Latest project

Today we finished our summer project: a new look to the front of our house. It wasn't an overnight process (I tend to need some lengthy breaks when I have to haul a few thousand pounds of mulch, soil and landscaping stones), but I think we're pleased with the result.

Eventually we'll add some daylillies and other colors to the mix when the weather cools down. The current look includes a juniper, spireas, false cypresses, ornamental grasses and a crepe myrtle to remind us of our time in Texas. Here are the before and after shots:

Brothers together

Aaron does exist!

Summertime

With the summer quickly screeching to a halt I thought I might take a moment to tell you what we're all doing.

Today Jamie is working -- one of these day-long "trainings" that make teachers whine about having to lose a day of the summer. Most people feel obligated to physically strike a teacher for complaining about a day of work in the summer. I don't blame them, but it is a bummer for her nonetheless.

Evan is still spending two half days at La Petite Academy. It can be assumed that if you don't have the words academy or prodigy in the name of your day care then the kids are spending their day in a cage. Foreign words must be good too.

After only a couple weeks of separation anxiety at the very beginning of last year Evan really started to enjoy going to La Petite.

As for Aaron, it's looking like he'll be spending his work days with a parent of one of Jamie's students from last year. We hope to confirm that soon.

Ask Jamie what I'm doing this summer and she'll say, "Sure seems to be playing a lot of golf. Yeah, pretty much just golf."

I'm here to contend that's not true. I've also been spending the past few Tuesday nights enjoying a few games of bowling at the Lee's Summit Strike Market.

Come to think of it, Jamie probably isn't complaining about having to work today. Until she takes up golf it's her best chance of taking the day off from all the boys.

Officially Changed Over

This will be our official style for the future. Hopefully, I can get some of the older posts archived. For now, we'll start to get the pictures and video clips online.

Time to get to work.

We're trying new things

Every year shawnandjamie.com comes up for renewal. This year I said, "Do we even need it anymore."

After sobbing in Jamie's arms after even suggesting such harsh actions I decided we might just try to re-invent things.

Perhaps I'll even update it occasionally.

That's what trying new things is all about.