Sweet summertime

I set out to enjoy the summertime, not overschedule and just enjoy having our boys out of the rush of schooldays....so far, it's been a blast. We've all remembered how to nap, and it's amazing to be able to really talk to them about their behavior, watch them making good choices, steer them when it's needed, and solidify what we hope is a good foundation for the men they will become.

In addition to the movies and bowling, we've found a few activities:

A craft store has weekly classes - they did the wearable art, and came home with visors, friendship bracelets, and tees....

...they've had a lot of playdates, and somehow managed to start a boys' version of poker nites while lunching at Five Guys a few weeks ago....

....they've had some birthday fun - Welcome to 5, Spencer!....

....and their t-ball cards landed in our mailbox today.

Sweet, indeed!

Kenny Chesney

I got good lemonaid

A friend's mom was organized enough to finally get us a chance at helping with the annual Anthem Lemon-Aid project last weekend. It was hot, but the boys really got into it, especially once Ms. Christina took Zach and Jack on a Marketing 101 project! Thanx for organizing, Crystal, and for drumming up more business, Christina!

Jack and Harry gearing up
Zach and Harry practicing sales techniques - think Harry needs to practice his helpful face.
He was saying he was mad at cancer, but not sure it translated into sales.

Zach and my two favorite lemonheads

This was great experience, and we're looking forward to doing it again next year - if you're intersted in finding out how to participate, here's the information from theChildren's Miracle Network website.

Van Halen's Ice Cream Man

He's a high-tech redneck

It's been all jokes, all the time around here lately. Not sure they have completely mastered the concepts yet, but here's Jack's effort yesterday morning

J: How do country boys roll, Harry? They MAN UP!

I texted it to Dean, who LOL'ed in a room of Marines, who highly approved Jack's joke. It was so sweet listening to J tell his Dad how excited he was to have their approval....he said over and over how he'd never made a whole room laugh like that before.

Harry has been singing that song "That's how country boys roll" (bleh) constantly, and saying how "we country boys" do this and that....pretty sweet little men!

George Jones

Teach Your Children Well

The boys' coaches are life-long ball players and have been working on skills...here they are showing the kids how to properly throw a ball.
(and no, Harry did not get hit while returning to the field in this pic)

After the game, J, H and Zach practiced with their dads....Jack thinks maybe he'd like to be a catcher!

CS&N

Lazing on a sunny afternoon

The boys (ok, me too) have napped the last three afternoons, and it's been nice. I forgot how peaceful it could be, and I watched them sleeping .... forgot for a few minutes that they have been bickering and fighting a lot this week!

What is it about boys and books and bathrooms?? I can't get but so upset that they leave books strewn all over our house....

The Kinks

Mama said knock you out!

So, Harry has been experimenting with assertiveness of late, especially with Jack....he had always deferred to Jack and would probably cut off an arm if Jack would just ask. So, today when Jack was annoying him, Harry asked him to stop, Jack didn't, Harry told him: stop or I'll stop you, Jack looked at me and said he wanted to see what would happen.....Harry punched him right in the face! This is a total first, and if we hadn't worked so hard to have him be more assertive and Jack hadn't been being such a brat, I probably wouldn't have thought it was such progress ;-) It was a pretty good right jab.

Then they ran into a bully in the playarea and apparently no one has learned anything we've tried to teach them ....alas, the parenting continues.

Later,
Harry: Jack, you just jumped into my conversation with Mommy, and I am MAD at you!
(no real response from Jack)

Even later:
Jack: God must have really studied for a long time to make all the words in the whole world!

LL Cool J

Put me in coach!

Game 2 - 3/4 hits and some good coaching

We're gonna have a real Good time

It's our second season of trying to go to the free summer bowling, and we finally made it yesterday! With sweet Erin along for the ride. It was a lot of fun to bowl, to try and beat a version of The Claw, and to make the tough donut decisions at KK.

The last picture is the three of them hamming it up and telling me they are 'FULL of donuts!'

While I was getting things together to start bowling, I caught them wrestling and it brought back a memory....

...of the beginnings about 5 years ago :wub:

Doors' Roadhouse Blues

matching baseball PANTS

T-ball season has started, and they donned real baseball pants for the first time - it may or may not have made a difference ;-)

Jack shots on left, Harry on right

Jack took a hit to the face and toughed it out, but you can see him telling his tales in the middle bottom shot
Alabama's Simple As That

To grow up and live happy in the land of the free

Jack started us off this afternoon with flags for the annual flags-in-Daddy's-chair pix

And they hammed it up a lot

It's hard to believe those long legs and big ole feet started out like this in 2004

Toby Keith's Coutesy Of The Red, White And Blue

I love your funny face your funny, sunny face

The Tooth Fairy makes her second visit tonite, and Harry hammed it up this afternoon after letting me yank out tooth number 2!

I guess we started a new tradition when he decided to share his cookies with the Tooth Fairy...those must be really tiny bites, right?? Sweet, generous boy!

(And Jack has yet to get a wiggle, tho I think he may seriously be considering Dean's offer to loosen it for him...poor boy cowboyed up today thru a party-non-invite and a non-tooth-loss....growing up, indeed!)

Barbra Streisand's Color Me Barbra Medley

That's the beauty of adventure

Maybe you can tell, but I was working with perpetual motion to get a picture of the boys having fun the other day. Kai and Zach joined us for movies, lunch and fun at home....I was surprisingly not exhausted ;-) Thanx for a great time, guys - the boys had a blast and would love to have you over any time!
T-ball started last nite, and we seem to be on a team with life-long players for coaches - this may be the first time the kids are ready for real skills and they have a lot of dads willing to teach them....Go Green!

I'm glad I am a camper, there's nothing I'd rather be

The boys are officially Tiger Cubs and went to their first day camp last week...it was HOThotHOT! The local fire department was kind enough to douse everyone after lunch

and the boys had a great time - some highlights: buddying up with older friends (thanx, Joey and Ivan!), shooting bb's for the first time, a bit of archery, fishing, some carpentry (and Harry clamp antics), and a few experiences that helped them learned about how people with disabilities cope with challenges.

I missed the money shots of the boys being welcomed into the pack, but here the three Tigers are learning to how to find their shooting eye...pretty cute, huh? I especially like the shadow

And just when I'm about to forget what they were like as babies, I find this. They were in the opposite positions in utero, but this is how they liked to be in the world - Harry ready to roll and Jack streched out. Of course, the Red Ryders are a new addition ;-)

They are excited to start the souting adventure!

There's Nothing I'd Rather Be from Scout Songs

7/1/10 Harry: Mommy, when we are grown up, will you have another job? Jack: When we are all the way grown up, her job will be to be a grandmother and ours will be to work, but our best job will be to be dads!