Pumpkin Patch

We had the BEST time at the pumpkin patch last weekend!! We played in the Corn Box (similar to sand, but a trough full of corn), had our faces painted, did the obstacle course, raced ducks, went on a hay ride, went on a wagon ride, had tri-cycle races, painted pumpkins, did the sack race, dressed some scarecrows, and went through a hay bale maze! It was so fun - we were there for about 3 hours!! Here's the photo re-cap:

I had to add this last one, because I think it is just precious - this is Caleb and his friend Grace.

It's What's for Dinner

And I'm not talking beef. On Sunday, I asked Cameron what he wanted to eat for dinner on his birthday. He replied "pizza." UGH. Not that I don't like a nice slice of pie, but seriously. He had just had it the day before at his party, and he has it every Wednesday night in choir at church. But, in letting go of my "perfection" attitude and the idea of preparing a nice yummy birthday meal, I said "ok."

Then, that night, by a stroke of wonder, that sweet kid walked up to me and said (prepare yourself), "mama, it's okay with you, I want fish for my birthday." I stinkin' love that kid! Heck ya' it's okay with me!! However, I had already been to the store.

So, Monday, after Bible Study, we stopped by HEB to get aforementioned fish, and I said "we need a couple of things." And Cameron replies, "yes, two things; fish and broccoli." WHAT?! Yep, you read correctly. Fish and broccoli. Nevermind that we had just had broccoli for dinner on Sunday night. I asked him if he was sure, and he said "absolutely." We got the broccoli and corn on the cob (his other favorite), then went to the fish. He was emphatic that he didn't want one of the selections (the one that was a whole fish - eyes and all). The lady handed us our tilapia and Cameron carried it with him until we checked out.

And, it was a super yummy dinner - Greg makes the best pan seared tilapia! Mmm-mmm.

Blowing out the candle on his banana nut cake Ms. Monica (the best neighbors ever) made special for his birthday!

Cameron's answer to the question "who is the best mom ever?"
Not really. He wouldn't look at the camera, so I was asking him "cameron look at me; no, at me; cameron where is the camera." And, he answered me.

Putting on his new Superman pj's that he got after dinner and after cake, that I had to handwash and stick in the dryer because he had to wear them (because you wash clothes before you wear them - especially to bed)

complete with cape in the back.

Four Years in the Making

Oh sweet precious boy, where has the time gone? You are an amazing little boy determined to capture all of life. You bring complete joy into all of our lives, and we are continually blessed by you. You make me a better mom, dad a better dad, and you positively blessed Caleb's life the day you were born, and he is the best big brother. I love how well you both play together. I love your imagination. I love your tenacity. Your smile makes my every day better, and your hugs can completely change my day. We thank God every day for choosing our family for you! We are so proud of you and who you are becoming, little man(although you would argue that and tell me you are a big boy)! And, while I'm having a hard time adjusting to my baby turning 4, I can't wait to see where the next year takes us! We love you!!

Four years ago...

All set for your first flight - it's been a crazy ride ever since (thankfully, not as traumatic!)

and now...your favorite - Cowboy Cameron

We celebrated Cameron's birthday this last weekend at that magical place 'where a kid can be a kid'!

all set for the ticket blaster

Cameron was very specific that he wanted "Superman cupcakes for his friends", and then he preferred to wear the 'you're a star' crown upside down - oh, he is soooo his own person

and we wouldn't have it any other way!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

the MOB

A couple of years ago, I had an idea for a t-shirt. Well, the idea wasn't really born as a shirt, it was more of a name for myself, but the idea morphed. There is a longer story, and I will share it later, but the jest is...through a lot of encouragement from a couple of friends and my amazing husband I designed a t-shirt. Then, through more encouragement and lots of prayer, the idea was actually put into print. You see, I am a part of the MOB - the mother of boys - and I thought it would make a really sassy shirt for those people who find themselves in the same or similar place as me. I have more ideas and I have plans, but I'm waiting to hear what God has planned. So for now, this is the first edition, the logo tee, the prototype.

Front:

Back:

Forever and a Day

Since I've posted. I know, I know. I'm sure you have all been on pins and needles to know what's happening on a day to day basis. And, since I talk to most of you regularly, well, you're already pretty caught up on current events.

But, since I have a blessing to post about tomorrow, I thought I would try to catch up throughout today.

Not this past weekend, but the weekend before (make sense), Greg, the boys, and I went to the deer lease for opening of bow season. We got there after dark Friday night, and after unpacking the truck, we all pretty much went to bed. Saturday morning, Greg got up to go get in his stand (at a time that should not be allowed to get up on a Saturday unless you are hitting a REALLY good sale or catching a plane to NYC or Mexico or somewhere exciting!) and off he went. When the boys and I got up, we had breakfast, got ready and waited for Greg. Greg came and got us after the morning hunt and we drove around scoping out the place since last season, feeding deer, filling feeders, etc.

After lunch, Caleb and I had some target practice. By this time, it was HOT out there. So, after target practice, we decided to let the boys rest in the A/C and watch a movie. Well, not long after the movie started, and Greg cleaned up around camp, and I swatted gnats (nasty little creatures), it started to rain. And, by "started to rain", I mean the heavens opened up. We called my dad to have him look at the radar, and we quickly decided we needed to pack up and get out - quickly - or we were going to be stuck. Greg and I scrambled, and we had everything packed up, loaded up (including kids), and ready to haul out in less than thirty minutes. Then came the hard part.

Camp is about two miles in from the county road, and those two miles are pretty much dirt, which by this point has become a river of flowing water and mud. We slid sideways for much of the way, with Greg very calmly handling every 'issue' that arrived. Honestly, he did an amazing job - even when we almost took out a high fence. I sat in the passenger seat, trading back and forth between praying outloud and saying 'Greg, greg, are you okay' and 'do you see that?' (um, duh, aleesa). I think we finally exhaled when we reached the county road.

The next morning when I checked the weather from the comfort of my bed at home, we saw that several more red cells had passed right over the deer lease, and we said prayers of thanksgiving that we had left when we did.

Cameron wearing Papa's hat that he found hanging in the trailer

Target practice - Caleb got a bullseye!

The high fence we almost took out, and one of the beautiful animals that lives on the other side of it.

I'll remember for you

This last weekend, Greg made preparations for next weekend. What I mean can be summed up with two words - DEER SEASON. This next weekend is opening weekend, so the preceding trip is all about preparation. Apparantly, it is no fun to get all geared up to look like part of a tree, climb up in a stand in another tree at a unmentionable time of the morning (which for all pruposes can still be called night), settle in silently waiting, and then never have your feeder go off. Hee-hee. It kinda makes me laugh to think about, but it's so not funny. Anyway, Greg went to the lease.



So, the boys and I (all healed up and well) went to visit my Mom. My Granny was going to be at her house for the weekend as well. My sweet Granny has some form of dementia, and she has a really hard time remembering. Most of it, you have to let it go only because it makes you too sad to dwell on. And, sometimes, she's clear as a bell and can carry a conversation on about people and places. Most of the time, though, we remembered for her and did a lot of reminding. One of the boys favorite part of the weekend was when she offered to read a book, because they never turn that down. And, Granny delivered - snuggling and reading several books to the boys...

Saturday afternoon brought more bonus visitors. My sister-in-law came and brought their two sons. Daniel is 9 days older than Cameron, and the boys had a lot of fun playing together. Katin is now 6 months old, and he had a lot of fun letting me hold him. My mom had bought a Halloween cookie kit for the boys to decorate cookies...and eat cookies

or at least, lick all the icing off and eat the little candies that came with it...

Well, Granny quickly decided she needed to be in on the fun, so she asked for a cookie to decorate...

and then she asked for some pointers from Daniel.

It was a fun weekend - a little crazy, but fun

and exhausting...

Oh, and for those of you worried; the deer feeder was operating in perfect form!

Survival

We did survive the Swine in '09, and with only very minor suffering. I am slightly out of sorts trying to catch up from the last week, though.

Last Monday started like any great Monday. Cameron and I went to Bible Study, then to the grocery store. The first couple of aisles, Cameron was chatting happily and singing. About 10 minutes after arriving though, I noticed his eyes watering, his face paled, and he was shivering. I felt him, and he was suddenly burning up. I asked him if he felt okay, and he said "yes" but that he wanted to go home. He had no complaints other than being cold. We went home, took meds, and he took a fantastic nap. The fever had broken by the time he got up, and he played happily that night slightly segregated from Caleb. The night and Tuesday morning continued the cycle of fever/no fever/fever, so we went to the doctor. By this time, we had a runny nose in addition to the fever and a headache. One little swab test and the confirmation was the flu - H1N1 - the doctor said.

The pediatrician wrote prescriptions for Cameron for Tamiflu and for Caleb (for prophylactic measures). At this point, Cameron felt like, well, the G-rated version is 'not well at all.' We discovered that all the pharmacies in town were out of the children's suspension of Tamiflu. We were told Austin pharmacies were out, as were most other area pharmacies. We finally tracked some down, and what felt like forever later, made it home.

Caleb ended up having a fever the next morning for a few hours, and then was fine. I mean perfectly fine. And, praise God, Cameron was feeling better. It lasted for 36 hours total for Cameron and a few hours for Caleb. And, there, my friends, is our swine story.

I managed to read a book (in between cleaning and using about four cans of Lysol and two tubs of Clorox wipes) - one of the BEST I have read in a long time - last week. It was life changing - more about that later.