May 2025

FIAR had the best field trip this month.  We got to see some cute animals on display then went kayaking and fishing in a old quarry.  The best part is the park rangers just set the kids up and told them to have fun and left, no micro-managing; and fun they had!  We want to take the whole family there some day with the dogs, since its old quarry its not nasty and mucky lake its really clear and clean.

Lyon's had another game night, the kids love going; they play games, dance a little, eat a little and talk a lot.

May the Forth was huge success at Jared's work, the cosplayers were epic.

Mother's Day was a day of flowers both real and LEGO.  I hadn't built LEGOs in forever but I wanted to make a LEGO bouquet for Miss Kathy for Jared's final recital next month.  I did pretty good only got confused a few times where I needed to consult the expert.

FIAR went to field trip at Art Space this month.  We had gone here once before with CC years ago.  As the artists in resident change frequently it was a totally different experience.  I even got to join Amber in making some art myself.  Great day of seeing different art and expressing ourselves in our own art.

Then came the busiest weekend in a long time.

Chris, Amber and I took Titus to Statesville for CAP Airmen School.  As it was a long drive, it seemed prudent to just stay over than drive home.  Statesville is a very historic town and I found a recently renovated 1911 B&B for us to stay in, walking distance from downtown and just a few miles from airport where Titus was camping out for the weekend.

The B&B was just lovely, so authentic with a charming backyard to hang out in and much to my joy had two resident whistle pigs.  We spent a lot of our time reading aloud a new book I had brought.  In addition, to exploring downtown for shops and eats we went to Ft. Dobbs State park on Saturday.  This is a recreation of the original fort built for the French and Indian War.  Docents were incredible on our tour and there was a nice hiking trail as a bonus.  We three had a marvelous weekend.

Titus' weekend was a lot less posh.  Soon as Titus got out of the car they started yelling at him, but he was smart he ran where they told him so they left him alone and picked on the kids that were daddling.  My mama's heart was a little worried but in the end he had a good weekend.  The first night was rough, storm came through with high winds that sent tents flying some with people in them but no one was injured.  Then they had a visit from a large snake but those were asides to the main events.  In addition, PT and to class room training they mixed in a bit of fun.  Titus excelled at capture the flag and they did a number of team building exercises; carrying dead weight and moving wood across a void.  Additionally, they had a local show them all about his gyrocopter.  This weekend was suppose to help prepare students for the more intense Encampment later this year; I think he's ready.

While we were off and about, Lance and Jared were not idle.  They had a young adult dance Friday night then they spent Saturday selling Jared's line of WW2 ships and tanks.  I am so impressed with his designs and apparently so were others, they sold enough to definitely make it worth their time.  Jared's boss is also now carrying some of his models at BAM for sale.  So amazed with his entrepreneurial pursuits.

Titus also competed in two Level 7 Tennis tournaments this month, it was great to experience the higher level of competition.  Fun for him to play and fun for us to watch.

Another of the boys friends took the leap this month as well, Nathan and Julia got married.  Nathan is one of Lance's oldest friends and I taught both of them science at co-ops over the years.  I think they will be very happy.  Right after the wedding boys had to rush to Caden's graduation, so another crazy busy day.

Amongst all the planned activities, there was still normal fun, golfing, riding horses and bird watching; this is a new visitor we had this month.  The funniest aside was our battle with the raccoons for our bird feeders.  We tried all kinds of contraptions then Chris came up with his own and I think it worked.  Either that or Oliver did scare the raccoon to death.  We caught it on backyard camera, but it was like hillbillies live.  We saw the raccoons in backyard, let the dogs out, Khan came first but Oliver (old boy) overtook him and got hold of raccoon for a minute before he treeed it (Khan stood back confused and excited).  Then out the door runs Chris barefoot, Lance dressed-up (just home from swing dance) and Titus comes next and grabs a stick.  The video is hysterical.  We could see the raccoon huffing and puffing on branch outside Titus' window, we thought we'd find him dead in morning but we didn't.  In fact our nightly visitors have never returned again.

Then of course this month always ends with a stellar birthday week for Jared.  Boys went to see Mission Impossible in the theaters. Then we all went on an all day Lego Adventure.  We hit the downtown BAM, north raleigh BAM and finished out at the LEGO store in the mall were we got sweet treats in the food court.  Jared didn't quite break the bank either with new finds for his growing collection.

Jared is now an adult.  He's gone from loving Mo Willems and Amelia Bedilia books, re-writing the endings to books he didn't like (Stuart Little) to a working man, writing full length motion pictures scripts, reading Thunder Below and seeing a mini-series in the making and calling English Country Dances for fun and profit on the side.  I can't wait to see what my incredible young man does next.

Ironically, on his actual birthday this year he was at a Swing Dance event with friends, where for some reason people suddenly realized he was younger than Lance.  Apparently because he's bigger and more reserved they assumed he was older and more mature.  At the dance the whole group sang him "Happy Birthday".  It was  fitting end to his birthday week.