I'm Brian Fellow

One of my favorite SNL characters.

Summer Raines 08

I don't know how summer goes so quickly while winter in Michigan seems to drag on and on and on...but I just had to break the news to the kids that the reason school supplies are on display is because it's coming soon. I LOVE Target as anyone who knows me knows. I ADORE their gian school supply signs hanging all over the store. It just makes me happy!

Sam, on the other hand, is in some deep state of denial and tells me to be quiet and not talk to me about school supplies and don't walk through that section. Similar to when he tells me not to walk across the living room because the carpet is hot lava. At this point the halls of Bean Elementary seem like miles of hot lava to him. Faith is like me and is absolutely fascinated by school supplies and the beautiful displays in the stores. She wants it all!

I LOVE FALL and everything it has to offer- school supplies, new school clothes, changing colors on the trees, sweatshirts and jeans, bonfires, orchards with cider and donuts... I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to reflect on the fun we have had this summer and it's not over yet so I need to finish enjoying what we have left.

We have had fun at the park, swimming in Mimi's pool, playing mini golf at "Papa Andy's" course, we had fun with our friend and virtual family member Isaiah and got a new cousin to love-baby Mira Raines was born in June to Matt & Bekah. We had fun when the Sheridan's from Arizona came home and we all played at the lake together. Sam is jealous of Great Grandma Sue's Wii games- something I thought I'd never hear- a kid jealous of his Great Grandma's video game system!

It worked out to be at Family Camp using the Asbury's trailer which was a DELUX way to camp!

Faith Friends and Family- it doesn't get much better than that! Sitting at the lake, riding bikes, the striped tabernacle, campfires, watching tween-ager drama unfold, mosquitos, Bible School, Freddy's Freeze... all a part of the magic of Family Camp.

We just got back from a fun trip to Grandpa Raines' house in Valparaiso IN and took the train into Chicago. We went to the American Girl store for Faith and dropped Bitty Baby off to go to the hospital to get her arm re-attached. Faith was so sad to let her go but we knew it would help her. Sam wanted to go to the Lego store and it was pretty cool. The Hello Kitty store was the stop for me. Drew drank his body weight in Starbucks and cruised a Borders Books. We ate at Gino's East our favorite deep dish pizza- Grace was a nightmare in there but she was great overall for being 1 1/2 and tethered to a stroller or the train seat all day.

The Jackson County Fair found the Sheridan clan gathering together for our annual trek through the exhibit hall (I haven't entered in the last 2 years but have promised to do it again next year with Aunt Ann and Grandma Sue), the 4-H barns, the fried food walk of fame, and finally to the over-priced-say-a-prayer-that-it-doesn't-fall-apart rides where Kimmy, Aunt Susie, Miss and I always do the scrambler. We make fools out of ourselves by laughing and screaming so hard that we almost wet our pants. The ride guy Rulan from South Africa flirted a bit with our group and gave us a longer ride than normal and a few smacks on the side of our carts when we were hurling towards him. That made us laugh even harder. Good times. To the little chick in barn #1- Grace is sorry for petting you too hard and trying to pick you up by your head.

VBS just wrapped up at church and the Sheridan Golf Scramble is this weekend-- all signs that summer is winding down.

Sorry Sam. Them's the facts.

Faith, high five for new folders & pencil boxes, even stupid stuff we don't need but love like the rubber holders for pencils and glitter glue for the spontaneous craft.

Only mom will understand this but it's an appropriate send off--- "Farwoo Summah"

Boy Are My Arms Tired...

The heading "Boy My Arms Are Tired" is a new feature I discovered that makes the title a link so if you click on it, you'll be taken to the SmartMarriages website which is all things marriage and the conference we attend each year. Check it out!

Just flew in from San Francisc0- boy are my arms tired! I hate that joke. Actually it's not even really a joke, it's pretty much just something "punny" people get a kick out of saying and they pride themselves in being so "clever". Typically you'll find this pun-ster being the only one chuckling at their own joke. If you watch- everyone else is either groaning or making a horrible face. Another favorite is one I heard as a kid- "enjoy your trip? see ya next fall!" That of course, is used when someone has just tripped over something and is probably a little flustered and doesn't relish the spotlight. This is where you just long to go over and flick that guy really hard in the nose and put an end to their party-of-one.

I digress- it's a favorite hobby I guess- this blog was going to be about my trip to San Francisco for work but I enjoy a good tangent and so I got into pet peeves about punny people. Blogs are an interesting journey even into your own mind. I have already thought of about 10 other things I could go on a tangent about but I'm going to practice staying focused.

Anyhoo, (another thing punny people say), I went to San Francisco for the SmartMarriages Conference for work and had a nice time- I was gone 5 days. The kids did better than they did last year when I had to go to Denver for the conference- where they made themselves sick and threw up because they were so devistated that I was gone. A bit dramatic but it's nice that they like me.

This year Faith only called and bawled & begged me to come home to end her misery 2-3 times. A real step forward. I don't think she even angst vomited. Sam got verclempt a time or two on the phone but if you keep his social schedule packed he's pretty much fine. Pretty much don't ever ask him if he's sick, tired, hot/cold, or sad. He will NEVER admit to it and if he is teetering on any emotion linked to the truth of the matter he will unleash HECK on you for almost making him get emotional about it. Grace is 1 1/2 and could care less that I was gone. Every baby I saw regardless of ethnicity reminded me of her and I would threaten to find the next flight home. If I got real emotional I threatened to strap on my tennis shoes and run home to them. Reality check- I'm on the other side of the country 3 time zones away, out of shape, and was winded by the 2nd giant hill I climbed. If this was hard I'm thinking the Rockies might pose a problem for my endurance. Alright, head back to the hotel, good workout. Thank goodness for cell phones, and picture/video mail. Again, I digress, this has now become about the kiddies.

Did some good work, learned a lot more about the marriage education movement, feel empowered that the work we are doing is good and essential to healthy families. I'm so glad my dear friend Tonya was there with me to commisserate on being gone from our babies. Our laughter and the people we met and observed helped me pass the time. I ate crab, halibut and avacado in my challenge to try new things. Cold turkey quit pop. I got back to our church weight loss challenge and I had LOST 4 pounds. Big step for me and I didn't feel like I was "dieting". Now I digress into my weight loss challenge subject. Another time, another channel.

I didn't leave my heart in San Francisco, I left it in Parma Michigan. Gross. I had to end it in a cheeseball way since I started that way.