Cousin Week

We're right in the middle of our 2nd Annual Week-Before-School-Starts Cousin Week.  

We've been doing lots of crafts, board games, swimming, cooking, and eating out at fun local places.

Last night we were at In N Out Burger.  So good.  I'm a fan already after eating there twice.

We were sitting next to a group of college-aged boys (are they boys or men?).

My mom says to me about the one sitting right beside her, "I think I know him."  I inwardly roll my eyes at my 65 year old mother who thinks she knows some random college kid in Fort Worth.  In true Joyce fashion, she begins to ask him if they know each other.  "You look so familiar.  Do you know so and so?  Do you have any family in Minnesota? etc"

His friend pipes up and says, "He was on television.  Do you watch American Idol?"

It was Tim Halperin.  

Sorry for doubting you, Mom.

You were right and I was wrong.

More Cousin Week pics to come.

Embrace the Camera {Camo Night}

What do you think?

Should this be our Christmas card picture?

Happy Thursday!

Back to School Blues

[This seems like yesterday]

It's that time of year.  It's back to school time.  This is my fifth year home schooling my kids.  Even as I write that, I can hardly believe it.  Has it really been that long?  Graham and Asher will begin 4th grade in a couple of weeks.  Samuel will begin first grade.  This year I expected it.  The back to school blues.  Passing moms at the Costco with their workout clothes, all fit and peaceful looking, while I am slightly frazzled with my 5 in tow, trying to get through the store quickly, so we can get home in time to finish up what we need to in school.  We live right across the street from our elementary school, like I can hear the bell inside my house.  It's a daily reminder of the freedom I could have.  This morning on my jog, I passed the moms walking home alone, cup of coffee in hand.  Is bad to say, as much as I really do love home schooling, that I am slightly jealous of the other side at times.  The grass is always greener, and for just a couple of short weeks at the end of August, I really want to put my oldest 3 in navy and white and drop them off.  This feeling does wear off.  I've come to expect it now.  The back to school blues.

We actually just finished 3rd grade and kindergarten on Friday. So we won't begin up again until the day after Labor Day.  Today we had a fun day... free breakfast at Chick Fil A, bought some school supplies for this year in the now quiet school supply section at Target, and then had lunch with Daddy before we headed home for naps and quiet play time.  As I write this, Asher is making his own word find, Samuel is playing Bananagrams, and Graham is playing quietly in a chair while the littles nap.  Very peaceful.  It's all coming back to me now.  I love these unhurried days with my kids.  Just yesterday, when I was packing up our school stuff to make room for the new stuff, Graham came up to me out of the blue, gave me a hug, and said, "Thanks, Mom, for teaching us all that stuff last year.  It was really great."  For that alone, it was all worth it.

ULL White

I'll give you the same warning as before.

If you don't like seeing Asher pictures, this post is not for you.

Like Samuel, he was always excited to get into his uniform.

Warming up.

He played pitcher and 2nd the most.

Sometimes he sat the bench.

Batter up.

Getting on base is much harder in the All Star season.  Pretty much if you hit a pop fly, they catch it.  

If you hit a grounder to the infield, you're thrown out.  

It took some getting used to. 

A privilege to be his mommy.

A good bunch of boys and coaches.

And to conclude... a few brother shots.

And one of Cry Cry.

He's thankful to have a break from baseball.

Thankful to spend more days at the pool instead of the ballpark.

Baby, it's hot outside.

Like it's been over 100 degrees for 30 straight days with no end in sight.

This week the highs are 108, 109, 109, 108, 107, and 107.

I had the brilliant idea last night that we should be nocturnal for the next month.  In the middle of the night, it's a pleasant 83.  Does anyone want to try it with me?  Sleep all day when it's scorching and enjoy the cool nighttime temps.  Who's in?

Having grown up in Minnesota, I think the summers here are equivalent to the winters there.  

You really can't go outside to play.

It's just too hot.

So there's play dough.

Electronic devices... which we try to keep at a minimum.

But on the really hot days, I may let them have an hour of media instead of 30 minutes.

Board games.

There's always cars.

Crafts.

But you can swim.

Thanks, Weavers, for the family swim day!

Uncle Mark and Aunt Teresa are responsible for Cry Cry loving the water this summer.

He hated it, and after 10 minutes with them, he was a fish.

We swim every day.

It makes it bearable here.

But I'm looking forward to sub 100 degree highs.

Fall, come quickly.

Friday Fun

We all have a celebrity double.  

Some of us just have a more obvious celebrity double than others.

The other day, Leigh Ann (check out her yummy food blog) told me I had a resemblance to the Middleton sisters.

She's officially the first person who has ever told me I had a celebrity double.  Therefore she is my new best friend.

ULL Red

If you don't like seeing pictures of Samuel, you should keep web surfing right now.

I just have a hard time narrowing down my picture selection.

I have so many fun shots.  I promise, I tried to keep it to a minimum.  But as his mother, I probably got a little carried away.

I mean, look at that face.  So excited to put on that super cool uniform and play his first game.

He NEVER tires of baseball.

He also snapped a lot this season.  Maybe a nervous habit while he looked on from the dugout.

His hottie first base coach.

His spectators.  In the June Texas heat, this is a labor of love.

He'll need extensive dental work after all the candy he was fed to keep him happy.

His spot on the field this year.  He loves playing first.

We didn't win any tournaments.  We were third in the first tournament and second in the next.

Samuel takes these kind of things very hard.

A little too hard.  

But at least the 2nd place trophy was nice and tall.  It takes some of the pain away from losing.

A good season was had by all.  Chris worked hard.  Samuel worked hard.

But let's be honest, I worked the hardest... washing baseball uniforms, packing snacks, entertaining the littles.  Being a baseball mom is hard work.

But for these two guys, it was all worth it.

More on Asher's team later.