A Wild Night With The Boys

Let me introduce you to two members of our family you probably haven't met, Jake and Noel (pronounced "Nole"). They are our two "adopted sons." Well, not really. They are boys who live in our subdivision that are friends with Aaron. They practically live here in the summer...when Aaron isn't living at their houses, that is. It tickled my funny bone yesterday when I got the mail and the mailman had errantly delivered a letter for Noel. But - it was okay - because he was on my family room sofa, Wii controller in hand. I approached him and chided, "I guess the mailman even knows you live here!" He laughed as I handed him his mail.


Lucky for me, they are really nice kids and they all get along pretty well. And, since the boys are all older it's usually just eating and "You Tube" and video games. It's our trampoline until it gets really hot (in Wisconsin, that's not until mid-summer) and then it's across the street to Noel's where they have the pool. We've been known to take a boy tubing and sometimes the movies, but mostly they knock around here. There are paintball wars and airsoft gun wars and PVC sword wars. There are kick-the-can games when they can round up enough visiting cousins or other neighborhood kids. There is the huge stack of Yugi-Oh cards they have when they pool all their cards together and play. Summer vacation is a fun time for them. Aaron is the oldest of the group, at 14, and it saddens me because next year he will probably be getting a job. If not next year, definitely the following-because no doubt he will want to be driving...and gas costs money. And, he will be the first of "the gang" to be driving.
It was this last innocent year of summer drawing to a close that was weighing heavy on my mind yesterday afternoon when Aaron approached me with those beautiful puppy-dog eyes. "Can the boys and I have a sleepover downstairs tonight?"
Now, we've been doing this all summer. They sleep at each others' houses - no big deal. But, we usually do it over a weekend night. And, I'm not sure we've done it since we've gotten the downstairs refinished. I faintly heard the whispers that Jake's and Noel's mom already said no. So I was the last resort? So, what am I...chopped liver? I want it to be fun here....but I knew I had plans in the morning (in a half hour!!!) and all day - and that was less than perfect. And Mike worked in the morning, so I didn't want them to wake him during the night... But, in a weak moment I said...ask your father when he gets home. Dad said yes. I couldn't figure out why Jake's and Noel's moms said no, anyhow...
...I remember, this morning, why we don't have sleepovers over weeknights. I will never forget. Some boys giggle worse than girls. Especially when they are blowing up things on their video games (I can hear the POW-BAM! on our surround sound system RIGHT UNDER OUR ROOM) all night. I was so afraid it would wake up Mike. Well, the only thing louder than the boys (all night!) and the POW-BAM...was the snoring in the bed next to me. Yes, I'm the light sleeper.
You can't really blame the boys. That's what sleepovers are all about. And, that's what I wanted for Aaron's sleepover for his "Last Innocent Summer Vacation" before he enters "The Real World."
It's not like I have an extremely taxing day. I get to visit with my buddy Heather over coffee this morning, and then I'm driving an hour to my Mom's to visit her and my sister Deanna who's traveling 4-1/2 hours (she's got the LONG ride!) to lunch together and visit.
Sometimes I laugh when I think of what I write in these posts. I visit this person and have coffee and lunch with this person. You must think, "Does this chick ever DO ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE????" You must think I live a life of leisure. To that I say, "Bahahahahahhahahahaha!" I just write the fun parts. I spare you the monotony. :)
Well, it's off to the copiers, then to Hudson Bagel Shop for coffee with Heather! Have a great Friday - and if I don't see you this weekend - have a good one!