Rain, Rain, Rain

This week can be summed up with one word - RAIN! We still managed to have fun but it was despite of the weather. Monday, I had to run errands so I promised the boys if they were good we could skip naps and go to the pool since it was supposed to be the only pretty day all week. Now that school has started the pool is literally deserted all the time. It is so nice! On Tuesday, we went to Mimi's house after the Y where I could finish setting up her new computer. Her necessities include Hearts, Solitaire, and the Obituaries! We pull up and Papa Jim is mowing his 13 acres at the age of 78 - Lord, help me if I am still doing that - let's be honest I don't do that now! The boys had on their uniforms and brought their tools to work on a few projects at their Great-Grandparents house. On Wednesday, the sky fell out. I cannot describe how much rain we drive through. We met friends at Monkey Tree House which was a perfect rainy day plan. The boys had a blast. Thursday was Orientation at school and the boys woke up with something just off. They were so bad all day and I could not figure out what was going on but they were lucky to survive. I ran into my PE teacher from Middle School who also goes to my church now and she told me the barometric pressure was changing and it makes pets and kids go crazy. I am not sure if it is true but it did save the boys that day! The boys met their teachers and saw their classrooms. Both have great teachers and I am thrilled to see what all they learn this year. After school we went to our last swim lesson with Ms. Erin. They did so good and even started learning strokes. Will would flip to his back and float like a pro. They were doing great IF they were listening. I included their video below. Friday we had a crazy busy morning but it ended on a good note. We picked up Mimi and went to Lebanon to look at a house plan that we may possibly build and then dropped Mimi back off and then met Ezra and his parents at the pool all by 9:30AM! The boys had a blast at the pool and burned off plenty of energy. On Saturday we celebrated cousin Silas's 2nd birthday at Chuck E Cheese. This was Will's first time and Gaines's second time to go and they had a blast. We ended this week with church and the boys spent the afternoon at Nonni and Poppy's house.

Afternoon swim

The boys in their full uniform and tool boxes.
I overheard the boys playing and calling each other "Junior." I have got to get them around better influences than Uncle Rusty! 

Gaines had talked Rusty into making a Peach Pie with the peaches they collected on their adventure and like a good Great - Uncle Rusty did the best he could and Gaines was FURIOUS that this pie did not come out looking like a pie. He kept telling us we were NOT listening to him and he was NOT leaving until this looked like a pie.

Garrick and I are the worse at eating veggies and fruits. I literally only like apples and green ones at that. I am attempting my hand at smoothies to try and get something good in my body. This is my Green Machine Boost even includes spinach and broccoli.

Nonni brought over her garage sale finds. Thanks Nonni for continuing to add stuff to my house. They boys worked together as a team on their new puzzle. They are actually getting pretty good doing these together.

I have bene working on Will writing his name and this is the first time he did it on his own!

Monkey Treehouse with our friends Hallee and Saylor. We also met Hayes and Charlie too!

Pool Play Date with Ezra

Happy 2nd Birthday Cousin Silas!
True Love is the only reason we would come to Chuck E Cheese on a SATURDAY!

I had Gaines and we played a few games until Gaines discovered the Xtreme Card machine. It took your picture and then gave you your very own personalized card. We now have every profession covered! He would stand there and look into the camera and you could see yourself and he would part his hair until it looked good and then smile.

All of Gaines's cards

Will's first Chuck E Cheese experience! He preferred balls and guns and did not want anywhere near the GIANT MOUSE.

Nonni brought over a box full of different games and Will has been concentrating on his domino set up. It amazes me his patience and attention span.

Really wanted to get this t-shirt for the boys! The pop hit and dance phenomenon Gangnam Style.

Sunday afternoon at Nonni's house. Gaines said they are clowns with top hats on. I love Will's face in this one!

Will working on his craft.

This week

This week has been LONG! Will was still pretty sick at the beginning of the week so I took the opportunity to break out art, puzzles, games, and some of our worksheets. After all of that I remembered why I like to "go" and do activities with my kids versus all of this! Gaines wakes up every morning and has to get ready to go to work. Sometimes he is a cowboy teaching cowboy school and sometimes he is a builder going to a construction site. You never know how we are starting the day off with him! Garrick had a conference in Nashville and a couple of work things so we have been solo a little more than usual this week. The weather has been unusually pleasant for late-July. Mom watched the boys on Saturday night so that helped get me through the week! We had a marathon Saturday morning but it was so much fun.

After 14 pieces of paper and 3 mediums only 40 minutes was taken up!

Will working on coloring his race car we put together.

Breaking out the learning games.
Gaines to Will: "Do you want me to tell you why I beat you? Because I'm good at it  and I love it.

Will feeling much better on Sunday night.

Trying to play Memory with the boys. They will not listen to the rules nor follow them.

I told the boys they only had an hour at Mimi and Papa's and it took Gaines a good 30 minutes to prepare for his and Papa's exploring. They had to make a checklist to remember everything they may need and a basket to carry it all.

Our first day to do something fun in a week! We went to Providence pool for the first time all summer. Boys had a blast!

Will made new friends and played. Gaines just did his own thing!

Gaines got hit in the face at the pool with a bucket by an older kid. Really hurts! Will not stop bleeding.

Play date with Ezra

The boys played for 2 hours. Gaines is going to miss being in class with Ezra, they have been together for 3 years!
Gaines had quite a few ideas on what and when they would play certain things. He was showing off like crazy and driving me nuts. He wore his Toy Story shirt for Ez because he likes Toy Story.

My  lunch dates on Friday. Gaines has been wanting some "glasses" so this is what we got.

Will took this picture for his big cousin Emma - she loves Firehouse Subs too.

My crazy boys on Friday.

Friday Night Dinner Picnic at Pool and Late Night Swim
Daddy needs to go out of town on weekends more often!

Finally after a summer of Little Slugger classes Will does not cry at all! He had such a good class. Last time he got upset because he did not get the red bat/tee and I told him he just had to be the quickest. Well when the Coach said go to a tee he took off like a bat out of hell for the red one. He does not miss a trick.

I was so proud of him! He never missed a ball.

Coach said Gaines did better listening but he is so not interested.

Ava's Splash Pad opened today at Charlie Daniel's Park. It was awesome! 

The boys had a blast! What a great way to honor Ava Bright's short and precious life.

Thrilled to have this in MJ

Gaines did the dunking booth and they both did some of the water slides at Water Day.

We ended our marathon of a Saturday morning with the Farmer's Market.

Bath and beards at Nonni's house

Will is looking in a mirror that Poppy is holding for him to make his beard. My children are spoiled.

The text I received from Mom when I asked how the boys were doing:

We watched a few shows, packed up your car with bikes and everything they owned, without paci.  McDonald's for supper, got you gas. Ate, made our puppets, had two shows. After making theatre.  Took police car outside and rode that .  Gaines fell walking he's ok, but would have thought differently.  Bubble baths, held mirror up in the bathtub so they could see their beards.  Put medicine on cuts and band aids.  Got a mat out of wills eyes.  Played ball outside and heard fireworks. Crickets and frogs.  Made our beds, poppy is reading to them now.  It's popcorn and movie time and no they are not in bed.

This is the ribeye that Garrick and Dan split - 36 ounces!

Dinner at The Husk with the Applegates

We stopped by The Stage to see Uncle Grant work his magic.

Summer Fun

Now that we are home from vacation and getting back in the swing of things we had quite a few fun adventures this week! 

On Monday after the Y, Mimi came and ran errands with us. She really has not come with us as much this year since her fall in August so we were happy to have her with us! I think the boys wore her out though. She will sleep for a few days!

Mamaw got here on Tuesday and stayed with us off and on for a few days. We went to the movies on Wednesday and saw Rio about a bird.

Thursday we had PUMC Play group at a fairly new park downtown by the titans stadium. It was awesome! The boys had a blast. We went straight from this activity to an afternoon birthday party for Clara - also outside and water party. The boys had a blast but were exhausted. Will had a major poop in his pants at the party. This is my life right now.

Friday, Mamaw watched the boys were I could leave early for my girls weekend in Knoxville. She took them shopping to spend Will's birthday money and got Gaines a little treat as well.

Garrick took care of the boys while I was gone and had another eventful baseball class with Will on Saturday. He cried for the first half and then started doing it the second half. I'm not sure what is up with this but boy is it frustrating. 

Sunday, Garrick and the boys had "devotions" at the park with their donuts.

Ready for the movies!

Gaines loves the movies and Will did the best he could. He got quite ansy and was hard to keep entertained.

Crazy boys!

Clara's 5th Birthday Party. Gaines loved the slide and Will loved jumping in and out of the pool.

Shopping with Mamaw

Gaines got a Big boot ambulance

Will got a Jake pirate and Loves it! This is the first time he has actually wanted a stuffed animal usually it is a ball.

Picnic Lunch with Mamaw

The first Squad with Mamaw's gift

Baseball class - Will did same threw fit until half way through it.

The text I received on Sunday morning was: Devotions and donuts at the park. Hmmmm....