clint,,; loves mom,,,

Kindergarten is exciting for Clint. He is learning so many things. Punctuation is one of his new obsessions. I just like to hear his names for the different punctuation marks. There is the stop sign (period), the exciting mark (exclamation point), the asking one (question mark), and of course the pause thingy (comma).

Recently, he asked me how to spell "loves", and then brought me this wonderful note. Why is it wrought with commas, you ask? I don't know, except that maybe that's what they talked about in school that day. Or maybe he needed to pause to think about it. Hmmm....




The picture he drew - that's me hugging him. Can you see my arms wrapped around his head? And his feet hanging down about knee-high to me? He certainly can draw to scale (maybe he will be an architect some day?). AND I have on a skirt! That's impressive (maybe a fashion designer?). This just makes me want to squeeze him right now. Just squeeze the meanness right out of him, 'til there's nothing left but crayons and love and commas.

Mom,,; loves clint,,, !!!!!

Boys Live Here.....

It's a fact that's hard to miss. Outside there are footballs and soccer balls everywhere, along with little cars and trucks, pirate swords and piles of dirt. Inside isn't much better.

I try to keep one step ahead of the boy-clutter. Lord knows I try. I even attempt to make my own presence known - and not be leaving my underwear in the floor, either.

The other day while in Hobby Lobby shopping for art supplies, I picked up these cute little pumpkins for my dining room table. Clint helped me trade out the green apples that usually rest in the pewter tray.

What did I find 48 hours later?

Golf balls.....in my pumpkins?!?!

Oh, Lord.

I threw my head back in disgust. I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes.

What the...?!?!?!

What IS that on top of the column-thingy in my dining room?

A sock. A little, tiny sock. Way up high. And all this time I thought the dryer ate them.

(Please excuse the blurriness of this picture. I decided to laugh...you know, in lieu of crying.)

Yep, there's no doubt about it. Boys live here.

And I surrender.

Sharp Dressed, Part Deux

Ahem. Junior Cotillion has officially begun. Let's let that soak in for a minute.
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We are talking about Hunter, the middle Rowdy. In Junior Cotillion. Do you need another minute?
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Okay. Last Sunday, with some apprehension, we set off for the Austin Hotel for the first dance (there are actually only two dances - each referred to as a "ball" - but all the monthly classes are called dances). His apprehension stemmed from the fact that he was a lot more dressed up than is usual for him, he would be in close proximity to girls, and of course the general "unknown" factor.

My apprehension....well, he was a lot more dressed up than is usual for him and that made him look more grown up. And he would be in close proximity to girls. And of course the general "unknown" factor. But more than anything was that tiny twinge of panic-mixed-with-dread that arises the first time your spawn runs head first into the social graces. And this was no small brush - this was a full-on collision.

But he looked the part:

The question was, would he ACT the part? Would he burp out loud...would he run from the girls as if they had cooties...would he flop like a fish when it came time to learn the proper way to sit?

(As a side note, there actually is a proper way to sit. Both for gentlemen and ladies. And guess what? I haven't been doing it. What a big surprise.)

Anyway, we were both apprehensive. But as it turned out, it was all unnecessary! He had a blast. He saw a few friends the moment we arrived, and quickly gave me the high sign to leave. And when I picked him up? All smiles. ALL SMILES!

He was so excited about shaking hands properly, sitting strong, learning the box step...and all the stuff that is yet to come over the next 6 months. And I'm excited for him.

Maybe they will teach him to tie his own tie. But for now, well...it takes a village.

Sharp Dressed Man

It's school-picture time for the Rowdy Boys. Being a photographer myself, I always have a difficult time spending my hard-earned money on school pictures. I take so many photos of my boys, being....well, themselves, that it's hard to buy those cheesy-grinned, fake background kind of photos that school pictures always seem to be. But, in the whole scheme of things those cheesy-grinned, fake background kind of photos are part of who they become, so I keep buying 'em.

Yesterday, Hunter had to shop for dress clothes for junior cotillion. Naturally, where one goes, we all go. I tried to bribe Clint into being good while we were in Dillard's by giving him a dollar to ride one of the kiddy rides out in the middle of the mall when we were done....if he was good. He was. As a matter of fact, he really got into shopping for dress clothes.

He carried this little number around the store the entire time we were in there, insisting he was going to wear it for picture day.

He said he looks like the President.....

Who am I to argue? He is so stinkin' cute!

Please note Clint's thoughts on his wardrobe: the shirt is tucked in, but will probably not stay that way after pictures because he might need to untuck it to play; the vest is unbuttoned so the tie will show (and believe me, we stood in front of the mirror with it both ways before deciding), the shoes are really hiking boots but double as a dress shoe (it made sense to a five-year-old); the vest and tie will probably be in his backpack after pictures are over. Oh, and he looks like the President. Of the United States. Salute.

On a side note, yesterday was my Daddy's birthday. Seventy never looked so sassy. Here's to many more, Daddy!

Gone....

Gone, gone, gone...she's been gone so long...she's been gone, gone, gone so long!

Okay, it hasn't been that long. But it seems like it. The end of summer vacation brought with it the end of something else: my summer-daughter. Before I even knew what was happening, her jeep was turning the corner and heading for home.

I know her parents will be glad to have her back. What with that crazy part-time work schedule that is usually reserved only for teenagers, she rarely had two days off in a row so she only got to go home a few times over the summer.

But I miss her.

I miss our long talks about boys, clothes, and politics. Yes, politics. We had a very enlightening conversation about the whole Russia/Georgia situation.

And I miss this:

I miss sharing a bathroom with another girl for a change, passing the mascara back and forth and curling each other's hair.

Oh, and this too:

I miss our girls-only evening walks with Maggie, with Kaylie teaching me teen-speak. Fosho.

And then there is this:

I miss her giggle, her lightening-fast texting, her TV shows (most of which I had never even heard of), her constant ribbing with her Uncle Ron.....and her I-can-conquer-anything-mountain-man attitude: I miss our "connection".....



Will my Rowdy Boys be able to fill the gap? Nope. I mean, they're boys. The fact is, I didn't even know what I was missing before this summer. I just walked around this testosterone-filled house in a daze. But now, now....well, I expect you to call me, Kaylie! LOTS!

Dear Mom, (part two)

Yesterday, we got mushy over the grandkids that live with me. Today, it's Nat and Matt's turn. The thing is, I don't have any pictures. Not any that are recent anyway. So you have to picture them in your mind.

Natalie
Beautiful, independent Natalie. Remember when she was oh, so little? She was independent even then. You taught her to read, played rhyming games and worked puzzles. Now she is all grown up, making her way in the world. And she knows that no matter what, she can always depend on Gran to be there for her. You taught her to reach out.

Matt
Strong and good-looking Matt. Hasn't he grown (and grown and grown) into a fine young man? Now, as he is in his first apartment in a city by himself, he knows he can stand on his own two feet...but can always call when he needs to. You taught him, by example, that you are always there for your family.

It's exciting and sad and joyful and scary and so many other things, to see our kids grow up. How did you ever let go? How can I?

As you can see, you're not quite finished with me yet. I still have too much to learn!

Love,

Rob

Dear Mom,

Thank you for checking my blog everyday, just to see if I've posted something new. Thank you for even believing I'm capable of posting everyday. As a reward, you have something to read today.

Kaylie:

You have a beautiful granddaughter. This summer, she became a member of the workforce. I've loved having her here. She is smart, silly and sunshiney. And she is strong, just like you.

Hunter:

Oh, what a handsome grandson! This summer, he transitioned from a boy to a young man. He is wise, witty and wonderful. And he loves to read, just like you.

Clint:

Can he be any cuter? This summer, he turned five. F-I-V-E!!! He is funny, fiesty and fabulous. And he is opinionated, just like you.

Maggie:

I can't leave out Maggie. This summer, she solidified her position as a member of this family. She is curious, cuddly and crazy. And she comforts me, just like you.

Love,

Rob

Summer F-U-N

Okay, this is gonna sound crazy...but did you know that there is only about one month left of summer? One short little month until school starts?!? Four itty bitty weeks until there is homework, soccer practice, band concerts?!?!?! Only one month until the rowdy boys are out of the house for a full seven hours each day......wait a minute. This isn't sounding so crazy anymore.

But I digress. This post isn't about the sweet freedom that school will bring to this Forty-Something that is just now learning to be a stay-at-home Mom. It's about summer fun. And we are having plenty of it. Let's take a look.

There's just something about boys and mud that go together so well, don't you think?

Ahhhhh...my summer daughter. Isn't she a beauty? Kaylie, my brother's youngest, is staying with us this summer. She has her first summer job, at the theme park in our own backyard. She, like me, thinks work is overrated. But once that Mac Book she has been saving for is in her hands, she will be a new woman.

And then there is this. How can he be so stinkin' cute? It's hard to believe that just hours before this picture he threw such a fit that he got a nose bleed, isn't it?

Tubin' at the lake was a big hit. We will definately have to do that one again before summer ends. Hunter holds the record for staying on the longest. He is so dang aerodynamic....a nice way of saying so skinny that he becomes one with the tube, making it nearly impossible to sling him off.

And look, before I start getting calls about this next one....I do feed these kids. Really, I do. This is a case of high metabolism at it's finest. I suffered from this at one time too. Are you...is that laughter? Is it even legal to get heckled on a blog?

Anyway, my past thinness....that's a story for another time. Right now I feel the need to go make these kids a fattening snack.

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Granna! Happy Birthday to you!

And many more....


Maggie sends her love, too!
We love you and miss you. And we hope you have a fabulous birthday filled with peace and quiet (hee hee).

Hip Hooray For the Fourth of July!

I love, love, love the Fourth of July. For me, it has always been a gathering time for family - food, fun, fireworks. Some years we ALL crashed at my Mom's house, spilling over into every room, every nook and cranny. Other years brought circumstances that saw only my Mom and Dad and me celebrating. But no matter the size of the crowd, the sense of togetherness is always huge.

This year we couldn't go home for the holiday, so I brought just a part of home to me. My brother, his wife and youngest daughter were here. We ate until we were miserable (a key component to any family gathering), topping our dinner off with cake and ice cream in honor of my Sister-in-Law's upcoming birthday. Then we got down to the serious business of fireworks, along with the rest of our neighborhood. There were fireworks going off in every direction!

This was us.....


And this was our neighbor.....

Again, us.....

And them.....

Overachievers.

Kaylie, Hunter and Clint didn't seem to notice. They had a blast!



Hope y'all had a wonderful Fourth. Don't forget to continue to pray for our country, our leaders and especially our service men and women.

Where the heck....

I can't believe it. I have actually been getting calls from my readers, asking WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN? The answer is simple....where the heck haven't I been!?!

The end of a school year is always busy, but it seemed even more so this year. Here is a brief rundown of our past month:

Soccer...

soccer....

oh, and a little more soccer!

We took a field trip to the Museum of Discovery.....played a few board games.....
and took a bath or two!
There was preschool graduation.....
and yes, my baby took a bow!


Now excuse me for a few minutes while I try to clear the lump in my throat.

Whew.
Okay, we had an awards ceremony.....

and I had a wonderful date night with The Rowdy Boys. Chinese food and a movie - it really can't get much better than that!
We played on the water slide.....
and had a few slurpy kisses.....

Now, don't you all feel badly about accusing me of being too lazy to blog?!?!