Summer Time!

 We live in a 110 year old house with 110 year old stairs.  I've been meaning to give them an upgrade and this is what I came up with!  It makes me happy every time I have to go upstairs.

 You might be a redneck if...........

 Brody and his many many attempts at the Slip n' Slide........

 If you can't slide on the water.....you can drink it! 

 What?! Me? 

 ...and then there is my little nerd in training.  Reading inside with his bucket of animals.

Here is Baylor's Dinosaur habitat.  He's been working hard on it every day.

Let the summer fun begin!

Brothers gotta hug.....

Love these two monkeys. 

 Baylor's wiper fish (a cross between a white bass and a striper....FYI all you fishing nerds)

 My sweet {most of the time} Kindergarten grad. I can't believe he'll be 7 in August and starting 1st grade.

He was more interested in dissecting the minnows than actually putting them in the water to catch fish.

What are you doing this summer?

Go to the pool* make lemonade stand*go to the beach*run through the sprinkler*read some novels*go to a museum*go to an aquarium*watch fireworks*family pizza party* movie outside*go to an art show* run through the sprinkler*giant bubbles*make ice cream* go camping* s’mores* campfire* make a car wash for bikes* go to  a library that we’ve never been to * summer reading program* tent outside*paint rocks*make a bird feeder* go to a park we’ve never been to* go on a bike ride on a trail* set up an obstacle course* watch a parade* sparklers and fireworks* play in the rain* have a sleepover* have an ice cream party* draw with chalk* catch lightening bugs* build sandcastles* go to the zoo* have a BBQ* make chalk paint* build a tee pee* play baseball* play Frisbee* give the dogs a bath* take the dogs on a walk* slip and slide* go fishing* fly kites* watch clouds* look at the stars* write letters* make popsicles* make mud pies*make milk carton boats*go bug catching* go to Vacation Bible School* write a story* homemade finger paints* outdoor bowling* put on a play* put on a puppet show* mini golf* water the garden* go on a nature hike* pick some flowers* cereal necklaces* make frozen pudding pops* water balloons* play soccer* play badminton* go to story time*  go to the farmer’s market* learn a new song* learn piano* learn to play the banjo* decorate boxes* go to a concert* make a fort* take funny photos and mail them to family members* PJ and movie play date* child makes whole meal* make a fruit salad* deliver cookies to neighbor* random acts of kindness* breakfast for dinner* road trip* children’s museum* go on a picnic* sleep in* make cupcakes* ice skating at the mall* go to a baseball game* family movie night* go to a movie* feed the ducks* dance party* painting party* dinosaur bone hunt* play in the sandbox* snow cones* go to a carnival* ride on a Ferris wheel* ride a horse* ride a boat* go kayaking with grandpa* decorate bikes* ice cream truck* waterpark* scavenger hunt* homemade root beer* ride a train* memorize scripture* FUN

Preschool Graduate!

 Accepting his preschool diploma from Miss Molly.

 I can't believe this little guy will be in AK next year. He has grown up so much! He's still crazy and will always be our little destroyer, but he has really grown and matured.

 Photo op with the famous stone Lion. 

My babies are getting so big! Where does the time go. No, seriously. Where does it go?

That rock is moving.....

 Saturday was a beautiful day, so the boys and I threw our fishing gear in the back of the Ford and we headed for the lake.  Worms...check! Minnows....check!

 Lunch in the back of the car....check!

 Enormous water snake family on a rock....check!

 This is as close as I got. I used the zoom on my camera to get up close and personal with Mrs. Snake and her babies.  The boys found it interesting. I found a new place to fish.

Baylor ended up reeling in a few bluegills and one baby muskie!  Brody landed a few sunfish. I hooked a tree branch.

Game on.

It always amazes me, when I least expect it, a life lesson comes smack dab and hits me on the face.  Tonight it came in the form of a children's audio series called Adventures in Odyssey.  My kids listen to it almost every night and it has great stories and a wonderful lesson at the end.  Most nights I see it as a way to gain a few extra minutes of silence, but tonight was a little different.

I was in the bathroom, scrubbing the sinks, grumbling to myself about the crusted on toothpaste and wondering why it was so hard to spit into it and miss.  As I began to fold the enormous pile of towels plopped on the floor, I listened to a story about a baseball player who let one bad pitch ruin his career.  An athlete who had a lot going for him let a little blip in the radar, throw him off course for good.

You can't let one bad pitch ruin your career.

These past few months we've been thrown a whole lot of bad pitches. A few of them went straight for the gut and I'm taking my base! I am not going to let a few bad pitches ruin my career.  I may not fit the mold but I know that I am good at what I do.  There will be no throwing in the towel or hanging up the cleats.

Game on.