I really love pets.  They’re like children.  They know if you really love them or not.  You can’t fool them.  ~Donna Douglas

Kyle is the bumblebee c. 2003

Recently, we watched the movie I Am Number Four Last Weekend Before School – 6th Grade.  Not a bad movie at all, in fact Kyle really like it!  Toward the end, when the action scenes started rolling out, the beagle in the movie changed into a creator of some sort to fight off the bad guys.  Anyway, to sum it up, the beagle became injured during their battle.  Then as the rest of the movie unfolded, there was no sight or sound of the dog.  The entire time, Kyle kept asking what happened to the dog?  Even when the action got good, Kyle would interject, “Wonder what happened to the dog?  Pappy, what do you think happened to the dog?  Do you think he died?”, clearly upset over the possibility.  We were all watching the movie like he was and none of us had a clue.  Not satisfied with his pap pap’s lack of knowledge, Kyle turned his set of questions onto me.  Getting my opinion and responses weren’t as nice as my dad’s, “Kyle!  I have no idea!  I’m watching the same movie as you are, I’m not psychic! Shuhh!”  He actually stood up and watched the remainder of the movie that way, I’m guessing trying to remove some of his anxiety.  As he stood there clearly engrossed in the movie, I couldn’t help but sport a big smile on my face.  Just because he physically gets into movies and stresses over things like, ‘Where’s the dog?’.

Finally, at the very end of the movie, the beagle made his way to his owner, limping but clearly alive and on the verge of recovery.  Kyle smiled with a sigh of relief when the dog was framed on the screen.  He was sincerely happy to see the pet make it.  Kyle even looked around at us to see if we were sharing in his joy.  Now I will admit I did say, “There’s your beagle, now you can relax.”  He nodded and sat back down.

After the movie we took the dogs, our real pets Scooby and Seven, for a hike.  While stretching our legs Kyle kept talking about the beagle, and how relieved he was to see it alive.  How happy he was to see it make it through the battle.  I guess this was a nice change of pace, as opposed to the usual Lego talk. But can you believe the dog from the movie was still on his mind?  It was!

Kyle’s passion for animals shouldn’t take me by surprise, because he is a very caring youngster.  When Dog Gone, good old thunder and lightening (Scooby and Seven) ran off, he was sick over their mischievous actions.  Not only because he knew they would get in trouble but he didn’t want anything to happen to them.  Being relentless, he kept calling them and walking around looking for any signs of the runaways.  Kyle was completely worried and stressed until they came back.

Ryan holds Jake as a puppy… he loved that dog. c. 1990’s

Let’s not even discuss Puppy Problem Called Seven, when Seven got in big trouble for eating the oatmeal creme pies off of the counter.  I will admit I lost my temper and yelled like a wild banshee and punished Seven by putting him in his cage.  That day, Kyle put Seven’s food and water in with the prisoner, even though his jail time was only maybe an hour.  And ever since that instance, Kyle was very aware of leaving food out on the counter and table for fear the dogs would try the same stunt.  Not because he didn’t want the dogs to eat the food, but because he fears for their punishment, getting yelled at having a time out in their cage.

During our hikes through the woods, I always have the shock collars on the dogs.  I rarely need to shock them, they listen pretty well.  But before there is an opportunity for the dogs to get in trouble, Kyle inspects the remote and makes sure the intensity is turned down, really low in case we need to use it.  Recently, I misjudged our remaining daylight hours as we set out for our hike.  In the middle of our walk, darkness started to fall on us pretty quickly, not to mention nightfall arrives in the woods first, under the cover of trees.  As we made our way back on the trail,  I decided to cut across onto a logging road where there was more light, ultimately bringing us out of the ticket sooner than our current course of action.  Just as this decision was made, Seven encountered a creature of the night.  How do we know? While we were blinded by darkness, Seven yelped and we heard a little bit of a tussle between animals.  I have no idea what it was, but Seven sustained a scratch from the beast on his leg.  At that moment, Kyle said, “Let’s get out of here!  When we get back to the house we can inspect him.”  Kyle was scared when he heard Seven cry.  I jumped too!  My first thought was it must be another porcupine, since Scooby’s last encounter.  However, it wasn’t.  Then Kyle started to say, “I’m never going into the woods when it’s dark or getting dark again!  I’ll go first thing in the morning, when I know it’s going to get light out. But NEVER when it’s getting dark!” I felt really bad he was so upset and at that moment my concern was not for Seven but to alleviate some of Kyle’s fear.  I said, “Kyle there are all sorts of animals out during the day too.  Not all animals come out at night.  We just haven’t ran into any animals during the day. But they’re there.”  He replied, “Ya but at least I could see the animals during the day and at night I can’t!”  Point taken.  Now I felt really, really bad. Let’s face it, I make Kyle hike with me and the dogs, he really doesn’t have a choice, and now he’s afraid of the woods.  Being afraid of the dark is not a new thing for Kyle and fueling that fire was never my intention.  I just wanted all of us to stretch our legs, get our bodies moving when it was cooler in the evening.

Anyway, now Kyle was paying very close attention to where the dogs were walking, on our journey back.  As we got to the edge of my cousin’s sawmill, Kyle kept reiterating that I need to check Seven to make sure he’s ok.  He was truly worried.  I did try to debunk his stress by saying he looked fine, no porcupine quills.  Kyle asked me what it was, and I couldn’t honestly answer for sure, except to say, “I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a porcupine, it could have been a raccoon.”  Just then Kyle said, “I think there’s something wrong with Seven’s leg Aunt Heather.  I think he’s limping!”  At that moment Seven ran past us at mock speeds to ram Scooby.  I said, “Ya I don’t think there’s anything wrong with his leg.”  Kyle sort of smiled and nodded in agreement, but he was still concerned for his puppy.  Later on we did find a scratch on his inner leg, but the vet said it was healing fine and Seven never seemed to be bothered by it.

Jake running free as a puppy… he always liked to be free

As we headed toward the entrance of the sawmill, I couldn’t find Scooby.  Granted it was dark, but he wasn’t listening to me when I called.  Just then, a very stressed out Kyle grabbed the zapper remote and hit it once for Scooby. Nothing.  No dog.  Then I saw Kyle turn up the strength of the zapper and hit it again.  Miraculously Scooby appeared by our side.  Kyle mentioned to me, as if confessing, “I didn’t want to hurt him but I didn’t want him in the woods in case there was another porcupine.  I don’t want him to get shot in the eye or something.”  I was actually in shock, this was not the Kyle I know and love, yet it was.  He was portraying my traits of tough love!  Usually he’s the one to make sure the zapper it turned down but now in order to protect Scooby from potential larger harm, Kyle zapped the dog to bring him back to safety.  Even thinking about it now, I am still dumbfounded.

This was not the only instance of tough love.  Recently, my Kyle, the one who never could hurt any animal, started to spray Storm with the water bottle.  Granted, it’s not hurting the cat in the slightest bit, but Storm is certainly not happy with Kyle’s new actions.  Apparently, Storm was biting Kyle, which I don’t want to continue, so Kyle’s taking it upon himself to bring justice to the guilty.  This has actually gotten kind of funny.  The other day I caught Kyle walking around the house with the spray bottle like he was packing heat.  Take it easy Tex!  I think he thinks he’s a vigilante.  Anyway, as I gave Kyle a look of ‘What are you doing?’ he instantly justified his actions by saying, “I’m teaching her not to bite, especially me.  I know she doesn’t like it, but it’s for her own good Aunt Heather.”  Too much!  When he said the last part, he leaned his head to the side and gave me a look like he was an adult disciplining a child!  I just smiled and said, “Ok buddy, whatever you think is best.”  He quickly added, “Ya Aunt Heather so she doesn’t get in really big trouble.”

Kyle, what a stinker!  I’m very proud of him!  He has such a big heart.  I hope no one ever takes advantage of his loving and caring nature and he continues to stay this way.  His dad, even though he was a hunter, had a soft spot for animals too, especially his dog, Jake.  But that’s another story.  Pets really do hold a special place in our hearts and I believe they are much needed.

It was last Friday and I happened to be in the store when an elderly woman, accompanied by what appeared to be her daughter, was haltingly pushing a shopping cart.  She was kind of leaning on the cart, using it to help her keep her balance I guess.  ~Lida Krieger

Cousin Katie playing with Kyle

Those that know me, know I HATE to push shopping carts.  Not only shopping carts but strollers and such.  When Kyle was just a baby, I carried him around in this papoose contraption.  It was the coolest thing!  Kyle would hang off of my stomach facing me when he was really little until graduating to facing out, then as he got a little bit bigger, I wore him like a backpack.  My hands were free to shop, get groceries etc.  I never wondered off away from him, not even an inch, and I felt like he was safer being strapped to me.  Basically my point is, I didn’t even push a stroller or buggy.  Then, once Kyle was old enough I had him walk everywhere.  Great exercise and it wore him down, allowing for perfect naps and a great night sleep, for everyone.  Kyle has always, and still always goes with me everywhere.  I guess I got my money’s worth out of that papoose.

This brings me the shopping cart discussion.  Why you may ask am I bringing this up?  Well, my dear friend Kelly said she found my match the other day.  Evidently, this guy was at the grocery store walking back and forth to fill up his cart. That was too funny!  Kelly said she instantly thought of me, and it’s true!  I do that!  Here’s the way it goes.  I get my cart at the entrance of the grocery store.  Then I take it to the middle of the produce section and I walk back and forth to fill it up.  Then, when I’m done in that area, I push the cart to main isle of the grocery story and proceed to maneuver up and down the different shelves gathering items.  This all happens while my shopping cart remains fixed in one location.  Once my hands are full, I swing by the cart to unload the goods.  This continues until everything on my list is crossed off and then I push the load of groceries to the checkout.  Also a little known fact, if I can manage to carry all the bags in my hands, then I ditch the cart.  If there is a substantial amount of groceries, then I will concede and push the buggy to the car for unloading.  That pretty much wraps up my shopping procedures.

If I don’t need a buggy, I love to carry those little plastic baskets on my arm.  I feel like little red ridding hood.  I carry the arm baskets everywhere in the store.  Well, that is unless I get too many items, which is usually the case and I have to leave it on the floor somewhere until I’m ready to check out.  At that point, I continue with the standard walking back and forth filling up the arm basket that is now residing on the floor somewhere, until I’m ready to heave it to the checkout.

Pushing a buggy makes me feel like I’m weighed down and I can’t move freely.  Maneuvering through people is difficult, especially if it’s crowed.  That drives me crazy!  I don’t have the patience to wait till shoppers step aside from their slow moving motions and get out of my way.  Believe it or not, if there are a lot of people in the isle, I will go to another one to continue shopping before returning to that specific isle to get what I need. If I am forced to adventure down a crowed area, I’ll do it, but being trapped in an isle with a grocery cart and several other shoppers and their carts makes me completely claustrophobic!

Since I will walk back and forth a zillion times and not push the cart, it probably takes me longer in the grocery store, but I truly don’t care.  Now I’ve never conducted time tests on which is more efficient, pushing the buggy through crowds of people or parking the cart and going back and forth.  I bet with the speed that I walk at, it’s a wash.  Sounds like I take extra steps?  Yep, I do, but who cares, it’s great exercise and I don’t feel confined to a buggy.  I’m also the believer that every extra step does a body good.

This also sounds like I don’t have a system when retrieving groceries.  However, I do, but I have no issue changing it up on the fly to make my shopping experience more enjoyable.  Not to mention, gaining a little extra movement in my adventures in grocery shopping is actually a goal of mine.

Naturally, I have a different shopping adventure when others are joined with me, like mom or Kyle.  Shopping with mom is slow moving, ever since her knees have gotten bad.  In fact, now-a-days she takes the motorized carts, which totally crack me up!  But when she has the regular old shopping cart, she tends to be a leaner.  She pushes the cart and leans on it the entire time like she is using a walker.  This works out, since I don’t like to push the cart.  Mom used to go through the grocery store and stop to retrieve the items around her, while she instructed me on the items to grab. I would run around and come back with the packaged food items in my hands.  Now that’s a perfect team!

When I was in high school and mom was more in her prime, I would dance around the grocery store while mom pushed the buggy. Yep, I did!  I would jazz run up and down the isles, leaping and making up routines in the middle of the store.  Now I really didn’t do this when other patrons where in close proximity to us, but when the shelves only saw us in view, look out.  I couldn’t stop my feet from moving.  Usually mom would ignore me, and sometimes I got on her nerves, especially when I would get out of control and practically run people over.  Generally speaking, I would dance around mom as she filled up the cart.

Then you have Kyle on the other hand.  He’ll push the cart for me, only because he knows I don’t like to, but he just can’t leave it in place while I run around and fill it up.  He has to keep it within a foot from us and that makes me want to loose my mind.  Sometimes I feel like I can’t escape the shopping cart, like its the possessed car from Christine!  That’s even worse, than if I was pushing the cart the entire way through the store.  At least I would have the opportunity to free myself from the ball and chain.  With Kyle, he has to have it right beside us!  I do realize there is no doubt, I drive him crazy with the way I shop.  Sometimes, I’ll compromise and park the buggy at the end of the isle, as opposed to the middle of the store, and walk up and down the shelves of groceries before returning.  He will start walking up the isle with me, and then turn around and grab the cart and push it towards us.  Every time!  I have been known to loose my temper and say, “Kyle!  Just leave it, we’ll be right back.” followed by Kyle’s justification of “No that’s ok, I’ll just push it.”  Then I declare, “No one wants to take our groceries, it’s not like we paid for them yet.”  He just can’t handle it and ignores me to continue on his course of action.

On that note, I’ve actually had people take my buggy thinking it was theirs.  Also, visa verse, I’ve accidentally walked off with someone’s cart.  Usually, I’m pretty quick to notice and return it without incidence.  But I can’t say that’s always happened to me.  There were times when I never got my selected items back in my possession.  What did I do?  What else?  I started all over.  I might have been a little irritated, but I understand the consequences behind my actions and I’m willing to take the chance.

Gigi sport’in a smile & wave.  I think Kyle took this picture years ago.

I will admit the dumb part of this entire process is when I leave my money in the wide openness of an abandoned shopping cart.  I’ve heard of theft happening from this action, even though I’ve been blessed enough to not have experienced it.  Usually, if I don’t have my purse with me, I will keep my wallet tucked under my arm, and the cell phone in my pocket.  But if I have cash and Kyle’s with me, I hand it to him and he usually tucks it away in his cargo pockets.  Skeptical?  I’m not at all!  Kyle is extremely responsible and I trust him explicitly.  He’s always been my little side kick.  Plus, I use that as a way to teach him responsibility.  I know the consequences if this decision would go a rye.  But you know what?  To teach Kyle responsibility and show him how much I trust him, I’m willing to take that chance, even if it costs me a couple hundred dollars.

Usually, if mom needs groceries she hands me a list that I follow.  This allows me and Kyle to divide and conquer.  I park the shopping cart in one location and give him the task of retrieving a few items.   Yep, I’m making him walk back and forth, but it does speed things up.  This is also a learning lesson, giving Kyle the opportunity to find the items and learn where they are located on his own.  He also has no trouble asking workers for assistance.  Good experience!

OK, I do want to call out that this habit doesn’t just happen in grocery stores.  Quick story.  When I was in high school, I went to the discounted clothing store, Gabrielle’s to do a little bit of shopping.  It was winter and naturally I wore my heavy coat.  Me being me, I slipped out of my coat and placed it in the buggy before beginning to shop. Eventually, I worked my way, away from the cart, probably for a considerable amount of time, looking through racks of miscellaneous cloths.  At one point, I realized, I haven’t seen my buggy in a while.  Please note, my car keys and money where in my coat, in the cart.  Yikes!  I started running around the store looking for the missing assistant on wheels, but no luck!  Just then, something caught my eye.  It was MY coat, placed among a rack with other winter coats!  What?  I double checked the pockets, and sure enough my gloves where in there with my car keys and money.  Now, the rest of my selected items have since been returned to their previous residence, but at that moment I didn’t care at all.  My brother was there with me, and after I told him about dodging a bad situation, he just rolled his eyes at me.  To this day, that cracks me up.  I almost had both of us stranded and he just rolled his eyes at me and said he was driving us home.  No problem, I never really liked to drive anyway. Especially, since Ryan was always a better driver.

I guess everyone has their own corks and hiccups, mine is the aversion to pushing shopping carts, buggies, strollers etc.  Am I alone on this one?

He who opens a school door, closes a prison.  ~Victor Hugo

First day of 6th grade…his fashion sense hasn’t gotten any better… 8/27/12

Kyle is officially in the sixth grade!  Wow!  I know to expect these milestones, but every year I’m taken off guard and it’s still a surprise.  This past weekend I kept reminding Kyle about school on Monday and I kept teasing him of all the homework. He kept grunting and giving me the look of ‘O No!”.

On Friday night we just hung out, kicking back, relaxing.  Kyle went to the grocery store with me to pick up a few items for dinner.  We finally agreed on steak, since we were having corn on the cob, cooked on the grill.  While at the grocery store, we ran  into my cousin Karen, coincidentally the one who gave us the corn from her garden.  Yep, Friday set the stage for the rest of the weekend, the theme of laid back.  Usually Friday’s are all rush, rush, rush till bedtime.  Nice change of pace.

Saturday morning we loaded up the truck with the pistol, Kyle’s .22 rifle and a couple of dad’s rifles and headed out to the shooting range.  Which reminds me, I need to get a new set of headphones like the ones dad and Kyle wear.  I don’t like the foamy ones that are placed in the ear.  I’d rather have my ears engulfed in padded protection.  Anyway Kyle mostly shot his .22 rifle at a target about 50 feet away, while dad was shooting at 100 yards, testing out the different mixtures he loaded in the bullets and the accuracy of the rifles.

My job, to keep an eye on Kyle.  There was another group of guys there who were shooting clay pigeons.  I had to make sure Kyle didn’t get in their way, stayed out of his pappy’s danger zone, and didn’t put anyone in danger through the reinforcement of proper rifle handling.  Shooting is fun, but it’s certainly an activity of responsibility.  I gave Kyle all the shooting time he wanted.  Dad hooked us up with a full box of .22 bullets.  Every once in a while, I would sneak in a few shots.  Kyle like to share his rifle and time behind the trigger. I think he enjoyed the togetherness of the activity, not to mention I think Kyle liked to see who was the better shot.  Plus it gave him a break, he’s not really die hard with anything except his marathon of playing video games.  He didn’t do too bad at all.  He shot standing free hand and sitting, but his favorite was using the sticks and sitting on a bench.  He hit some dead on!  Way to go buddy!

After a few hits to the target, I could tell Kyle was getting bored, so I got out the .22 pistol.  It’s a neat little pistol that I’ve shot countless times, one that I’ve always favored since I was little.  As I loaded the clip I showed Kyle where the safety was, how to line up the sights and how to load the chamber.  As I handed the pistol to Kyle, he almost leaned away from me, as if saying ‘I don’t know’.  Picking up on his body language I said, “Did you want to shoot the pistol first?”  With the beginning of an inquisition, he said, “Does it have a kick?”  I simply stopped him from going down his list of questions and debunked his anxiety by saying, “How about I’ll shoot this clip first and then if you want to take a turn you can, but you don’t have to.”  Happily he nodded his head and presumed his position behind me.

How did I do?  Well not very good free hand.  Actually, very disappointing.  Shooting off of the sticks or a support I’m alright, but shooting free hand was nothing to brag about.  Kyle was the same.  I guess we need serious practice.  After I shot in a clip of about eight or nine rounds, I think Kyle felt a little more comfortable with this foreign firearm.  You know I always forget, I’ve grown up around guns so there was never a fear of them.  In fact, I don’t remember the first time I shot.  I was little, in fact, thinking about it, there was never a time where I didn’t know how to shoot a gun.  As a family, we would go up on the ridge and target shoot pretty frequently with other family members and friends.  During that time,  I was able to see what each firearm sounded like and how it handled with the shooter.  That’s knowledge that Kyle has not really been privy to, at least not consistently.  I don’t think he has ever seen my dad clean the guns either.  When we were little, I used to complain about the smell that accompanied that action.  Now don’t get me wrong, being a part of the Piper household, by default Kyle has been exposed to firearms since we was born, the result of a hunting family.  However, Kyle’s exposure was not in the same way that me, Ryan and Nicole were.  Actually, I was always a decent shot.  Even to this day, I still enjoy shooting.  I wish I would have kept it up over the years, frequency means accuracy, but alas life gets in the way.  From what dad has told me, mom used to be a dead on shot.  She doesn’t really shoot anymore, but Nicole is getting back into it again.

Kyle with his pappy at the shooting range. 8/25/12

After a few hours at the shooting range we headed back to the house for lunch.  It was a hot one on Saturday, so the desire to be outside was not there.  Instead, we decided to plug in a couple of movies, Hunger Games and I Am Number Four.  Mom and dad didn’t like Hunger Games.  What?  How can that be?  Maybe they should have read the books first and then they would have understood the movies better.  I took Kyle to see that movie in the theater when it first came out.  Eventually he wants to read the books.

Sometime during admission, I ran to the Dairy Queen (DQ) to pick up some cold treats before retreating back to the cool insides of the house and starting the second movie.  Now that was my idea of a near perfect day, eating DQ, hanging out with the family, spending time with Kyle and watching movies!

Alas, now the day was escaping us and we waited till the evening to take the dogs for their weekly hike.  The entire way, Kyle talked about the movie I Am Number Four.  He wanted to see if there was a sequel.  He said, “They have to have another movie, so they can finish the story.  They have to find number five and seven, eight and nine.  They just can’t end it, we have to know what happened.”  I was cracking up.  I told him, “I don’t know buddy, maybe they will.  But if they didn’t make enough money on the first movie, then they probably won’t make a second.”  A little concerned over that comment he said, “They have to finish the story!  Did they find number five?”  While I was laughing, I said, “Honey, I don’t know.  I don’t even know how old the movie is.”  Not accepting that answer he asked me how I know about up coming movies like Iron Man 3 and Avengers 2?  “I know that because I read it online, different articles and news feeds.”  He couldn’t stand it that he didn’t know anything about a part two of I Am Number Four.  He even started to name the sequel, saying “I Am Number Four, two”  Naturally I started laughing just as Kyle realized what he said.  He then decided that since Aunt Nikki was the one who suggested the movie, she would have the skinny on the sequel.  He said, “I’m going to ask Aunt Nikki about it, I’ll have her look it up.  She would know.”  Kyle is too much, very persistent!

Kyle shooting in his .22 rifle, we also shot in the .22 pistol 8/25/12

The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful.  Church on Sunday morning and a lot of loafing around for the majority of the day.  It was another hot one, so Kyle and played with Seven, Scooby and Storm inside.  I was actually going to take him to the movies, but the idea didn’t hit me until it was too late.  Sunday was a perfect “nothing” day before Kyle had to be back to the responsibility of school.

Did I mention that Kyle was gathering loose change and counting it all weekend?  That kid, if he doesn’t become a banker then he might be missing his calling.  He also talked nonstop about this Lego chess set he saw online.  I think he thought since I have no issue with him playing chess, either online or the actual physical board game, which I actually encourage, he feels that it’s a shoe in for him getting the game for Christmas.  Yep, Kyle is already prepping for Christmas!  He kept searching different sites for different Lego chess sets and different price points to give me options.  Oh, it’s never a day with Kyle without at least the mention of Lego’s.

Yesterday morning I saw Kyle off for his first day of school.  I kept that tradition ever since he was in kindergarten and this year will conclude it.  Watching him grow up has been fun and helpful to my own personal growth.  He is going to like sixth grade, I just know it.  I called him last night to see how his day went.  He didn’t seem enthused, but I was probably interrupting cartoon watching, since I’m sure he was going through withdrawal.  Sixth grade, his last hooray before junior high…I have a feeling this year will fly by FAST!

Kyles target… he started hitting the center the more he shot… even though the rifle was not shooting accurate as we later found out. 8/25/12

Sometimes I make bad decisions.  ~Heather Piper

Storm ready to leap off of my books 2012

Last Wednesday, after a day at Idlewild Park with Kyle, (Round Up the Math at Idlewild Park) we headed back to my parents house to visit before calling it a night.  I will admit I was beat, not getting much sleep the night before, being up at the crack of dawn, and spending the entire day at Idlewild Park.  Mark this one in the calendars, Kyle wore me down!  Before we left mom and dad’s I started to fall asleep in the chair.  Kyle was gracious enough to wake me up and get me moving. (sarcasm)

As I gathered my things up, I headed out to the car with Storm.  Kyle gave me the “Ya I’m going, I’m going.” all while he was watching a cartoon on TV.  Me being tired and impatient, I waited in the car for a few minutes before deciding to extract Kyle from the house.  With a little irritation, I left Storm in the car to go back inside and find out what was taking Kyle so long, even thought I new it wasn’t a mystery.  During the entire time it took me to get my stuff together, wrangle up a cat and head out to the car and wait on him, Kyle still didn’t even get his guitar in the case!  He was glued to the TV.  I said, “Come on Kyle, it’s getting late.” as I turned off the TV to show my sense of urgency and irritation.  Just then, he jumped up and gathered his things and headed out with me.  As I proceeded to board the car, I was surprised to find it locked.  Locked?  Yep Locked!  At first I was sincerely confused, ‘Did I lock the door?’ Where are my keys?’ and the thoughts circulated until I came to the realization that this was BAD.  Instantly feeling sick, I found myself staring at Storm on the other side of the window with the car keys in the ignition.  I never thought about Storm hitting the lock button on the door and trapping herself inside! What the heck?

Poor Storm didn’t understand what had happened.  She was pawing at the window toward me and meowing.  She wanted out!  I wanted in!  O crap, really?  Not to mention, just before we left I didn’t realize she we up under the recliner and when I went to stand up, she got caught.  Yikes!

My sleepy kitten 2012

Ok, I’ll admit my first reaction was to yell at Kyle.  Now on my defense, I said, “Kyle!  This is what happens when you’re slow and everyone is waiting on you.”  Only because Kyle is notorious for being slow moving and he takes FOREVER to get his crap together when we’re leaving.  On HIS defense, I know he doesn’t like to leave us and it’s his way of delaying.  I did comment, “I’m not saying it was your fault for the car being locked, but this wouldn’t have happened if you moved your feet!”  Again, not nice words especially since he didn’t do it, and in fact it was my fault for leaving the cat in the car with the keys.  But regardless, I’m human, and at that point, a tired grumpy one.

Evidently, while I was outside trying to think of a reasonable solution without freaking out, Kyle went inside to get my mom.  Later, mom told me that Kyle was saying, “It’s all my fault Gigi, It’s all my fault!” as he cried and whimpered.  At that moment I might not have noticed the obviously upset child, but now when I hear the story, it does break my heart.  He felt so bad!  It really wasn’t his fault at all.  It was an unforeseen accident.

Being desperate, I even tried to coax Storm to step on the button on the door.  I knew it was a long shot but I had to try something.  Even Kyle tried it too.  We checked all the doors and window because sometimes I am known to leave a window or two open.  In fact, while we were at Idlewild that day, I came back to the car with my back window down.  My car was an open book all day, but not now, now it was like Fort Knox.

Mom came out and said, “Let me take you to your house, don’t you have a spare car key?”  Just then, Kyle and I looked at each other because that morning when we were on our way to Idlewild, I happen to notice my spare house key in my consult.  I told mom, “When I came back from Seattle, my neighbor gave me back my spare key when I was heading out of the driveway.  I just dropped it in the console.”  All while I turned my head to stare at the sealed up car containing a stressed out cat scratching to get out.

So let’s get this straight,  I have my cat locked in the car, in my parents driveway, with the car keys in the ignition, with the house keys on that key ring, the extra set of house keys in the console, and I didn’t know where my extra car keys were located.  Really?  Not to mention it’s going on 9:30 in the evening, nearing my bedtime.

Mom tried to lighten the situation, more for Kyle’s sake.  She said, “You know Kyle, you did the same thing to us in pappy’s truck when you were a baby at the Piper Reunion.”  Mom gave him a very warming and understanding smile.  She said, “O it happens to everyone, even your Aunt Heather has locked her keys in the car.”  followed by Kyle saying with a quivering voice, “Ya Gigi, but at least a person locked in a car would understand to unlock the door.”  O my poor little man!  That really melted my heart!  I could tell he was not only upset because I was, but because Storm was a little on edge and he was nervous for her.

Storm hanging out on some good reading material 2012

Mom, still trying to lighten the mood said, “Well, let’s think about this.  At least it’s not really hot, the sun is down, so we have a little bit of time to figure this out.”At one point I said, “Ok, what are my choices?  Either I break the car window to get in or I break into my house.”  Mom interjected by saying, “Well I can call a locksmith.”  I stopped her by saying, “But I have no idea how long it will take him to get out here and who knows how long to get in the car.  Plus it might be cheaper to pay for a broken window”  At that point, I thought if only I could get in my house, I might have the spare key to the car in my key display.  Mom again suggested for me to get in the car and she would drive me to my house.  However, I didn’t want Storm left alone.  I said, “It’s a waste of time for you to drive me to my house.  I would rather someone stay her entertaining Storm.  Give me the keys mom, I’ll be right back.”  Reluctantly mom handed over her car keys, to a very frazzled upset driver.  At that point, she knew I was going to go mock speeds to get to my house.  And I knew she knew that, because she said, “Please be careful.” with a serious look projected toward me,  as I grabbed the keys and threw myself in her car saying, “Ya Ya”.  Then I heard a “Do you have your phone?” as I nodded before backing out of the driveway.

Admittingly, I did floor it.  I don’t think mom’s car has ever exceeded the speed limit.  As long as I’m focused, I feel fine driving, which means no talking.  Perfect, since I was by myself!  Now things would have been different if Kyle was with me.  Even being upset and stressed out, I would have been more careful.  But he wasn’t with me so I was free to ride.

As I pulled in my driveway, I remembered I had another spare key at a local friend’s.  Excellent!  Once I retrieved that piece of the puzzle, I entered the house.  I immediately went to my key display, courtesy of my friend Lisa Zettelmayer who purchased it for me as a house warming gift, and started rummaging.  At that moment, I felt like light rays of sunlight were shining on me with music singing Halleluiah, like I just found the Holy Grail.  Now some stress was exiting stage right.  I almost grabbed my extra Honda key but then realized I needed my Nissan key.  Found it!  Great! Now let’s end this nightmare.

All along, God must have been on my side, because I never had to sit at a red light the entire trip, no wasn’t really any traffic, and all seemed to be turning for the better.  While I was on my way back to mom and dad’s, I wanted to call and let them know I had the key.  But alas being distracted would not have been a safe move, so I chose to wait for a red light, which never really came.

Typical cat, sleeping on the job. Storm 2012

As I pulled in the driveway, no one was out there!  Kyle immediately ran out  when he saw the headlights.  I jumped out of mom’s car saying, “Why aren’t you keeping Storm company?”  Looking sick and clearly upset, he replied, “Aunt Heather, Gigi told me to come in.  I wasn’t trying to be mean.  I tried to get her to stand on the unlock button.”  Ok another set of poorly chosen words.  Poor kid!

Now after all this stress and worrying, the funny part of the story.  I get the key and hit the unlock button and nothing happened.  Kyle and I just stood there stunned.  Then I remembered, I switched keys because the battery died on that key.  Kyle and I both stood there looking puzzled like ‘Now what?’.  I could tell his heart just sank when our only solution didn’t work.  The funny thing was, I didn’t think to use the key like it was designed to be used.  We live too much in an electronic remote control age.  What really struck me as humerus, I don’t think Kyle has ever seen someone use a key to unlock a car door.  Too funny!  He is certainly a child of the times.  After my moment of idiocy passed, I used the key to free the wild cat.

I don’t know who was happier, Storm or Kyle.  Or maybe Seven, when he saw I came back.  NOW, we were ready to head out.  During our car ride it was my chance to make sure Kyle was aware it was not his fault and I wasn’t mad at him.  I did say, “Well, I guess God wanted this to be a learning lesson.”  He said, “Ya Aunt Heather, it could have been worse.  It could have been in the middle of the day when it was really hot.  Or the car could have been running.  That would have been bad!”  I must say, he was right!  That all would have certainly been worse.  Ok, I learned my lesson.  Note to self, never leave the keys in the car with the cat inside.

Another funny part of the story. Kyle informed me that at one point Storm turned on the lights.  Still trying to lighten the mood, I said, “Was she planning on going for a spin?”  Kyle snickered, more out of relief than humor.  But he did manage to throw a smile my way.  I told him I don’t like him stressing so bad, especially over things out of his control.  I commented that moving forward, instead of worrying, I want him to say a prayer, or many prayers.  He needs to realize that ultimately God has control and he can change the situation in a heartbeat.  Have faith in Him.

Later on when I talked to mom about the situation, she said that Kyle was pacing back-and-forth while I was gone.  I guess he even asked my mom, “Gigi what kinds of toys do cats really like to play with?  What’s Storm’s favorite toy?”  Mom asked him why and he said that and apparently he was going to use it to distract Storm and try and get her to stand on the unlock button.

Mom: “Well she likes her fishing pole.”
Kyle: “I don’t know where that is.”
Mom: “What about her mouse.”
Kyle: “Ok”

Mom said Kyle would take Seven outside with him since he is scared of the dark, would pace around and then come back in.  She said, he was also waiting by the phone, waiting for me to call.  And I did manage to get the phone to ring once, but then the light changed before I even came to a stop, so I hung up.  I guess Kyle was right there and answered the phone.  Kyle walked around the house with his head hung low the entire time I was gone.

I am blessed to have such a caring and heartfelt little man!  I love Kyle with everything I have and then some.  He is a special kid.  I wish he wouldn’t carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, he’s eleven and he’s always been like that.  If that was me in his shoes, I would have been upset, but I don’t really internalize stress, not like he does. Dad was mad at me, blaming me for making him worried, however  I informed the old man that it was a learning lesson for all of us.  God spoke loudly and clearly!  Point taken.

For the things of this world cannot be made known without a knowledge of mathematics.  ~Roger Bacon

Kyle at the Potato Patch, getting our fries. Idlewild Park 8/15/2012

Last Wednesday, I took Kyle to Idlewild Park in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.  Every year I try to take off of work and spend the entire day with Kyle, just having fun, usually around his birthday.  Since we haven’t been to Idlewild in a couple of years I thought it might be a nice change.  I picked him up Tuesday night after work and we headed to mom and dad’s house, since it was closer to leave from there.  Not to mention I already planned on taking the dogs for a walk in the morning before heading out, reaping in the benefits of me being off work too.  Plus I new we weren’t going to have Kyle on Friday and Saturday so I thought of making up some lost time with the family in advance.

Quick side story.  Naturally that night, I was among a full bed and it was a restless night.  At one point me, Kyle and Seven all moved ninety degrees to the side of the bed, while running parallel to each other.  In unison!  I only noticed this when my feet were hanging off of the side of the mattress and when I went to push myself up, to what I thought was the head of the bed, my head fell over the side.  What the heck?  I shimmied out of this confusion to what I still thought was the foot of the bed.  I didn’t realize I was on standing on the other side of our sleeping quarters.  Standing there in pitch black, in the middle of the night, not understanding my position I was sincerely baffled.  I couldn’t find my phone, unbeknownst to me was on the other side of this obstacle.  Being slightly out of it, due to a sudden awakening from dangling off of a ledge, I actually had a bit of a panic attack.  I couldn’t figure out where I was in the room!  Living in that house pretty much my entire life, you would thought I could at least find the light switch.  Nope!  It was as if I was still in a dream or I was in the Twilight Zone.  I’m telling you what a weird experience!  I literally started to walk blindly, with my hands out trying to understand the layout of the room and where the furniture was located.  My initial thought was to yell and wake my mom up.  But what was I going to yell?.  ‘Mom I can’t get out of the room’?  Seriously?  Could you imagine mom, laying there sleeping and all of a sudden hear me yelling to come and open the door because I can’t find my way out?  Actually that would have been hilarious from mom’s point-of-view.  Eventually, I found the closet light, after what seemed to be an eternity, and I turned it on to get my bearings straight.  Just then, I felt like the room was spinning because I was so disoriented.  Would you believe that Seven and Kyle both laid there sleeping the entire adventure?  After I had the situation figured out, I went on another impossible mission.  Trying to move those two to get things straightened out was a workout.  Meanwhile, neither one moved or woke up.  Kyle did manage to mumble something like, “What Aunt Heather?”  Although he didn’t remember it.

Anyway, as I digress back to Idlewild and the math lesson.  Usually Kyle is an early riser like the rest of us.  I’m guessing due to the up-and-down all night long, sleeping beauty  was tired and rose from his chambers a little after 8:00 am.  Me being up around 5:00 am, I worked on the computer and watched GMA (Good Morning America- always was one of my favorite shows, even as a kid) until Kyle came back to the land of the living.  Once I got him some breakfast, I decided to continue with my plans of taking the dogs for a quick hike.  I told Kyle, “It’s a treat for them that I am home in the middle of the week and we have time to take them for a walk.”  Kyle started to complain, but his usual throwing a temper tantrum was not as potent.  My guess is that, he knew I would have no qualms about not taking him to Idlewild, if he was misbehaving.  So we got dressed, some a little slower than others, and headed out.

Kyle on the Merry-Go-Round. Idlewild Park 8/15/12

After the dogs stretched their legs, and Kyle walked as slow as humanly possible, we came back to the house to shower and get dressed.  It was at this point Kyle was now alive with energy and excitement.  No arguments about taking a shower and he was like lightening.  That’s also the fastest I think I’ve ever seen him get dressed, putting aside the fact that I had him pick his cloths out the night before.

Once we darted out of the house, we ran to Giant Eagle to get our tickets.  They are sold there at a discount and I was all about getting through the gates as fast as possble.  Next stop, Idlewild Park!

The gate opens at 10:30 am and rides don’t start until 11:30 am.  In my opinion, that’s too late in the day. I wish parks would open so much earlier.  Riding the rides in the cool morning air, as compared to the stale heat of the day, would be so much better. But that’s the way it goes.  We got there around noon and we were both HUNGRY!  Sincerely, stomach growling, on the verge of a headache, HUNGRY.  Way back when the decision was made to take Kyle to Idlewild, I had a craving for Potato Patch Fries.  Yep, the hand cut potato slices that are loaded up in a paper boat dripping in cheese.  Kyle and I shared an order with chicken fingers.  In fact, all day long we shared all of our food, never getting two orders or something.  We would get an order share it and move along till we wanted something else.  It was a good thing.  My stomach isn’t used to all that fried heavy food and I’m sure Kyle’s isn’t either.

Once our belly’s were full, our feet hit the gravel and proceeded toward the rides. We rode the Paratroopers, Merry Mixer, Tilt-A-Whirl, Howler, Roller Coaster, Ferris Wheel, Merry-Go-Round, Bumper Cars and THE Round Up.  Since it really wasn’t that crowded, we were able to ride some the rides back-to-back.  Kyle is just like me, we both brave everything, but naturally we have our favorites.  As we stood in line for the Paratroopers, Kyle spotted the Round Up.  He looked at that ride with amazement and asked, “Have I ever rode that before?”  with my quick reply of “Yep”.   He didn’t remember that, as he looked a little reluctant about the spinning giant in the near distance.  Not long after he watched the ride, while standing in another line, he chose to get on the Round Up.  This is a spinning ride that you stand with your back to the outside of the circle.  It lifts you up on its side all while spinning before setting you back.  Your feet stay on the platform and the centripetal force holds you in place.  After we got off, he was ranting and raving about the ride and how cool it was and how he wanted to ride it again.  I said, “We can but I want to hit up every other ride too, at least once.”  With a little bit of a pout, he agreed.

As we made our way through the park, we would stop and get more junk food including corn dogs and funnel cake.  We even drank Fruit Punch, which neither one of us do, usually we both only drink water, never soda.  Eventually we made our way back the the Round Up.  As we walked up the ramp, Kyle said, “Let’s ride this ride until we throw up!”  We were both laughing at that comment, that is until we rode it a second time, in the a row.  Since there was no line, so we were able to board the ride again.  Yep, that second time both did us in.  Kyle turned to me and said, “Ahh Aunt Heather, let’s just sit a little, my stomach is a little upset.”  I couldn’t deny that mine was any different.  We walked around and soon we were ready for action again.

I’ve said it over and over again, Kyle is a businessman.  He totally cracks me up.  First I do want to say, that with every ride and I mean EVERY ride, Kyle immediately counted the number of passengers allowed on a ride and then he instantly counted the crowd in front of us.  Next, he always gave me the estimated number of turns before it was ours.  Now this didn’t happen too often since the lines weren’t long and sometimes not at all, but when there was a line, he was on it!  Then, the next thing out of Kyle’s mouth was his estimated thoughts on how much it costs to run the ride.  He pointed out that specific rides cost more to run.  “This ride wouldn’t be as much to run Aunt Heather because you don”t need seat belts and it holds more people.”  He went off with these types of comments without being prompted.  They were totally free flowing from his own thinking. Too much!

At one point when we were in line for the roller coaster, Kyle turned to me and said, “All the wood used for the roller coaster was cut on Idlewild property.”  I said, “Where did you come up with that?”  He said, “No it did!” with my know-it-all response of “Kyle I doubt they cut down the trees, haul them out to be debarked, cut into 2 x 4 pieces, kiln dried them and then treated to withstand the weather.”  Just then Kyle pointed to a sign in front of us with this fun fact on it.  As my eyes followed his finger to the words as I read the information semi out loud.  Kyle turned his head toward me and gave me such as a smarty pants, crappy grin, like ‘I’m right’.  What a stinker!  Every time I was wrong throughout the day, he gave me that same grin and then started to give me a number, which I found out represented how many times he was right.  I will admit, it was funny at first, but then got old and I stated, “Do you see me counting every time I’m right?  No! So cut the crap.”  Kyle was pretty good with that nearly threatening statement and dropped it.

Throughout the park, there were fun fact signs, which Kyle would take notice and read.  I forget how much he is like a sponge.  He even took notice to all the banners advertising Idlewild was voted the number one kid friendly park.  He even saw a sign on the 125th anniversary, in 2002.  He said, “Wow, this place is old!”

As we rounded out the day, I will admit the lack of sleep was getting to me and I was tired.  We went through a few more rides in rapid fire, leaving Kyle’s coveted Round Up for last.  Once the ride started to spin, a girl began to cry and the ride attended yelled in asking if she wanted him to stop.  He did, to let the frightened youngster off, and not only did that girl get off, but also another girl exited stage left.  Kyle commented that he was not afraid and he just LOVED this ride.  Then he did it again.  He said, “There are 37 brave people riding this ride.  Hey Aunt Heather 37 BRAVE people!”  That was too funny!  He stressed the word BRAVE and gave a number to those bearing the title of BRAVE.  Only Kyle, thinks to count the number of people riding a ride.  Almost as if he was bothered not knowing what the difference was, when both girls exited.

When we stopped in to see my parents before heading out, Kyle was sure to tell them about the ’37 BRAVE people’ who rode the Round Up.  All my dad said, “Was that right?”  I had to explain to my mom that Kyle counted the people on every ride.  We were both cracking up!

I wonder if every child counts everything like Kyle?  I just love to hear his thoughts and insights on the most obscure things.  I’m very blessed with such a little thinker and I love it that he shares his thoughts with me.  Kyle is a lot of fun!

Dorthy Hamill was my big idol as a kid.  She’d won the Olympics in 1976.  She was America’s sweetheart with her personality, her talent, her haircut.  ~Kristi Yamaguchi

The Games of the XXX Olympiad are already completed, started on July 27, 2012 and continued till August 12, 2012.  Our athletes representing the United States in London, have certainly made us proud!  There was a lot of celebration and disappointment from every country over the last two weeks and I know it’s really cliché to say this, but everyone should be pleased with their achievements.  They actually got to compete in the Olympics!  An honor that only happens once every four years! Not to mention the 2012 Olympic participants are the worlds best in their discipline.  These athletes have trained their entire life, day and night living and breathing the dream, to become a contender in these prestigious games.  To me that’s pretty impressive.

Now I’m not a sports fanatic, in fact I really don’t watch sports at all.  Maybe if I’m at a game I’ll get into it and watch, but that’s really about it.  I just never got into sports, watching or playing.  I’m not completely nonathletic, I can play some recreational activity, but it was never a passion of mine.  Kyle is the same way, he’ll play a sport and participate, but I’ve never seen him watch any sports on TV or had a desire to go to a game.  Come to think of it, my family is the same.  Ryan was into wrestling for a while, and he was pretty good until he quit mid-way through high school.  Wrestling was a winter sport and so was hunting.  Dad told Ryan he was going to do one or the other, no stretching himself too thin with both actives.  He had a choice and since Ryan had more of a passion for hunting than wrestling, he made his decision.  Olympics on the other hand are different.  I really get into watching the opening and closing ceremonies and watching the participants in action. I could sit and watch the games day and night.  Even as a kid I looked forward to watching the Olympics, no matter what sport is projected in front of me.

Allison Schmitt, Dana Vollmer, Shannon Vreeland, and Missy Franklin – Woman’s Swimming Team Wins Gold for 200 meter relay- 2012

Like many others, I have watched the 2012 Olympics, mostly highlights as it’s impossible to see every match, and I became obsessed with the games.  There are so many great athletes and great moments, but I would like to call out a few that I watched.  Let’s start in the water with Michael Phelps, the golden boy from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Everyone watched him intently during his second Olympic competition.  His medals totaled nineteen, the most won ever for an Olympic athlete.  Wow! Impressive upon impressive!  Then there’s Ryan Lochte, who really made his way into popularity.  This was his second Olympic competition as well.  And let’s not forget Katie Ledecky and Missy Franklin.  These athletes are now worth millions of dollars.  I read that Missy is torn between accepting the way of a gold medal winner and reaping in the benefits of sponsorship, or remaining an amateur for college.  That’s a tough one, but can you imagine going to college and having to compete against her?  Yikes!  Although I would brag that I got to swim again an Olympic gold medalist.

Moving out of the water and basically into the air.  The fab five, our women’ s U.S. gymnastics’s team.  When you have winning teams, there always seems to be one that outshines the rest of the crowd and Gabby Douglas was that 16 year old.  She has been called the flying squirrel, and after watching her acrobatics, I can see why.  Like so many, I had the privilege of watching her and that award winning smile.  All the ladies were very impressive, of course these are the Olympics, the place where the elite compete.  Our girls really dazzled out there.  Literally they did!  I found out that their outfits were adorned with Swarovski crystals. Fun fact.

Missy May Treanor & Kerri Walsh-Jennings

From tumbling around to diving into the sand at the beach, watching our veterans Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor bounce that volleyball back and forth was exciting.  The first game I watched of theirs they were wearing black spandex suits, long-sleeve and long pants.  Then another game I saw them back in their little bikinis.  What?  I thought they were suppose to retire those barely there outfits and put on something with substance?  Of course if I had a rock hard body like our athletes, then I wouldn’t care what I was wearing either, even while the entire world was watching.  Supposedly Misty is retiring this year and that was her last competition.  It was great to see our ladies go out on top.

Another fun fact that I just learned this year.  Every Olympic medalist has to pay our IRS tax on their medal.  Yep!  Not only are they working their entire lives for this moment and paying for it out of their pocket and they are representing the United States of America, but then they are also expected to pay tax on winning!  What?  If you win a medal, you also win money, such as gold medalists win $25,000, however they are expected to pay $9,000 in tax.  Actually, I don’t think that’s right.  Unless our Olympiads can file a tax right off for all their expenses for the years of training and paying for the cost of going to the Olympics, the food, the outfits, the hotel, plus the family members that join them.  I’m sure that’s a substantial amount of money.  I’ve always said if you are training for the Olympics, then you have to come from a well-to-do family, just because of the price tag that accompanies the training, depending on the discipline.  Between the facility, the trainers, coaches, doctors, the special food (or the amount of food in some cases), the traveling and the entrance fees for these competitions just to make it that far, I’m sure add up.  It hit the news this time about two families who were in foreclosure because of the dept that built up as a result of sacrificing for their medalist in the making, Ryan Lochte and Gabby Douglas.  I’m sure now all will work out for everyone.  God Speed to them and others we may not hear about.

U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team – Jordyn Wieber, Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, & Gabby Douglas

Now let’s get to something fun, commercials!  Everyone got into the Olympics, even the sponsors with their fun advertisements playing off of the Olympic games and athletes.  Some where touching and some were really cute!  Below are a few of my favorites.  Until the next Olympics, in four years.  Good luck!  Congratulations to the 2012 Olympic Athletes!

The trouble with jogging is that, by the time you realize you’re not in shape for it, it’s far too far to walk back.  ~Franklin P Jones

Me, Holly & Amy at the Rabbit Run 4/2012

Ah yes, Kyle and the idea of exercise.  That word, exercise, seems to be a word of torture for him.  I guess it does for many of us, but he’s a kid and should automatically want to play and run around.  I wish that was the case.  Instead, he would prefer sitting on his backside and exercise his fingers on video games.  I know this has become the norm with children now-a-days, but I’m fighting it one video game at a time.  I don’t want Kyle to add to the statistics of children’s declining health.

About three Saturdays ago, Kyle blew me off to walk the dogs, even after he promised.  I guess technically he didn’t ignore me, I couldn’t take his whining and complaining, “Aunt Heather why do I have to take the dogs for a walk? Why can’t you go without me?  Why do I need exercise?  Why do I have to wear socks?” so I left.  Yep, the typical from Kyle.  Since it was a scorcher that day and the humidity felt like one hundred percent, the plan was to wait until after church and then go for a quick hike, just so the boys can stretch out their legs.  The dogs really enjoy these walks and there’s no reason not to take a little bit of time out of the day to go on a hike.  It’s good for everyone, win win.  I’ve even tried explaining that to Kyle, not to mention they are his dogs too.  He doesn’t care that he is also responsible for them and that means, “It’s just as important for them to get their exercise as making sure they have food and water.”  Did telling Kyle all of this work?  Nope!  He just kept on whining.  I mean he was so good in church, serving mass like Jesus’ perfect little angel, but it turned like a switch when he realized I wasn’t going to forget about the walk and I was holding him to his word.  I think he thought it was going to be too late in the day, or I would forget.  Neither happened.

So needless to say, my patience wasn’t at its strongest and I just left with the dogs for our hike.  Kyle didn’t know until he finally emerged from his room, was surprised and probably relieved when mom and dad said that I already departed.  Me, Scooby and Seven did our usual three miles.  Upon my return, mom said Kyle was in his room reading the entire time.  That’s become another sore spot with me too.  I get everyone goes through phases of reading, but when video games have been consuming his life, he needs to readjust his priorities and read a chapter-a-day.  He was suppose to owe me three chapters anyway.  Smart little kid, he knew reading would make me happy and he would have at least fulfilled one promise.  Did I mention I also grounded him from cartoons and the computer?  When I left for the hike without him, I told mom he was grounded.  Mom must have relayed the message.

Me & Holly at the Rolling Rock Run, Latrobe 7/2012

I’ll admit I was still angry with Kyle.  So I put on my running shoes and left to do an easy four miles.  The run helped calm me down and removed some of the anger that was building up towards Kyle.  Getting the blood moving into the cranium cavity, helped me think clearly without emotion.  Upon my return, as I re-entered the house again, even more sweaty than previous, Kyle was sitting on the couch with my mom.  He looked at me and started talking about something, I don’t remember what, as if nothing happened earlier.  I decided to prove a point and say, “Kyle please don’t talk to me right now, I am still mad at you for dodging your responsibilities and breaking your promise.”  He just gave me a surprised look and said, “Aunt Heather I didn’t get to read to all three chapters but I read for the entire hour and I’m not watching cartoons.”  Followed by my attitude, “I don’t care, you were suppose to read anyway.  You didn’t get any exercise at all today.  Do yourself a favor and zip it for tonight.”  To reinforce my words, mom chimed in saying, “See I told ya Kyle, Aunt Heather’s mad.” Sometime in the time it took me to take a shower and get ready for bed, Kyle was pouting in his room.  For the first time in a long time, he didn’t even want to sleep in my bed.  I think he actually took up permanent residence on the couch away from everyone, to prove his point no doubt.

Markelle at Hilton Head…we walked miles while on vaca 10/2011

On Sunday, I didn’t walk around like I was still mad, even though I was.  In fact, I was going to take the dogs for another hike, just to prove my point.  But alas we ran out of time.  However, that didn’t mean I was just going to dismiss this incidence, O NO!  In fact, before I picked Kyle up on that Wednesday for guitar lessons, I made sure he brought his tennis shoes and socks.  He asked me why, and I told him we are going to the park to either run or walk.  He didn’t say much beforehand until after the lessons and I was making good on my plans.

The minute we got out of the car and was walking toward the path, he started his whining and questioning.  He said, “Why do I have to walk?  I rode my bike yesterday, the whole way down the road.”  I said, “That’s great buddy but what did you do today? Besides you still owe me for Saturday.”  He was in shock that I brought that up and said, “I didn’t know you were still mad at me for that?” followed by me saying “O yes, you thought you got away Scott free?”  I told him either we run once around or we walk twice, which is about a half a mile for one lap.  Well that caused another throwing up of the hands and a lot of grunting and crying.

Me at Hilton Head… I always bring my running cloths 10/2011

I’ll give Kyle credit, during our walk he said, “Ok Aunt Heather let’s run.”  Great!  Except he ran maybe a few feet and then had to walk.  At that point I really saw how out of shape Kyle is, especially for being a ten year old.  The entire way around the track I kept encouraging him, until he was ignoring me and then I started the threats.  Since I always remained at least ten paces ahead of him, I kept walking once one lap was completed.  He started questioning this and I had to break the news that he didn’t run hardly any of the first lap, that means one more lap.  Although, I would rather him run intervals, I wanted to prove a point.  He followed me around again, whining and crying the entire way.  At one point Kyle asked me when we were going to stop and I replied, “Once you apologize for not following through on your promise of walking with me and the dogs and when I get an apology for all the whining and complaining.”

Would you believe he would NOT apologize?  Nope, we kept walking around again and again and again.  He sobbed for most of the time and stayed about ten to twenty paces behind me.  It was nice and cool that day so I felt Kyle was not going to get dehydrate.  Not to mention he wasn’t pushing himself, maintaining the speed of a snail.  He wasn’t exerting himself too much at all!  At one point Kyle did stop me and apologize for not taking the dogs for a walk.  Of course I accepted his apology but then I said, “And you owe me another apology for you acting like a baby and throwing a temper tantrum for me helping you with your fitness.”  He would not apologize!  So we continued walking.  I couldn’t help myself, I turned to Kyle and said, “You think you can break me, you have another thing coming, I invented stubborn!  I could walk ALL night”

Me at the Rolling Rock Race in Latrobe. That was the hottest race I’ve ever ran… the humidity! 7/2012

As the night creeped in on us, I yelled at Kyle to stay closer to me, so I could keep track of him.   Lucky for me, he’s afraid of the dark so he listened.  During one of the laps, I stood waiting for him to catch up and I started to stretch my legs.  He joined me and did the same.  You know I think he felt pretty good with all the walking and certainly with the stretching.   Usually when he stretches he is so dramatic and doesn’t really bend anywhere, but that night was different.  I showed him a few stretches to loosen up his legs and without comment, whine or resistance, he did as I instructed.  It was at that point, we finally walked together side-by-side to the other end of the track until we reached the car.  Kyle then turned to me and apologized.  It was after 9:00 pm and we walked roughly four miles.  Not bad!

Once we got in the car and Kyle decided to sit in the backseat (which I made him sit in his usual passenger side seat beside me) he commented about riding his bike for exercise.  Agreeing with him I said, “Buddy that’s an awesome idea.  Did you want me to get a bike and we can go together?”  He gave a defeated nod.  Now, I am not a fan of riding bikes, I prefer running, but for Kyle I would absolutely do that.  Anything to incorporate exercise in his daily activities.  I’m trying to make fitness apart of him so he never has to deal with obesity, diabetes and the list of other ailments that accompany overweight.  I get running is not everyone’s thing, but since neither of us are into sports, sometimes its the best I could do.  I’m going to have to explore other creative ideas.

I think that we all know what evil is. We have a sense of what’s evil, and certainly killing innocent people is evil. We’re less sure about what is good. There’s sort of good, good enough, could be better – but absolute good is a little harder to define.  ~Madeleine Albright

I’ve been wanting to address the movie theater massacre since the story unfolded.  Just to recap, on July 20, 2012, a mass shooting occurred at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado during a midnight premier of Batman – Dark Knight Rises.   A gunman, who was later identified as James Holmes, went inside to watch the movie, left half way through to get dressed in tactical clothing (including a bulletproof vest), then re-entered the theater through a back entrance, set off tear gas canisters and began shooting at the viewers.  Eventually he killed 12 people and injured more than 58 innocent bystanders.  He was arrested shortly after committing the atrocity, but never gave an explanation for his outburst.

First and foremost, my heart bleeds for those who were unfortunately involved in the shooting.  My thoughts and prayers goes out those family members who were forced to deal with this disaster.  May the victims rest-in-peace.

It happened late at night, so by the next morning the story was out and everyone was trying to get their minds wrapped around the incidence. Because this is breaking news, I have push notifications on my phone coming from Fox News.  After work on Friday, I picked Kyle up at his friends house, where he was playing all day.  As we were on our way home, my phone dinged and he picked it up to check the alert.  He checks my text messages and anytime the phone ‘dings’ to help me out when I’m driving.  Plus I think he likes to stay current on news and he knows about the alerts set on my phone.  The ‘Breaking News’ title said “Movie Theater Massacre Conference”.  Kyle read it out loud and said gave a puzzled look, just as I was mumbling to myself, “What a shame and those poor innocent people.  They didn’t even have a chance to defend themselves.”

Kyle asked me what happened, since he obviously didn’t see the news and had no idea, I tried to explain as best I could from what I knew.  While I was describing the actions of the gunman, I was really nervous over Kyle’s reaction.  I didn’t want him to become scared of going to the movies.  As I was going through the story, Kyle just sat there taking it in.  Usually he starts off with ten thousand questions, but not this time.  He just listened and didn’t comment until after I said, “It’s such a shame, that’s not right.  Those poor people just wanted to enjoy a movie.  What now? Do I have to go to the movie theater packing?”  Kyle said, “Packing?”  I smiled and replied, “With a gun to protect myself.”  Kyle said, “Maybe” and I quickly debunked his thought with more details over the shooting.  I said, “Except the people in the theater thought it was a prank or part of the movie ’cause it happened right in the middle of an action scene.  The killer set off smoke canisters and no one understood or knew what was going on.  Not to mention the gunman was wearing a bulletproof vest.  Plus a stray bullet went through the wall of the movie theater and shot someone in the adjacent theater.  He was targeting those trying to exit.”

Still nervous over Kyle’s real reaction and trying to not to omit the violent details, he finally said, “Ya Aunt Heather they didn’t know.”  He seemed to understand the story, well at least as much as any one of us did, which wasn’t much.  I told him what I heard that the movie theaters are going to employ new rules and guidelines for letting people in the theaters.  I also commented on the restriction of props and costumes for those who get dressed up in support of a blockbuster.  It’s a shame one person had to ruin everyone’s entertainment for no reason.

Keeping the conversation going, I told Kyle about the lone assassin’s apartment.  Later on, the police found out that Holmes actually booby trapped his apartment with bombs to go off in case the police would decide to storm his home.  What the heck?  Trying to shorten the lives of those who are protecting innocent people?  As I continued on while Kyle listened very attentively, I became very enraged just thinking that the killer didn’t even know his victims and they didn’t know him.

Finally Kyle asked about the location of the shooting to confirm it wasn’t local.  At one point, I realized I never told Kyle what movie was playing.  We both had been talking about Batman – Dark Knight Rises, just like the rest of the world, since they started shooting the movie in Pittsburgh and all the way leading up to the release.  When I told him it was Batman, Kyle sat there really quiet.  I interrupted his thoughts by saying, “I still want to see the movie, I heard it’s really good.  Plus it was made in our backyard.”  Kyle just nodded his head in agreement.

Trying to explain the unexplainable to a ten year old is not easy.  I want to protect his mind, but I also want him to have a sense of reality and know the news ar0und him.  At this point, I couldn’t help my self and did just as the news did, comparing the Columbine High School massacre to this one.  Naturally, the comparison was going to happen because of the close proximity of locations, and the amount of loss.  The Columbine High School massacre happened on April 20, 1999.  When I was telling Kyle about this dent in history, I really couldn’t remember when it happened, but I could tell you how I felt when I saw the news that day.  Giving him a very brief explanation, he didn’t have much to say.

While I was on the topic, I wanted to discuss the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, but at that moment, there was enough bloodshed for one conversation.  I thought about the shooting, but chose to stop and change gears.  I am aware how blessed I am blessed to be able to change my thoughts and the conversation as I wanted, unlike those poor victims in Colorado.  They never had a choice.

Not to say that these types of tragedies are good, not at all, but I always feel that there’s some good that comes out of them.  After the dust has settled and the victims are getting used to their new adjusted lives, the hero stories seem to make their way to the headlines, rightfully.  Hearing stories of bravery and the desire to survive and help our fellow neighbor is very inspirational.  It goes back to my belief, that there is more good in the world than not.  Give people a chance to shine and do the right thing, especially in the face of evil, they will choose to do good and be selfless every time.  May God bless all the friends and families of the victims and give them strength to live on.