a golfing fool (he is out there every day from the day the course opens, until the day it closes each year), an excellent role model for his family, and outstanding in community service.  We all want to be like him when we grow up.  Happy Birthday, Big E!

That's All There Is, Folks...

Group 1 of the tour gathered in front of the Vatican (click on photos to enlarge).  The last day of the tour was spent in Rome seeing all the touristy things they did not get a chance to see in depth on the first leg of the journey, and so that the singers who missed the first two days due to being stranded in the U.S. and Ireland, would get a chance to see it at all.  First stop was the Vatican and the first group of kids toured around while the others had the scheduled tour of the inside, the third group of singers by this time had already departed for Milan for a shopping excursion before they left from there to head back home. Mark got the first group posed out front while the others toured.  (Matt in the back row third from the right; Ali middle row sixth from the left...sunglasses on!)  While touring about, Greg got hit with a bird missile, Ali could not resist posing while Matt snapped the shot.

    Next was a stop and tour at the Colosseum which both Mark and Matt were very much in awe of seeing together.  This is not a particularly good photo shot as the wind was blowing and Mark looks like he has a mohawk...on the other hand, the thought of Mark with a mohawk is pretty funny...and, unfortunately the only one we have of the two of them at the Colosseum.  This was one of the highlights of their trip as they both really loved seeing this firsthand.   

     In the photo at the left is Group 2, those who were stranded at the beginning of the tour to Italy and who are wearing their blue shirts to differentiate who was going where on the tours that last day: Maria is on the left in row two with her sunglasses on; and her mother, Barb, also a chaperone on the trip, is on the right with her Rome book.  Since there aren't a lot of photos of Matt and Maria as the groups had all been formed by the time she got there, I had to include at least one.  Maria goes to our church and both she and her older sister Meggie have been in the ICC choir with Matt.  She is also a student at Guerin Catholic High (she is a grade ahead of Matt) and Matt and she will be in choir together next year at Guerin.  Maria loves to golf, as does Matt, and sing, as does Matt, and loves all things about being a Catholic, as does Matt, so they have a lot in common and are great friends. 

     Matthew H., Matt, and Greg surrounded by the Roman Forum and views of all the ruins.  After Greece, this seemed small as far as ruins go, but nonetheless impressive for what it stood for and Mark and Matt enjoyed seeing it firsthand.

    After one last stop for gelato, the kids boarded the buses for the hotel by the airport which was brand new and had plasma TVs in all the rooms, etc. where they spent the night before heading out the next morning.  The Rome airport was a nightmare.  They arrived 3 hours before takeoff and had problems with luggage, boarding pass and ticketing problems, and with further complications of computer troubles, end up taking off 3 hours later than scheduled.  The kids were all very tired, as you can see in the photo, I don't remember Matt ever looking this tired before...too tired to play cards with Maria even!  When they are finally in the air, Matt takes his traditional "last photo shot" out the window of the plane as they ascend.  They had a great time, from beginning to end..."even in the airports, Mom, there were fun things to do and we were just all of us together having fun."  Can't get much better than that!

They're Singing Their Last Concert There

The boat ride into Venice, Italy.  Matt and Ali's groups touring about together.  Venice was a whirlwind for the kids...they packed more into that one day than you can imagine.  Both Mark and Matthew really loved Venice.  The boat trip "into town" was "unbelievably magical and wonderful," the sun making everything glitter as they entered the Grand Canal and docked at St. Mark's Square where they met their guide who led them on a tour for about an hour. 

    They toured the Murano glass factory and watched a demonstration as a man made a vase and a horse, which Matt thought was absolutely one of the best things he has ever seen factory tour-wise.  They also brought me back and absolutely gorgeous rosary made of murano glass beads.  So pretty! They toured around for a couple of hours, ate paninis for lunch, and shopped.   This photo is Matt, Greg, and Mark on the Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal. 

    Later in the afternoon they all met up for gondola rides along the Grand Canal and into several of the lesser canals.  The kids had a ball with this and for a short time they all sang together from their various gondolas as they rode around.   Ali's group of girls in one gondola taking photos of Matt's group of guys in their gondola...and a very nice shot of my handsome son enjoying the day!

     After the gondola rides they picked up their dress uniforms from where the guide had stored them and went to St. Mark's to rehearse a little before the Mass.  It was very crowded always in front of St. Mark's so this is the best photo we could come up with, not doing it justice at all.  (Matt and Ali in the right foreground discussing who-knows-what.)  Everyone was impressed with the Byzantine mosaics in the ceilings at St. Mark's, supposedly the largest collection of them in the world.  (Apparently the ceilings are more impressive than the rest of the church walls due to the repeated flooding that occurs.)   After singing the Mass, the kids sang a few numbers on the steps of St. Mark's before heading back to the boat to take them back to their hotel.  (Again, best photo anyone could get as they were all eager to get to the banquet and quite tired of posing by this point!)

    At the hotel they all got a chance to dress up for dinner and practice their best cotillion manners, etc. by escorting the young ladies to dinner and eating with all the right utensils, etc.  The kids just love this each year at the end of the tour...the banquet is a chance for them to look back on a successful tour, to hear words of encouragement, wisdom, and thanks from Mr. Leck and Mr. Pedde, and to just have a lot of fun together at the conclusion of all the singing gigs.  (Photo is Matthew H., Anna Marie, Claire, Matt, Leslie, and Greg.) At 11:30 they were all sent up to bed to pack for departure the next day.  It is amazing to me how much they can pack into one day of touring.  I was laughing with Mark before he left as he kept saying, "I've got to start training for these choir tours...have to build up my endurance by half as much again."  He was pretty happy to see his favorite chair when he returned home on Sunday.

There's Always Room for Gelato!

View from the top of San Gimignano, Italy (Click on photos to enlarge.)  Kids were referring to this as "St. Jimmie John's" a favorite place back home!

Matthew and Mark both really liked San Gimignano, an Italian hill town.  Since it is located at the top of a very large hill, the views from there were just beautiful.  The buildings date from Medieval times to the Renaissance (it is referred to as the "Medieval Manhattan" for its urban-ness at the time as the residents were prosperous, building 72 brick towers for protection...14 still standing).   It was a slower pace, so that felt good after all the hustle and bustle of Rome and Florence.  They performed at the church there...beautiful frescoes inside the church.   They were only there a couple of hours so they ate paninis and Gelato for lunch and had a long bus ride across the Apennines to northeast Italy where they visited Padua.

      At Padua they visited the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua and sang the Ave Maria at the end of the evening Mass there.  While they were in Padua, since it was the 4th of July, they gathered at the town park around the fountain and sang the American national anthem just for fun for themselves.  The guide even held up a little American flag!  (Mark and Matt are just inside the photo...Matt's white belt so he could have something red, white, and blue and Mark's 4th of July fireworks shirt...how patriotic are they??)  Dinner was an "endless stream of food," course after course, all very good from the accounts here. (Prosciutto and cantaloupe, pasta with a white sauce, rice with a mushroom sauce, pork medallions, beef in a tomato sauce, etc....and Gelato at the end.)

    This might be a good place to talk about the food, since that is something Italy is known for and something nearly everyone raves about when they return.  Many of the singers are not adventuresome eaters...they would fill up at the American style meals and just pick at the Italian ones...the Gerth guys are not fussy eaters:  they will try most anything and love to go on these tours to taste the different types of food, etc.  They both noted, however, that Italians eat their pasta very "al dente" which means that there is a bite (sort of a crunch even) to their cooked pasta.  While we don't like our pasta mushy, we don't like it to crunch either, so that was something notably different for them.  Lunches were a lot of sandwich type things, one day it was pizza which they all thought was just wonderful, and dinners were all 4-5 courses of food each evening, which even Mark thought was way too much food on a regular basis, and we all know how much Mark loves Italian food!  When they got home Sunday to my cooking, the supper of their choice was grilled salmon, three different kinds of vegetables, and fresh fruit.  Whew...I was afraid I was going to have to learn how to cook a whole lot more Italian food than is in my current repertoire.  It's nice to be appreciated for what I am good at already! 

     One of the great things about being in ICC is that Mr. Leck is just a wonderfully well rounded person.  He knows kids and what they like and always has special things lined up for them to do.  He is so proud of them and he loves each and every single one of them.  His wife is the same.  They are excellent role models for the kids with all their community work and when they travel together, at every meal, before they eat, Mr. Leck leads all the singers in prayer with a song of thanksgiving.  It is really moving to see all these kids sing this beautiful song of thanks to God before their meals. (Photos are from dinner in Florence and Mr. Leck warming them up to sing grace.)  How lucky to know them are we?

     (Photo is Matt's of Greg's favorite thing about Italy:  Gelato!)  Gelato, of course, was the favorite of ALL the kids...and the adults!  I don't think I heard tell of a day without gelato somewhere along the line.  You don't need to envision them waiting in line with 105 people in the group at the Gelato shops because when they roam about, they do it in "family" groups of 5-6 kids each with their chaperone or sometimes more if a couple of the groups are roaming together, like Matt and Ali's groups who roamed together a lot.  We noted that the t-shirt colors selected for the trip this year reflected all those nice bright Italian Gelato flavors...we are already thinking of it as the Gelato tour!  Very fun times for these kids...they will never forget these experiences.  (And if they do, we have tons of photos...these digital cameras are great!)    

Thursday's Favorites Fare

I like posting flower photos from around our yard on Thursdays, but today this one from the Italy tour photos is my choice.  Aren't they pretty?  Flowers just make me smile...no matter what is going on that day, a flower just makes me smile! 

READING:  Vatican Museums (Mark picked up this gem at the Vatican Museum and it lists holdings, has many many pictures, and is absolutely delightful...I am just lost in the awe of it all...next trip to the Vatican is MINE and I go ALONE so no one will rush me through a single room of that museum!)

POOLSIDE READING:  Various little guide books from Italy that the guys brought back with them.

LISTENING TO:  Billy Joel...figure anyone around as long as Billy in the music industry ought to be listened to once a month.  Besides, it's a Hamptons thing and listening to him in the summer always makes me think someday I would just love to say I spent a summer weekend in the Hamptons. 

COOKING THROUGH:  Nothing new...just grilling the fish, chicken, or reds and keeping the sides fresh and simple...what's not to love about summer produce in Indiana tasting as fresh and unadorned as you can get it? 

FAV NEW FIND:   Well, I actually have two, but I will go with the one that will appeal to the wider audience: flash drives for photos on the computer...who knew?! I am becoming a technological whiz over here.  The second one will wait until August...but it has limited appeal, so may just have to skip that one here and find something more wide-range.

FAV THING TODAY;  Scrapbooking the Italy trip with Matthew.  Fun to hear him share all the stories that go with the photos, etc. 

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  22 and counting...very simple, very clean, my favorite way:  just the photos and the stories...no gee gaws and silliness.  I am not an arts and crafts type of girl when it comes to scrapbooking.  People keep saying, "How are you getting so many pages done each week?"  My answer, "Keep it simple:  photos and words."  No clutter.  No fussiness.

GOING TO:  Three day swim meet in Noblesville, nice and close!  An IMX meet, so Matt will be swimming all four strokes...the 200 Fly and the 200 Breast he has not been swimming in competition for over a year...we may need to Hail Mary our way through those! 

PRAYING FOR:  Updates:  Tom Hedlund: He continues to struggle greatly...had surgery this week and is making progress.  Keep praying. NEW:  Praying for friends Jim, Diana, Sam, Jacob, Gabe, Peter, and Baby Lily Klee as they venture forth to Michigan for a career change, new lives there, and the safe and healthy delivery of Baby Lily, please join me. 

There's No Reasonable Explanation for This!

Overview of Florence.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)  Florence was beautiful, from all reports.  "Crowded, noisy, don't want to come back in the summer ever, but beautiful."  Both Matt and Mark could not say enough about Florence.  The stuff of romance, roses, and red rooftops. They loved Florence.

The kids sang a couple of songs on the steps in front of the Duomo which was well received by the crowds.  (Photo:  "Okay everyone look left...Ali, not right, left!" Ali is left side, row two, second in.)

The evening ICC performance was outstanding, singing to a packed house at the concert hall in a deconsecrated church.

Photo:  Crowds on their way to the Ponte Vecchio to shop.  The shopping was "tons of fun."  This one I personally don't understand...can you imagine wanting to shop when you are in the very same town as THE UFFIZI GALLERY MUSEUM?  It defies explanation in my book.  To pass up the Uffizi in order to have time to shop...where have all the reasonable people gone?  Okay, I might be a minority in this.  But, come on...it's the UFFIZI, one of the most famous museums for painting and sculpture in the world! I bet you all know what I would have done in Florence!   At least they saw the Academia where David spends his days with his fellow works of art.  There may be some hope for the future. They passed up the Uffizi...I still can't actually believe it.  There is no good explanation for this!  (I did, however, get a very beautiful necklace from the Ponte Vecchio from Mark, so I guess I should be a lot more appreciative of the shopping...it is very pretty and very sweet of him to think of me.)  But...passing up the UFFIZI?????

They're Off and Running...and Back in 20 Minutes...

The ICC singers at the Pantheon in Rome singing in the Portico.  Matt is back row on the right, about four singers in.  (You can click on all photos to enlarge.)

Matthew is a fairly in-shape kinda guy.  Swimming 6-10 miles a day doesn't throw him much. He isn't even out of breath when he finishes.   He runs dryland at swim practice, and since the pools in Italy didn't look at all inviting, he decided he would have a go at running with the runners in the mornings to try and keep in shape while he was not swimming every day.  The hills of Montecatini looked pretty, and inviting, and the runners decided that they would tackle those first.  The first morning:  they were off running with lots of enthusiasm...a chaperone and several singers.  Matt soon realized he was way out of his league and that these guys were all marathon runners...yikes.  Twenty minutes of that had Matt pleading his excuses to return to the hotel.  His roommates said he came in, dove spread eagle fashion onto his bed and said, "I am a swimmer.  I am not a runner."  After a few minutes to catch his breath, "I felt like I was going to die, Mom," he jumped in the shower with all his clothes on and told his roomies that he was going to sleep all day: this after only 20 minutes of running with the marathon runners.  The next morning he got another group together with a "recreational jogger" chaperone and a bunch of them headed out with a more relaxed pace.  And so it continued through Italy.  You never understand another's sport until you try do it! 

    "Who is Ali" everyone is asking..."is Ali Matt's girlfriend?"  Well, Ali, is Matt's friend.  (This is a photo of Matt and Ali in Italy.)  He has known her for a long time and they are great friends.  She is the sister he doesn't have; he is the brother she doesn't have.  They are both swimmers at CSC and both singers in the ICC, so they have a lot in common and hang out at swimming and choir things and do social things as well.  She is the same age and her parents are older parents as we are, so there is a nice bond there.  Last night at the CSC parent meeting Ali's dad, Buddy, told us that he said to Ali, "Now, is there anything about this trip that I am going to hear from other parents or kids or whatever that I would appreciate knowing about now ahead of time?  Anything you need to come clean on in any way whatsoever, Ali?"  She answered, "Well, there was one thing.  I told Matt that I would run with him every day so we could keep in shape and not have such a hard time getting back in shape for swimming when we returned, but instead when the alarm went off every morning, I just shut it off and rolled over and went back to sleep.  I feel a little bad about that."  This is the kind of girl Ali is...she is just a delight.  Ali is Jewish and we keep telling Buddy that we are secretly converting her to Catholicism with all these Masses she sang in Italy and that when she goes to Brebeuf Catholic High School next year (her entrance exam score:  99.9% on the toughest high school entrance exam in the state) that will finish it off.  Ali is very cute and fun and funny and never stops talking...her trademark blonde ponytail and sunglasses easily identifiable in all the photos as she has a knack of being everywhere the action is at the moment.  We like Ali a lot.  They are just great friends. 

      More little bits from the trip.  Apparently there is not much to do in Pisa, Italy after you see the Leaning Tower.  Matt said they were all there for about 20 minutes and then back on the bus and on to Lucca. 

  At Lucca there had been some misinformation about Puccini's house, which had previously been a museum.  Since this is a choir group, they were all interested in seeing this.  The house, however, while still there, is no longer a museum but a private residence.  The singers had to be content with posing with the Puccini statue out front.  They had prepared a Puccini piece for the occasion, so they did perform that outside the house by the statue.   (Matt is in the back row on the right under the blue circular arrow sign and Ali...bet you can guess...front left first position...with her sunglasses on!)  A couple years ago Matt sang in the opera LaBoehme by Puccini with the Indianapolis Opera Company so he was especially disappointed at not being able to see the museum as he was looking forward to that visit.  They toured Lucca, had a performance there, and enjoyed roaming. 

      Mark and Matt both said that the hotel breakfasts were not good...that the eggs were watery and runny and that the bacon was not cooked, just boiled a little MAYBE, maybe not even that.  They stuck with cereal and pastries and decided that maybe Italians don't know how to make American style breakfasts very well.  Mark thought it would have been much more fun just to have an Italian style breakfast.  (Photo is of Matt and Ali at breakfast commiserating over their lack of yogurt, fresh fruit, whole grains....you know, the swimmers' breakfast!) 

There's Something That Didn't Make it Back...

Trevi Fountain in Rome...These are the five boys that Mark chaperoned on the tour...Matthew H., Mark, Mark Spence, Matt, Greg, and Neal.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

      I know, I promised I would write more today.  I lied.  Not on purpose.  For eleven days, and ten nights, I got to operate on my OWN schedule (with a little bit of Alex's thrown in here and there)...now that Matt is back, I own nothing, especially time!  His schedule today:  6-8:30 a.m. swim practice; 9-10:30 Guerin High for computer pickup and discussion on use, etc., followed by lunch with fellow classmate and mother at Panera (which has free w fly or fly y or whatever the technological people call that where you can sit down, open up the laptop and you are on the net), 1-2:30 working on 4-H project due Sunday (child does project, mom has to line up all the supplies); 3:00-6:00 afternoon swim practice; 5:30-6:30 Mark and I had a swim parents' meeting; dinner for Matt a la Poulet Frit a la Kentucky on the way to Ali's house for a big swim party tonight from 7-10 in honor of Scott who is moving to Idaho (when Matt first told me about it, he said, "Well, they are moving to Detroit.  Or maybe Idaho."  I said, "Matt, you do you know the difference, right?  Idaho and Detroit are not all that close...."  He just looked at me and said, "Well, the point is they are moving and I am not sure where."  This is where that "guys are not into details" thing comes in, I do believe.  Matt wears me out...this kid never stops...he just goes from one thing to the next to the next...bring on that Driver's License!  The rest of this week doesn't look much different, and there is a three day swim meet this weekend!

      So, here is a bit of what went down in Italy.  I will add more later, but these were the giggling pieces on the way home from the airport in the car.

       Venice floods at high tide...the groups had all agreed to meet at the plaza and it was flooded when they got there.  And, in answer to your question about being "smelly," Shelley, they said they did not notice that at all, but they did say that the rivers looked very polluted...the Arno being the best looking river and the Tiber being the worst.  They were also surprised at how small the rivers were as they had expected them to be wider and larger.

      Mark was so busy looking at the architecture in Venice that he managed to somehow trip over a ramp left by workmen and landed flat on his face, to the endless delight of the singers, of course.  On the way down, he got a very bad cramp in his leg and could not get back up for several minutes.   Matt was sure that Mark had sprained an ankle or something and thought, "Now what are we going to do...we can't possibly carry him."  While the kids were sympathetic if he was really hurt, they were just hysterical with laughter that Mr. Gerth had keeled over right in front of everyone on the street in Venice. 

      Those lovely little birdies you see all over Rome, Venice, etc. did not endear themselves to Matt as one targeted him and dropped a little surprise on his head, so Matt and Mark had to find a bathroom to get all that taken care of in the middle of a tour.  Matt said he will never look at those birds in the same way again.

      He is my son...when he went through the Vatican Museums, Matt took over 250 photos of "things I know Mom would like to see."  He was so right.  (At the left is St. Helen's casket.  She was the mother of Constantine and converted him to the Catholic faith.) When they toured around, he also took around 200 photos of flowers "these flower pictures are all for you, Mom, as I know how you love flowers."  That's probably why they ended up with 3000 pictures...he kept taking photos of all the things he knew I would love...is that a good son or what?

      Ali confessed at the airport upon return that she had packed seven pairs of shoes for the trip, not the six she had originally admitted to...however, as she reasoned..."I have very small feet, so three of my pairs would equal ONE of Matt's size 13-1/2 pairs."  Good point, Ali. 

      The last words at the airport from me were these:  "Have a great time, take lots of pictures so I can see it all and hear all the stories when you get back, I will miss you both, and take good care of Didgy!"  Didgy is, or rather was, my digital camera.  The first thing I heard when they landed on Sunday, was Buddy (Ali's dad who also went on the trip) saying, "Have you talked to Mark yet?  He lost Didgy the first day in Rome!"  I could not believe my ears!  When they were gone, I was checking out cameras on the web (no one truly thought I was actually going to shop at a mall store did they?) and thinking in terms of getting a new one possibly...thinking more in the lines of Christmas when I never have a clue what to say when they ask me what I want because I usually truly don't want anything...this year, I was actually going to have something to name!  After seeing the prices, however, and really thinking about it, I had decided that my old was good enough and I didn't NEED a new one, so I pretty much just thought "no" on the whole thing.  I felt a little disloyal, dismissing Didgy so readily, but...now the feelings are running along these lines:  I will miss Didgy, BUT I am fairly certain that the new, and even better camera (sorry Didge) is going to be a sure thing fairly soon.  How coincidental was that?  Christmas in July!  Maybe I am more technological than I realized.  (Still not getting a web cam, however.) 

Been There, Done That, Have the T-Shirt...

Matthew in Pisa, Italy

It was great to see the ICC singers arrive at the airport today all safe and sound and looking very fit, albeit a little tired.  Smiles, hugs, kisses in profusion...and that was just the singers all saying goodbye to one another after the tour!  When we parents finally got a chance, one hug and I do believe my son has grown again in those eleven days.  It felt so good just to see him and his wonderful smile.  "Hi, Mom!  I missed you so much but I had a great time!"  Now, is that a perfect greeting or what?  And off he went to say further goodbyes and retrieve his luggage while I waited in line for a turn to say hello to my husband after all those days, who was dispensing of chaperoning duties and greeting the families of the boys that he chaperoned during the tour for last minute bits and pieces. While I waited, I got lots of hugs from the other guys in the group, and heard lots of cute stories from the girls.   The wait was, however, worth it...he is pretty much perfect at the greetings also.  Ah...to have everyone home again! 

      Suitcases are unpacked, laundry is started, stories are being shared, the photos are on the TV screen (ohmyword they took over 3000 of them), and we are now taking a break so that Mark can run Alex over to get a new pair of glasses...don't ask...so I am blogging this because I had 57 emails this morning asking where my blog news has been these last few days!  I will update more tomorrow, but for now:  They're back, they're looking fit; they're just thrilled with the whole experience, and believe it or not...they're talking about next year already! 

No Luck on Photos from There to Here...

Basilica di San Marco in Venice, Italy (St. Mark's)

      Although Mark has called each evening from Italy, the photos are going to have to wait until he returns as he has not figured out how to download them, or upload them, or whatever it is that you do to get them from there to here.  Matthew is usually in charge of all that, and since they return to the hotel so late in the evenings, he has no time to do that before he needs to be in his room with lights out.  The ones posted on the site are from one of the other chaperones, and therefore, usually only the singers in that little group...a few glimpses of Matt, but you need to know where to look to figure it out...so, although I am getting a lot of emails requesting photos...can't do anything about that just yet.  Probably next week when they return and we will post some on my flickr site.

     They are finished with singing performances as of this evening after the Mass at the Basilica di San Marco in Venice.  They arrived in Venice this morning via a boat ride and were thrilled to be able to see it all coming in that way.  They toured, shopped, visited a glass blowing factory, and then had a gondola ride before the big performance at San Marco.  Tonight was the formal send off banquet as the tour splits into two groups tomorrow morning, one going back to Rome for more sightseeing and the other going to Milan for shopping before heading back separately to the USA.  Matt had purchased a couple of new neckties and wore one for this evening's banquet as it was all "dress up" for the kids, which they really enjoy doing each year at the conclusion of the tours.

      Since it was almost 1:00 a.m. when Mark was calling, we didn't talk long as he sounded very tired (but happy) and I knew he still had office email to go through before retiring.  They leave at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow for the final leg back to Rome.  They are both having a wonderful time and can't believe it all is going so quickly...always the way with vacations, right?  They have certainly squeezed about as much into this time period as I think was humanly possible! 

Thursday's Favorites Fare

My favorite reading chair under the birch beside the pool...Alex trying to work on a tan and "entertaining" me to no end with his views on life...ah, to be 14 again...well...actually, no thanks...would any of us really want to go back to being 14 again?  I can't think that 14 is one of those ages anyone would care to go back and re-live...14 is between childhood and adulthood...with no clear cut path leading in or out of age 14! (Hmmm...maybe every age has some of that!)  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

READING:  Redemption:  The Last Battle of the Civil War by Nicholas Lemann (Mississippi's attempt to abolish (violently in 1875) the civil rights of the slaves and blacks after the Civil War)

POOLSIDE READING:  Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

LISTENING TO:  Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor

COOKING THROUGH:  4th of July recipes...some traditions should just be kept from year to year!

FAV NEW FIND:   a plout:  it is a fruit that is a cross, I have been told at the market, between a plum and an apricot...it is very sweet, so if you make a crumble out of it, you don't need much, if any, sugar...very juicy and tasty on its own...high in Vitamin A....also a little pricey, but fun to try something new anyway.

FAV THING TODAY;  Getting my desk all organized for the coming school year...out with all the homeschooling stuff (a little sad actually), but in with all the new folders for the high school packets of things that keep arriving here in anticipation of a smooth transfer in August.  Best of all:  I have a "Volunteer" folder for St. Theodore Guerin Catholic High with commitments already...I will have something to do after all...I was a little nervous that I would be at loose ends too much this coming year, but looks like I might have things to keep me busy after all...hip, hip, hooray!  I'm not the "go shopping and out to lunch when the kids are at school" type, so this will work out just fine!

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  37...no swim or choir practices to drive with Matthew in Italy!

GOING TO:  See the movie Evening with friends this evening...looks like what Mark would call a "chick flick," so am figuring he would not want to see that on date night!

PRAYING FOR:  Updates:  Tom Hedlund: He continues to struggle greatly...very small improvements only (has been able to sit up and be off the ventilator for short periods of time and knows his address, etc.).  Keep praying. Please continue to pray for the safety and well being of the ICC travelers in Italy.  NEW:  Praying for Carrie (not her real name), a Gabriel project client, that she will choose life for her child, please join me. 

Over There

Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy where the kids got to do a lot of shopping yesterday to buy things to take home, so they "shopped and shopped and shopped!"  They went to the Galleria dell'Accademia museum where they got to see, among other things, Michelangelo's David which was "awesome, being in front of the original and all."  They did an "outstanding job" at their singing performance and were delighted that it was a packed house.  On the bus ride back to Montecatini they were all singing in Italian and having a great time together.  How much do we love being in the Indianapolis Children's Choir?!

They're All There!

A nice big fat bumblebee enjoying our beebalm garden.  (No internet connections yet, so no photos from Italy from the singers yet.)  This little guy was pretty cute, however...and he had about twenty friends with him! 

Well, they are all there, and having a great time!  Sunday night the last of the ICC singing crew arrived and by breakfast everyone was busy greeting one another and catching up with all the travel stories.  After a short trip to Pisa, "nothing much going on there" (except this thing called the Leaning Tower where they all had their pictures taken), they went on to Lucca where they had a wonderful time sightseeing in the walled part of town, shopping, getting photos taken with Puccini's statue, singing, etc.  Today, Tuesday, they boarded the buses early to go to Florence.  Mark said it was so beautiful, but very crowded with tourists, etc., very hot, and when he comes back to Italy again, it is definitely not going to be in the summer.  He also said it was worth every moment and everyone was having a fantastic time sightseeing, going to museums, shopping, and singing.  Kids were all being fantastic.

    Matthew is loving every minute.  He has been running in the mornings on the mountain paths at Montecatini as the pools don't look that appealing (there is no one pickier about swimming pools than a swimmer, let me tell you) and the spas in Montecatini haven't passed muster either.  He is loving the food, of course, as Matt loves trying anything new (well, I think he passed on the bird's head soup in China, but that has been it so far in his travels).  Maria is having a bit of stomach trouble with traveling, but still able to tour and sing.  Alea and Ali are having a ball...Ali taking endless ribbing for bringing SIX PAIRS OF SHOES (oh, you know those CARMEL chicks!)...Matthew H. is not eating as much as the other guys in Mark's group, but the others are all in growing spurts, so that might account for some of it...the other guys are putting away the food but walking it all off every day (which Coach Ian will be happy to hear).  Today was a long day and they did not return to the hotel after the concert until almost midnight, so they all went straight to bed with no silliness.  I think age is catching up with Mark a bit...chasing after all these kids all day who go non-stop is starting to tell on him...he sounded very tired (but happy) tonight.  And, he said he misses me a lot...how cute is that?  Comments like this score major points in the husband department.  In truth, I am missing the two of them a lot also.  It's fun when they get back with all the photos and stories and we make the scrapbook.  In the meantime, I am happy that they are off together making lots of memories and having such a great time...and, if truth be told, it is also nice to have some time to do some things I enjoy doing myself...chick flicks being high on the list as they are so rarely patient with that when they are home.  MNO last night was a lot of fun...I think Shelley's husband, Brian, probably has a new appreciation for all of Shelley's MNO friends.  Tomorrow is Carmel Fest and Fireworks...wonder how the ICC group will celebrate our 4th of July in Italy!

Almost All There!

St. John Lateran in Rome, Italy

Another group of ICC singers (ten of them) made it into Rome today in time to sing at the 12:00 noon Mass (6:00 a.m. EST here in the States) in the Basilica of St. John Lateran with the group already there.  St. John Lateran is the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope and is the oldest basilica in the world.  It holds the title of Mother Church of the Whole Inhabited World, and ranks above all other Catholic churches, even St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. (The building itself was first constructed in the 300's and then underwent renovations, re-buildings, etc. throughout the years due to fires, vandals, etc., so what you see now is a compilation of different periods and years.)  What an honor for the kids to be able to sing at Mass there today!  The Mass was beautiful, the songs were beautiful, prayers were said, candles lit, all joining with the thoughts and prayers from us back here in the U.S.  How excited the singers all were at being reunited...now, just one more group to travel over, hopefully tonight! 

There

Thyme (Specifically, my herb pot of lemon thyme...if you like lemon flavor, you have to try this...it is wonderful in everything and, best of all, it is easy to grow. Click to enlarge, it is truly beautiful. Unlike TIME, this THYME requires very little patience...you just plant it and it takes off doing what it is supposed to do with just a little watering every few days..fuss-free pretty much, what's not to love about that?)

       I have never before realized how often people use the word "there."  It's driving me a bit crazy actually. Maybe I notice it more because I'm trying to get "there."  I don't know exactly where "there" is, but presumably it is where I need to be.  "There" are many changes going on in my life and I am trying to make it all fit "there."  Right now it feels like I will never get "there" and the more I pursue it, the further away "there" seems to be.  In the meantime, people keep asking, "Are you there?" (Meaning "pick up the phone if you are screening calls.")  Nope, not there.  "There you are!"  Nope, don't feel there at all.  "How are you doing over there?"  Not real sure...I'll get back to you.  "Is there a chance you are free to....?"  Hmmmm....there's always a chance.  "Are we there yet?"  Some days I think so...some days I'm thinking "there" is not even close.  Not there yet, working on getting there, but definitely not there yet.  It's very perplexing to me how one even gets "there."  So, there you have it...still not there, not sure exactly where there is, can't imagine I am going to get there soon, and really, when it comes down to it, not even sure I want to be "there" when I figure it all out.  How about you, are you there yet?  Maybe time will help.