summer fun

Yesterday was like old times.

the last 3 (plus 1 sibling) of the original group were"playing" together.

Although it started as a high spirited game of Monopoly,

we took a break for lunch, swam then

headed off to the zoo.

Believe me Julie, you were there with us in spirit.

We could not get those monkeys to howl...I tried.

I got 'the look' from Corinne that I should stop.

We all agreed that the wolf exhibit is pretty darned

awful coupled with the fact that the new baby elk was downwind!!

The butterfly exhibit has been turned into a bird exhibit,

complete with sticks for purchase to feed them.

Emerson was the best , though.

I asked him if he could wink..he shows me he can.

So I told he to wink at the polar bear when he swims by....off he ran.

Oh I remember those days, they were so sweet!!

pip pip

c

New Name

I was asked to change the name of the blog today and now realize I never got a suggestion of what to change it to. I've put a new one on so just let me know if you want it called something else. Keep in mind, it might be a good idea to contribute before asking for changes :)

Howdy

Old photos are great, aren't they? Post away, girlfriend. I'm going to see if I can figure out how to do it. I have a picture of Emerson's first ocean experience I'd like to share. Obviously I figured it out. Here's our outside boy loving life!!

Julie, Jim said he wants to read Parrish's speech that he didn't get to read. I'm curious....do you consider his current education a traditional classroom setting? I know you didn't do that here and wasn't sure what you had found up there. Due to financial reasons, Jim will be homeschooling Emerson this fall unless he gets a job offer in the next 6 weeks. Of course if something comes up after the school year starts, I'm sure he'd take it and we'd find something else for Emerson. I think he would really benefit from the school Carter is going to but really can't justify $7,100 for kindergarten plus the fact we don't have that just lying around anyway. Does this school issue stuff just hang around for 12 years? I think the answer is yes. We should have moved to Huntsville 5 years ago when we had the opportunity. Jim just didn't want to go. Oh well, hind sight.

Memphis moms, will there be any Saturday you guys can come over to swim? It's been almost a year since you were here. Remember the good old days when we saw each other every week?

Have a great long weekend (even though it's only Monday).

Brenda

oldies

A friend from high school has found a box of old photos.

She has started posting them on facebook.

I got a good laugh when my own daughter could not

pick me out from a group of five 9th graders.

I sent her a msg on fb that i was enjoying the oldies.

She sent me a msg back tell me she was going to post

more but was unsure if it was safe to tread there.

My first response was why not...but then I got

to thinking....well, it was in the past and foolish behavior

happens to us all.

So, if you want I will try to copy a few and post them .

A new Corinne -ism

Corinne, you need to cook rice for dinner.

ok

you need to go to Highpoint and buy it first then use

this pot. you will only need 1 cup of rice to the pot of water.

( I boil, I don't steam it)

ok

I go to work......

I call home at 3:30

How is it going with the rice?

oh i forgot to cook it.

I call back at 4

How is it going?

Well, all the water is gone.

Corinne, which pot did you use?

The one u told me to use.

er did you not put enough water.

Didn't u say use all of the rice??

No, only a cup (Lucy!!!!!)

Oh well it looks done to me.

C-taste it and then let me know.

er mom it needs to cook more what do i do?

Get out the biggest pot we have, strain the rice and put it in the new pot FULL OF WATER!!

she is the best!! trooper. as long as she can get back to her books

she will do anything.

enjoy the weekend.

Cari enjoy Paris

c

Graduation

So, P graduated from 8th grade last week.  My mom came up (the last living grandparent my children have) and it was nice.  He was in a class of eight and each child gives a short speech...except Parrish.  Of course, his was deemed to controversal and negative.  Seriously, if it had one positive thing in it, I would have fought tooth and nail for him to read it, but as it was written it was a downer.  Basically, his missive about the ineffectivness of traditional classroom education.

But...this is gonna be a picture heavy post.  Sorry about the quality, these were taken with my phone.

How we all look now

and this is my favorite picture of them all...the boys playing pool...

(just keep in mind that my child had ties all over his boxers...it was the only way I could get one on his body)

Surprises of Love

As I write this, the house is quiet...minus the sound of the dishwasher.

Corinne is back home. My sweet girl is different.

Horse camp has sparked new interests in a city

girl, mainly belts, belt buckles and 4-H.

My guess is she was with older girls by the way she walks and talks.

I am also assuming she has heard some conversations dealing with sex and maturing.

When I asked about this she said .."Who told you about that?"

er mom's intuition??

More as I discover it.

Last weekend Kevin and I had a talk about vacations.

While he is dying to get to camp, he also wants a real

vacation...somewhere.

Never mind he went to st Louis with his dad, uncle and cousin.

And he went rafting with friends.

And PLEASE not to New Orleans again!!!

Well, son, just how long has it been since you have seen Nonie, Paw-Paw and Gramps??
And remember gramps has been ill for several months.

er , I dunno. Well let me tell you...since Christmas...6 months!!!

He has a fleeting sense guilt, then the "but mom"....

I gently remind him these people are our closest family we love them very much

and they are getting older.

As they age , they are less able to get around and LOVE calls and visits

from us.

(My mom has been caring for her mother..who finally has made it a retirement/nursing

home. Both are relieved but sad that she had to do this.)

But back to Kevin, I let him mull it over....and Keith too, who happens to be in the car.

As DIVINE intervention would have it....my mother has nothing to do the weekend of

the 18-19 and would love to drive up to see us.

Also as divine intervention would have it there is a child to be picked up at

camp and a horse show to boot!!

Child 2 has 2 baseball games the same weekend.

A chance for both to show them their skills. with their friends coming

over, the grandparents get to see our real life.

Everyone loves it.

BUT...the real reason my shameless children cannot wait for them to come is the fact

that their grandmother is an exceptional cook!!!

She makes the best steak /gravy and mashed potatoes...they finished off an extra large bowl

friday night, jambalaya on saturday and Father's day is roast mashed potatoes again!!!

Oh yeah , she brought them frozen lasagna she made!!

Real love can't get better than this.

As for me , i have been wrestling with the purchase of a new vacuum that has the same problem as the one I own. Only my dad can find the simple problem with the cord and fix it for me!!

all I owe him is my love!!

I see my dad looking more frail, this you cannot tell in the phone calls.

He needs knee surgery and the trip up here is not easy for him.

My mom sees her brother get to enjoy his grandchildren...they all live in the same small town.

She misses us even more.

Love has a way helping us see what needs to be done and do it ...soon!

c

hello,

I have been busy entertaining Kevin while Corinne is away at horse camp.

So far we have managed to get a physical...shots included... go out to eat several times,

swim and take a tour of the Gibson Guitar factory, and take a raft trip with

6 other boys and their parents on the Spring River in Arkansas.

This week he is at Camp Evergreen...near Rhodes College

How's that for a busy schedule and me working some!!

Yep, despite the unruly behavior she manage rein in her anger long enough to

get out of town.

She is one of 10 girls at horse camp. She is a leader in her group.

They are planning routines to perform with the horses...she hopes to

have some of the horses walk in a diamond shape with some trailing like the end

of a kite. sweet.

We go thurs at 6p for the horse show...we are encouraged to bring

contraband foodstuff. Corinne requested Ricki's cookies and those peanut

candies that are brown stripes.

Her turn will come in mid-July when Kevin heads off to sleep away camp....

a cabin with 7 smelly 11-12 yr old boys!!!

the counselors do make them take a bath...they just do not pay attention to

what they wear. Kevin's friend cody had the same shirt on each day when they

posted pictures!!

ta-ta

c