July 16th

We still aren't too sure about this color. We are going to leave it up for awhile and maybe paint it again next weekend. We had originally thought a leather faux in red, but I wanted to do something like that in another room, so we really don't know.
Ted got most of the electric stuff done, and has a few more things to do when he has time.

July 15th

Velvet Ant

Doesn't he look like he's having fun

I don't know what I like best dirt & rock throwing or riding?

We got to visit with some very good friends today. One of their sons rode Shane and Colby around all day long on his 4 wheeler. I know he was so tired but he kept riding and riding with them. I have to remember to thank him for being such a nice guy to the kids. Shane and Colby think these brothers are some of their best friends. I don't think they realize the 12 and 10 years in age difference. Matthew couldn't join in on all the fun because he was out having fun with other friends and he met up with us real late tonight as we were leaving. I have videos of them riding but won't have time to post them until sometime next week. We also put up a new gazebo Ted got for us this morning but I haven't even had a chance to take a picture of that yet either.

July 14th

New POTC shirt

It's coming along now

Big Helper Shane


Colby helping too!

July 13th

It seems like latley I've barely had a few moments to post on the blog. I missed one day this week because we've just been doing alot. Also the batteries have been going dead on the camera. I have to change the setting on the Canon but just havn't had time. Everytime I charge up the batteries I have forgotten to change the setting and then the go dead again. We had 8 kids in the pool the other day and all of the cameras had dead batteries. This wasn't counting Colby or another little 10 mth old guy (I was so disappointed that I didn't get all the fun on film) Today Colby and I had a day or at least part of the day to ourselves. Shane was at a playdate at a friends house. (we actually have these scheduled all summer long all 5 year old boys) I know they have lots of fun. Sometimes Colby can tag along but this house has a pool and I know how picky he can be about swimming or the whole pool thing so he and I just did our own thing today. Matthew went bowling and out to lunch with friends. (Now that boy is BUSY) he has something to do just about everyday (Or someone calling with something to do). So much for doing TONS of Math and Science this summer. He has only worked on it a few times. I ended up picking up Matthew, Shane and one of his friends and bringing them home before everyone came over here for lifegroup. I guess I will be getting better pictures later on. We are having a youthgroup party here soon so I have to concentrate on getting this place cleaned up and the new bedroom cleared out so they can use it to play board games. Its supposed to be a Video Game night but we want a NON video game area too.

July 12th

Playing in the new tunnel Mommy got them


Colby in the tunnel


Another part of the wall done


We finally used the grill we bought 6 months ago


Banji has a new home. We changed tanks.

Towels

I didn't have much time to take pictures today. We met up with one of the twins (One was sleeping) tonight and went out to eat so with normal errands and that we were busy. I finally remembered to give the guys their gift from our cruise. We got them a towel animal creation book. I don't know if you remember the pictures we took of the towel animals from our November Cruise. They always got a kick out of them every night so we got them the book to learn how to make them.

July 9th

We've gotten a little farther on the room. We just started taping a couple of minutes ago and we might paint a little later on tonight. We had a birthday party to go to today. They had fun running in the sprinkler and playing on a slipnslide. I got some pictures of them with another boy (not the birthday boy. Again no pictures of Matthew. He was at the movies watching Pirates of the Carribean 2 Deadman's Chest. He of course loved it.

Painting again....

Today after running errands, Ted started on the room again. Matthew had a youth activity and Shane and Colby played and FOUGHT all day long. They've had a hard time adjusting to being home and have been fighting and whiney more than usual. Its just going to take some time to settle back into a routine. We took a short swim after dinner and now Ted is back to work doing electrical stuff. I had a moment to update the blog. After they go to bed its back to painting again.

Catching Up

Tonight we got to visit with our old neighbor, and her two daughters. We were both pregnant at the same time and Shane and her daughter were only born 6 or 8 weeks apart. She brought Shane his belated birthday gift a soccer slipnslide (You'll see pictures of the kids sliding on it later I'm sure) We gave her a belated birthday gift too. It was so much fun to catch up with them, and for those of you who have thought we were freaks about Disney, we found some fellow freaks. I always knew she and her husband were into Disney but I guess we weren't into it that much when we were neighbors. So tonight a majority of the conversation was about you guessed it DISNEY! Her Christmas cards one year were taken at Disney just like ours, and two visits ago we missed each other by one day but didn't realize it till we were both back home from our visits.

Fireworks

Today we spent most of the day trying to pick up the odds and ends leftover from our two recent trips. I think I'm just about finished picking up. I didn't get any pictures today, because I was busy straightening up and because of the rainstorms. I forgot I had video and pictures from July 4th, so I posted that for today. Also my Grandfather has Pneumonia and is on medications and my family is watching him close. They would like for him to go into the hospital just for 24 hours but he has relatives in town, and wants to stay home and visit with them.

Click here to watch a youtube clip of the fireworks finale.



Waiting for Fireworks




Matthew July 4th



Shane with hotel in background



Funny face



Watching from the van rooftop

July 5th

Yesterday Colby graduated out of his boat. Well he SORTA graduated. Shane kept using his white boat made out of styrofoam for a surf board. I've told him no before and I must have told him not to play with the boat 20 times on Monday. It left little tiny pieces of white styrofoam all over the pool. (I can't have little tiny pieces of styrofoam floating all over the pool everyday. I still haven't gotten all of it out It looks like the pool has dandruff) We've had an occasional piece here and there but nothing like Monday. So, I went out to get a new boat type thing, most places were closed since it was the 4th. I ended up getting something I thought might work and then when I got home I tried one of the floats we already had. I used this with Matthew years and years ago and gave it to a friend. I picked up one for Shane but, I can't remember if he ever used it. My favorite is the saftey seal and that one is supposed to be the best since you can take pads out of it. I have one in Colby's size and I am going to work our way into that instead of the tire suit. Shane's saftey seal is demolished since he used it so much. I took back the baby boat to Wal-mart today. It just wasn't as sturdy as Colby's old one. As for getting aback into the swing of things, the calender starting to fill up with and Matthew isn't home again tonight.

July 4th

July 2nd

I got an email from one of my Aunts today saying that my Grandfather (he is the Papaw Hood I took pictures of in the last post) has been sick since last week. He goes to the Dr. on Thursday. Since he has the condition with his lungs where he has to use oxygen 24 hours a day, being sick isn't good at all. Please pray for him. Thanks. As for all of us, Matthew wasn't home until 8 something today. He spent all day yesterday and all day today with one of his friends. Tomorrow will be Matthew's first day home in a LONG time. He worked with Ted and had lots of stuff going on before we left so he will probably be glad to be home. Today I caught up on unpacking a little, laundry, dishes (washing Sawyer) When he stays a while I have to wash him. They can wash him at the kennel but he doesn't like them too. He has gotten upset everytime they have tried to wash him so I just do it at home. He sits still for me and got all cleaned up and smelling good. Before and after sawyers bath we swam. When Ted got home he got in the pool too, and when Matthew got home he got in too. He only swam a little because Colby, Shane and I had been in for a long long while.

Laundry Day

Ah the joys of dirty Scout Camp laundry.... Just kidding. I don't think I have too much because Ted rode into town one day and did laundry at a laundrymat since it rained for 4 1/2 days of their camping trip. It also rained the WHOLE way to my dads house after I dropped them off. I drove in rain SOMETIMES hard (People had pulled over to the side of the road) the whole 240 miles. After I drove the same roads dry, I am so thankful I didn't see what I was driving on or remember I was driving the twisty mountain freeway. Whew it was SCARY!!!! In case you didn't know Ted and Matthew went to Boy Scout camp at Camp Raven Knob outside of Mount Airy, North Carolina. I dropped them off and headed to Lavalette, West Virginia (Located in between Huntington and Charleston) Here are just a few pictures from our TRIPS!!! I'm sure we will have more pictures to follow




Troop 47 (Ted stepped out of crowd to take the picture)

Ted at the top of Raven Knob Mountain

Matthew in the Boy Scout BUILT Jacuzzi

Dad, Shane, Colby, Me , Papaw Hood and Aggie

Papaw Hood and the boys