Youth Leadership Camp in Boston

I don't know when John grew up, but it must have happened when I wasn't looking. It seems like just yesterday, he was following his dad around the yard with a bubble mower. They were all sent to a YMCA summer camp this year by the Army and John was chosen by their camp counselors to go to a leadership training conference in Boston in September. He flew on a plane all by himself. Stayed in a hotel room without an adult. He did just fine and had a great time. I think these opportunities are good for all of us. It was good for him to go away and know he can have fun away from home. I learned that he is

smart enough to take care of himself and that I will not fall to pieces when my kids all leave home. Although, I do plan to have several small dogs that I can dress in doll's clothes. or maybe cats.... Anyway, back to John's trip. They did some sight seeing. They went to the JFK Library and a walking tour of historical Boston. Part of the conference included some photography classes. You'd think he could come home with some pictures of himself, right? Nope. Not one. He took some great pictures....and some 14 year old boy pictures. What a great kid! I'm so lucky to get to be his mom.

The curse is over.....

........the water is returning. Still not perfect, but getting better. If you stand on the dock and look at the water at just the right angle you can fool yourself into thinking the water is right up to the top of the dock where it should be.

Cold here today. Good grief!! I do like fall and spring. Perfect temps of 70s and 80s. It feels like we have gone straight from 90 to 60. It is supposed to be in the 70s at the end of the week. I will be looking forward to it.

Got Halloween decorations spread out all over the living room floor. I am feeling extra spooky this year. Don't know how I am going to fit that in with all the happy pumpkins and ghosts I already have. We shall see.......

Here are some pictures of the lake we took last Sunday. This is the lowest it got. Y'all like that outfit I'm wearing??? I hate to even post it, but it's the best picture that shows just how far down the lake really is. So sad. Not the outfit....the lake! ;)

The dock is finished

Well, actually, it has been done for a while. It's funny how we were in such a hurry to get it done while the lake was down. Well....by the time we finally got some rain which was just last Sunday, we coulda gone out another 30 feet and still not have touched the water. Crazy!! BUT, it's done and it is raining. We just needed the State Fair as it turns out. It has been raining all week. A beautiful drizzly rain. I love it. Can't wait to see our new dock with water under it.

I only have one back to school picture. The boys just looked at me like I was crazy. Don't you just Love Emily's new hair style. We really like it.

Shame on me!!

I have had some great things to post about, but haven't done it!! The kids all had a good time at camp. John and Ethan wanted to come home in the middle of the week, but ended up glad that they stayed. Emily had ball! and was mad that we picked her up! Still talks about how much fun she had a whole month later.

Right after I finished my pediatric practicum we all went to Florida..........I CANNOT believe what I just did......had a whole paragraph written about our Florida vacation and accidentally deleted the whole thing!!! How did I do that??? I don't even know how I did that. Dang it!!! Alright...back to Florida. It really was a fun vacation. West Palm Beach. The water is that beautiful blue you want to see when you go o be the beach. We took one of Emily's friends with us. Our flight left Richmond at 5:35am. Wow! Herding 4 kids through the airport at 4am! It wasn't too bad, really. I guess they were too excited to be grumpy. Only one hiccup in the airport and that was on the way home. Emily got new bubble bath from Bath and Body Works while we were in Florida and accidentally put in her carry on. I was more worried about the security agent's safety than anything else. Emily was H.O.T!!! Did not want to leave her new bubble bath behind. And you know, that's hard to explain to a 10 year old.....potential for explosive devices and whatnot. Poor thing! I coulda stayed on that beach forever. I am definitely going back! Way too many pictures to post them all. They are in a slide show to your right. We did kayaking, snorkeling, duck boat riding, shopping, and beach sitting. It was great!

And when we got home, did we sit back on our laurels and enjoy the summer???? Noooooo......we decided we needed to put in our dock. The lake is so far down this summer we didn't even have to hire anybody to pound the posts in. John just drove his tractor right across the lake bed and used his auger to drill holes for all of them. And we didn't even have any help. I am so proud of us! Just me and John and 3 kids. And they all helped. Even Emily. She hammered nails and helped carry boards. It's not quite finished yet. We got all the foundation in. Now we just have to finish the decking.

And now I am back in school. Focusing on adults this semester. Hallelujah!!! I am doing my practicum in an ER this fall. I am so excited! I have already learned how to drain abscesses. Exciting stuff!! The kids go back to school next Tuesday. Went to meet the teacher last night for John and Ethan. Happy with their schedules and teachers so far. Ethan, once again, got separated from all his friends. But he was able to branch out and make new friends last year, so I'm sure he will be just fine. John's classes change more so he never has a class with the same kids. We will meet Emily's teacher tonight. We already know who she has, and we are very pleased. So, we are off to a good start.

And the best news of all......John is home full time!! Again....Hallelujah!! He started back to his regular job this week. It was a normal week. And normal is f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s!!

I'm experimenting with putting a bunch of pictures in one blog...we'll see if it works.....and you can tell by lookin at us that none of us were feelin very fashion conscious!!

My Emilytha

I am the luckiest mom in the world to be so loved!! I woke up this morning missing Emily. She has such a generous heart. Always wanting to do something nice for someone else.

Camp Silver Beach

The kids are all at camp this week. We actually only intended to leave the boys, but once we got there the camp staff and Emily talked us into leaving Emily too. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you're are looking at it from Emily's perspective) she had nothing she needed for camp and we to buy her all NEW stuff. New sheets, new towels, new clothes.....blah, blah, blah.....a brazillion dollars later, she is happily at camp. John and I are broke and exhausted. You can't believe the number of stores we went to there looking for a bathing suit. I know that I used to rough it in Palestine where there was only a Wal-Mart to shop at. These people have NOTHING! The closest Wal-Mart was far. And NO Target. After all that effort, she BETTER be having a good time. John is home this week, so I am not at home all by myself, thank goodness. It is actually easier than I thought it would be to have them all gone. A little glimpse into what life will be like when they are out of the house. Highpoint--when we don't have vegetables for dinner I don't have to feel guilty!! Lowpoint--the cat, Clyde, and the dog, Trooper, must be feeling at odds without the kids because they cannot be still. The cat runs from one end of the house to the other, mostly at night when I am trying to sleep, and the dog follows him around. Another lowpoint--I miss tuck in time. I know John and Ethan are really too old for the tuck in time, but it is a nice moment at the end of the day just to sit with them for a minute and talk one on one. Good times. But it is Wednesday, the week is half over. I will be picking them up Saturday morning, can't wait to see them!! John got everything packed before we left, very organized. Ethan decided some stuff wouldn't fit in the suitcase and lightened his load. What did he leave out--shirts and towels---crucial items in my opinion. When we helped them get all their stuff to their cabin, it already smell like adolescent boys, so I can only imagine what their laundry will smell like when they get home.