I Smell Smoke

Yesterday was father's day. I think that we had a very nice day for Troy. I made him one of his favorite dinners - brisket and I think that it was my best one yet! We also had our friends the Turners over of cake and we celebrated Drew's birthday.

That night about 1:30 one of the boys came into our bedroom. As soon as they opened the door - I woke Troy up and said I smell smoke, something is on fire. We both got up and walked all through the house, we could find where the smoke was coming from, couldn't see, didn't have any flames - but we could definitaly smell it.

After about 30 minutes of this, I tell Troy lets go to QT and get a drink and see if we can see flames when we get back. Being the reasonable one, Troy called the fire department and told them we smell smoke - but can't see it. They said we will send someone over to look at it. In a couple of minutes here comes the firetruck with all the light on, and parks in front of our house and they all pile out in full gear. I am dying! All I can think is thank goodness it is almost 3:00 and everyone should be asleep. Then as they start going in the house and I see lights turn on and off in every room I am seeing every toy that was not picked up, and laundry basket of clothes that I didn't put away yet. I probably should have used the time before they came to pick up instead of trying to convince Troy to go to QT.

The boys and I are sitting in the car across the street from our house watching everyone walk in and out. Then I notice, there is a second fire truck and ambulance driving down my street. At this point I am a little excited that our house might actually be burning down and we might be rid of this nightmare. I watch all those fire fighters file in and out of house and at about 4:30 everyone packs up and leaves. That was very disappointing!!!

So - everyone was coming in and out house. They could all smell the smoke, but couldn't find the source, just like us. They did thermal imaging on our walls (hence the second fire truck) and still didn't find anything. They finally left with the ever so comforting - we smell smoke, but can't find it. We can't put out a fire that we can't find. Call us back if you see smoke or see flames.

By this time - the boys are energized and not ready to go back to sleep - neither is Troy. I am exhausted and go upstairs to bed. Just then Troy calls "Kristin! I found our smoke!"

Turns out that my water bottle fell on the coil in the dishwasher and melted. I turned it on just before we went to bed (about 12:30) so it would have been on the drying cycle while we were smelling smoke.

My Baseball Boys

Tyson and Miles both played baseball this year. We played Tyson up a year so that he could be on the same team as Miles and that Troy was coaching. It was a little challenging for him at the beginning, but by the end of the season he was able to hit the ball almost every game. That was of course do to some Mommy bribing of icecream after the game if he hit the ball.

Miles did great this year. He was ready for coach pitch this year, and he too hit the ball almost everytime. He did really good and really enjoyed playing this year. I think that this year it started to click - how you are suppose to play baseball.

Their team did so good this year. They were undefeated for the season and made it the playoffs. At the playoffs they lost their last game. They were a little sad about that - but all in all they had a great year, and played so good.

Field Trip Friday - First Letterboxing

My friend Kathy and I decided that this summer we are going to do "Mommy Camps" with our kids. We have a fun summer planned for kids. One of the main activities that we are going to do with them is letterboxing. We got the kids each a picture book to put their stamps in that they are going to collect. The kids are really excited about the summer. I think that it is going to fun also. This is our first summer that we are going to go on a big trip, so I wanted to make sure that they had something to look forward to during the summer.

Today was our first field trip day. We went letterboxing in McKinney and took a sack lunch. Most of the letterboxing that we have found in the area are in old cemeteries. So today we were are the Weir Cemetery. They were 3 stamps to find there, so it was good one to start with. The kids have so much fun reading the clues and looking for the stamps. I think it is going to be a fun summer.

Last Day of School

Today was Miles last day of school. WOW!! I can't believe that we have already gone through one year of school. I am so proud of Miles, he has learned so much this year. I am so proud of him.

I saw one of my other friends do this on her blog last year. He is Miles on the first and last day of Kindergarten.

First day of school.
Last day of school. I didn't realize that he was in the same clothes. :)

Kindergarten Graduation

Miles had his graduation today. What a fun morning. We got to the school this morning and the kids all did a little performance for us and sang a couple of songs. Then called all the kids up one by one and gave them a certificate. Miles was very somber through the whole performance. I think that he was just taking everything in and not sure what to time of it. Miles with Mr. "Mac"Williams his principal.

Miles with his class.

After the graduation we got to go back to Miles class, and have dessert. The classroom was decorated so cute. It was a little sad, Ms. Hopkins talked to everyone thanking them for a great year. She was really emotional telling the kids how much she loved having them in her class. I thought it was sweet. After she was done, Miles turned to me, and said I am not staying for the rest of the day at school I am going home with you. I thought your teacher is there balling her eyes out - and all you thought about was going home...OK.

Miles with his teacher Ms. Hopkins.

Where, Oh Where, Did Our Little Dog Go?

Last night was a crazy night in our house. Troy went to the temple, I took the boys to baseball, and one of my friends met me there with her kids so she could go visiting teaching. I left the house in a hurry, thinking oh we will be back in an hour, the dog will be fine outside, not realizing that we going to have thunderstorms come in while I was gone.

I ended up staying and talking to my friend for about an hour after practice and during this time the thunderstorms started rolling in. When I got home, Tipper was no where to be found. It is not uncommon for her to get out of the backyard when it is dark, but she usually just goes to the front porch and lays under the bench. I got the boys in bed and then went and walked all around the backyard and up and down our street, no sign of Tipper.

Troy gets home, he looks for her he can't find her. We had some huge storms come through last night, and I was hoping that Tipper would find her way home, but she never did. I know that I have probably wished this upon myself. We have had her for 8 years, and we were told she about 7 years old when we got her. She can't hear, is having a hard time walking so we can't take her on the family walks anymore, she won't stop scratching herself so she can't where a collar because she will scratch herself raw around the collar, she won't let the boys play with her anymore so she spend most of her time either outside or in our closet hiding. I have been telling Troy that it is time for her to move on, this is a miserable existences that she has. But now I feel bad that she ran away during a thunderstorm, and who knows where she is. When I was teenager we had a dog run away during a thunderstorm, and I have always felt bad about that.

We have placed ads on the Savannah blogs for her, but right now she has been gone over 24 hours, and the boys haven't mentioned her once. That is really sad, she has been a member our family the longest, and yet has become the most unnoticed. I don't know how I feel about this right now, I am sad that she is gone, especially knowing that she was scared when she ran away. Part of me is thinking - the boys haven't noticed that she is gone. Would it be more traumatic for them to realize in a couple of weeks that she is gone and they haven't missed her, or to find her and have the boys deal with her dying in the future.

Miles Can Ride a Bike

Our school, sports, church and all activities have been cancelled this week because of the swine flu paranoia. One good thing has come out of it. Miles has decided that after more than a year of trying to learn how to ride a bike - he can do it all by himself now. We actually were able to ride around the block a couple of times today. Way to go Miles!!