Then and...Well Just Then

I thought about doing another then and now but since I am the one who takes most of the photos and I am not inclined to do a self-portrait (ala Spencer) there aren't any current photos of me. The mandatory school yearbook photo that is taken at work doesn't count either. Although last year's wasn't too bad really. I dug this up because the ASB leader at school requested a middle school picture from the staff for some contest she is planning for the kids. I'm not positive that this is really a middle school picture because I can't remember which grade I was actually in when this picture was taken. Could be anywhere from 4th to 6th. The only other choice I had was an 8th grade photo and that is a face that is best not revisited. So this is the one I turned in. I guess you can see now where Tucker gets the flippy ends on his long hair. Kind of makes me wonder how he would look with a cute little white barrette in his hair. It also really shows how much Spencer really does look like me. Cooper too. I'm not sure I remember much about being that age. Perhaps when I am old and slipping into dementia it will all come back to me.

Spencer Turns 12!

I don't know what you would call these. Blackmail? Payback?? Today is an auspicious day. Yes, we all know what it means nationally, but more importantly to us, it is Spencer's birthday. These pictures are evidence of what he did this summer when I was at work. My camera was just lying there (in it's case) begging some young, pre-teen to take self-portraits. I guess things get a little dull when mom is not around. There were actually about 6-8 pictures--even after I told him to stop taking pictures of himself. What did Spencer want for his birthday?? He has spent many hours contemplating this very issue, crafting and re-crafting birthday lists which he places on the refrigerator for all to see. He has been dying to have a cell phone. For what reason we are not clear. Chances of that happening are...well, use whatever trite saying that comes to mind about never. (Hence the re-crafting.) He loves movies so there is always a variety of those on his list as well as gift cards. Top of the list though (with cell phone out) was a digital camera which is what we got him. Future as a photographer? As long as he leaves these pictures out of any portfolio maybe he has a future. Some amazing things about him in recent months:

• His voice sounds like he is getting a cold--no confusing him with me on the phone any more
• His feet are nearly as big as his dad's (he's wearing Tucker's soccer shoes from this past spring)
• He is growing what Cooper likes to call "armpit beards"
• He is within about an inch of being taller than me
• He is the tallest boy on his soccer team

In other words he's growing up!

Then & Now

Since everyone else was doing these before and after photos, I thought I would jump on the bandwagon. I do have some before and after photos of my kitchen but that is not what I am sharing (although it is pretty amazing actually). This is a more personal before and after or actually then and now. I have had a tradition of taking a picture of the boys on the first day of school since Tucker started kindergarten (got the idea out of some magazine). And so I have a pictorial chronology of how they have grown and changed. We also take picture with their teacher on the last day of school--although that is only through elementary school. I think you can figure out which are the befores and which are the afters. Scary how much they change and how fast it happens. Tucker is just three short years away from being gone. I just won't think about that right now. I'll do my Scarlett O'Hara impression and think about it tomorrow. And yes, that is the same rug lying in front of the door in all the then & now pictures as Spencer so brilliantly pointed out. I have always meant to get something different but have just never gotten around to it. Just not a priority. If you have my name for Christmas there's an easy gift! Cooper is too close to his first day of school for there to be much of a difference. Although I swear he must weigh at least 20 pounds more than he did in kindergarten. That boy is going to eat us out of house and home as the saying goes. So here is a picture of him in front of his favorite vehicle--the mini Cooper naturally--complete with "The Italian Job " wheels. (Not our car, it's friend's).

Camano Cupcake

A few weekends ago the boys & I spent two days at our friend's cabin on Camano Island. This is the view from the deck of the "cupcake cabin". The cabin is octagonal and kind of looks like a cupcake. We had glorious time and the weather was absolutely lovely. The highlight of the two days was "killer croquet". The boys would set up these elaborate and impossible croquet courses and compete against each other and our friends Neil & Steph. They would make up rules like if your ball went in the sand or fell down the stairs you had to go back to the start. The wickets(?) were set right in front of said sand and stairs. Needless to say there were some really long games. Fun was had by all. That's Neil in the boat with Cooper. I rode in that rowboat with Neil last summer and it was pretty tippy. I tried not to think about that as Neil rowed Cooper parallel to the shore. Neil also helped Tucker with the Algebra correspondence course we signed Tucker up for this summer. He's a great guy--Neil (well, and Tucker too). Yes, it is true that Tucker's parents are unbelievably cruel and made their son study math over the summer. Obviously the strain of it all was too much for Tucker as you can see in the picture. He actually slept like that for probably 45 minutes. Perhaps he will be motivated by this summer's experience to actually do better in math this year so he won't have to repeat it again next summer?? Only time will tell.