the most wonderful things

so a few weeks ago i mentioned all my adventures on our most recent trip up to northern ky {refresher here}.  but i also mentioned that had withheld my favorite part of my time there.  i promise i wasn't trying to be mean...i just felt as though this info needed its own little place in the sun.


while visiting with my parents-in-love i found that they were going to be sending us home with some goodies.  not cookies or cake...something better.  much better.  mary gave us a bundle of ben's childhood items. 

basically, memories in a box. 

it was so awesome /sweet / cute / hilarious to look through.


here's just one gem.

a huge picture of benny.  ben's response upon seeing this: "why would my mom want such a giant picture of me in a baseball outfit?"  duh!  because it is so great.  17" X 20" of greatness.  where can i hang this?


here is some of hubby's art from middle school / freshman year of high school.

i want to hang these two charcoal ones in our office.

and finally...the grand finale.


ben's journal from 4th grade.  he was ten years old.  it was one of those daily journals where your teacher gives you a prompt and then you have to write about it.  i read & loved every single page in this journal.

{he had excellent 10 yr. old penmanship by the way}


here are a few of my favorites: {no changes to grammar or spelling}


first entry 
8.25.95


ME


"I am ten years old.  I was born in St. James hospital in Chicago Hts. IL.  I was born at 2.X.85. My hobbies are playing sports, fishing, working on my models, and writing.  Let me tell you about my first football game.  The center had the ball  the quarterback said hike he gave me the ball i was jumping over people finally I broke free I made a touchdown.  And that's just me a sports loving fool."


my husband is still "a sports loving fool".  can you believe he said that?  hilarious.






9.26.95


The Music of My Life


"I like the new coolio c.d. it is called dangerous Minds soundtract there is one song that is my favorite.  it is called dangerous minds."






9.27.95


An Important Call


"My mom and dad always say they have an important call so I just wait and guess what nobody calls so I just ask my mom if I can have a celerler phone.  she always says no."


baaaaaahhahaha






10.6.95


Lost


Once when I was five years old I got lost in a store in chicago I went to the window to see if our car was still there and then I stood up on a ledge and looked for my moms black puffy hair.  Then I saw her hair she was franticly looking around for me.  Then I ran down the aisle she was in.  And then she hugged me and we went home.






10.13.95


Good Luck


"On Sunday I always have good luck I like it. sometimes I get to go wherever I want to."






11.1.95


Candy and Gum Yum, Yum, Yum


"When I went trick or treating last night I must of got at least 200 pieces of candy."






11.10.95


I am proud to be an american


"My Grampa was in the navy.  Although I can't remember anything that he did.  But I am sure he did something heroic.  I don't know what he did but I still love him."






If I could redo my room


"I have a bay window where my other window is I'm going have a door leading to my very own patio.  my carpet is going to be astro turn from the Chicago Bears field and to build a loft where there's going be my personal arcade with a jucuise and my very own pop machine. {his addiction started at an early age} And half court with posters of Micheal Jordan all over the walls.  Every USA Dream Team Jerzey's autographed and in cases on the wall, too.  Also with a big screen T.V.."






5.2.96


Performing


"Last night was fun for me.  I danced really good.  I like the part when Adam Simmons was singing he got the parents going good they were screaming and some were even dancing.  My favorite part was at the end everybody got on the floor and started dancing."




5.15.96


Father {excerpt}


"My dad is so nice to me he let's me have things that my mom won't let me have he also would take me places that I've never been before."




at the VERY end of this journal there is a page that says "live, learn and pass it on"  this was definitely not school related.  here's some of my favorites from benny's list.  ohhh he had learned so much :)


I've learned you can't take drugs.
I've learned that you can't get nervous when ever you see a girl.
I've learned that school is boring. {he wrote this 6 separate times}
I've learned that you get excited when ever you hear somebody say we are going somewhere
I've learned that I can never wait for recess.
I've learned that I can never wait for lunch.
I've learned that you can have 4 girlfriends at one time.
I've learned that I always have good luck on Sundays.
I've learned that I need gloves.
I've learned that spreading peas on your plate makes your parents think that you ate most of them.
I've learned that my mom likes exercise machines.






thank you mary for saving this for benny.  so so so awesome.  this has brought me much joy.