Father's Day and Frankie

A great dad, grandfather, and great grandfather was sorely missed this Father's Day.  This was our first one without Jimmy's granddad, Frank (aka Frankie...Ferd...Great Frank)

 He was an absolute jewel!  Jimmy has said many times, he doesn't ever remembering playing a ballgame where "Ferd" wasn't there to watch. A few months after Jimmy and I started dating, he stopped by my parents office to talk to my dad.  He wanted to know "what my intentions were with his only grandson."  ha!!  He was always so sweet and loving and adored his family!

His last few years were hard, because he had lost Ann and was unable to live alone.  Although he thrived  in many ways in the Assisted Livings, his memory was cloudy and his physical health deteriorated.  What I loved most about Great Frank were his stories.  We could name them by heart and tell them verbatum, just as Frank had told us so many times.  His favorites were, Scrappy Moore, how Trace got his name, his old war days, and about his momma having 6 kids... all boys. 

In the last years of his life, he couldn't tell you by dinnertime what he'd eaten for lunch that day, but could still name every ballplayer that had ever played for him 60+ years ago.  It's funny how that works.  This was the last picture I took of him, on his birthday last year.
Love and miss you Frank!!

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Father's Day 2013 started out at the IHOP.  (Yes, we skipped church...shame,shame)  The boys always had the tradition of Father's Day breakfast.  Frank would have wanted it continued, so they did, but this year they added the girls.  We may never be asked back. ;)

We have completely hit the stage in toddlerhood where eating out is a painful chore.  Mere moments after this picture was taken, my sweet monster was ripped from her highchair (that she was attempting to crawl out of) and whisked away to the bathroom, were I proceeded to threaten her with no breakfast and timeout (yes, in the corner of the nasty IHOP bathroom.)  Jimmy then spent the remainder of the meal sitting in the car with her while the rest of us finished eating in peace.  HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DEAR!!!  This scenario has become affectionately known in my family as "The Cheesecake Factory nightmare."

That afternoon, everyone came to mom and dads for "Sunday Dinner."  We celebrated all the great daddy's and a few birthdays.

Incredibly blessed to have these amazing men in our lives! 

And of course, my Nanny.  Love her!

I could eat him with a spoon!

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful hubby, dad, and father in law!  We'd be lost without you!!

Soccer Mom

So, my title of "soccer mom" may be shortlived. 

According to Trace's reviews, "Soccer is boring... all you do is run and kick the ball." 
 Yes son. Yes. That's all you do. 

But we gave it a whirl.  Jimmy nor I ever played soccer (have you seen me run?) so I can't say that I was terribly disappointed in his lack of love for the game, but it was one of very few camps CCS offered for his age group this summer.  We are just trying out all sorts of things to see what he likes.  In the last 2 weeks, we've started karate, gymnastics (which his daddy isn't too crazy about ;) and soccer camp.  We may try fall baseball and then Upward basketball again this winter.  At 6, just throw everything at em' and see what sticks.

So Miss Keatyn and I had to find some ways to entertain ourselves every morning from 8:30-10:30 while big brother in his own words, just ran around and kicked a ball.

Monday morning, we met Sisty and went up the mountain to visit Jean and Mrs. Kerr at Alexian.  It is always so good to see them.  Can you believe Jean's mom (in the blue) is 98 and up until a few months ago lived alone and still drove?  Now she is just down the hall and gets to visit her daughter everyday!  They are so precious!

We came home for some afternoon Superhero fun...

Then Trace took his first karate class! 

On Tuesday, I ran Keatyn over to Christy's house to play with Chylee while I went to Greenlife.  I think they bonded over bubbles.

After we picked up big T, we met Thomas and Lauren (Trace's future wife) downtown to play on the "water steps" at the Aquarium.

Lauren was like a lil momma to Keatyn.  She'll make a great sister-in-law ;)

They really adore each other.

Wednesday, we met Christy and Chylee at Bluegrass Grill for breakfast.  I didn't bother to get any pictures because it would have been only of Keatyn refusing to sit in her high chair, pouring out packets of sugar, and sinking her grapes into my water glass.  Good times...

We brought Jack home with us from camp that afternoon.  Nana and Papaw met us at Coolidge Park and we played in the fountains and had a picnic.  It literally felt like you were sitting in a furnace that day, so there's no better place to be!  Love these boys!

I was so thankful my reinforcements came.  Don't know what I'd do without these two.

Cheese!

Thursday, Trace played hookey from camp and we took Keatyn to school and had a date.  Thursdays have become our date day.  We went to the free kids movie at Carmike where they were supposed to show Smurfs (I was really pumped to be sharing my childhood favorite with my boy) but it was messed up so we watched Hotel Transylvania instead.  It was cute, but was hardly the Smurfs. 
We then went to Hobby Lobby THREE times trying to finish Jimmy's Father's Day present, but they were having electrical issues and we couldn't get in.  Poor dad will be getting his gift a few days late. 
(Mommy should have started earlier.)

On Friday, Sassy and I bought a house for daddy!!!  Child labor laws have nothin' on us!  Keatyn wheeled and dealed at the courthouse steps and we bought our first flip. :)  I've been working my nerve up to do it for months, but got off easy.  There was only one other guy there and he didn't even bid against me.  I probably won't get so lucky next time and I'll have to put my big girl panties on.

When we picked Trace up, we went and walked the Walnut Street Bridge.  We are so very blessed to live in this beautiful place.  And I am so very grateful to get to share it with these sweeties!

We ended the week at the lake.  We pulled out the sea doo for it's first run of the season.  I somehow forgot to transfer the pictures of Granddaddy and Sisty riding with the kids, but they were there too!

This one LOVED the sea doo and is so ready to ride the tube.  (Not sure momma is ready for that yet)

We have shin guards, 2 pairs of soccer socks and new cleats... and he may never play again.  But at least he got a new ball and T-shirt.

After all, it's all about the free T-shirt, right?

Mimmie's Memorial

When Mimmie died last May 31st, on her 94th birthday, it was after a long 6 week stay in the ICU.  Sisty and her 2 sisters were exhausted both mentally and physically by that time.  They decided to have a small family burial without all the bells and whistles and it was simply beautiful.  Simply Mimmie.

On the one year anniversary of her passing, they wanted to honor her with a memorial service at the home she loved with all of her family and friends.  It was a perfect tribute to her.  Full of all the things and people she loved.

The patio looked amazing!  Lots of hard work went into new flowerbeds and special touches.  Mimmie lived in this house for over 50 years, with a view of the river and city that never gets old.  In one of her gardens, they made a stone that quoted what Mimmie once said...

I left the hotel early to help Sylvia, leaving Jimmy to get both kids ready by himself...