Dave Flynn, Champion Of All Of It.

Despite Susannah spending a goodly bit of our Saturday in the ER (and spending a goodly bit of time fraying my nerves) for a mild concussion- p.s. She's fine- last week was one of my favorite weeks in the history of ever.

Why? Oh, maybe it has something to do with the fact that my Dad's post-chemo scans came back with the best possible news for a dude with his type and scale of cancer:

-His markers are at a really low point (exceptional in terms of cancer), with most at the "normal" range.
-He can ditch the 48 hour chemo pump and keep up with his maintenance drugs.
-And he's able to stop taking the drug that makes him feel like a polar ice cap.

SO. As long as he keeps his marker numbers low, he's at a super-awesome place in his treatment. Basically, he's the healthiest guy with Stage 4 colon cancer his docs have ever seen. (I'm not surprised; are you surprised?)

I think we can all agree that this [ridonkulously long] round goes to Dave Flynn, King of Awesome.

This guy.

Let's all celebrate with a gigantic bowl of ice cream. Which he can now eat/enjoy/go back for seconds.

'Cause yeah. A very good week.

Kids Bowl Free= Free Bowling All Summer Long= I'm Sorry, WHAT?

You guys. YOU GUYS.

In honor of the first day of summer, I'm doing [awkward] backflips to tell you about this simply unreal summer event.

It's called Kids Bowl Free, and I'm fairly certain you're gonna find a participating bowling center in or near your town. (Yes, even you, darling Canadians.) Ready for this? Once you sign up- for free- your kid gets to bowl twice a day, all summer long. For free. There is, quite literally, no catch.

It is insane. It is wonderful. It is free bowling all summer long for your children.

Kids Bowl Free is an awesome program designed by bowling centers and community groups to provide safe (and fun) places for kiddos to be all summer long. Also- for my friends who are educators/parents/folks who value intelligent American students- Kids Bowl Free is sponsoring a 100k classroom supplies grant program. In case you needed another reason to think these people are terrific. Check out their feature on NBC Nightly News.

Personally, I can't wait to take the girls bowling. Zuzu is already showing mad athletic ability, and Nora happens to be ridonkulously competitive. I've already signed them up, so it's a recipe for awesome. (All summer long.)

Seriously, pals, go register your kids and receive your free emailed vouchers. It's really that easy. And hey, want to join them? I happen to be giving away a family four-pass of bowling vouchers good in the U.S. and Canada. Tell your nieces and nephews and neighbors and friends and people you don't even like that much because hey, this is a really good deal and it's open to everyone.

Want to win 'em? Enter via the totally-non-scary Rafflecopter below and it'll pick the winner by next Friday. Either way, make sure to get your kids' free bowling passes ASAP. Because we all win.

Especially me. Who gets to introduce yet another type of cute footwear to her children.

***

While I was provided a family pass for writing this review, I wasn't compensated in any other way, shape, or form. So you can rest assured that my barely-contained glee and opinions are my own.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy First Day Of Summer (Eve). (Observed.)

Summer is practically- finally- beating down our [screen] door. And what better way to celebrate than with the girls' best friend- and favorite neighbor gal!

One of us is veeery thrilled to be sitting with the Big Girls.

Tell us another one, Em.

I swear I did not pose this.

It's not summer until you visit the ice cream truck and the fish pond in the same trip.

Sittin' on the stoop, housing some soft serve.

And I just added this pic of Zuzu 'cause I want to eat her face- ice cream-covered or not.

Happy Just-About Summer, everyone!

May it be filled with besties, ice cream trucks, and unabashed food stains.

Especially that last one.

We Don't Wear This Shirt For Just Anybody.

The Flynn Girls wish their Pop all the awesome in the world as he awaits his results:

(Thanks to Kate for thinkin' up this whole idea, Emily and myself for taking it to the Cover Girl level, and Rachel for being the only one posing like she has an actual mustache. Okay maybe my nephew Garrett- pictured with belly mustache- posed with one, too.)

(P.S. Can you see how my little Roo has started to show him/herself? Yeah, this was taken close to a month ago. I AM LARGER.)

Rock out, Pop. We love you. 

Obviously.