Site Title

We spent Saturday the 3rd working around the house.  The weather forecast showed rain on and off all day, which put a damper on the possibility of fireworks, but we still headed the way of the fun (city-sponsored activities) late that afternoon.  On the way there we saw some women on the side of the road trying to coax an animal to safety.  Turns out it was a turtle – a very LARGE and unhappy turtle.  Derek is a turtle-saver (which is funny because I have memories of my Dad being a turtle-saver too) – he'll rescue turtles from streets and take them to safety.  In fact the kind ladies who had pulled over nicknamed Derek the "turtle whisperer".  

(I told you it was very large!)

Turns out we were right next to a corn field and I have always thought it would be fun to take the kids pictures in a corn field, so we did (we weren't really dressed cute for it, but their faces are cute enough).

Then it started raining, so we headed to a local Mexican place for dinner.  Then it was still raining, so we headed early to my Mom's so the boys could watch Animal Planet to their heart's desires as we waited for fireworks.  But we got too tired to keep waiting and headed home just before the fireworks.  But the next night (Sunday) we felt bad that the kids hadn't seen any fireworks so we found a local field and pulled out our lawn chairs and watched a real-dud-of-a-fireworks-show in McKinney.  Lesson learned – wait for the ones in Frisco…they're worth the wait.

This is what happens when the boys discover Nana's glasses.  We struggle with the lack of personality around here – can you tell?!  So cute.  She thinks they're HERS. 🙂  I have to remind her that they are mine.

Ok – fine – I'll share.

Jacob had a great week at Cowboys Camp – a football camp sponsored by the Dallas Cowboys.  It was held at the high school that is 3 minutes from our house (what a treat!).  He went M-F from 9-4 everyday.  And it was hot!  The first day was a challenge for him (it always is – nerves?).  But he settled in and ended up doing very well.  He got a "Coaches Award" for hard work and respect of coaches on his second day (my kind of award!) and he got 3rd in his age group in "skills and agility".  Bonus for him: he got to meet Bradie James (linebacker for the Cowboys) and Michael Johnson (Olympic gold medalist and track star, and sponsor of the camp).  

We had a great time with the Hicken and Dalebout kids (sans Jacob who was at football camp and Jordan who was at the gym).  The kids swam and the moms visited.  A great way to kill a few hours in the summer.  And the cloudy skies were a nice change.

This was Jacob's last year as a Cub Scout and last year at Twilight Camp.  The Webelos have their own week and I was a chaperone on of the nights.  What a delightful group of boys!!  I had so much fun with them.  They are older and need less corraling but were so cute with one another and with us (their leaders).  I really, really enjoyed this year (*note to self – Webelos is the camp to go to!).  They were determined to win the spirit award with their cheer (Den 2-5, Den 2-5, Even though we cannot drive, We are the awesome Den 2-5).  Jacob was the creator of the cheers and was so proud of his role.  Everywhere we went we were chanting and cheering as loud as we could and the "chairman" noticed!  And we won!  So they boys got to lead the closing flag ceremony and do their cheer for everyone.  They were so tickled and pleased with themselves, and I was tickled for them.  Fun, fun night spent with my boy and his friends.  It was a highlight of my summer.

I had a good time at a dual-bridal shower for two cute cousins that both used to babysit for me.  I can't believe they are getting married (within two weeks of each other).  Erin, in particular, has a special place in my heart because she was my "nanny" the summer that I was pregnant with Samuel (and so sick!).  She took care of my two boys and was such a big help to me (she was 16 then).  And Renae would fill in for her that summer when she went on vacation!  I brought crab cakes (Costco) with a homemade tartar sauce and enjoyed seeing these two girls all grown up and so happy.

He went in the bathroom upstairs (the BOYS bathroom) and came running back out exclaiming "Dat toilet is nasty!".  Made us all laugh.

He came in to wake us up one morning (7:03 am, the same time everyday it seems) and his breath smelled mysteriously of Nilla Wafers.  He said "mmm…I love cookies for breakfast.  Day smell awesome.  I'm going to go smell them!"

We're trying VERY hard to break him of the not-so-cute habit of saying "What the ??"  Not sure where he learned it, but I don't like it! 

And we're also trying to break him of the not-so-cute habit of picking his nose while he sucks his thumb!  One thing at a time…first break the nose-picking…then break the thumb sucking!

The little boys were singing "Ring Around the Rosie" (one of Samuel's current favorites – especially in the pool!) and Jacob turned to me and very matter-of-factly said "Whoever invented that song must have been a real nuisance."

Tonight Jacob asked Derek, "Who invented football?"  Derek responded "I don't know."  Jacob replied, "I'd like to give that guy a hug".

10:47 pm
Watching DVR’d episodes of ‘Max & Ruby’ (his favorite). Trying to bring down his 101.5 fever.

Father's Day was a quiet day this year…just how Derek likes it.  We made him breakfast in bed and gave him two things.  One was a "pillow tie" – which me and the boys thought was a funny idea.  Go HERE to read about them (Derek works with the 12-14 year old boys at church who think this is especially funny). The other gift was silhouettes that I made of the boys' faces.  The picture isn't great, but you get the idea. We went to church, had a nice dinner and talked to the grandpa's.  I was bad about taking pictures that day, but have these of all the boys talking to Grandpa Verdi.

sidenote: I was in charge of the F.D. gift for the men at church this year – Shelley Tanner came over and helped me bag up and tie cute bags of cookies and candy for the men.