Here is the latest edition of the News from the North. It is almost June, and we have barely experienced spring-like weather. Finally it is green around here, but the temperatures are staying a bit cool. The good news - mosquito season is also delayed! The kids only have a couple more weeks of school remaining before summer break. Having everyone at home all day will require that annual adjustment; for both kids and parents.
It will be an especially big adjustment given my new occupation. Many of you know that at the end of 2102 I started my own business. I have formed a company called, “Navigatus Advisory Group.” As it says in my website: "I am a business consultant working alongside small to medium sized businesses; creating growth, exploiting opportunities and eliminating weaknesses. A coach, a mentor and a source of new ideas.” I truly enjoy the new experience, but there is extra stress as I try to build the business. When I’m not at a client’s location, I work from home. Currently it is quiet around here until the children return from school. Summer is going to require some newly established boundaries.
Jake is graduating from High School at the end of the week. We are having an open house this coming Sunday. We have been busy getting ready and making preparations. I did a rough design of the photo card, and sent it to the photographer for final design. We received a proof, which I showed Jake and Lisa … receiving approval from all. Then actual cards came, and I received a call from Lisa. “You put an RSVP on the cards? You don’t ask for an RSVP to an Open House!” How was I supposed to know something like that? Well we are five days away from the big event. Our RSVP count is … six. Either no one is coming, or they just ignored the RSVP that I shouldn’t have placed on the card.
It will be an especially big adjustment given my new occupation. Many of you know that at the end of 2102 I started my own business. I have formed a company called, “Navigatus Advisory Group.” As it says in my website: "I am a business consultant working alongside small to medium sized businesses; creating growth, exploiting opportunities and eliminating weaknesses. A coach, a mentor and a source of new ideas.” I truly enjoy the new experience, but there is extra stress as I try to build the business. When I’m not at a client’s location, I work from home. Currently it is quiet around here until the children return from school. Summer is going to require some newly established boundaries.
Jake is graduating from High School at the end of the week. We are having an open house this coming Sunday. We have been busy getting ready and making preparations. I did a rough design of the photo card, and sent it to the photographer for final design. We received a proof, which I showed Jake and Lisa … receiving approval from all. Then actual cards came, and I received a call from Lisa. “You put an RSVP on the cards? You don’t ask for an RSVP to an Open House!” How was I supposed to know something like that? Well we are five days away from the big event. Our RSVP count is … six. Either no one is coming, or they just ignored the RSVP that I shouldn’t have placed on the card.
Dad & CJ from Ohio, and Mom from South Carolina - will be traveling to help us celebrate. Now-a-days most people get invited to graduation open houses though Facebook. Hopefully we have a good turn-out to help us eat our two pigs we are having roasted. If not, we’ll be eating pork for a long time!
My mother traveled to Ohio recently. She and my step-father, my dad and step-mother, my sisters and nieces and nephews all went out to dinner in Columbus. Both my Mom and Dad (remember – they are not married to each other) went up to the counter to pay the bill. Mom told my Dad that she was going to visit me in Minnesota the next week. Dad then said, “Yes, we’ll be there too.” Mom with a look of surprise said, “At the same time I’m going to be there. Isn’t that going to be a little awkward?” Dad answered, “It is Jake’s graduation.” Mom embarrassed, “Oh – don’t tell anybody I said that!”
Notice that smooth transition into the humorous family stories? I must also make note – stories that qualify as humorous are those that I find funny. So if you are not laughing - that is ok - because I am. This edition is heavily weighted toward Eli stories. You can see why he keeps us entertained.
Eli likes to come down in the morning and sit on his mommy’s lap to cuddle. I asked him why he didn’t ever want to sit on my lap. He told me, “Because Mom is soft and nice and always warm.”
If you know Eli, you know he is so skinny that he looks like he was just rescued from a prison camp. Recently he sucked in his shirtless tummy and stuck out his ribs and said, “Yeah! Like a brick!”
Eli was playing at a neighbor’s house and informed them that he wanted a skull or sword tattoo. They thought it was funny and passed the information on to us. I asked Eli about it, and he then explained that he wanted the sword to be black with gold in middle. I told him he might not want a tattoo because it might not be acceptable depending upon what he ends up doing for a job. Eli reassured me, "Oh - I'm not going to work."
Eli was playing with some boys during one of Luke’s baseball games. After the game we got in the car and Eli informed us that a boy was mean to him. “He pushed me down for NO reason.” I asked Eli if he did anything first. Eli explained further, “He was saying mean things to my friend, and I pushed him. Then he pushed me down on the ground for NO reason!”
Gabi's was obsessing over her hair in the car. She had a small cowlick right in front and was trying to flatten it out. Lisa told Gabi that she thought it was really cute and it looked even better than being flat. About five minutes passed, and Eli looked over at Gabi with a disgusted look and said, "I don't think the same thing Mom said about your hair."
Eli was in a restaurant and told me. "I'm cold, I have goose bumps." Then he reached down and felt his legs. Upon discovering no bumps he said, "Oh, no I'm not, I'm hot"
As I've said before, Eli likes guns.
Eli - “Dad, are you going to watch a movie tonight?”
Me – “Yes.”
Eli – “Does it have guns in it?”
Me – “No.”
Eli – “Why are you watching it?”
Me – “I watch a lot of movies without guns in them.”
Eli – “Why would you do that?”
Lisa and her friend LeAnne were teasing Eli and told him that he could sit beside them if he told them they were pretty. Eli complied by telling them, “You are pretty.” LeAnne then asked, “How pretty are we?” Eli answered, “Two million seventy one (2,000,071).”
Eli and I were sitting together watching a movie. Eli for no obvious reason put his mouth on my shirt and made a weird clicking sound with his tongue. I asked him “Why are you doing that to me?” He looked up at me and answered, “Well I can't do it to myself.”
I’ll mix in a few Luke stories. I asked Luke, “Did you have a good day?” Luke inquired, “What do you mean?” I clarified, “Did you have a good day at school?” Luke answered, “I don't think anyone has a good day at school.”
By the way … in the month of May, Luke won student of the month for his grade. We found out because he was wearing a t-shirt that said “Student of the Month.”
Me – “Whose shirt are you wearing?”
Luke - “Mine!”
Me - “When did you win Student of the Month?”
Luke - “This month.”
Me – “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Luke – “I forgot.”
Luke’s siblings were in disbelief, unable to reconcile Luke’s “home behavior” with that of a student who would win such an award. Jake recently won student of the week. “It took me four years to win student of the week, and you win student of the month?!”
Luke is playing travel baseball this summer. His team is doing well. In a recent tournament they won the championship in a unique way. I’ve heard inspiring coaches tell teams that there is no such thing as luck. I’ve heard it put another way, “Luck is where opportunity and preparation meet.” In this case I’m not sure opportunity or preparation had much to do with it. At game-time a thunder storm moved in and the weather forecast indicated no immediate relief. So the coaches of the two teams who made the finals flipped a coin. The Zimmerman Thunder 10 year old boys were named the champions. Those ten-year old boys were just as happy as they would have been with a more traditional win. They were the champions and they had the trophies to prove it.
Bella finished her spring basketball with a championship win in the Gopher State Championship (16U–AA division). As summer begins she will be working as a waitress and hostess at a local family restaurant. Her varsity school team will also be playing a good bit of ball through-out the summer.
Recently Bella was irritated with boy issues. In frustration she stated for all to hear, “I’ll never date a high school boy again. They’re immature and annoying!” Eli chimed in, “Like Jake?” I guess he knows his big brother!
Our dog Sherlock has a new trick. Our kitchen trash cans are built into the cabinets. Open the cabinet and out pops the trashcans. So Sherlock can open the cabinet door with his snout. He then stands on his hind legs and pulls out trash and spreads it all over the floor. Aren’t dogs so cute?!
Well … that’s it for now. If you’re in the vicinity – stop by Sunday between 3:00pm and 7:00pm. Tell Lisa that you are sorry you forgot to RSVP!
Love,
JR