Spirit Week

It's spirit week at school and today was Throwback Thursday!  A day to wear clothes from another decade.  The boys had not planned anything. 

I really didn't even think about it until this morning when Ben asked, "what today's theme?"

ME: "throwback Thursday, you wanna wear a tie-dye and jeans?"

Ben: "and be a hippie? NO WAY!, I wanna be a farm boy"

ME: "well, we do have overalls that would fit you and I think you have a button-up that will work" 

I gathered these things and the result.......

Tonight's Sunset

Glad I'm not the only one who lives a good sunset!  Ah. This Oklahoma sky! 

Picture Day

He was very specific on "the look" he was going for.  I love it! 

Week In The Life

A Week In The Life is a trademark project developed by Ali Edwards, my all-time favorite scrapbooker.  She did her project last week, but with it being the first week of school here with a new routine and a very lonely mommy, I didn't participate.  But I decided to do it anyway, just a week late.

It is my hope to share here everyday the previous day, so that a mini album will be easy to assemble later.

Last year, I did this project (the week of Halloween), I used the prompt "I want to Remember…"
This year, I think I'm going with "Currently…", some will have photographs others won't.


Sunday, August 23
Currently, the Man already has duck hunting on his mind.  Got up at 6AM to go scout the levels of the lakes.  The Oklahoma summer has been one of RAIN, therefore all ponds and lakes are full and even higher than normal.  Honestly I haven't seen the Arkansas River stay this full for so long in the 7 years we have been here.

Currently, my body is getting used to the new wake-up time and I'm usually waking up, just before the alarm goes off.   Today however was a sleep late morning with thunderstorms and rain. ahhh.

Currently, Ben has discovered a new series on netflix, Dinotrucks, a show about trucks that are also half dinosaurs.  In front of the computer is where I found him when I got up. par for the course.

(I love his moods; the jeans, plaid shirt and toothpick are his 'cowboy' look.)

Currently, Jack is back in the middle bedroom, he calls his. And he sleeps as long as I will let him EVERY. SINGLE.DAY. 

(I love the seahawk curtains.  I made those a few weeks ago)

Currently, loving the fact that the Man actually got home earlier than expected and then said he'd cook breakfast.  WIN. 

(I love that he's the chef.  He cut peppers from his garden to go in the hash browns)

Currently, the Babe is into his 'phone'.  He found an old iPhone 3 and calls it "his phone" and has been carrying it around as such for a few days now.  It has a few old games and one movie on it, so he was all about being quiet this morning and watched a movie with headphones in my bed.  I rolled over about 8 AM to see him like this.  He moved to the couch with me a little while later. So sweet. 

(I love these pajamas, a hand-me-down from the boys I used to Nanny in WA so they are about 15 years old.  The best.)

Currently, so happy that Ben is into science and engineering.  He decided he needed to build a lego boat then test it in real water to see if it would float.  This turned out to be a 2 hour project that the Man got involved with and there was Styrofoam, tape and all manners of stuff involved.

(I love how he let Babe be a part of it too). 

Currently, rooting for Bowling Green East in the Little League World Series.  They didn't play today but that hasn't kept Buddy from watching it for hours, with his glove on.

(I love that he loves baseball.  I like baseball a lot) 

Currently working on many projects.  Today was all about the boys school albums.  Last week, I completed the cover pages for each of them for each of their grades including preschool. 19 layouts.

(I love my scrap space now, but still need to purge more.)

Currently, waiting on the printer to scan homework from Ben's 3rd grade.  It's soooooo time consuming, but the finish project will be unbelievable.  Jack's 6th grade is done as well as Babe pre-K.

(I love the fact that I'm still in the same clothes that I wore to bed last night. Pajama days rock.)

Currently, tag teaming supper duty.  I'm doing the potatoes and veggies, he is doing the grilling. 

(I love that we compost.)

Currently, as in this summer, we have begun teaching Buddy how to do more chores, like mowing and weed eating. Tonight's lesson, how to prepare the grill and coals.  The Man did the lighting and dumping of hot coals.  Buddy's not ready for that yet.

(I love Buddy's willingness to learn how-to do things.)

 Currently, trying a new recipe, teriyaki burgers with grilled pineapples.

(I love grilled food.)

Currently, in the middle of the season for Wicked Tuna: outer banks.  While the boys showered and got ready for bed, we waited for it to start by playing on our phones. This is a constant.  The couch was moved Friday night for a movie night and we just haven't moved it back. 

(I love the show, Wicked Tuna and the fact that I can move furniture just because.) 

There was lots more that didn't get captured. 

Lots of chatting and talk that didn't get recorded. 

But I think this is a pretty good start to the week. 

Summer's Over!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Willem's first day of Kindergarten. 

He was so excited and ready to be a big boy. 

First Day of Seventh Grade. 

Buddy loves school.  He actually he counting down the days until it started. 

First Day of Fourth. 

This guys is just so cool. 

He is so ready to start switching classes. 

Fourth, Kindergarten, and Seventh. 

Yikes, how is that possible. 

The backpack pic. 

Babe and Ben need new ones, badly. 

How cool are they. and the early morning light was awesome. 

Off he goes. 

He thought it best if I didn't follow him to the middle school. 

The Man and I took Ben and Babe in. 

At open house on Sunday, Babe was super excited until he got there then he totally baulk and didn't want anything to do with it. We practically made him go in and meet his teachers, etc.  

He was near tears.  And so was I. 

But this morning, it was totally different. He knew what to expect. 

Several hugs for Daddy during the transition to the classroom.  

This is in the K/1st commons area. It's a reading platform with three levels.  Seriously awesome. 

Finally got him in and to work on some lego creations.  After that he was like see ya. 

One last visit with Ben before classes started.  He's super excited about being bigger and switching class from side to side of the 4/5 wing.  

And now they are all gone everyday and I'm home alone and it's soooooo quiet.  

But I have about 10 years of scrapbooking to do, and a stash ready to be used, so here's to the new school year! 

Go Boys, Go! 

The "Date"

Recently the Babe and Ben had an event at school from 6 PM to 10PM, allowing for parents a date night.   These events are RAD! 

So the Man and I decided to use this opportunity to do something special with Buddy.  

Something really special like take him and his friends to the movies.  

Friends being a girl friend. 

A WHOLE NEW CHAPTER OF OUR LIVES BEGINS.

Once the plan was hatch, Buddy and the Man were so excited with the details.   

You would have thought it was the Man's first "date". hahaha

We wound up taking Buddy and one of his bestie's from his Saint Mary along with his girl and her friend. 

There was little chatter between them in the truck.  

Boys up front, girls in the back.  

They basically talked among themselves.  It was pretty comical. 

Yes, the girls have colored hair.  This was for a concert the next day.  Got to love it. 

the friend, the girl, Buddy and his friend. 

Not the greatest photo, but I didn't want them to know I was taking pictures with my phone.  

At the mall, we grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed to the movie.  They were so funny.   I absolutely enjoyed every second of it.  Not so sure the kids did, but nonetheless they were smiling. 

The movie was funny.  And then we headed home. 

I hope this is the first of many fun outings and I think I'm gonna love this new chapter. 

SICK

The Babe caught a stomach bug right before his birthday.  It wasn't too bad a couple days of diarrhea and a couple of middle-of-the-night vomits.  It seemed it was running its course and he was in good spirits.  Missed a couple days of school, but was feeling better, when Buddy got it.

Then I got it.

While ours wasn't as bad as his, we managed to get over it within a couple of days.

In the meantime, we gave it back to Babe, who wasn't completely healed.

This lead to a doctor's visit.

The nurse practitioner said is was most likely a virus and it would eventually run its course.
Babe wasn't getting better and was getting weaker.   He has lost about 5 pounds.  He is so skinny.

His poor little body was working hard, but he wasn't getting better. And this past Sunday's was one of the worst days yet.  Lots of vomiting and diarrhea and unexpected naps.

Monday we headed to the lab for blood work.  Here's the Man giving him a little pep talk.  He did great.

And yesterday, we went back the Doctor.  He was really surprised that it had gone on so long.  He said the urine samples, stool samples, the blood work, all looked consistent with a colon bacteria and that nothing major was the cause.  Nothing to be alarmed by.  At any rate, he wants to do more stool samples and change his diet to high probiotics, fiber and protein.

Hopefully by today we will have a better idea of what's going on and get some medicine.
Poor little dude has been in good spirits and trying to eat.
Praying that this all ends soon!