28 July 2013

July Escape

Nick has a pharmacy rotation in July that took him far away for long hours, so I invited myself over to my mom and dad’s house for a few weeks.  Nick drove up with us overnight and stayed a few days.  He drove home with his babies of a different sort – his drum set.  So while we played, he rocked out on his drums in an empty house.  happysad.

But here we are at Grandma and Grandpa’s:

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Ahhh.  Good decision, Nicole.

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When we go to Indiana we have to go to what the boys call ‘Uncle Bill’s Zoo.’ However, I’ve noticed that the kids only sort of  looked at the animals.IMG_3835IMG_3841

As you can see in these pictures, the kids weren’t really looking at the animals.  I mean, hello!  Cheetah!  -- right in your face…   Nope, nothing.

This was my best attempt at getting the whole cousin crew in one picture:

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This is why you hire professionals -- and I’m sure even they use photoshop to get it right.

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Oh, and here’s a seal.  But no, not looking at that.  Notice how Brookston is looking at the perfectly average kid beside him.

IMG_3856Polar Bear?  Not looking at that either.

Then we had lunch with some Ninjas. (Nick was still here for this part)IMG_3858


Rosalyn spends most of her time at her Grandparent’s house doing this puzzle over and over and over –sometimes with underwear on her head.IMG_3872

We went to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and, though I live in out of state, we bought a membership.  I did not get good pictures on this trip.IMG_3883


This was the first time my kids ever flew a kite.  We flew kites quite a bit during this trip.  Sometimes in  underwear.IMG_3932

Roz ‘watered’ Grandma’s plants (by which I mean she did nothing of the sort).IMG_3953

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While the boys brewed up some Mushroom soup.IMG_3960

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Mmm.  Tasty.


The fourth of July brought the return of the traditional bottle rockets with Grandpa and his air compressor.

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IMG_3992I love how you can see Everett getting sprayed in the head right here.

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Dad gets a little wet too.  Just a little wet.

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We went to the local firework display and ate ice cones while we waited.IMG_4044

And the boys insisted upon taking pictures of the fireworks all by themselves.  They were extremely pleased with the results:.IMG_4058

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On July 5th we celebrated Grandma’s birthday. The boys ate popsicles on a rock,IMG_4064

and took a nap,

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while grandma and I replaced bricks in her garden.  Fun birthday times.IMG_4071

The boys wore buckets on their heads, IMG_4077

And Roz wore sopping wet underwear on her head.  Again, good birthday times.  It might have to become a birthday tradition.  Eh, Roz?IMG_4078

The kids associate my parents house with long race tracks now, and I happily obliged again this visit.

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You can see tinker-toy starting line, block city, tiger canyon, lego tunnel, spool forest and chubby baby finish line.


I was excited to take the kids to my alma-mater to play in the fountains. 

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IMG_4099I’ll admit that it was wee bit surreal to have my own kids playing in a fountain that I walked past everyday back when I was falling in love with their father.IMG_4100

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We all enjoyed it so much that it made me wish that UNC had splendid fountains as well.  It also made me wish that I lived next to this cool cat who very spontaneously met me there to play.

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We decided to take a walk to the Armstrong Building, yes – of the Neil Armstrong walking on the moon variety – all hail to old Purdue – and on the way it turned into a downpour.IMG_4111Those are my boys, checking any map they pass.

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I think I need to start any play dates that I have with people with a warning that they will leave sopping wet.  Am I right, Kristine?  Kim?  Yes, I am.


Well, it was a great trip, and here we are all strapped in for the ride back home to see dad again.IMG_4126

Next stop, the Empey Family Reunion of scallywags.

15 July 2013

On a Sunny Summer Sunday Afternoon

After nearly a year since the last Empey music video here is the newest.

I asked Nick to blog this, but then he started making van Halen references so I kicked him out of the blogging seat.  That’s all.  I hope you enjoyed the video.

16 June 2013

Love you, Pops.

My Dad has style.

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You can see it already.

He was a happy, cute baby.

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And he’s a happy, cute man.May 2008 174

The older I get, and the more I know of him, the more I understand how very like him I am. 

There’s our small writing:IMG_3784

Me: This is the smallest pen ever.

Dad: I can write smaller.

Me:  I don’t think you can

Dad: They used to call me Captain Microfilm

Me: Can I take over the family name?

Dad: Maybe, probably, OK, sure

Me: Thanks.

Our mutual love of chocolate. happy candy eater

Believe it or not, I can’t find a picture of me like this, but believe you me, I’m eating chocolate right now.

And now I know he and I have a mutual disaffection for noisy atmospheres.  We both break down mentally.


However, he is good with a knife and I am not.

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And I didn’t inherit his impressive eyebrows. 

He’s more mathematical than I’ll ever be, but I may have picked up some of his attention to detail – in artsy stuff, and construction. 


I like the way he holds his hands like this:

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I like that he asks for Legos for Christmas still.  He spends Christmas morning at the table happily assembling his kits.Christmas 2001 133

And I like this picture of us.hannah's wedding bits of joy 022

One of the things I love most about my dad at this point in my life is seeing him with my kids.

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Melt my heart, joy of joys, to see the love in his eyes.

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I love that I can tell him everything and that somehow he connects and has something to offer that makes my life make sense again.

I love you, Pops.  Of course there’s more to say, but I can only do so much on a blog post.  =)