Puzzlemaster

Last Sunday we went to the Lovelady's for dinner and Elizabeth told me she had a present for me.  She bought me the prettiest little bouquet of daisies in a little green and white vase!  They've been occupying a prominent space on my desk at work ever since.

On Wednesday the boys spent the night with Grandmommy & Haha.  They went to the library with them after school.  Apparently they were being loud and kept being shushed, even though there wasn't anyone else in the library.

That night Chad & I went to see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  It's about a young boy who loses his father in the World Trade Center attacks and how he copes after the death of his father.  It was so unbelievably GOOD!  I was really nervous to see it after my reaction to seeing 50/50, but I really loved the movie and it reiterated why I am so blessed to volunteer at The WARM Place and help teens navigate their own grief journeys.

On Saturday Chad & I got up and went to the American Cancer Society to become a part of the Cancer Prevention Study (CPS-3).  A researcher at Emory University is starting a long-term national study of 30-65 year olds who have never been diagnosed with cancer.  We had to fill out an online survey and then go to an appointment at The American Cancer Society where we completed another shorter survey and then had to give 7 teaspoons of blood.  I came across an article in the paper about the study and just knew it was something I needed to do.  I am so happy that Chad loves me enough to do it with me.

After the study appointment Chad & I ran by the grocery store and then picked the boys up from Nana & Papa's.  We ate lunch and then Carter napped and Chad stayed with him, while I took Riley to Maddie's 5th Birthday Party.  Papa went with us because Maddie is Nana & Papa's next door neighbor.  Riley was one of only 4 boys at the party and he was very concerned that I had taken him to a "girl" party.  He didn't really warm up and was shy through most of the party.  Luckily, he found this little toy workshop that kept his attention.

He was so cute when Maddie opened her presents.  He patiently waited while the chorus of girls bombarded Maddie with their presents.  Then he went last.  When all the girls told Maddie that his present to her was a Barbie, he stood up and said "No, no, it's not a Barbie.  It's Sleeping Beauty." and all the girls actually listened to him!  It was quite a sight to see!

While the boys were at Nana & Papa's that morning they started to build a train out of big boxes that Nana had saved specially for them.  Their train looked super cool and they worked on it again on Sunday.

(Riley is looking out of his train)

(What a happy face!  Carter's face hole was lower down so he could look through)

(They even added wheels and chairs in the back for the adults to ride)

 Nana let Riley borrow a one hole puncher and he used old Jake Remember raffle tickets as train tickets and punched them with his hole puncher, just like the conductor on The Polar Express.

Carter spent his weekend OBSESSED with puzzles.  He discovered this Toys R Us puzzle and the pieces all fit together in just about any way you want them too and he just stood at the coffee table every moment he had all weekend working on his puzzles.

He even worked on them in his pajamas before bed.  He shrieked through bathtime on Saturday and Sunday nights becaise he just wanted to get back to his puzzles!

Chad & I were very blessed this weekend to have some fun adult time on both Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday night our neighbors, Billy, Marisa & Holden came over to watch the boys for us so that Chad & I could go to Andrea's birthday party at Barcadia.  We had a great time playing arcade games and SkeeBall.  (For the record Chad beat me at PaperBoy, I beat Chad at Mortal Kombat and we both beat each other at SkeeBall.)



We also went out again on Sunday afternoon.  After church we took the boys to Lucile's for lunch and then we took them to Nana & Papa's and we went to the movie tavern to see The Grey with Deborah, Dexter, Muzzie, Blake & Rebecca for Blake's birthday.  It was a good movie and it was fun to go out with the Jungs to the movies.

Happy Birthday Blake!  We love you!