See... I was right... Mother's do know what they are worrying about!

 My boys made it back safe and sound from their big Canada Float Plane Adventure.  A fun, exciting time was had by all.    No one was injured in the making of this adventure, but if you read my blog

Please don't let a bear eat him it wasn't for lack of my worrying.  They got home, relaxed a little and then broke out the pictures.... And lo and behold THERE WERE HATCHETS!  I just knew it, I knew there would be.

AND BEARS!

AND SCARY DEMON MOOSE!

AND THIS....Wait for it... is a picture of my 13 year-old son getting a 15 minute "briefing" before he goes up in the UNCERTIFIED FLY AT YOUR OWN RISK. aircraft and FLYS IT ALL BY HIMSELF!

Thank the heavens above their host was also in the plane, but Zack flew it by himself!  

I am so glad I didn't go on this adventure!

Turtles, turtles everywhere

Lately I've been a little down on humanity.  People letting their pet rabbits go because "I see wild rabbits all  around so I'm sure my PET would love to be free." Or "I"m just going to run into the grocery store for ONE minute... my dog will be fine in the 90 degree heat!"  Fuckers...

But on my walk yesterday, two different times I saw people (women) stop in the middle of traffic or pull over on the side of the road to save turtles.  That's what I'm talking about people!

Heartbreaking

My dear friend's mother died today.  I can't tell you how sad this makes me. It was not unexpected, but it was sudden.  I feel helpless and heartbroken and at a loss as to what to do to help my friend through this.  I just keep imagining what I would be doing or what I would be feeling, but that just leads to sadness and I have to stop myself.  Is there anything that helps in a situation like this?

I do like this stage of my life.  Kids are getting older and more self-sufficient.  Money and our finances are not as critical as they were in the beginning of our life. And I'm not as consumed by other's opinions as I use to be. But getting older in turn means that my loved ones are getting older... I don't like it when I realize that this stage of life is also the stage when these sorts of events are going to be more and more common.  Parents and loved ones get older and frailer and things happen. I don't like that.

Every time I walk out my door and look over at her house my heart breaks, thinking about what she's going through.  I think it's struck me particularly hard because my mom has been visiting this week.  When you grow up in and live the military life - you get use to your family being far away. Visits happen yearly if you are lucky.  You always miss them, but you learn to make your life locally and survive on phone calls and email.  It's sort of like a scab, you know you have a wound but it's grown over and just sort of a shadow in your mind.  The missing is always there, but it's not immediately painful and sad.  Then something happens, usually a visit, and it makes you remember how much you love them and how much you miss them and how sad you are to be apart so much. The missing and sadness  becomes sharp.  Or something even more tragic happens and you really do realize that it's all so fleeting.  That you need to spend each day being thankful for your family and friends, close or far, and never let them doubt your feelings.  It seems so cliche, but cliches are true for a reason.  Hold your family and friends close and make sure that when you go to bed tonight - they all know how important they are to you.

Hassenpfeffer anyone?

Once again... a moment of weakness and we have a new addition to the Hyzy House.  The story goes... a coworker of Brenna's found this "precious" bunny in the gutter during a storm and brought it home, but for whatever reason couldn't keep it and apparently shelters only keep bunnies for 3 days before the bunnies get an all expense paid trip to bunny nirvana.  Well, those of you that know Brenna can hear the horrified, outraged screams from where you are...

Understand that most of this was taking place as I was driving down to Philadelphia with the Crew team.    Texting is a wonderful and horrible invention.

Then the words that almost sealed my fate came vomiting out of my mouth... "If you can't find anyone else to take it, it can come stay at our house for a little bit."

So, Hassenpfeffer came to live at the Hyzy House Animal Hotel...

He is a sweet bunny and very obviously a pet, very calm and docile.  Loves to be held and shows no fear whatsoever of people or the dogs.  The kids love playing with him and holding him and for one brief weak moment I thought it might be fun to have a little bunny, but we all know how this story ends... After the 2 week honeymoon period, the kids won't even remember we have a rabbit and it will fall to mom to clean, feed, water and exercise little ole' Hassenpfeffer!  I've heard this story before... it's the Hyzy dog story, it's the Hyzy snake story and trust me I don't need a Hyzy rabbit story!

I continue to inject the word "fostering" into our conversation at every opportunity.  And my children continued to pretend that english was not their first language and they didn't have any idea what I was talking about...

Then all the "leads" Brenna had for bunny homes dried up - imagine that - but I was not daunted!  Word went out to Facebook, friends and strangers on the street, who I accosted and insistently offered a free, adorable, precious bunny until they ran the other way.

But I was not to be foiled and SUCCESS....  Hassenpfeffer has a new home!  The actual move-in date has not yet been determined, but he is going home!  Actually just up the street to a neighbors, who have bunny experience.  They have all the equipment - their bunny went to the great bunny hutch in the sky and they have been looking for a replacement and Hassy FIT THE BILL!

Neighbors - happy

Hassenpfeffer - happy

Mom - happy

Brenna and Zack - not so much

For a brief moment I was the best mom in the world and now I'm the worst.  It's my cross to bear.

Text and picture received from my 13 year old son!  My middle school teenage son!

I thought it looked a bit like a heart!

Please don't let a bear eat him!

My boys took off today for their 5 day Float Plane Adventure Trip to Canada.  John and his friend Brian have been planning this Father/Son trip for almost a year now.  They are going up to a place John went about 2 years ago.  

Here's the plane they'll be taking.  Apparently this gentleman built it himself using LOTS of duct tape (right up Zack's alley) and there are signs posted all over the plane that say things like  "not certified to carry passengers" or "this plane has not been certified by the Canadian government"  or the ever popular  "Passengers fly at their own risk!" Now when John went 2 years ago, I really didn't think to much about it - I mean after all he's a grown up, he's capable of saving himself and if he isn't well.... Hmmmm... his choice.  BUT... this time he's taking MY BABY out on this rickety bucket of bolts, on this death-trap from hell on the duct tape express... Say WHAT? Are you FREAKING CRAZY?

This is where they are going... podunk Canada.  No electricity, no Xbox, no Ipad - I'm not sure Zack knows what he's getting himself into.
I'm not sure Mom knows what she's gotten herself into.  This is the first time Zack has ever left me for longer than a sleepover. :o(  I've left him and gone places, but now the tables are turned and I find visions of bears, hatchets and child eating lake fish dancing in my head.  I find I'm ending each of my texts with either - Please don't let a bear eat Zack or Please don't get eaten by a bear!
Lord save me from myself.

What would you take? Make it good or I'm making fun of you...

One of my biggest fears is fire.  Not fire, in a fireplace or campfires or matches, but fire as in my house burning down.  When I was younger (as in 27 younger) - I use to lay awake in bed mentally rehearsing how I would get my infant child, two cats and a 110lb chocolate lab out the bedroom window when the house burst into flames.  For years I asked for one of those "hook to the window, roll down" ladders that you hid in your bedroom so you could escape out the window again when the house burst into flame.  Never got one and even if I had, I'm not sure how you carry down an infant, two cats and a dog.  It's sort of like the brain teaser where you have a chicken, grain and a fox and you have to get them all across the river.  But, none can be left alone, one will eat the other etc....  Because if you take the baby first, then you have to leave it alone on the lawn and the cats are running around the house, if you take the cats first then they'll run away the minute they are outside... already my mind is spinning!  But I digress and I believe have forgotten the point of this post...

So anyway, each morning I have about 12 different blogs that I read, I have them linked to mine so I can immediately see who has updated and who hasn't.  I discovered a new blog http://ohnoa.com/.  It's pretty damn funny.  ***Disclaimer - it's chock full of profanity, so if you don't find profanity amusing, this may not be the blog for you.  I, on the other hand, find it immensely amusing.  When I logged on today to read her blog imagine my HORROR and AMAZEMENT when I discovered that her house had burned down TWICE!  I can't even begin to imagine, nor do I want to as I'm sure that would lead to many more sleepless nights.  Her post was totally hilarious and I spent a good portion of my early morning laughing out loud and she linked me to another interesting site http://the-burning-house.com/ that I spent altogether too much time perusing.

Which leads me to the purpose of this post.... If your house were burning down... what would you take?
For me:

Kids (although now they are probably old enough and smart enough to save me)

Dogs (not smart enough to recognize me when I come home from the store and so obviously need saving)

Wish I could save the snakes, but their cages are too heavy and they don't come when you call them in the smokey, dark, flame ridden house.

Mr. Spock nutcracker (kidding! - that I'd save it, not that I have one sitting on my desk)

I'd want to save my photo albums, but I have too many and they weigh too much because I'm slightly obsessive about documenting.

Maybe the 45 year old plant I inherited from my husbands grandmother?
Oh and the laptop - then I'd have some of my pictures
But, honestly, with my kids, dogs and husband... what else do I need?

Baby Boy Milestone 4,745

Hallelujah!  Our 13 year old baby boy finally lost another baby tooth.  Actually 2 teeth in 24 hours!  The kid is 13 and has only lost 8 baby teeth.  At this rate he's going to be ready for braces when he's 35!  Maybe that's a good thing, are you still required to pay for braces if your child is an adult?  Hmmmmmm....  The big teeth were already coming in and the baby teeth didn't want to leave so I made a dentist appointment to have them pulled, but told Zack to work on them himself.  After all, every tooth he pulls himself saves me $78!  Two more teeth gone, saved mama $156!  So the tooth fairy offered the kid $20 or a left over bag of Sour Patch Kids.  Guess which he chose?  Obviously... the candy!  With choices like that it's amazing to me that all his teeth haven't fallen out!

Baby Milestone 6,750

Yesterday my baby girl went to the Doctor all by herself!  She woke up with a sore throat and what looked like white patches.  I told her I was working but if she wanted to she could go to the doctor by herself.  So she did, picked up her prescription all by herself and came home and put herself to bed!  Very proud, but a little sad, brought a small tear to my eye when I was talking about it with a friend.  Can't believe how grown up she is.... of course I'm not obsolete yet... she still needed Mama's $$$ to pay for the copay and prescription.  That probably never ends if given their choice!

Mother's Day

The thing I love most about my Mom is that she is ALWAYS on my side.  No matter what.  She never picks John over me.  Although in our early years of dating I am pretty sure she liked him better than she liked me.  That may have been more of a reflection on me and on my choice in male companions, than it was a deep abiding love for John.  But since then... she always picks me.  She even picks me over the grand kids.  I don't think that's true for most grandmas.  I know that no matter how outrageous my behavior, how irrational my reasoning or how bug-eyed crazy my thought processes, she ALWAYS picks ME! And while we may drive each other crazy because we are so much alike,  I don't think there's a better gift than that.  Happy Mother's Day - Mimi!

Another new feeder

      My Mother's Day has been amazingly wonderful!  I didn't even mention it during the preceding week, not because I was trying to trick anyone or test anyone, but because I didn't really need any gifts and for the most part, my family is good to me...mostly.
But lo and behold when I got up in the morning, there were presents and cards on the table at my place.

Beautiful tulips and a new bird feeder

     The kids did my chores, we went to Smoothie Cafe for lunch, the weather was beautiful, I took 2 walks with the pups, then a bubble bath and I got wonderful presents.  Two new bird feeders - one hangs on the window and the other is a unique feeder for Orioles that you fill with an orange half and grape jelly!  I know...grape jelly?... who knew.  I also got my favorite thing....homemade cards.  I've always told the kids, I don't need presents, all I ever really want is a homemade card from each of them.  And to this day they've never let me down.

My FABULOUS cards!

 I always look forward to seeing what they come up with.  

Zack's are always funny.  They either have cartoons or funny sayings, and generally they involve sarcasm, since that's what my children were weaned on.  In the Hyzy House you get a steady diet of sarcasm.  I was just thankful that this year's card did not involve any sort of fart or poop humor.  Who knows, maybe he's growing up.

Brenna's cards are always an artistic work of art and generally involve a poem and are always all the mushy things she would never say out loud.  This year's cards didn't let me down.
Zack's card made me laugh and Brenna's card made me cry.  All in all not a bad thing.


P.S.  This was my girl's Facebook status...

Brenna Hyzy

I love my mommy with allllll my heart she's the best mom in the world :) And this time I wasn't hacked... Happy Mother's Weekend Julie Hall Hyzy! ♥

10 hours ago ·  ·  · Remove Tag

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  MaryBeth Crandall Hyzy likes this.
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    Julie Hall Hyzy Awwww... I'm a little sniffly and teary-eyed right now! I'm gonna miss my girl when she leaves me for college!
    

    2 seconds ago · 

A trip to Hell...not so much

I just got back from a trip to the Mall with BOTH my children.  I probably haven't take both my children to the mall at the same time in 10 years.  Let's be honest except for the twice yearly trip to buy summer clothes and school clothes for Zack I haven't been to the mall by myself in as many years.  I don't like the mall.  I don't like shopping and until today I didn't much like taking BOTH my kids anywhere. :o)

But today I was weak... and when Zack said he was ready and Brenna said she wanted to go and "help."  I gave in, and you know what it was awesome!  Not only did we get everything on our list to include:  shorts, shirts, shoes, bathing suits and flip flops for Zack.  We got Brenna's graduation dress and sandals, a new bathing suit and flip-flops.  I got damn cute summer shoes, flip-flops and new tupperware.  The kids got tie-dyed shirts and we all got matching bracelets so that when Brenna leaves for college we'll all still be connected.

Not only that....

NO ONE cried, no one pouted, no one called each other stupid.  We laughed, we gave fashion advice and we had lunch together!  It was not Hell... it was Heaven!  It only took 18 years and now Brenna is leaving. Some how that just doesn't seem fair.

Leave it to Beaver ain't got nothing on us!

I think I've mentioned before how much I love our neighborhood.  This is just another example of why.  1st Outdoor Movie Night of the year.  We watched Tangled, ate candy and popcorn and snuggled under blankets.  It was awesome!

1st movie night of the year

Even Cooper and Zoey are ready

The whole neighborhood turns out

Movie buddies

Got my girl and my popcorn!

Am I the only one conflicted?

This blog is in no way shape or form reflective of the world in general.  For the most part it's only about my little corner of the world and since no one but my husband and mother probably read it that's fine.  But I do plan on printing it off each year and attaching it to the scrapbook for that year and so I wonder should I comment on current events going on in my world.  Will "all" the people in the future thumbing through the scrapbooks and reading the blog wonder about what was going on in the world at the same time.

Will they care that gas hit the $4 mark here or that it seems every person on the DC city council is being arrested for misuse of funds and fraud or that we have some sort of trillion dollar debit in our nation, that many of the middle eastern countries are rising up and protesting their dictators, that Japan is dealing with an earthquake induced nuclear meltdown, tsunamis or that the largest number of tornados ever hit the midwest 2 weeks ago?  I don't know and sadly I am really not the best person to comment on current events.  I don't read newspapers either real or online and I don't watch the national news mainly because I'm not around a TV when it's on, but also because it's never good.  It's only famine, fighting, disasters and government name-calling and ideology bashing.  I don't like listening to my children bicker and I don't like listening to my elected leaders do it either.  I've been relying on my friends and husband to let me know if there is something I should be aware of.
The only exposure to the news I get is from 6-615am while I'm laying in bed waiting for the weather.  So, if it doesn't make that portion of my local news then I don't know about it.

Needless to say (but I will anyway) this weeks news made my 15 min window.  On Sunday May 1st Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Special Forces troops.  Apparently spontaneous celebrations broke out all over the US, at ball games, at concerts and in the streets.
Am I the only one a little uncomfortable with that?  Don't get me wrong, am I glad he's dead - YES.  Do I think the world is a better place - YES.  Do I think he deserved a trial and all the attention that goes along with that - DEFINITELY NO.  Do I think he deserved to die - Yes probably so.  But do I want to go out in the streets and cheer and party and celebrate the death of another person, another human?  No, I don't think I do.  I will leave you with a quote I read on another blog I follow...

“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

-Martin Luther King Junior

But when the Zombie Apocalypse comes I will NOT be rowing to escape!

Brenna has rowed for the last two years, I've been at every regatta cheering my guts out, but I'd never put my money where my mouth was until Sunday.   I have always been a huge advocate for these kids.  They are amazing athletes, probably some of the fittest, most coordinated athletes of any sport.  You see those boats, especially the 8's, flying down that river it's like poetry in motion.  It's amazing, awe inspiring and after Sunday mind-boggling!  I rounded up 6 of my favorite friends, because who likes to make a fool of themselves alone, and off we went to Learn to Row camp. And while I learned to row in theory... in practice, not so much... let's just say if you are trying to escape the Zombie Apocalypse and your choice is getting in a boat with me rowing and single handedly making your way on foot, unarmed through the zombie horde....I'd start walking!

Practicing in the barge

Looking skeptically at the boat

It's not just getting in a boat and rowing.   There's legs, arms and back all moving in the right order, there's oar position, there's catch position, there's release position.  The coxswain is yelling at you, the coach is yelling at you,  you have to match the speed and position of the stroke seat, not to mention the evil "crabs" you catch that practically rip the oar out of your hands. Plus, if you are me you are totally stressed about making a fool of yourself in front of all your friends and strangers.  Ar-r-r-g-g-g-h-h-h!

You want me to do what?

Oar death grip

Off we go...

I could not keep my oar straight to save my soul.  Apparently I have bad wrists. They don't listen to what my brain is telling them to do.  Well, they do, but if I begin to think of anything else (like not tipping the boat over) then they go back to their naughty ways and my oar goes all catawampus and higgledy-piggledly.  At one point the coach hollered (in the nicest possible way) "5 seat, if you could keep your oar straight it would really help the boat and all the rest of us!"  It was pretty humorous, if humiliating yourself in front of all your friends can be considered humorous, which I think it can.

Nevertheless humiliation and all, it was pretty fun.  It is very cool being out on the water, especially with friends.  I can see how it would be a lot of fun, if you got good at it and everything was working in sync and if I could keep my damn blade straight!  I really don't think it was my fault, pretty sure I had a gay blade...just saying.

The makings of a great? 8!

At least when the Zombie Apocalypse hits we'll have lettuce!

My small, manageable I hope garden

 I have decided for some unknown reason to dip my toes in the murky, mysterious waters of home gardening.  My history is not great, just ask my mom.  She has a totally huge, I mean jolly green giant huge, green thumb.  Me, not so much.  As the years have progressed, my black thumb has morphed into a vague, sickly green color.  I don't necessarily kill every thing I touch, now it's more of the benign wasting disease of neglect.  I always start out enthusiastic, gung-ho full of dreams and ideals.  I'm going to single handedly bring nature back to the city, purify our household air and teach the kids about the wonder of nature... but then slowly and insidiously I begin to get distracted, lose interest and the next thing I know I have pots full of sad, droopy dead "use to be" plants.  But NOT THIS TIME! :o)
I decided to start small and manageable and instead of investing too much time an effort in creating veggie beds, I would use containers.  Small, manageable and easy to keep track of, or so I hope.  So, I ordered books, I did my research and I planted... tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, mixed lettuces, squash and herbs.  And I waited....

My lettuce bowl

Peppers

Our first homegrown salad!  Delicious!

And believe it or not... it grew and it's still growing.  Right now all we have is lettuce, but nothing has died, nothing has wilted, rabbits haven't found it and I have hope!

Will and Kate ain't got nothing on us!

While most people in the world were glued to the TV watching some sort of shenanigans going on across the sea, little did they know they were missing the REAL EVENT.  Royal wedding, shmoyal wedding...right here in Hyzyland it was PROM NIGHT!  I'm not sure even what to say about the whole thing except for the trite but true... "I can't believe how grown up they look."  "I can't believe she's so beautiful."  Blah, Blah, Blah drivel, drivel, drivel.  I should just let the pictures speak for themselves.  Let me just say though, I was totally STUNNED when she walked down the stairs.  I mean really... really... that's our baby girl.  That's the Wonder Child... how, why, when...I mean really.... You always look at the sweet little baby or toddler or growing girl and think "Geez, I know everyone thinks it, but MY kid really is cute."  And then this walks down the stairs and you know and you feel a little sorry for all the other people who really did think their kid was cute or pretty until they saw this....

Is there any movie star or royal person more stunning than this?

Her boyfriend of almost a year... Zack-Zack

Will and Kate, I don't think so... this has to be the most stylish couple.

So beautiful, so stunning, so grown up... it really does make a mother weep.