Ten on Tuesday

1. Sammy the superstar babysat last week. Oh do these kids love their Sammy. She plays with them and lets them have popcorn and oreos for a snack.

2. We have seen and played with Miss Sammy and Mr Nate at the pool almost every day since Tuesday. Will thinks thats just about the best thing since Christmas.

3. Will loves Sammy so much that today he said, Mama please go somewhere so my Sammy can come over.

4. This morning when I was putting on applying my make-up powder Will asked "Why are you putting that dirt on your face when you always wipe the dirt off of my face?"

5. Amelia has been carrying her lunch to VBS in differnt lunch box than normal. Apparently her good friend Molly has been eye-balling the new bag and came home and told her mom about the special brown paper bag, with Amelia's name on it that she gets to throw away every day after they eat.

6. Will's class talked a lot about Jesus at VBS. They went around the classroom and church looking for pictures of Him.
Will's teacher told me Will kept asking when Jesus was going to get there. He was waiting for him to walk through the door.

7. Bella misses her friends at school and Mrs. H. I knew it wouldn't be long. Homework in the summer is "boring" and "she's not learning anything."

8. Will has decided 5:30 is his new time to get up in the moring. He comes downstairs and jumps on Jason's chest and announces, "the sun is shining, the sun is up. It's time to get up."
I hope he is ready in about 12-14 years because this is going to come back to haunt him..

9. Amelia has some new green earrings that she isn't allergic to. We put them in without incident and so far so good. If you are thinking of piercing gold is the only way to go.

10. We ended the week just like we began on Monday, listening to our VBS cd. There is a certain agreed upon order of songs from the kids and we must en with "Yes to VBS" cranked up as soon as we begin to turn on the church road.
Today I started my turn and didn't immediately change the song. I hear Bella say, We're turning. We're turning, turn it up please Mama. We need to sing yes to VBS as loud as we can. We need to really be ready for VBS on our last day."

Dance recital pictures

So proud of my girls!! Thanks to Grami, Nene, Poppy and Granny for coming to see the girls dance.

Ten on Tuesday

1. We have been swimming and swimming and swimming this weekend. I will lose count of the number of times I say that word over the summer.

2. On Saturday at lunch, Bella very matter of factly asked me if I would take her to the p-o-o-l during naptime.

3. "Someday you're going to be some girl's prince charming. No I'm not, I'm just going to be Will R."

4. We went to see Will's Miss Robin at school her school for a few minutes today. Miss Robin teaches PE and gets to wear a whistle that Will was pretty impressed with. On the way home, he asked Miss Robin gets to blow the whistle at the kids? Yes. Loud? Yes. She dosn't get in trouble for blowing the whistle inside? No, that's part of her job. Wow..

5. I now officially have a first grader. I am so proud and a little bit sad about this.

6. Jason and I enjoyed a lovely evening to ourselves celebrating the marriage of sweet Miss Casey on Saturday night.

7. I hope that everyone had a Happy Memorial Day and took a minute to realize and honor the true meaning of the day.

8. To my very own veteran, thank you, for 15 years of service.. We love you.

9. For the bargain price of $2 we have our new VBS cd in the gray bus and ready to go for next week. I know you are all jealous and ready to come cruising with us.

10. Still no news on Jason's next job..

365..

Somedays I pick up my phone to text a picture of the kids and still add your name to the recipient list without even giving it a second thought. A few times I've forgotten and hit send. It feels like a little stab in the heart when that message comes back "undeliverable". I know that on the Verizon commercials when that annoying man says can you hear me now, that applies to heaven too.

I just can't bring myself to remove your name from my contacts list because to me you're still here, you'll always be here.

When Drew locked us out of the house a few weeks ago, I knew that no one else would think it was as funny as you would. Each time one of them does something really ornery, I can hear you say "Give 'em hell boys". They are and I know you would be laughing louder than anyone else.

Will keeps a picture book of you in his room and looks at it before bed a lot of nights. When he says your name, he says it like he just saw you that afternoon.

I wish you could see the almost two year old with the curly hair just like yours. I wish he had the same memories of you that the other three have.

I know that the boys favorite cars are the ones with the chipped paint that look like they came from the matchbox junk yard. I know that when I turn them over, it is your handwriting I will see engraved in the bottom of those cars forever.

I know that when Bella stands with her hands on her hips and that stubborn look on her face when I ask her to take her picture, you would see the same little girl that used to tell you she was "too busy". And that would make you tease her more.

And Amelia. She and Granny are joined at the hip when they are together. Amelia sobs extra loud when her granny leaves. I know that you would love that, too.

I miss you. Every. single. day. I miss you.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Granny, Grami, Nene and Poppy have come and gone. So have the smiles and now the tears.. Grandparents are much more fun than Mama and Daddy.

2. School is out and the youngest three chilren have started summer vacation. Bella begins hers next week.

3. Someone asked me yesterday if I was excited about summer vacation.. I'm excited to sleep in. I am serious when I say that I would sell an internal organ for a nanny and a cleaning lady to help out with the creatures that overtake my house during this lovely so-called vacation.

4. On the first day of vacation Drew locked himself in the upstairs bedrooms six times before 10AM and then screamed until I came and let him out. Each time I left him in there a little longer to get my point across. Mean, maybe but I knew where he was and that boy has got to learn.

5. Amelia has a horrible habit of getting out of her bed every night and at rest time during the day. I am tired of dealing with it and the new solution is, no pool time for her the next day if she doesn't stay in bed.

6. Dance recital was Saturday. THe girls did such a great job and I am so proud of them!

7. We find out this week where Jason's next job assignment will be.
Maybe. This is the Army we're talking about after all.

8. Bella's end of the year program was on Friday. She was so cute singing with her class and so happy to have all her grandparents there to watch her perform.

9. Tornado sirens went off here again on Sunday. I thought my heart was literally going to beat right out of my chest when I heard them. Three of the kids were with my parents and I was terrified. Thankfully nothing came of it but if I never hear another siren again it will be too soon.

10. We had AWANA awards on Sunday. Bella completed her entire book and the review! Amelia completed her first year for Cubbies. Both of the girls love AWANA and are sad to be finished until fall.