PARADE of CHAMPIONS!

So Cleveland doesn't really know how to put on a parade - for 1.3 MILION people.  That number is a pretty big deal, seeing as if you include all the Cleveland Suburbs, there are only 2.1 million people.  More than half of the city/area called off of work on Wednesday, to attend this parade to celebrate the Cavaliers bringing the first championship to Cleveland since 1954 - it's been 52 years.  No wonder all of the adults were crying!  Right?!?!
Aunt Cindy/Mike, and our family each got a hotel room in a questionable - yet perfectly good hotel (for a night like this, not good for wedding or fancy things).  A shuttle took us from the hotel at 7:30am to E12th and Lakeside, and we walked to E9th and Lakeside to watch the parade.  We actually got a good spot, and at no time were we ever squished or felt in danger.   Eventually, people completely filled up the streets, and if there were cars (not semi's) coming through in the parade, we didn't see them at all, but it was still tons of fun. Oh yeah, and we brought the boys  - we were told by TONS of people that we were crazy to bring them  - but  NOPE, they were both amazing.  I mean, we sat or stood in a 6'x4' area, for 9 straight hours.   (We had chalk, bubbles, silly string, snacks, confetti, etc)



People climbed up ANYWHERE they could possibly get.  The Free Stamp was first,
THen the street signs/walk signs, the bus stop was a good idea, until it collapsed.=(

The Lake Erie Monsters also won a championship this year, but it's minor league hockey, so apparently it doesn't count

look at the # of people!!! 

Tyronn Leu (Cavs Coach) in the corner

Kyrie Irving  =)  Amazing point guard, couldn't have won without his awesome games

Lebron is in the yellow hat here,
More people on the stamp (quadruple this amount, and that's how it ended up)

Richard Jefferson, Frye, and others holding the (replica) trophy. 

Cleveland Cavaliers #ALLIN #216 #champions

Adam cannot actually watch the game,
or they lose, he can only glance occasionally.
 He stayed on the tablet most of the time
 and watched the last 10 seconds. 

Our first glimpse at the new Championship hat.
 Insane.  Just Insane.  

Cleveland Cavaliers  #ALLIN #216 champions 

Atlas needed to wear these PJ's to bed. 

They won all 4 when he wore these. 
Apparently star wars and avengers were
 bad luck for this game.  Ares

wore his Lebron James jersey.  

The official locker room edition t-shirts we bought
at 2am from Dicks, immediately after they won.  =) 

We woke Atlas up to take a family photo
immediately after they won.

Tears of Joy - Shock - Awe....  it came down to the last 10.6 seconds.  Tie game.   Kyrie hit a 3 point over Stephen Curry to put the Cavs up by 3.   Lebron blocked a layup from another player, then Golden State fouled the hell out of  him and we thought Lebron broke his wrist.   He misses the first foul shot - nerves in CLE were out of control,  pacing, sweating, the thought "is this going to be another "THE____" moment?  (The Shot, The Drive, The Bottom of the 9th, The ______).   more pacing, hands rubbing together, Ares asking if I'm ok.   Golden State time out, time in, ball in, 1 foul to give.  Use it.   Thinking:  Shit, if they go for a 3, get it, and we foul them, we're tied again.  Shit Shit Shit.   Pacing.  they inbound the ball, 3 point attempt, missed, another attempt, miss!!!  CAVS WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!! Tears, happy tears.  We jump up and down, ecstatic.  Adam went to wake Atlas up, who wasn't thrilled, until he sees the excitement on TV.  I called dad to make sure he didn't have a heart attack. (I wanted to call, but Adam MADE me call.)  Then we decide all 4 of us (at 11pm) are going to Dicks to get some championship clothing.  We got there and waited in line waiting for the business to open.   About 5 minutes.  Adam takes Atlas to Walmart quickly to see what they have (nothing).  Doors open, and people SHOVE/PUSH through.  (I'm a rock concert gal, this was NOTHING  compared to that.)   I put Ares on my shoulders, and he was a rockstar child.  Amazing.  We got everything we wanted, with Adam's help on the other side of the store, and then waited in line, with 2 young children, until 1:40. 

Drove 2 shirts to my parents' house. 1 to surprise dad on his steering wheel (Happy Father's Day) and one for my mom.  

WHAT.A.NIGHT!  

the kids went to bed at 2.  I was up until 3:30.  Worth it!!  

Amazing, amazing, amazing.   I will remember this forever.  






About 15 minutes after they officially won the game.  
There were more people behind me in line than in front of me.



these people are all behind us, there were WAAAY more people behind us in line than in front of us.   Getting the shirts was like being in a mosh pit.  People helped each other out, but so much pushing.   I had Ares on my shoulders.

Happy Father's Day - 2016

For Father's Day this year, Adam wanted to the family to play 18 holes of disc golf.  (Not my favorite activity, but hey, it's father's day!)   We pushed Atlas in a stroller, and he got out a few times to throw, Ares did very well for a very technical course.  He and I played from the red tees (between 5 and 25 yards from the white tees that Adam played from).   I played really well - as in, I beat Adam.  I kinda had fun.  It was about 89* out, and bugs everywhere, but aside from a tick on my leg, no one got bit by anything.  After the 18 holes of golf (which took us about 3 hours), we went to the lake to have a swim.   The disc golf and lake are right next to each other - they even share a parking lot, so it was perfect.  Beautiful weather, the boys played in the sand and the water for a couple of hours before we packed it in to make dinner and watch GAME 7 of the NBA FINALS!!!  2016 BABY!  

We told Atlas 'no'.  He doesn't like that.  He cried for about 30 seconds this entire day, but it happened to be
when I was trying to take a family photo.   Ah well, such is life.

 

Baby Beluga Kyrics

"Baby Beluga
deep blue sea
Svim so wild
In the sink..."

Lol!

A Little Art!

I am not sure why, but I've got a total decorating thing going on.   I want to change my colors and house and.... This happens every once in a while, but then we run out of money to do it with.   Except today!   I had Michaels gift cards burning holes in my pocket  ($150 from Christmas!!)  It's been a while since we've had our foyer painted, and since then, the only thing we've added was a shelf above the entryway to the toy room.   I love this shelf (it was a Christmas present 2 years ago from my father in law.  It needs stained, but I'm afraid I'll mess it up, and it's SOO pretty, I haven't touched it yet).  I decorate it to match parties that we're having.  (I forgot for the 'Dress as a Song Party', so it's still sporting stuff from Ares' Science birthday party.
--However--

I've purchased stuff to make a gallery wall up the side of the stairs.  It is SOO bare, and needs something, and I've decided I liked teal or green.  I want to do teal in the living room, but I'm thinking Adam might not like that, so I decided to soften him with green for the foyer.  Like a nice fern green, or something, I dunno.  It's green, OK?

 

I'm really excited about getting some photos up and stuff hung.  I'm ready to get rid of my 'family tree' stuff that's on the wall in the living room, but dont' tell Adam.  I'm sure he'll not like that, as it's a b**** to hang, and he's done it twice in 5 years now. 

Memorial Day 2016

Catching up on posts, as I go through my phone photos.   Every Memorial Day we go camping with the Gerhardts and other families.  This year was no exception, and it was a great year.   The boys have always loved camping, and to be honest, they're always very well behaved - this year was no exception.  What a great time we all had.   It's our last time at the cabins, with the large open field.   for Labor Day and next Memorial Day we're at a much much much smaller campsite.  It'll be fun though! 


They all got along great!  Even with the little brother hanging 'round



Impossible to get a good photo of all of us.



Ares usually slept in the loft, alone, except there was a short, half hour thunderstorm that he didn't like, so he slept on the 'bed' with Atlas.  I like this better, as the ladder to the loft is ridiculously steep and hurts our feet. 

He missed all of his naps this weekend, so he often fell asleep during dinner.  The day before this, he fell asleep in the fetal position on the deck of the cabin, next to the picnic table.  He slept in both instances for over an hour.

These two love each other.  I often caught them cuddling or playing. 

read this - actually read it.  Hilarious!

The weather was great for going tubing!  We bought tubes last year, and love love love using them.

The Rug of Happiness

So, the great news is that I can update the blog at work now.  I probably shouldn't, but it only takes about two minutes, and it makes me happy.  Work/Life balance, right?   Anyhow, I had noticed as I go through my old posts, that a) there aren't many pictures, and b) I don't mention specifics.  For instance, does anyone know what color I painted my foyer?  No?  Yeah, me neither. =(   

Anyhoo!  Back to the blog!   I wanted a super soft rug for the master bathroom, and loved what Justice and Kate had in theirs.   So Adam and I searched around, and found this beauty at the Home Depot.   It was a little pricey, but not crazy, and the happiness that this rug gives to my boys (and my toes in the cold mornings) is ridiculous.  Every.Single.Morning. these boys come into my bathroom and lay on the ground.   I have about 10 photos from 10 mornings in a row, and it's just adorable.  They come in, lay down, and relax.  Atlas sometimes curls up with his brother, but often is off in his own little corner. 

The rug is a little big for the room; the corners are folded up, but I don't care.  I love this thing - as do we all.   Happy mornings, happy kids, happy mommy. 

Another Dead Tree

Another tree in the backyard succumbed to the metal wrapped around the root system.   Ironically, the original homeowners returned a Facebook message I sent them 4 years ago - today!  I asked them about the patio and landscaping.   This is our second tree to die, and there will likely be more in the next few years.   We have no idea what to do with this area.  We're thinking grass, right now.  Then, when more trees are out, we'll figure something else.   Big thanks to Rick who brought his truck over and pulled it out in less than 12 seconds.   The roots were barely out of the original root ball!  Ugh!  I bet that tree was expensive too!



Dress as a Song Party III

We had our 3rd annual 'Dress as a Song' Party, and it was a lot of fun!    Great costumes again this year.  Well thought out, mine was a last minute change.  The night before I changed my mind, so Adam and I went shopping the morning of the party, haha.   I was glad I did. 

I smell sex and candy - Turn down for what?

Be Royal

Cheeseburger in Paradise - Karma Chameleon

Smells like Teen Spirit

Freak on a Leash

Something about Rhinestones--- Monkey Wrench

Devin with a Blue Dress

Come on Eileen

U-8 Soccer Streetsboro United

This kid.  THIS KID!   He has improved drastically in 6 short weeks.   He has always hustled, but he's gotten aggressive,  not afraid to steal the ball,  he's learning how to kick and follow,  and even scored 2 goals their last game!   (I think there were 5 goals that game).