The Hat

A few weeks ago we went the the beach with some friends and Seamus' friend attended wearing a hat. It was black with a red and tan band on it. It might have had a small feather on it too. The hat kind of reminded me of the hats of the 1940s and 50s. Think Jimmy Stewart in A Philadelphia Story or Frank Sinatra. Anyhoo, Seamus kept taking it from his friend and wearing it. In fact, most of the boys were trying to wear the hat. At first I thought they were just playing some kind of game, but it became pretty clear that they all just wanted to wear the hat.

Then a couple days later we were at our friends' house and another boy had a similar hat. This kid was younger than Seamus. Once again, Shea mysteriously acquired the hat and wore it as much as he could before the kid took it back. It seemed weird to think of Seamus caring about his clothing or appearance, but his affection for this style hat was obvious. He thought it was cool. He thought HE was cool in it.

Segue to last week: I went to Target and saw the same style hat in the men's section. There were many different colors and among the batch I found one on sale. I decided to get it and see if Shea liked it. Boy did he! I think he wore that hat all of 4th of July weekend. Every single day. The hat is actually too big for his small head. When I saw it, I didnt even look at the size which is a M/L. I was looking at the price. But Seamus didnt care that it was too big. Before he wears it, he stuffs it with toilet paper so it fits on his head.

How stinking cute is that?

Happy Tuesday.

Busy Weekend Starts Today.

Because of the busy weekend coming up, this post is going to be super brief.

My parents gave me and the boys their season tix so we headed down to the ballpark Thursday to watch the Padres play the Astros. We lost badly, but the boys and I had the best time. Gosh I love Padre games at Petco! Its such a nice park to watch baseball. Yesterday was a perfect day - sunny and warm, but not hot. There was a wonderful breeze that blew into us most of the game. Two foul balls came our way and we didnt catch them. That was super exciting. Ive never caught a foul ball before and we were soooooo close. Then in the ninth inning, a swarm of bees flew onto the field and they had to delay the game for an hour. It was a trip!




I have some scrapping to do this morning. Im late on my deadlines. We have a birthday party today and 4th of July stuff going on tomorrow. This week has been a whirlwind! Im not going to be posting this weekend so here's wishing you guys all a Happy 4th of July and a safe weekend.

Happy Friday. :)

Rock You Like A Hurricane

In the summer time, the boys and I are at my parents' pool a lot. We will go there at least 5 days a week. I wait for summer all year long to sit under the palapa at my childhood pool and watch the kids play. It is my happy place. I did the page below to record how special the pool is for me and my family.



I call the pool my "parents' pool" because its located at my parents' house, but its actually my dad's pool. He loves it. He maintains it. He swims in it. Its been this way for 30+ years. On any given day you can see him down there reading a book under the palapa or taking a dip. I associate the pool as much with my dad as I do his love for the Lakers. Pool = Dad.

Another thing about my dad and his pool, he can be very particular about it. When he is around, he will admonish the kids about playing with their legos inside the pool. He will remind them over and over again about bringing all the toys and floaties out upon leaving. He will get irritated when the boys bring dirt or grass into the pool via the yard. He's not usually ok with diving for pennies and coins. The pool is his baby and he can sometimes come off like a mean old man defending it. Usually when we're there, Dad isnt and what Dad doesnt know wont kill him. We have learned to clean up well. But when he is there, we all know that he is prone to sudden outbursts regarding his dearest - the pool.

A recent pool activity Seamus and Finn have created is called "the hurricane." They dont usually do it when the two of them are alone because they cant create enough force for generate waves. However, if the boys have friends over they'll always do it. Each kid will take a floatie, mostly intertubes or boogie boards, and they will pound up and down on the water creating waves. Then, one or two of them will peel off and try to ride the boogie board or intertube amongst the waves. The problem with doing "the hurricane" is that a lot of water comes out of the pool once it gets going. The waves can get surprisingly big and the water will splash out of the pool in large quanities.

My dad hates this and will get very agitated when the kids do it at his pool. Hence, we dont do it (when he is around.)

Yesterday we went up to see our friends, the Whitneys. Summertime and school breaks are the only times of the year we get to see Tara, Jeff, Drew, Nathan, Mckenna and Anna. When we visit them, we can usually be found lounging around their community pool. Yesterday while playing in a pool that is NOT my father's, my boys convinced the Whitney kids to create "the hurricane." Im sure that the Whitney and McGarvey clans have generated the hurricane before, but yesterday was the first time I got some pictures of it.

So... without further adieu I give you the world premiere photographs of "the hurricane." Brought to you by Seamus, Drew, Nathan, Anna and Finn. (note* if you happen to have the song "Rock you Like A Hurricane" by the Scorpians it makes a great backdrop to viewing these pictures. I presently have it on right now.)



Happy Thursday! :)

Where The Turf Meets the Surf

Yesterday we went for our annual visit to the Del Mar Fair. We had a pretty good time. It wasnt too hot or too crowded. Still, I came home thinking it didnt go as well as it had in the past. I think Ive narrowed down the reasons why.

For starters, the boys are in between rides. Let me explain: at the Del Mar Fair there is a little kid area where they have a ton of rides for kids under 7 or 8 and then there is a big kid area where they have lots of BIG rides. In years past, weve gone straight to the little kid area where the boys have always enjoyed themselves. But this year, those rides seemed really dorky to Seamus. He wasnt into them at all. With this unexpected fact looming, we decided to brave the big kid area. They had some monster rides there - many that twirl you all over the place and lift you high off the ground. Matt and I could tell that Seamus was not ready for most of those rides, but thankfully there were a handful he wanted to try. That's when we ran into our second bump: Finn would not dare go on any of them. He was visibly afraid and quite adamant about staying off all the big kid rides. Acckkkkk! Its rough when you have one kid wanting to go on a ride and another who is begging you not to go. We decided we had to split up and while that was ok, it wasnt ideal. I would have preferred we enjoy the rides as a family or at least the boys enjoy them together, but that wanst happening. After circling the area we finally came upon a ride that both kids wanted to do: the bumper cars. Yes! But once again, we ran into a problem: the kids were too short to ride it alone. Last year at the little kid section, the boys LOVED the bumper cards. They ganged up on Matt and had a fantastic, car banging time. This year in the big kid area, they werent able to drive their own car and that, unfortunately, was a deal breaker.Bummer. Truth be told, Seamus was too short to ride alone on practically all the big kid rides. That was a little crushing for my normally self confident 10 year old boy.


There were lots of positives though. The boys were really into games this year and each of them won a few stuff animals. If they had a choice, Im guessing they would have spent their entire day throwing ping pongs or darts or baseballs for hours. A couple other highlights were the rock and gem exhibit and the livestock area. Since the kids were little, we have been checking out both those areas in detail. This year was no exception. One new thing we experienced was paying to see this gigantic horse named Hercules. When I entered the tent and actually saw him, I was shocked. He was HUMONGOUS! Ive never seen a horse that large in my entire life... never though horses could be that large.

And of course there was the food. You can smell its deliciousness as soon as you pull into the parking lot. Matt and I were surprisingly good yesterday. Each of us only bought funnel cakes and neither of us could finish them. It was sooooo goood though. Yum. The kids ate boring stuff; hot dogs and french fries. I would have liked to eat some brisket or pulled pork or a blooming onion or some fried mozzarella sticks but smelling them was enough for me. I cant figure out if Im thankful for that or not. ha ha




This year the fair threw us some curve balls. We went into it ready to enjoy our normal, status quo plan and instead had to hurdle many unexpected issues along the way. None of the problems were any one's fault. The kids are just growing up. Next year we'll be better prepared and Im sure with some tweaks we'll be running ship shape once again.

Happy Wednesday.

My Baby's Back!

photo by Tara Whitney

Matt is home after being gone a week doing the USMC reserves gig. Im so thankful he's home. Ive missed him.

I do not do the single parent thing well. The first week Matt was gone (which was the beginning of the month) went much better than this week. I think the kids being off for the summer and us being together 24/7 made the last eight days a serious endurance test. We did fine, but its not fun. The days are long and the nights are short. My patience, which is in abundance most days, was having a difficult time rounding out the weekend. But we made it and we didnt have any blow ups or huge melt downs. That is a huge accomplishment and Id say about 75% of that credit goes to the boys. They were pretty good to me.

In the shower this morning I was thinking to myself that in our marriage I have done the "single parent thing" pretty close to a solid year when you count up all the time Matt's given to the USMC. I was feeling pretty good about myself - of my strength and ability. Logging in that many "single parent" hours while actually being married is something I can feel pretty resentful about, but I do feel it is an accomplishment too. Odd. I was feeling strangely good about myself for about 15 seconds and then I thought of my cousin Christine. She has three young daughters and her husband has been to Iraq twice (each time for a year) and now is in Afghanistan. It kind of puts things in perspective.

Anyhoo, he's home. We're going to put the kids to sleep in the next 10 minutes and watch a double feature of True Blood tonight. Couple time... gotta love it.

RIP MJ

I couldnt believe the news when I learned of Michael Jackson's untimely death yesterday. I was driving the boys home after playing in the pool when I realized that the radio had played two Jackson 5 songs in a row. I thought it was weird, but even stranger when I realized the station I was listenng to was 94.9. Their format is NOT Michael Jackson. I began to turn the channel and when my preset came upon NPR I heard the news.

I was suprised that I didnt feel conflicted by Michael Jackson's death. The MJ trial where he was accused of child molestation was difficult for me. Ive always loved MJ's songs, but after the trial I didnt feel right enjoying them like I always had. It was weird. I was upset with the accusations and also with the outcome once he was exonerated. I felt then and still feel now that MJ was probably doing things with children he should not have been doing. As a survivor of child molestation, my feelings on his personal life and his songs were difficult to reconcile.

That being said, when I heard yesterday that he was dead it blew my mind! I was so shocked and genuinely sad. Within the hour of his passing, I put on a few of his songs and when I heard his voice I almost began to cry. This totally surprised me, but I think what I have learned through this experience (or better yet, what has been re affirmed for me) is that music can bridge all hurt. Its a universal healer. Since hearing of MJ's death I have not been conflicted at all. Instead, I mourn the great musical talent his was.

In my house and heart, MJ will be remembered for his music. When I spoke to my kids about it yesterday I didnt mention the allegations and trial. I didnt feel it was necessary. Instead I mentioned that while he was not a normal man - a little on the freaky side - he was a real musical genius and I am grateful for the music he made. I hope his music will be his legacy.



BTW... I can do most of those moves in the Thriller video. Oh yes... I pride myself on that. :)
Happy Friday.

Busy Weekend

Last Friday we had our first summer bonfire. It was overcast and a little chilly at first, but the night ended up fun as usual. The boys were looking forward to it for days and many of our good friends were able to join us. We always have our bonfires at Del Mar Beach on Camp Pendleton. The beach is very large but not very populated. There are lots of activities for the kids to do: the water, the jetty, the crabs, the playground. It was great to allow the boys some freedom with their friends without feeling constantly stressed about their safety.

The following day we drove up to Whittier to celebrate a special milestone with my extended family: Aiden's high school graduation. Aiden is the son of my cousin Rosalind and her husband Dean. He is the first great grandchild in my family and the first to graduate from high school. A bunch of family got together at Roz and Dean's house to celebrate and we had SUCH a great time. Roz and Dean always throw the best parties. Here is a pic of Aiden.

I have a pretty large family - one that I treasure very much. When I was young, we would get together with my aunts, uncles and cousins regularly. Now that we are all grown up with our own families, its rare that we are all in the same place at once. There are just too many of us to coordinate. That is why occasions like Aiden's graduation are so important to me. For big milestones and religious celebrations I can bet that most of my family will attend. Aiden's party was like that. There were lots of us there and it was a fantastic feeling to hang with people I love and watch our children play into the night. I wish we did it more often. Here are some more pics:




I love that last one of my nephew and his cousins. It makes me want to get together with all them again very soon.

Happy Thursday. :)

Dont Stop The Music.

I slept in today. I have been going to bed super late so its nice to get a few extra winks come morning. The boys are finally at an age where they can get up on their own and get ready for the day. I never thought we'd get to this point. Over the years, Ive heard lots of stories from my friends about their independently minded children. I have two friends who's children get up and make eggs for their siblings. I have another who has an 8 year old who will make his bed and brush his teeth first thing each morning. Most of my friends have kids that are quiet while their parents sleep. That has never been a reality for me and Matt until very recently. Im grateful. Little by little, my boys are finally growing up.

This morning, among constant "shhhhh-ing" sounds, I was awakened by music. Not a bad way to wake up had the song not been Twisted Sister's "We're Not Going To Take It." ha ha Im totally serious; that was the first thing I heard this morning. While it may be an odd choice for most people, it makes sense to me. Dee Snyder's teen anthem song is on the short list of "Seamus Favorites." To my sons' credit, the song wasnt blasting; it was playing at a respectably low decibel level. Seamus was singing the chorus with convincing fervor, though Im positive he doesnt really understand what the song is about.

Once Twisted Sister was over, the song was replaced by "Dont Stop Believing" by Journey. I have no idea how or why this song has become so popular with my kids. I should do a scrapbook page about it because it really is the song "de jour" for Seamus and many of his friends. If you gave him my ipod today and told him to play one song, he would choose this Journey song. Im pretty sure of it. Both boys will sing it from start to finish but Seamus, in particular, will sing it with feeling. Its pretty cute and humorous for me to see/hear.

The songs that followed Journey were as follows:
Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Johnny Pearson -The Theme Song from Monday Night Football
Van Halen - Panama
Bon Jovi - Living on A Prayer
Bon Jovi - Dead or Alive

Clearly my kids have interesting tastes in music. While Im prideful of the Van Halen song, a couple of the others make me wince a bit. I wonder if this is how my dad felt when I was in my Duran Duran stage during 7th grade.

Oh well... at least they're listening to music. That is a blessing. I love that they roam through my ipod and play their favorites with freedom. It reminds me of when Jennifer and I were young and we would play my dad's records. I can only hope that the music will stay with Seamus and Finn like it has for me and Jen.

Happy Wednesday. :)

Challenge at 2peas

If you are scrapping inclined I have a challenge over in the Education board at twopeasinabucket.com. I made a minbook with a friend theme and for the rest of the week, you can submit your own friend themed minibook and be included in a drawing to win some fun product. You can find more information here. To view more pages of my book you can click here.

I made this album for my friend Tina and it includes lots of picture of her kids and mine. I modeled it after another mini book I made recently about the boys' first year at St Francis School.

If you're interested in seeing more you can buzz over to twopeasinabucket.com and view some of the pages.

Happy Father Day, Matt!

Happy Fathers Day, Matt. Your father's day hasnt started off the best, but I assure you it will be a good one. We love you mucho and appreciate everything you do. :)
photo by Tara Whitney

The Romantic In Me Surfaced This Morning

How sweet is this? This guy got creative and proposed to his lady in a photo booth. ((((swoon)))) So adorable... and clever.
In other news, we're gearing up for our "beginning of the summer" bonfire with friends tonight. I'm taking stuff to make pizza pockets and smores. Im taking my new blanket I got at a thrift store for $2. Im taking some alcohol. And Im taking my camera. Should be fun.

Happy Friday, everyone.

Real Life + Fantasy Life

Real life:
We're rounding out of first full week of summer here in Casa de McGarvey. I must figure out a schedule for these kids soon or they will be happy to lounge around on the couch with their ds gameboys all day long. That cant happen. The problem is, Im not a "schedule person" myself. The planning involved in this kind of pursuit alludes me - or at the least, doesnt come naturally. I have to work at it. I fully realize a schedule is needed, though. I think I might pow wow with a few of my more organized friends (and siblings) and get some suggestions.

Yesterday Seamus and Finn lost all videogame privileges because of their nighttime shenanigans around bedtime. No videogames means no ds gameboys, no wii and no computer. Unplugged. This was no problem for Seamus. He likes videogames, but he doesnt need them. Seamus also had a date golfing with Papa for about four hours yesterday afternoon so his day was fully occupied. Finn, on the other hand, has quite an addiction. He loves his videogames. Its a problem actually and I have to monitor him constantly or he will play videogames all day long. However, Im happy to report he survived the day fantastically! I was very proud of him. He didnt even bug me too much about getting online or checking his ds. Hurray Finner! Activities Finn did instead of playing videogames: legos, playing in Seamusland, paper airplanes, reading. Nice. Below is a pic of Finner reading on the couch. Isnt it sooooo Norman Rockwell? I love it!


Fantasy Life:
I have been jonesing HARD for an outdoor fireplace. I know right? Totaly fantasy stuff. But man... if Matt and I could build one of these and make a small lounging area outside, life would be so wonderful! For those who dont know, we live in a very small house:1,200 square feet. It doesnt take many bodies to make you feel like the walls are closing in. The truth is, I like small houses and over the past several years I have come to peace with the fact that I will live and die in this small house. I dont need to add on. There was a time I thought it was necessary, but not now. There are so many things I adore about this place. Its my dream house in many ways.

That being said, our house is tiny - even for a family of four. We dont have air conditioning so it also gets very hot in the summer. It is extremely difficult to have people over given the natural constraints of our house. Having an outdoor fireplace is the beginning of expanding our house outdoors. The room we dont have indoors, we can create outdoors. We have the yard and we have good weather. Building an outdoor living space is the natural solution to living in a tiny house!

I have these fantasy images in my mind: my mother in law coming out and the three of us spending hours late at night talking in front of the fireplace. Friends coming over and us serving al fresco meals in the outdoors. My boys inviting their friends over for late night merriment in our back yard. Family gatherings at our house for a change.

Alas, we have no money and no skill in actually making an outdoor fireplace. I have the initiative to make it myself if I had a book or some plans telling me how. I hate to stress Matt out with my "fantasy life" but I honestly think that this is a really good idea. Dont you?

Seamus + Flour = Bread

At the beginning of this past school year, Seamus participated in a math lesson where his 5th grade class made pretzels. I think the lesson might have been dealing with fractions, but Im not exactly sure. Ever since that day, Shea has been quite interested in making bread. A couple times a month, he will come home with a hankering to bake. Its been a year of trial and error for him but he's finally created a recipe that is quite good. None of his recipe is written down. He keeps it in his head and improvises on it from time to time. I know as his mom Im supposed to over exaggerate the merits of my son, but believe me when I say his bread is quite good. Once you get started, its very hard to stop eating it.

His bread is typically "heavier" than average. Its dense and it soaks up spaghetti sauce quite nicely. Seamus bakes his bread in a pan and the top of the bread forms a hard, buttery shell. If you eat it while its still hot, it melts in your mouth.

Last night, we were eating Barb's spaghetti and meatball recipe so I asked Seamus if he'd like to make us bread for dinner. He amiably obliged and I got this cute picture of him doing his thing. I love seeing him cook like this. He reminds me of his dad when I see him so focused in the kitchen. I hope he grows in his culinary interests. A man who can cook is a joy to all who know him.

Where For Art Thou, Bookshelves?

"I will find you. No matter how long it takes. No matter how far. I will find you!"

More Boy Stuff

Im scrapping tonight and I came across this picture of the boys and their best friends the Huelsmans: James, Jeremy and Ryan. I honestly dont know whether to laugh or cringe when I see this picture. Uggggh. Such is life with boys, I guess.