Very cool!!

Yes - nice Busy.

My philosophy has always been - we basically raise our children so they don't need us any more. While that's not exactly true, we attempt to raise healthy, intelligent children who can stand on their own. You've done a fantastic job with yours!!!

Congrats Busy Bee,

Nice!

Congrats Busy Bee! Well said Skittles!

::applies sunscreen and grabs folding chair:: Today is the first game of the season and my daughter made the "A" team as a starter. She's a little annoyed that she will be Center Field but the team they are playing is the best in the district and that is exactly where the balls will be headed.

Good luck to her and her team today!! That's exciting!

Wish I would have needed to apply sunscreen when I was watching my girls play softball in April. Here in CNY it's still cold.
Enjoy every minute, the time goes very fast.

Twelve-year old granddaughter just rec'd Seventh Player Award from her co-ed pee-wee Hockey team coaches. She plays defense and has absolutely no fear defending her teammates and the goal. (Has warmed the bench in the penalty box on multiple occasions).

Woo Hoo...

All 5 of my kids (dogs) behaved themselves wonderfully when all the family came to spend Easter Sunday at the farm yesterday.

My daughter graduated from college Magna Cum Laude this past weekend with degrees in elementary education and special education. I told her that moving the tassel on the graduation cap symbolized going from student to unemployed Thankfully there are opportunities out there and I was able to help her out enough that she is not drowning in student loan debt. I am very proud of what she has accomplished and with the career path she has chosen.

Good for her, TJ!

Congratulations, TJ. I cannot believe your daughter is old enough to graduate college. Time sure flies.

That's fantastic! Good for her!

Congrats TJ!

Congrats to you daughter, TJ. That's a wonderful career choice.

(This remains my favorite BOL thread.)

Congratulations to her!! That is a truly commendable field, I know she'll be a great teacher.

Congrats to her! Teaching is such a noble field and I greatly admire those that go into it.

Outstanding TJ. Congratulations!

My 14 year old son has been offered a part time job at the local community swimming pool (just down the block from our house) this summer. He will be working the concessions stand or as an attendant on the water slides - plus other duties as assigned. He is very nervous but I am sure he will be fine. It will be good for him to get some work experience and get out and meet people.

That's an awesome way for a 14 year old boy to spend his summer.

My 32 year old daughter leaves Saturday for a two week trip to Croatia and Bosnia. On the way there, she has one day stops in Lisbon and Venice. She's traveling by herself, and taking everything she needs in a backpack. She's staying in Airbnbs and hostels. She been planning the trip for months, with every detail in Excel. She came up with this idea after seeing a picture on the Internet of the Stari Most bridge in Mostar, Bosnia. She'll also see some of the Game of Thrones locations in Croatia.

We encouraged our kids to be adventurous, but we might have pushed it too far.

At least she's 32, and probably a bit more experienced...my 20 year old is planning a similar trip in that she wants to travel with all her essentials and needs in a backpack around Europe by herself. She is currently planning all the details and has started her savings fund so she can hit the road by next summer. She wanted to do it this summer but I reminded her how much $$ she would need as I wasn't funding her expedition. Normally I would also encourage her to be adventurous and see the world and do all of these things while she's young before all of life's responsibilities start etc. but the world (almost anywhere you go) these days is in such turmoil and unrest has become so unpredictable etc. All I know is that if this trip does come to fruition I will not sleep a wink next summer.....

Can I brag about my bonus daughters for a minute? We had the girls with us this weekend and my 13 year old bonus daughter had an assignment for health class where she had to interview a parent and get their answers about love, dating, marriage, and healthy relationships. She chose to interview me rather than her dad or her mom. It warmed my heart that she wanted to know my opinion on the subject! It really helped open that door to be able to communicate and she feels like she has a safe place to go when she needs dating advice.

Then, yesterday, before we took the girls back to their mom's house, the youngest one decided to make a gift for her sister's upcoming birthday. She is very artistic and creative. She made her a really cute picture by taking pebbles of different sizes and gluing them on to paper to make a really cute scene of a girl sitting on a bench under a tree. She asked us to get it framed before sister's birthday. I'm very impressed with her creativity!

Just over a month ago my daughter suffered an injury playing softball resulting in her losing her top 4 front teeth. Yesteday practiced started for Sr. League and she was right out there with her team. No fear.