Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Soaking up the sun and other things

Sorry so long on the update. The boys have not been exactly cooperative about letting me take photos of them when they are busy playing. If they even see me with the camera, they either complain or hide their faces. Soooo.... I respect their wishes for the moment anyway, and put it away. I got the camera out this afternoon and heard "Oh no, not again." But I bribed them with some watermelon and cantaloupe, and they graciously let me snap a few photos. Uh, thanks guys.




Also, we took both boys to see Toy Story 3 the Saturday after it came out. They loved it. This was the first movie that Greyson was either willing or able to sit through until the end. But my goodness, it is so expensive for all 4 of us to go. Between the movie, the refreshments, a late lunch at Brixx Pizza, we spent about $100. That just blows my mind. Not going to complain though, it has been one of the very few times over the last few weeks that we have been able to do something as a family, just the four of us.
I'll try to post some more photos and fun things after Independence Day. We have a very busy weekend planned. Friday night is the fireworks display at our club. Saturday we are going to the Hendersonville Freedom Festival at Drakes Creek Park. We missed it last year, so not sure what it is all about but I think they have a lot of family activities set up during the day, then fireworks at night. Then on the 4th, after church, we are spending the day at the boys' Great grandmother's house with a different waterslide/bounce house and lotsa family. Finally, that night we will wind everything down with watching Gallatin's city fireworks (which are very good by the way) from our neighborhood. We are fortunate enough to live close to where they will be setting them off so we only have to walk out the door a bit to see them. And hopefully, the boys will get plenty of rest later that night. I think I will need it (plus a glass of wine or two over the course of the 3 days).
Hope everyone has a great, and safe, 4th!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Father's Day, B!

I know a couple of guys that think you are the best Daddy in the world! I kinda think so too!

Love,

Your Family

Friday, June 18, 2010

Look what we found...

growing in our garden! Our very first vegetable of the year. Meet Mr. Zucchini in all his glory.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Trophy Kid

Nicholas received his first T Ball trophy at the American Legion's T Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball closing ceremony this week. To say he was excited is clearly an understatement.

He was so proud to add this to his growing trophy and medal collection. Now he has 2 soccer trophies, a soccer medal, a golf medal and this newest addition. He just loves them and so far, in the past two days since he received his trophy, he has asked me to come to his room no less than 5 times to "check out" his trophies on his chest of drawers.

Coach Andy giving Nicholas his trophy.
Nicholas and his friend and teammate Druanna. He calls her his "T Ball girlfriend" cause apparently he has girlfriends everywhere, sigh.

The proud trophy holder once again needing a haircut. This was remedied today after his Dad took him to a barber shop. I have not seen the haircut yet but I can only imagine it looks like he got it at a barber shop. At least he will be able to see without tilting his head back.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

I'm All Stocked Up on Crazy

One of my favorite lines from a movie was in As Good As It Gets. Melvin (Jack Nicholson) tells Simon's housekeeper when she comes to his door to "sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here." Sort of loses it's punch when taken out of context but I am sure you get my point.

So...Yesterday, the boys and I had to be somewhere in a hurry. I handed Nick his shoes and said "hurry and put these on while I get Grey dressed and brush my teeth".


I go to help Grey get dressed because I know if I don't, he will toss what I picked out aside and wear something like a turtleneck sweater with swim trunks. Of course, he does not like what I picked out and does not want my help "I can do it myself" (5 of my least favorite words). So I offer him a choice of two different outfits that I picked out and yell over my shoulder into the hallway "Nick, get those shoes on" cause I know my boy and know he has not moved an inch. After haggling with Greyson for 5 minutes over what is and is not appropriate to wear in public, I leave him to get dressed. Go into the hallway, see two shoes, no kid in them. Nick is in his closet playing with a toy. Tell Nick to get his shoes on. Hear Grey screaming in frustration. Go back to his room to find him struggling with his shirt. Start to help. Get a "I can do it myself" right before he yells in frustration "my noggin is too big for this shirt". Which is sadly true, and why so many of our play shirts have stretched out necks. However this particular shirt had another button that I could unbutton, so I did and he got the shirt over the big "noggin". After that success I grabbed some shoes and spent the next few minutes arguing with him about wearing the shoes I had picked out. Finally, I convinced him that these shoes were fine and told him to go into the den so I could put them on him. Passed Nicholas in the hallway sans shoes and reminded him that he needed to get his shoes on in the nicest possible voice. Ok, in a not so nice voice.


I get to the den, no Greyson. Yell for Greyson, who is in my room trying to put on another pair of shoes. It was kind of funny because these shoes had straps and in his hurry, he had pulled the straps out of the holes and he was hurrying to get them back in and the shoes on before I got to him. I am assuming he thought that once they were on, I would not make him take them off. which at this point was probably true but moot, because he could not get the strap back in the hole. So I put the original shoes on him, while all the while he said "I can do it myself". He probably could but I no longer trusted him to get those particular shoes on his feet.


Back to the hallway, Nick was working on one shoe, so I just said "more RPM's Nick" and went to brush my teeth. Now keep in mind, these are not difficult shoes to put on. The are Keens that you slip your foot into and tighten with a toggle. He's been wearing them all his life and putting them on all by himself for 3 years.


Teeth brushed, I went in search of Greyson passing Nick with still only one shoe on. I said "Nick, I am leaving here in 3 minutes, if you don't have both your shoes on you will go barefoot or with one shoe, the choice is yours". Of course he freaked and finally put on his other shoe in less than 4 seconds. Found Greyson in his bathroom brushing his teeth. After I cleaned toothpaste off of his chin, shirt, arm and the counter I said "lets go". Of course it took us another 5 minutes to get out the door with everything we needed and the alarm set.


I told the boys to hurry and get in their car seats and I opened the door for them. I went around to the other side, started the car and rolled down my window. Looked in the back and said "Nick, strap your self in please". I then told Greyson to sit down so I could strap him in. I got the standard response of "I can do it myself" followed by 3 minutes of fiddling with straps and one frustrated scream (from him not me, although only by the grace of God). To his credit, he almost did it. I told Nicholas once again to strap himself in. Then I finished up for Greyson. I cleaned out the shredded paper on the floor board under his seat and tossed it in the trashcan. Tapped on the window and told Nick once more to strap himself in. Then I walked to the end of the drive and got the mail. Got in my seat in the car, looked in my mirror and said "Nick, for the last time, strap yourself in or I will come back there and do it for you". He yelped like he was surprised and put his straps in place in less than 20 seconds.


And then...I kid you not...Grey says "I need to pee pee". Ugh. I got him out of the car and just let him go right there at the side of the house. I just did not care at this point. We then repeated the whole "I can do it myself" process of getting into the car seat again.


And you wonder why...

Thursday, June 10, 2010

What is he doing behind my back?

Not much time to update, have to cut the grass. Just wanted to post some cute pics of the boys. Thank you Bryant for whatever you were doing behind my back to get the boys to laugh. I am probably glad I dont know what it was.

Bryant is helping him Mom get his grandfather's house ready to rent and is rebuilding a deck, so I am going to cut the grass for him. What a handy man to have around! Uh, when you finish that, how 'bout finishing those cabinets you have been working on for a year and a half now? Seriously, I am glad he is helping his Mom out but a little more enthusiasm for my half finished cabinets would be nice.


So I am going to cut the grass. Cant believe Bryant is letting me. Not that I have been begging to cut it or anything but I don't think he approves of my "you mow to get done as fast as you can" philosophy of grass cutting. I just don't see the point of mowing different ways each time and setting the blade so the grass is not too short. I mean, heck, if you cut it short, you don't have to cut it again quite so soon. Yes, this is why I am rarely allowed, ok never allowed, to cut the grass. But since we have had so much rain, and I lost my youngest child in it today, I am giving it a go with his blessings. Alright, not his blessings, he did grimace a few times while showing me how to use it. At least he has not called to check on me yet. Crap, spoke to soon.


Boys are great. T-ball is officially over tomorrow night. I think. We were rained out 6 games so there may be some make ups next week. Nicholas loved it and both he and Grey are dying to play fall ball. Will have to see how that works out with soccer and whatever else they decide to take up during the fall. Boys and their sports.




Some quick pics from today. The boys just looked so cute in their play clothes this afternoon that I had to take some pictures before they left to go climb the apple tree at Pawpaw's house. My photo philosophy these days is to take as many pictures as I can while they are semi clean, 'cause it don't last long.

Bryant was doing God knows what behind my back but whatever it was, it had the boys rolling, so thanks, B, for the cute pics.




Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Sweetest Things

Summer offers some of the sweetest things.




Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Under Where?

"Son, you got a panty on your head." Sometimes you just gotta wear...

your underwear ...

on your head