Carpe Diem

Liz and I have been talking about how we can make the most of every day, every opportunity, every minute with our family that we can. Now that we're in a relatively "stable" place in her treatments, we have been striving to seize the day. Sometimes it just means some quiet time with her boys, or silly errands with me.

So like everyone knows that September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day, right? Liz was a good sport and stopped by work to celebrate with my team. Arrrr, me hearty!

On 9/21 my friend Ross from my Notre Dame MBA class brought his Ford Mustang to show the boys. They went crazy for it. Especially Jensen: it's blue. Ross slowly drove each them around the neighborhood, then both of them together. Jensen tells me that it's just like my car ('02 Honda Civic with personality problems). Cohen apparently spent the whole time telling Ross how terrible my car is and that I need to get a Mustang just like his. Doh. So, Ross, even though you got my oldest son to hate my car, thanks for coming.

After Ross and I grabbed lunch at Frank's Night Out (YUM!), Liz and I decided to give the boys an apple orchard experience that included just the happy parts. The boys were sad that the apples they picked with Victoria the week before were left in the car after the accident. We wanted to get some more, and Liz wanted to make her own applesauce with the spoils of our labors (our booty, perhaps?). Some assorted photos from our journey below, including the boys playing in a silo of corn and Cohen shooting apples out of an air cannon. Awesome.

And Liz's applesauce is AMAZING. Her first canning venture, big success.

We've been enjoying our time together. Eli is a joy, even if he's growing too fast (he turns 1 tomorrow!). Jensen is a silly, quirky, joyful boy. Cohen is a loving, smart, active big brother. We're so blessed to have them in our lives.

Jensen has been sick for the past few days, and Cohen and I have coughs. Tomorrow evening we'll have Eli's birthday party, then we'll get the boys up early on Friday for a family vacation! About time. We'll see Grandma and Grandpa in Utah Fri-Sat, then we'll drive up to see Grandma and Grandpa in Idaho. Too much going on with work and school right now, so I'll come back Sunday night, then after classes on 10/12 I'll head West to go pick them all up. Wish us luck... !

Go Team Liz.