"Is that embarrassing?" and "M-O-G"

Indy has been obsessed lately with discovering what is embarrassing and what is not. Whenever I make a mistake, he asks me, "Was that embarrassing, Mom?" or "Aren't you embarrassed?" and it boggles him when I say "No." He keeps trying to figure out what is and is not embarrassing and it's kinda funny. I'm wondering how long it will take him to figure it out. Probably once he does something and is embarrassed he'll know....just like the rest of us! lol

Today I heard Levi say "M-O-G!" I knew what he was trying to say, but was just a little confused. He meant to say "O-M-G"! Pretty funny. After a hidden chuckle, I told him that saying "O-M-G" was the same thing as actually saying it, so he shouldn't say that any more. He understood and agreed. But, it was funny when he said it with the same shocked tone you hear older kids saying it. :-)

Army Fort

Indy is utterly fascinated right now with all things military. Today the boys were bored so they took all their little army guys and tanks and planes and stuff and rearranged the bricks to make a military fort. They must have spent two hours out there playing. It was really cool how they built the fort and placed all the things.

Setting it up...

More setting up...

Bridging the gap....

Part of the fortress...

So much fun! :-)

Basketball!!

Today was the boys' first basketball game ever. They've just started playing basketball, so they're basically clueless except for the few things they've learned from their coaches in the last two weeks' practices. I wasn't sure how they would do, but I was very excited to watch them play!

As it turns out, Levi's team tied with the other team. Funny enough, in the first 10 seconds of hte game, Levi scored for his team! They flipped the coin, the winning team tossed the ball into play and when the guy got the ball, just as he started to dribble it, Levi came from nowhere and stole the ball then dribbled down the court for a basket! No one could believe it!! So cool! But, it was so fun watching those little guys. They are soooo cute!! And, they were all so happy just to be playing! His team in Kindergarten and first graders, so they're all new at this. So fun.

Like the blue mustache? Ashton bought Levi a blue gatorade to drink during half-time, which he did, then got the mustache! lol

Dribbling the ball down the court.

Indy's game was right after Levi's game. He played really well, though their team lost. I think they all had fun. They all seemed happy afterwards, but I think now that they've played an actual game, they'll begin getting the hang of it all. So, I'm sure the games will only get better. Here, Indy is shooting for a basket. He's the blurry one in black.

Since they can only have five players at a time, some of the team must sit out on a rotating basis. They play three 6-minute periods during the first half, have a 5-minute halftime, and then do three more 6-minute periods. Here, Indy is resting during his time out rotation, watching the game.

Dribbling the ball, going toward a basket.

Overall, it was a very exciting game day and we all had a lot of fun! We have 9 more games to go and I know they will get better as the time goes by and the games will only get more exciting! So, stay tuned!! :-)

Indy's First Hunting Trip

Indy went hunting with Nicky for the first time, this past weekend. On the very first morning hunt, Nicky killed a deer! It was a spike and Indy was sooo excited! He was right there when his dad killed it. The only reason Nicky didn't give Indy the shot was because it was waaay too far away and it was behind some trees. Otherwise, Indy might have shot it! Here is a picture of Indy with the deer on the back of the buggy before they took it in.
Indy helped Nicky gut it in the woods and then drag it back to the buggy. When they got to camp, Indy helped Nicky while he skinned it. Indy was so excited that that deer (and shooting a gun) was the only thing he could talk about for days! I think he's hooked. He even wants to skip his choir Christmas program next weekend, even though he's got a solo, just so he can go hunting again!

This is a picture of Indy working with the chains to hold the buggy down on the trailer so they can head back to camp. He had a great time this weekend and I'm soo glad he got to go and spend time with his dad (not to mention the deer!!).

It's OUTA Here!!!

Well, Indy finally, finally lost his first tooth! Whew! Our kids get their teeth late and so they lose them late, too, which is very frustrating when all your friends start losing teeth and you don't lose one til a year or more later! Ugh! But, it finally happened for Indy and we're so happy! So is he!!
Showing off the lost tooth!

Now, can you believe this one?!? He took the tooth into the bathroom so he could look at the "hole" in the mirror, but shockingly, the tooth slipped from his fingers right down the bathroom sink drain! Argh! He came screaming out of the bathroom that he'd dropped his tooth, but I told him not to worry and not not turn on the water. We guarded the bathroom sink til Daddy got home and the first thing he did was take the drain apart and get the tooth out. Poor Daddy was nearly attacked when he walked in the door! lol But, being the good Daddy he is, he went right to work before even sitting down to relax. And he saved the tooth so we could give it to the tooth fairy. Thanks, Daddy! :-)

Joy! Joy! Joy!

This past weekend, our church had it's annual Christmas program. The children's choir sang two songs with the adult choir. It was cute and Indy did a great job! Here he is just before he went in to perform.

Front row, center, with a red scarf...Indy.

Singing at the top of his lungs!

During rehearsal, without the scarf.

It's FINALLY Happened!!!

Whoo hoo!!!! What's happened you ask??? Well.......

......Indy finally has a loose tooth! He's soooo excited!

Can you tell??? lol

Ok, just so you don't freak out, the red spots on his face and body are not bad, they're just snowflake stamps he put all over himself.

Now back to the tooth. He has a big tooth growing in right behind it. He's been trying to loosen it up for weeks, but to no avail. Then, just the other day, on the 11th, he bit his sandwich and missed and hit the tooth and loosened it. Yippee! He was worried at first, thinking he'd loosened his big tooth, but when I told him it was the baby one he bit, he was so excited that he started hooting and hollaring and jumping all around. Even dancing! lol

Most kids loose their first tooth at 6 years old, but not my kids. I asked the dentist once and he said that if they get their teeth late then they lose them late, too. And, since none of my kids got any teeth before 8 months (and only 1 at that, the other 3 were at 9 mos.) they all, so far, have lost their first tooth at 7 1/2 years old. Indy seems to fall right into that. SO, soon you'll see a picture of a smile missing a tooth. :-)

Busy Days....

Today was a fun and busy day. First, I took both boys to the dr. for a check up. It's actually their birthday check ups, but since their birthdays fall in late summer, the doctor's office is always packed with kids getting ready for school. That means, I skip that time and try to go in September sometime. Unfortunately, this time, I forgot all about it and ended up finally going today. Sadly, Levi had a get a booster on one of his shots and then he had to get the TB test. Yucky. He screamed, of course, but survived it all. I think the doctor survived, too! lol But, man, what a way to start his week, eh?

After that, I took the boys over to Babies R Us to have Levi's 5th birthday pictures made. Yes, I am late on those, too, but hey, better late than never, right?? lol The pictures came out really cute. It was funny because I had taken a spare shirt for Levi to wear for the pictures and after we signed in, they said we only had about a 5-10 minute wait. So, we went to the bathroom and I had Indy hold Levi's shirt for me. Unfortunately, he was playing in the sink water while I was in the restroom and got the shirt all wet, and with only 10 minutes til picture time and no dryers in the bathroom, the shirt was a no-go. Ugh. I had actually planned to try to find Levi some shorts while I was waiting (expecting a 20-30 minute wait), but now I also had to find a shirt for him to wear too! Argh. So, I started looking and seriously, there were ONLY winter clothes! For heaven's sake! We live in South Florida! But, that's how it is. So, I checked the clearance racks. And, besides winter clothes, there were no size 4 anythings. It was all smaller. Thankfully, on the clearance rack there was one shirt and one pair of shorts, size 4.....and they MATCHED! I was sooo excited! AND, they were on clearance for $3 and $5!! Whoo hoo! Just as I found them, they called our names. Whew! We changed quickly and had the pictures taken and they came out really cute!

After that, Indy had a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, so we dropped him off there. Then, I picked up one of Levi's friends, Caleb, and we went to Burger King for lunch, then over to the golf course. They were such little gentlemen...and so well-behaved....at lunch. It was so nice. At the golf course, it was so cute! Levi was trying to teach Caleb how to play golf. Unfortunately, Caleb is left-handed and all Levi's clubs are right-handed. lol It was hilarious! First we went to the driving range where both boys hit 30 or so balls, with Levi coaching Caleb the whole time. He even placed Caleb's feet, just like his Coach Derrick does! lol Too funny. But, to Caleb's credit, he never got discouraged nor gave up. Then we went over to the putting green where both boys putted at misc. holes for about 20 minutes. Then, it got too hot, so we left.

After that, I had to have the oil in my car changed, so we went over to the Jiffy Lube and while they worked on my car, I showed the boys the "basement" where the workers are. Levi had seen it before, but I don't think Caleb had. He thought that was really cool! After it was done, while I was paying, Caleb said, "Thanks for letting me come over." It was so sweet. I guess he was having fun, even at the Jiffy Lube! lol

After that, we stopped at Publix to get a couple things and then finally made it home, where the boys played for about an hour before Caleb's mom came to get him. It was a fun day for Levi, who usually gets dragged around to all the other kids' things.

After all that, and after Nicky had gotten up and headed off to work, I went and got Indy from his friend's house, and then he had to get ready for his baseball game. Tonight was his second playoff game. It's a double elimination system, so if he won he would play his next game on a certain day and if he lost, he'd play on a different day. Well, after a very tight and exciting (nail-biting) game, his team lost...ugh. The final score was 17-20. So close yet so far away. And, still the team all had fun and were happy when it was over because they thought they'd played a good game....and they did. Next game on Wednesday. Let's see what happens next!

Recently Overheard...

This conversation is disturbing on many levels...though it is funny.

Indy: I can't believe Levi licked my dirty toe.

Me: What?? That's gross! Why did he do that?

Indy: I don't know. He wanted to.

Me: And you let him??

Indy: Yes. He wanted to.

Me: So if he wanted to jump off a bridge you'd let him? And, not tell him "No"?

Indy: Well, how high is the bridge?

**Apparently, the previous night, Indy had his feet hanging over the end of the top bunk, over Levi's head on the lower bunk. So, Levi told Indy he was going to lick Indy's feet. Indy did say no, but then Levi licked Indy's toe. Ewwww.... Actually, thank goodness, they'd had baths so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. But, I must say, as much as Levi puts things in his mouth...yes, still (!!)...at least he's got a good, built-up immune system!! lol

We won!

On this past Saturday, Indy's baseball team finally won a game!! They have a very young team, filled with a bunch of guys who have either come straight up from tee ball or who have never played before, so they have been getting beat at each and every game. I've felt so bad for them. And, it's been very hard on Indy, as the last time he played, his team won the championship. So, to go from that to this, has been very hard. But, it's good for character development, right?? lol

Anyway, this past Saturday, they FINALLY won!! The final score was 27-12, so we really beat the pants off them! The boys were sooo excited! To top that, two boys were having their birthdays so two sets of parents brought cupcakes for after the game! Man, were they sugared up!! lol And, even more exciting than that, Indy got the game ball! He was thrilled! So, it was a very eventful game that day! Yippee! We won!! :-)

Baseball again...

Well, we're back in baseball. Whoo hoo! I really like watching baseball and I'm sooo happy Indy likes baseball so much. He tried soccer last season, which was ok, but he wasn't thrilled. I want him to try basketball next year, too, but for right now, he's back in baseball and is really enjoying it. This time around, he's on the Orioles. And, since he's one of the older, more experienced players in his age group, he's been playing a lot of the infield, which is great, because next season, he'll move up to the next division and he'll be at the bottom of the totem pole again...ugh. That means he'll be out in the field mostly, I'm sure. So, I'm happy that he's been playing a lot in the infield this season. It's a good experience for him. And, he's had such a good attitude this season, even when he gets out. He just says, "Oh well, it happens like that sometimes." And, he's encouraging his teammates who get out, too. I'm very proud of him.

Go Orioles!!

I thought this was such a funny picture! Indy has this violin (Thanks, Lori and Daniel!) and since Nicky played violin in school, he's going to teach Indy how to play. This weekend, Nicky fixed it all up by replacing the strings, tuning it and replacing a missing part. Then, he rosened the bow and strings and let Indy have at it. He taught Indy how to hold the bow and violin and how to only play one string at a time, but otherwise, let him just play with it. Indy loved it! But, notice the baseball hat and batting glove. He was ready to go to baseball. I just thought it was so cute with him playing the violin in all his baseball gear! Two different worlds collide! lol

Happy 7th Birthday, Indy!!

Wow! My big boy! I can't believe it's already been 7 years since my precious boy was born. Amazing! Indy is such a joy to us and we are so proud of him and the young man he is becoming. Six is such a sweet age to me, but when they turn 7 it seems their "babyhood" is finally behind them. That makes me a little sad, because I know the years of my gentle and sensitive little lover boy are dwindling quickly. But, I also know that we have many years of wonderful adventures ahead of us. I look forward to seeing the man he will become and the blessing he will be to our family.

Indy, you are a special gift given to us straight from God and I am so grateful for that gift. You have made our lives so wonderful just by being in them. I'm so excited for you that you are 7 now and growing up, loving Jesus. Thanks for being such a great son! We love you very much!

Happy Birthday!!!

He was so funny yesterday! He was literally counting the hours until he turned 7. At 12 noon, he said, "Oooo! Only 12 hours til I'm 7!!" We love you, baby!!

The Birthday Boys

We will be on our trip to NC during the week of both boys' birthdays. Nicky realized this last week, and since he'll be staying home instead of going with us, he was disappointed he would miss their birthdays. So, to rectify this, we decided to do a "family" birthday celebration before we left for NC and before Ashton left for camp. We planned to do it on Saturday, but since Nicky had to work on Saturday, we changed it to Sunday. That became a VERY busy day.

After church on Sunday morning, we came home and I had ordered pizza online to be ready for us to pick up after church. (Man, that ordering online stuff is great!!) Before I went to get it, we decided to end the boys' torture and let them open their gifts. Levi opened this one first and just look at how excited he was!!
The funny thing is that he had no idea what it was, but he was really excited!! lol It was an insulated lunch bag, full of matching water bottle, snack container, sandwich box, and ice pack, all individually wrapped. Indy got one, too, with a different pattern. These are for our classes we'll be taking at the zoo this coming fall and spring. Indy wasn't nearly as excited. lol

Indy was excited about this electronic Connect Four game. He played it all day long. It'll be great for our 14 hour trip to NC!!

He was also excited about this XBox game. It's Lego Indiana Jones. He couldn't play it today because Daddy had control of the tv, so he's got it set right next to the XBox so he can play it when he gets up. lol

This was a "bump truck" (monster truck) toy Levi had wanted. It's this rugged ramp race thing where the trucks sit on top and race down. He was VERY excited about this one....even more excited than he was about the lunch bag!! lol

Indy got a Star Wars Lego toy, which I think he was the most excited about. He kept playing with it all day long. Here he is building it again.

And, here's Levi playing with the race ramp in his room. He just got a real kick out of it. And, it's really cool because it can fold up and store 6 bump trucks AND it needs no batteries! When was the last time you bought a toy you could just open and play with that needed no batteries?? Awesome!

After presents and pizza, we took all the kids to the movies to see Ice Age 3. It was really good; much better than I anticipated. I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone enjoyed that. Then we came home and I quickly made tacos so Ashton could eat before we took her to church for camp. After she ate, we sang Happy Birthday to the boys and had cake. Now, mind you, I'm dealing with baking in a toaster oven, so I decided the safest way to make a cake for them was to use the bundt pan. The boys hadn't seen the cake. When I opened it up so we could sing, Levi said, "Hey! A big donut!" We all cracked up because it did look like a big donut!!

Don't they look so sweet next to their big donut cake?

Well, they lost it after that first picture. They were raring to go!

Now, look who's sneaking a finger full of icing!! Not Levi. lol He's looking like such a little angel....yeah! We just didn't get him on film! lol

So we sang Happy Birthday and what do you do after that? They blow out the candles, of course! Unfortunately, I didn't have any candles, so I made them pretend to blow out candles. lol I'm so weird. lol Anyway, here they are being good sports for their odd mama and pretending to blow out candles. lol

After cake, we went to church to take Ashton for camp. When I went to find Levi to get his shoes on to go to church, I found him in the bathtub doing "tricks" with his bump trucks. He was having a ball! I guess the tub is good for more than one thing, huh??

Overall, it was a fun and memorable day. And better yet, they are still going to celebrate their birthdays in NC with the rest of the family!! Lucky ducks!!

Happy Birthday, my big boys!! We love you!!

VBS

Sorry, no menu this week. We have one, but I'm too lazy to put it up. Next week.

The boys are in a nearby church's Vacation Bible School this week and they're having a great time! It seems that in the last few years, all our local churches, including mine, have gone to this nighttime VBS, which I, personally, don't care for. I know in one sense it's great because people who work during the daytime can participate, but for those of us who are home during the daytime, I'm not too keen on it. As a matter of fact, the first year our church went to the nighttime thing, which was 2 years ago, I did participate, in an effort to not judge before I actually tried it. I hated it. I was out at church every single night that week, while Nicky was home alone. I didn't like that, and they kept telling me to just have him come with me. Yeah, right. The man gets up at 4am to go to work and doesn't get home until 5:30 and you want him to come to VBS? I don't' think so. I had to make dinner super early so we could eat before we went, which was very early so I could get my classroom ready. Plus, by the time it was time to head out to VBS, we had already had a full day and I, not to mention the little ones, were already pooped. And, we didn't ever get home until nearly 9pm, which is really late for little guys whose bedtime is normally around 7-7:30. It didn't work well for us. So last year, when our church did nighttime VBS, I didn't participate and neither did my little ones. I think Ashton actually volunteered and got a ride with one of the teachers who lives near us. Then, this year, they decided to have an 11-week all-day summer camp, which will really meet the need for working parents, plus it has a VBS style in the morning and sports and other stuff in the afternoon, so they're still getting the VBS thing. That led to them not being able to do VBS and camp both during the summer, so we had our "VBS" during spring break, at night, but it was only 4 nights and it began on Sunday night and ended on Wednesday night. I could handle that. Remember my Jerusalem Marketplace? It was a blast and I didn't leave Nicky home alone too many nights. (Though he probably would have liked the peace and quiet! lol)

That leads to no VBS during the summer time, hence, our attending another church's VBS this week. Actually, I think it's really the ONLY church left around here that's still doing the daytime thing. I am sooo happy! Since I really can't afford summer camp, and frankly, am too cheap to pay for it while I'm sitting home, this works out great for the boys to go to "camp" this week....and it's FREE!! Whoo hoo for "FREE"!! lol They're having a ball and they can say they went to "camp" this summer. Plus, it gives me a few days, well half-days anyway, to do some stuff around here without them underfoot. Today I'm working on the back room. Please, PLEASE pray for me on this. This is a job I have severely needed to undertake and am looking forward to doing, but also dread at the same time. I MUST get this room cleared out and organized a little better before I start yet another school year, so I covet your prayers. Pray that I will actually do it and not just look at it and long to do it. Pray that I will not have my "sentimental ire" up and not throw anything out. Pray that I will have wisdom as to what I really need to keep so I can use for the boys down the road, and not just keep a bunch of useless stuff I'll never use. Pray for discernment for me. And, that I'll have the time to do it. It's a really big job and not only does it need to be cleaned out and organized, but I want to put some new shelves and rearrange the ones I have, so I'll need to know or "see" what works best. Pray for that "eye" for me, since I don't naturally have it.

Back to the VBS thing. Awww.... Each morning, I have to check them in at the front desk, and then they are walked to their group, in the sanctuary. Today there was a mass of people, as there always is, and I told Indy to stand in the loooong line that was for his group, while I stood with Levi and checked him in. His line was much shorter, so I was able to get through it rather quickly. I passed him to the "walker" who took him to his group, briefly watched to make sure he got to his group, then headed back to Indy. He was at the desk already, telling them his name, and was handed his name tag, which he promptly put on himself and walked away, heading into the sanctuary. I met him there and gave him a kiss, as he said goodbye and walked alone up to his group. It was sooo sad to me. Well, not sad really, but definitely melancholy. He checked himself in and walked to his group, all alone, without me. Awwww.... he's getting so big. I know it's great, but it's sad, too, ya know?

Well, since I'm writing this while they're at VBS, and seemingly avoiding starting on my back room, I guess I'll have to go now and actually face that room. Please pray for me. I'm heading in............

Homeschool Promotion

On May 7, our homeschool group held a Promotion Ceremony. The kids in kindergarten, 5th and 8th grades got diplomas, because they were promoting to the next grade grouping (like "into elementary", "into middle school", and "into high school"). All the other kids got certificates of completion. It was a very nice evening.

Some of the kids did talents like piano, recitations, etc. Indy recited 3 Bible verses and he did great. I was so proud of him. :-)

Here are some pictures of the ceremony....

This is Indy receiving his certificate of completion, from our homeschool support group president.
Indy sits and checks out his certificate. He's so impressed!! :-)

Ashton receiving her middle school diploma from Ms. Sandy, who's been our girl scout leader and friend for many years....since Ashton was in pre-K actually! My how time flies.

The "graduates" showing off their awards.
It was a very nice ceremony and afterwards, we had cake and punch and the kids got to run around Ms. Sandy's yard and play...which they always love doing. Congrats, kids!!

Happenings

Big Mac has been making himself right at home at our house. Nicky does really like him, even if he complains about him! lol Mac thinks he's a lap dog. At 17 months old, he's still just a big baby and he really does act like it!

Here is a tank Indy made one day. It's obviously made of an old cereal box and some legos and some pens for the flag staffs and a pencil for the gun. Since we really don't have room to keep such a great project around, we decided to just take a picture of it so he could remember it. He did have fun making it though. He always makes these kinds of tanks and such of old boxes, milk jugs, and just about anything else he can find. He's very inventive and sometimes surprises me.

Homeschooling At Its Best

The other day I was out hanging laundry on the clothesline (The weather's been so nice lately!) and when I go outside, I'm followed by two little boys. So we were all out there and I looked up and saw this:

I thought this was sooo funny! There's Levi playing golf in his pj's, just having a great ole time! I sent Indy inside to get the camera and I took a few pictures. See the turtle in the background? If you're barefoot around the turtles, you have to be careful because they'll try to eat your toes! lol Isn't he cute??
So I put the camera down and kept hanging the clothes. I looked up again and saw Indy this time. He was sitting in Nicky's boat, which is off the trailer and on the ground (from last hurricane season), with his math book open, counting on his fingers, doing his math....also in his pj's. Too cute!
He didn't know I had taken a picture, but I guess he saw me moving in his perifial vision and looked up. That's when I snapped this one.
Finally he gave me a cute smile. Isn't that boat on the ground, next to the high grass, funny?
Stuff like this is what I love best about homeschooling and having the kids home with me. What a blessing. :-)

The Dentist

Indy's been having work done on some of his teeth the last few weeks. He's down to only one more appointment, which won't be until June...whew! But, he's had to have the nitrous oxide to help calm him before they give him the Novocain. Personally, I didn't think that nitrous oxide really made all that difference, but what can you do? It didn't seem to bother him, so I guess it can't hurt, except that my insurance didn't cover it so I had to pay for it each time, out of my pocket...argh. Anyway, they let him pick the color of his mask, and as long as we brought it back each time, we didn't have to pay for another mask.

Here Indy is ready to begin, with his "clown nose" mask on. I thought the red mask he picked looked like a clown nose. lol

Here he's got his sunglasses on, to keep the bright light out of his eyes. I think that's a great idea! And, since it's a pediatric dentist, it's very kid-friendly there. There's even a tv with a video running, on the ceiling right over his head, so while he's laying in the chair, he can watch a movie. Man, I think adult dentists should have that too, right?? lol

He wanted to show off his crown. This one was from the last week's appt. Actually, it's the upper, which is two crowns side by side and is from the visit two weeks ago. He inherited his dad's bad teeth, thus he's had to have a lot of work done. I'm sooo glad it's finally over...well, almost anyway. And, he did great! I was so proud of him. He really hated going, but had a good attitude each time and was so brave. I just hope Levi does as well when he starts going. He's got the same bad teeth, so we start on him in another week or so. THAT should be fun!! lol