Tree Walking

It's like hiking, but hiking on trails up in the trees on zip lines, wire bridges and ladders.
The kids' youth group went and Daddy was the guide. Greyson and the older boys quickly zipped ahead and left him to coach the stragglers. So Dad didn't get any actual pictures of OUR kids doing this.
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It's like in the movies, when they use a stunt double. You think you are watching Harrison Ford, but it's really some guy named Buck who is an expert at these kinds of things. You'd be amazed at his resume.
So.
This is "Greyson".
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And here he is again on the wobbly wire bridge.
Proper camera placement is crucial to sustain the believability in your character during a movie stunt. You'll notice, the faces are never full in the shot.
"Greyson" loved Tree Walking. I'm guessing. From these shots it sure looks like he did.

Pool Party

He was afraid.
When you're five you must consider the risk/benefit ratio.
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Hmmm, this isn't so bad.
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gasp This is actually fun.
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But be off your guard for one second and...
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Wham!
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Abort! Abort!
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It's the Pits...

Sawyer loves cherries. So he ate 10 of them, pits and all. Even after I carefully taught him how to eat cherries, he decided he knew an easier way. A quick call to "InfoSante" (a medical hotline here that only costs half your paycheck in taxes!) revealed that a trip to emergency was not necessary, we were just to watch him for a few days.

For the next three days he was running around at Vacation Bible School with the best of them. Hopping, skipping, jumping and racing. But this morning he did not want breakfast. Hmm. Is he just trying to get out of eating oatmeal? Should he stay home with daddy? No. He didn't want to miss VBS. So we piled into the van for a glorious VBS morning. However, being the astute mom that I am, I decided half way there that we should abort and go to the emergency room instead. Mostly because Sawyer shared his vomit with us in the van.

All plans of spending a gloriously fun morning at Vacation Bible School were dashed. No one could believe that we were now on our way to Emergency.

The good news is, it only took two hours to get a diagnosis. And the better news is that there is no cherry pit convention going on in Sawyer's intestines. They think it's just a fluke and he is sick with a virus. And the best news is that we all got a good reminder of how "The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9 The kids got a chance to be thankful despite their circumstances, and to glorify God by remaining happy when He allows plan B.
Probably the most memorable part of the whole thing for them was how God gives moms great ideas of how to make up for missing VBS: they all got to go to McDonald's for lunch. Quite the treat.
Sawyer swings from feeling fine on Tylenol--

to feeling like this on no Tylenol.
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Here he's collapsed mid stride in a pile of towels that Tristan was supposed to fold for him. Can you believe this is the boy who wanted McDonald's for lunch just an hour ago? Poor little virus boy. It is the pits.

Two Things About Living Here I Bet'cha Didn't Know

They can advertise cigarettes.

This is wrong on so many levels.
Does it bother you that Mr. Burger King is moonlighting in a totally inappropriate sector? It's kind of a step down for him, don't you think?
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Next, and totally unrelated, all friends who come to our house are confronted by animals.
Sawyer doesn't count. He confronts them.
But I bet you did know that.

Which One is It?

Greyson called me from a friend's house to ask about watching a movie.
He told me the title but I still had my doubts.
"Why is it called 'Race to Witch Mountain?'" I asked.
"I think because they're not sure which mountain to go to."
Ah.

'Race to Which Mountain.'
Or would you write it with a question mark--
'Race to Which Mountain?'
That sounds like a fine movie to watch, rather exciting really.
Can't you just feel the conflict?

One for Grandma...

Bad focus, bad lighting, bad sound, it can only mean one thing: a family video!
This video is for y'all that live so far away and need to see important events like playing guitar on the worship team for the first time.
I am always amazed at how different my children are from each other. When Tristan was offered the job of playing for a song up front he never even balked. He just practiced and practiced and then he did it with no hesitation, like it was his occupation. After the service when he was being praised by a few people he said, "I feel so happy for some reason."
I know just how he feels.

Out Front....

Kiki's making brownies because Gino and Alex are coming over.
Everybody else is out front waiting....
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But they never just wait. There is plenty to be done.
The Superman pose (with help from Gab, boy next door).
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Alternate Superman pose.
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A little gardening, trimming of the bushes.
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Oh, look, Kiki is outside now. Are the brownies done?
Kiki...?
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Even Daddy is out front waiting.
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Greyson's on the Zingo Bingo
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And he'll do ya one better.
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Gab can do a wheelie with the back wheel,
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And the front wheel. He has a couple of years of practice on Greyson.
Greyson tried and tried to do the same thing.
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He finally got it.
And if you look a little closer you can see why....
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It's the face. How can you make this face and not do a wheelie?

Since we don't have a pond with frogs and a fire pit in our yard like Gino and Alex, we gotta make do with what's available.