I am Mom to a Teenager!

Tonight, I was texting my sister and talking about Colin's birthday and she said "Remember when he would make me draw toes on snowmen??  And now you have a teenager!"

She's right.  When he was very young, he absolutely loved snowmen, even though he didn't see snow until years later.

This morning, I wake up as a mom to a teenager.  This amazing young man who made me a mother turns 13 today.

He's passionate about the things he likes.  He's extremely smart, extremely kind, and extremely thoughtful. He is my most sentimental child, the one who loves tradition. He still loves to read, and still prefers fiction over non-fiction.  When forced to read non-fiction, he has discovered biographies of favorite authors (like Tolkien).  He is excelling in school, and while PE has been a least favorite class, he also discovered this year that he really enjoys playing tennis.

He and Nate are still the best of friends, and while they may not speak a private language anymore, they spend hours together talking, conspiring, and planning who knows what. He's a good big brother to Lydia, always making sure she is safe and taking time to talk with her friends and be a good sport when they coerce him into playing.

He's tall!!  I think he's taller than his aunt, and his feet are as big as mine. His voice is just starting to crack every once in a while, so I'm expecting more cracking as it deepens over this year. His legs are long, as is his hair.  Yes, he has a red mop on his head, but when he was little I always said there were more important things to take a stand on than hair. I'm trying to keep that in mind as I remember what an excellent young man he is, even if his hair is longer and messier than I'd like.

For his 13th birthday, he requested Pei Wei, so we're headed there tomorrow after he competes in a trial game for the National Academic League.  Saturday he begins private tennis lessons, which are one of his birthday presents.  He's also receiving books.  Many books!  As well as a Lord of the Rings Lego set and a few other things.

Today, we will celebrate Colin Jeremiah.  My eldest.  My first-born.  My son.

But, there are plenty of times when I still remember him just like this:

Minted Holiday Cards (Review)

Pretty much every year since we've been married, we have sent out photo holiday cards.  Especially since we now have 3 kids, and have family and friends all over the country, I like to send photo cards so everyone can see how the kids are growing.  I also love to receive photo cards!!

One site that has an amazing selection of photo cards is Minted.  A couple years ago, I ordered our cards from Minted and they were amazing!  I loved the heavy card stock they were printed on, and how our beach photo popped from the card.  Such a change from photo-paper thin cards we've sent in the past.  I also loved that they sent a proof of the card within 24 hours for my review.  This is our card from them in 2010:

I was recently looking at their new designs and was very impressed. One of the designs that I thought very clever was their minibook cards.  These cards are 5x7" and are made up of 7 pages that can be customized with both pictures and text.  One of the hardest things is choosing which pictures to include, and these minibooks would make that process so much easier.  They also don't cost any extra postage to send.  I also really like the ornament cards!

I haven't yet chosen a design or even a picture for our holiday cards this year.  I usually try to have it done by Thanksgiving, which is in just a few weeks.  I know that Minted is one of the places I'll visit to make that final decision about this year's card!

Do you send photo cards?  Have you taken your holiday photo yet? Let me know in the comments!

**Disclosure: I received credit at Minted.com in exchange for sharing information about their site with my readers.**

Wordless Wednesday - Peace

Legacy

A couple years ago, Bo bought an ATV.  And then a buggy. And then another ATV.  And another buggy.  (Okay, I don't really know all that is in the side yard -- suffice it to say we have a few of each.) He was excited; he had talked for years about wanting them to ride with the kids. I pretty much stayed out of it. He & the kids have gone riding tons of times since the first one was purchased, and they all had a blast.  For some reason, I steered clear.

Until a month or so ago. Last August, Bo and the boys took a camping trip with a bunch of buggy enthusiasts Bo met online. They had a blast, but I still wasn't interested. This year, we have the RV and Bo asked if I wanted to go. I agreed and we went as a family.

We arrived in the evening, and in the morning Nate asked if I wanted to go for a ride. I climbed into the 2 seater buggy and let my 11yo drive me out on the Cinders. (really amazing area near Flagstaff that is covered in volcanic cinders that makes it great for driving buggies & ATV's.)  He hit the gas and took off!  We flew over bumps and hills and I couldn't stop laughing.  It was an absolute joy!  The harder I laughed, the faster Nate drove, and later I heard that Bo was getting a bit concerned when he saw how fast Nate was driving.  There was no need to worry, as I was having a blast, but he couldn't hear me laughing.

During the weekend, I rode a few more times, and I drove a few times.  It really is fun, and I'm looking forward to the next time we head out.  The video above is one of the rides I took with Bo.

While riding, it brought back a vivid memory of my Dad.  When I was little (I'm thinking 3 or 4?) my parents took me to a small amusement park.  There was a roller coaster and my Dad and I took a ride.  Looking back, I'm sure it was one of those small, kiddie, roller coasters -- but to me at the time it was pretty exciting!  The roller coaster had sharp curves (as roller coasters do!) and I was convinced for years that the only reason the car made those turns was because my Dad was driving and controlling the little car.  I don't remember ever talking to anyone about it, but I knew that I was safe and I remember thinking at the time that I wouldn't ride with anyone but him since I knew he would keep me safe.   It was a great memory to have.

Today is my Dad's birthday.  He would have been 65 years old.  Nate served at Mass this morning, and the homily was about the kind of legacy people leave behind. While it brought many tears this morning, it was also fitting for the day.

I guess I'm not sure what kind of legacy my Dad hoped he would leave behind. But I do know the legacy he left.  He left a legacy of loving your family passionately and unconditionally.  He left a legacy of romance towards my mother. He left a legacy of learning and curiosity. He left a legacy of always doing your best and trying your hardest. Above all things, he was guided by love.  And, I think that's a pretty amazing legacy to leave behind.

Time for an Oil Change

My Ford Expedition warns me when I need an oil change.  It gives me early warnings, then it tells me when I MUST change the oil.  I admit that I like that feature very much!

Recently, I learned about a site called "Motor Oil Matters" that includes a ton of great information.  I admit, Bo takes care of a lot of our car issues, but I am not helpless.  I liked the fact that the site includes an informative checklist -- which was useful last week when I had my oil changed in my truck.

One of the things I never thought about was the viscosity of the oil!  For the first time ever, in response to reading through the checklist, I looked into the owner's manual to find out what was recommended.  This time when I went to have the oil changed, I knew more about what to ask.  In the past, I just hoped they would take care of me.  Thanks to the information on the site, I knew I could take care of myself!

I felt more empowered and prepared when I took my Expedition in for an oil change.  You can, too, if you visit Motor Oil Matters!

*Disclosure: I received a gift card to get my oil changed and the information about oil changes from www.motoroilmatters.org.  No additional compensation was provided.*

Wordless Wednesday -- Selfie

How Often Do You Change Your Oil? (Giveaway!!)

When my truck needs an oil change, it reminds me with a message on my dash.  I appreciate the reminder, because I'm sometimes terrible about remembering the schedule for oil changes!

My truck is reminding me right now that I'm getting close to needing an oil change.  So, I found it interesting that I received some information from the site -- MotorOilMatters.org -- that provides excellent information about what you should look for in an oil change!  At the site, you can even find a downloadable PDF checklist that gives you tips about what you should look for when getting your oil changed.

I know that I often blindly trust the mechanics that change my oil.  I have no idea what viscosity oil my truck needs -- but after reading through the materials, I am going to look in my owners manual to find out!  I really shouldn't leave it up to them and/or Bo to make sure my truck is well taken care of.

When's the last time you had your oil changed?  The folks from MotorOilMatters.org have generously offered to provide one of my readers with a $50 gift card so they can get an oil change!  Check out their site and leave a comment below with one fact that you learned to be entered into the giveaway.  You can earn a second entry by liking my blog's Facebook page or the MotorOilMatters Facebook page.  (www.facebook.com/mylittlepatchofsunshine or www.facebook.com/motoroilmatters)  Just leave a second comment letting me know that you "liked" the page and which page you "liked."

I'll let random.org choose a winner on July 31, 2013!  Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you.

*Disclosure: I received a gift card to get my oil changed and the information about oil changes from www.motoroilmatters.org.  No additional compensation was provided.*

Wordless Wednesday - Unique View of a Favorite Place

Wordless Wednesday -- NSA Nap

Can't Wait! #NSAinAZ13