Today we took a walk down memory lane....for R. We drove about three hours away to his hometown in New Jersey. We weren't sure how the kids would feel about it. They LOVED it! We toured his old church (next door to the parsonage).

The kids found a picture of their grandpa there..."Whoa! Grandpa had HAIR!"

We walked next door to the parsonage where R showed the kids exactly where he knocked his brother's teeth loose (causing him to switch from a trumpet player to a drummer!). Exactly where he climbed on the roof of the back shed. Where they played handball against the church (right by new windows). The window he broke with a snowball. :-)

The kids dug it all. We then saw his walking route to school, his old elementary school and his middle school. We finished by celebrating the way his family did after school events...at a great ice cream parlor!

We worked off our calories at a local park there

and had fun with an impromptu photo shoot.




Okay, so that one was a little wild, but check out N's next shot...

Of course, the kids (and R) liked this picture best of all...

A picture perfect day. Nothing like creating new memories out of old ones!

Wish I had a camera

Sunday morning. Offering time. Middle son J reaches into pocket to pull out his tithe. Only problem is he can't get his coins out.

He tries.

And he tries.

And he tries.

Hand is stuck in pocket now.

The flow is gone from the plate passing. All nearby are noticing there's a hold up in row 15.

I give J the "What is going ON over there?" look.

In desperation, he rises. He pulls out his hand

ALONG WITH

a package of AA batteries
47 silly bands
2 empty candy wrappers
2 free floating batteries
pieces from a lamp he took apart yesterday for fun
2 broken pencils
crumpled post it notes
paperclips

and 20 quarters.

There were MANY chuckles. And, as the plate passed behind us, J was able to find another handful of quarters to give.

Raising boys. Always an experience.