July 4th

I look forward to July 4th every year.  It's one of my favorite holidays.  We have a big BBQ at my parent's house on the brick firepit.  It's the only time of the year that it gets used.  Mondo goes early in the morning and helps my dad set it up and cook the chicken.  This year Mondo did most of the work because of poor old dad's back.  ;-)  This was the second year that Ethan went with him and helped.  He was over the moon that he was old enough to be a helper and cook the BBQ with Papa and Daddy.

Lighting the grill.

Helping Nana make the secret sauce.

Look at all of that chicken!!

Christmas in July?  Caleb is obsessed with Santa so Nana finds ways to keep one year round.

Fourth of July land.

Of course I had to make a cake.

This is only part of what was left AFTER we ate!

Love that sweet BBQ face.

After we left my parent's house we went to our friend's parent's house down the street.  We went swimming and ate left over BBQ.

This just cracks me up.  He loved the nose plugs!

And Caleb loved this horse swing.  I need to get one for my parent's house.

Gotta have sparklers on July 4th!

The dad's were blowing up fireworks while the kids took cover.  HILARIOUS!!

Caleb wanted to help Mondo light some.  Yes, it gave me a heart attack.

Double sparklers!

July 4th - Part 1

Ok, so technically it wasn't July 4th.  We went to my sister's house on Lake Granbury for a pre-4th celebration.  Granbury was having fireworks that Sunday night so we went in the afternoon and hung out until almost 10 when it was firework time.  The kids had a great time hanging with Aunt Ree and Uncle Blake and were especially happy when cousin Blaine got off of work and joined in on the fun. 

**These pics were taken with Mondo's phone because I forgot my camera.**

We swam a little in her pool but the boys mainly wanted to play in the nasty lake water.  Gag.

They swam with my sister and her dog.  I got in a little but only if I had to.  I don't like getting in water I can't see through.  You never know what, or who, is swimming with you.

I was glad when Blaine joined in so I could get out of there.  They had a mud fight (and one earlier with Aunt Ree).

Hard to see but he's covered with mud.

Wish I would've had my camera for this one so you could see it better.

This is where they watched the fireworks....with Blaine in the middle.  I stayed on the dock with the spiders.  Eek...I'm so not a lake girl.

One tired critter from all of the fun at Aunt Ree's.  They both passed out before we even got out of their neighborhood.

VBS



This year I volunteered to help with VBS.  My mom and I and several others ran the kitchen for snack time.  I was a little worried that Caleb would freak out and want me with him all day but he did pretty good.  We really had fun in the kitchen and I was able to snap a few pics of the critters.  I guess it was worth losing my alone time that I normally have while the kids are there.  ;-)

The whole crew.  The theme was "Sky VBS" and the kids were taught to trust in God no matter what.  Pretty cute.

Ethan and Tyler were ready to roll!

The little critters:  Maddie, Caleb, and Caitlin.

My neices Madilyn and Morgan helped too.  It was a family event!

Craft time.

Snack time.  The first day we served blue jello jigglers with whip cream and a strawberry.  Yummy!

Ethan had to show me his injury from when they were outside running on the basketball court.

After they were done for the day Ethan was asked what the Bible story was for that day.  I was shocked when he repeated all of it back!  Proud momma moment.  ;-)

Tired critters at Nana's after VBS. 

Father's Day

Mondo and I don't usually give large gifts for Mother's Day/Father's Day.  But this year Mondo went all out and got me a Kindle Fire.  I couldn't be outdone.  So I bought him a new grill!  I should've taken a picture of the old one.  It was pretty sad.  I think we got it when we first got married...10 years ago.  You'll notice in the picture below that he is also wearing a new apron.  He is obsessed with the show Master Chef.  I designed an apron to look just like the ones on the show.  My plan was to give it to him and make him think that was his gift and be all sad that I didn't get him something better.  But that plan backfired.  He was so excited when he saw the apron! 

The second part of this story is that I bought the grill on Thursday with the educated assistance of my dad.  We hid it in the backyard on the side of the house (thanks for the moving help Eric).  I stressed all weekend that he would find it.  So Sunday rolls around and after I gave him the apron I told him that the dog next door messed up the fence and I needed him to help me fix it before we left for my mom's house.  We walked around the corner and he said the fence looked fine.  Then something caught his eye...a giant grill!  He was shocked and I was so excited to have pulled one over on him...FINALLY! 

Mondo really is the best dad a gal could ask for.  He loves his kids with all he has.  He works hard to provide and plays hard like one of the kids.  He wants to give them the best childhood and give them the opportunities that he didn't have growing up all while trying to keep them well rounded.  I'm so blessed to have him as a father and husband!





And then there's my own dad.  He worked hard as well to provide when I was growing up.  I'm lucky to have him literally around the corner to be able to call with my house/car/whatever issues.  I'm convinced he can fix anything!  He's a great Papa to the boys and I hope one day they actually start paying attention and learning how to fix things on their own.  He has a great sense of humor and always put on his "company manners" when my friends were around.  Hopefully this next year will have him up and running, well, maybe not running...but at least moving around pain free.  Happy father's day to a great dad!  Love you!

So Long Turtleman

Most of you know who Turtleman is.  I found him in a school parking lot in 2009.  We rescued him and I thought surely he was going to die.  But that little sucker lived for 3 years! 

Next to a nickle.

2009

2012

He was still very much alive and kicking...and needing a bigger habitat.  I moved him outside to a plastic pool but I still thought he needed something bigger.  We brought up the idea of releasing him many times but Ethan wouldn't have it.  Well, as luck would have it, he escaped.  I managed to find him buried against the fence across the yard.  Poor thing was trying to break free.  Ever hear that turtles run slow?  Not this one!  I think he could win a turtle marathon with the way he flew across the yard. 

We showed Ethan where he was hiding and explained that Turtleman needed freedom and that's what he was trying to get.  Ethan cried and said we couldn't get rid of him because he loved him.  I dropped the subject for a while then Ethan came up to me and said (in a very grown up voice), "Mom.  I've made a decision.  I think Turtleman needs a new home."  I was stunned!  Luckily Mondo had the perfect place to release him.  Where might you ask?  A golf course of course!  This one has 3 or 4 ponds full of turtles that look just like Turtleman

I was so suprised that Ethan let him go...and without any tears.  He flew into that water and dove to the bottom.  I put hot pink fingernail polish on his back so we could see which one he was.  After a few minutes he came back up, looked at us, then swam away.  It was like he was saying goodbye. 

I'm so proud of Ethan for making such a grown up decision.  He only asks about him when we are at the golf course.  And sometimes he thinks he sees him...although it's really hard to tell.  So long Turtleman!

Camp Thurman

Last year several of Ethan's friends went to Camp Thurman.  And that's all I heard about for weeks...how he didn't get to go.  I was just worried that he was too little and it was so hot to be at an outdoor camp all week.  It's a church based day camp, 9-3:30 M-F.  There was no stopping him from going this year.  I'm so glad I sent him because he had the best time!  He thought he was going to get to go all summer and was upset when I told him it was only one week. These pictures are from the open house the Saturday before camp.

This is the "Slap Dodgeball" arena.  I hear it's a fun game but I don't really know what it is.

There were a couple of climbing walls.

There was a zipline at the top of this for the younger campers (Ethan's age).

There are four pools.  This was the newest addition.

This was the zip line for the bigger kids.  Of course Ethan wanted to do this one since we did one like it at the family retreat last fall.

There were a couple of ropes courses.  I don't think he did these during camp.

We were thankful for the misters.  It was hot but I was relieved to see that it was all shaded.  The camp is in the middle of a forest.

Rope bridge.

Shooting range.  Ethan loved this.  I think they were BB guns.

Archery, another favorite.

He wanted to stay and swing.  He is old enough to stay for the mini camp which is from 9-1 but he says he's never going to camp unless I'm there.  Such a momma's boy.  :-)

This was a cute wood carving thing that had a Bible verse on it.

Another one of the pools.

I was so grateful that they sent home these pics on the last day.  I'm a picture taker (in case you haven't noticed) and I was bummed that I wasn't there every day to take pics!  This is his little group.  He knew two friends from outside of camp, Colton and Liam.

He LOVED his counselor.  He is in the yellow and his name is Psych.  All of the counselors have crazy names just for fun.  Ethan wants to be a counselor just like him when he gets older.  :-)