White Christmas

This is as close to a white Christmas as we will get this year!

Merry Christmas everyone! We pray yours is as Merry as ours!

Little Lion's Perspective

So I survived my first Mom & Me camp out with Cub Scouts. But I thought it would be fun to hear about the camp out from Little Lion's perspective. Of course I will use my Editor's rights in what comments actually get posted...

"I went to centers at Mom and Me."

They had space theme "Continuing the Journey." I was impressed with their creativeness in coming up with activities and names! This was comet golf. They threw out hula hoops; then tried to throw golf balls inside pantyhose into the hoops. Pretty funny, Little Lion made 7!

"I made a pancake, we called them space cakes because it was space stations. We made them with butter and it was good."

They were learning to cook with large coffee cans and canned cooking fuel. I was impressed. The boy scouts were "in charge" of leading most of the activities; you could tell the difference between the troops!

"I went to shoot BB guns. I liked it."

This was the activity he was most excited about before getting to camp. Not so much after actually doing it. Probably a combination of having to wait SO long to take a turn (it was obviously one of the more popular activities) and not really have that great of a coach . . . I'm not a marksman by any means! ;o)

"I made a hand and I put camping stuff on it. It was fun. My favorite station was arts and crafts."

"This tree is poky. I found it when we were going hiking."

He was very upset with me when I made him turn around because I couldn't see the "trail" any more! It's just wasn't an adventure if we were on the trail according to him.

"These are my friends. They are nice. There is a lake behind me and my friends."

We couldn't get any closer than this to the lake; probably a good reason for that! I'm know a few little boys who sure wanted to go swimming!

"This is my alien; it can change from a boy to girl."

Another arts & crafts station that he enjoyed! He is so creative. And by changing from boy to girl, he is talking about it having a beard when it was an "old man" and curly hair when it was a "girl."

"I shot a water rocket. It was fun. It got me wet. I got to fix it up."

By fix it up he means set up the rocket before shooting it off. It was pretty cool that they went so high up! I think the boy scouts enjoyed this one just as much as the cub scouts! ;o)

"I shot a bow and arrow. "

This was a hard one for Little Lion, but I was proud that he pushed through and did his best! Cub Scouts motto: Do your best! ;o)

"I shot corn at a pan with a sling shot. It was fun."

"We went to a campfire and I danced a lot. It was amazing."

I took this picture for a number of reasons: 1. you can see how filthy they were after a day of camping 2. you can see how much fun they were having at the fire-less campfire! (burn ban) 3. this friend will forever be our friend since he found the second slide that Little Lion lost after dancing like an wild banshee!

"I liked Mom & Me camp out. We were going to chapel on Sunday. It was short."

Too funny that is what he remembers about the chapel time! Such a male. ;o) Note to self for next year: take picture together on first day upon arrival! Just glad I remembered to take of the two of us at all!

"This is me standing by the campsite of where I slept. I'm glad I went. I wish I could go again tomorrow."

I couldn't agree more, well, I don't think I would go again tomorrow . . . but I will look forward to next year! Already praying for good weather, I know that makes all the difference in the world!

Cub Scouts it is!

Okay, we've taken Little Lion to every sporting event known to man . . . . well, maybe not "every!" But at least all the ones offered in our area to kids his age. There statement qualified.

Anyway, he's been a good sport about going and supporting friends and even "testing" some out. But has always opted to "just watch". So when he came home from school excited about Cub Scouts I was a excited, yet apprehensive all the same.

You see he was real excited about Karate once too. Then he was told he had to chop a board in half with his hand and that was the end of that! It didn't matter how many times we told him it wasn't true; he was done before he even started.

So after two "meetings" and a semi-confident Little Lion, Daddy Lion agreed to sign him up. He was very proud of his uniform!

As you can tell! Such a GQ pose ~ takes after his Daddy! I'll have to post those pics sometime . . .j/k. The catch? Cause you know there is one! After taking this picture and being told to take everything off so we don't loose it....

Yep, you guessed it! We promptly lost the slide for the neckerchief! SERIOUSLY! How does one loose something from the bathroom to the kitchen!?!? We've searched everywhere!

Apparently we aren't the first. At the first den meeting Daddy Lion was given some tips to keep it from happening again. That is after Little Lion buys a new one with his own money! (These things are cheap!)

So, Little Lion's take after the first meeting? "It was boring!" So, we'll see how long our scouting adventures last! Oh, I forgot to mention the first event? MOM and ME camp-out! WHO SIGNED UP FOR THIS?!?!

Okay, good attitude! I'm sure some boy scout will need his eagle scout project ~ I'll sign whatever needs to be signed if he'll just put up my tent! This is going to be exciting!!!

I leave you with a pose from Little Pumpkin. 'Cause you know if I'm taking a picture of Little Lion, I must want one of her too! ;o)

I have no explanation for this one! Enjoy!

Photo pointers needed . . .

So pictures are worth a thousand words right . . . .

I think she is saying: "I don't care about first day of school pictures!"

A snapshot of Strong-will Determined . . .

This am Little Pumpkin asks for a bagel for breakfast.

Mommy: "We don't have any bagels."

Little Pumpkin: "I want a bagel."

Mommy: "I can make you toast."

Little Pumpkin: "I want a bagel."

M: ignoring her now because she has left the room . . .

Five minutes later:

LP: "I'm ready for breakfast."

M: "Ok, you need to tell me what you want."

LP: "I want a bagel."

M: "I know you want a bagel, but we don't have any. You make a bagel and I'll fix it for you."

LP: "You could make a bagel out of toast."

Moral of the story: sometimes it does pay off to be determined!

Hate it when my kids are right! LOL

Little Pumpkin with her toast bagel! Did pretty good didn't I!?! *grin*

The Milk Debaucle

Since my last post, I've had many requests for the explanation of Little Lion's self-diagnosis of a milk allergy. So I'll try to be short winded. . . but no promises. *grin*

So the first week of school Little Lion complained about his tummy almost every morning. Being the good "redneck" mom I am, I told him he needed to just go "poop". Well, Wednesday of that week same story different day . . . he followed my recommendation and still made it on the bus. On the car ride home from school, when we talked about his day, he informed me he went to the nurse's office twice. "But I didn't have a fever, so she sent me back to class." The loving mom I am replied "Of course you didn't have a fever, you're not sick." *grin*

Thursday morning . . . same story different day again. However, this morning he is at the porcelian throne trying to force himself to throw-up. Daddy Lion and I become very concerned and begin discussing school. Trying to pry something out of him without planting the idea in him. We assume somethings going on and he's trying not to go to school. However, after no avail he RUNS (because he wants to not because he has to) to the bus stop to get on the bus with the neighbor boy. The kid is fine . . .

FYI . . . bus comes by at 7am.

Phone rings at 7:55 . . . "This is Nurse Donna at the school and I have Little Lion in my office. He says he threw up on the bus and I called the bus barn and they confirmed he did." After apologizing profusely I throw Little Pumpkin in the car and head to the school.

Upon arriving home, I have him take his shoes off outside thinking they are yucky . . . but wait they look fine; in fact everything looked fine and he didn't reek of stomach acid . . .

MOMMY: "Little Lion where did you throw up"

Little Lion: "On the bus" (such a male answer)

MOMMY: "I mean where on the bus, at the trash can?"

L.L: "At my seat"

M: "Were you sitting on the aisle"

L.L: "No, between M & T"

M: "Did you throw up on them?"

LL: "No"

M: "Where exactly did you throw up?"

LL: Pointing to his shirt and shorts "Here and here" (they are perfectly dry).

SO, my hypothesis is that the mucus that has been draining from his sinuses has his tummy upset. He then gets on the bus (after refusing to eat) and glues himself to the two boys' DS screens while riding on the hot, bumpy bus.

The kid got car sick and "threw up" some mucus. REALLY NOW?!?!

Anyway, somehow he equated all that with milk and that he must be allergic to it. Refused butter, because you know that's made of milk and even complained about the Parmesan cheese in the spaghetti sauce! I asked him what he was drinking for lunch (because his options are chocolate, strawberry or plain milk), he said "Chocolate milk because that's all they have." And apparently string cheese is okay as is ANY ice cream! But not the pudding filled cupcakes.

BUT . . . I'm happy to report that this am when I gave him his plain toasted bread, he informed me that "The milk thing is okay now" and promptly asked for butter and cinnamon on his toast!

Funny kid!

7 ~ the perfect number!

Our Little Lion isn't so little anymore! Yesterday he turned 7!!! Where have the years gone?!?

He did have a cupcake for breakfast, but has decided he is allergic to milk so refused to eat it!!! That's a whole other post in itself; but don't be alarmed, he is getting plenty of milk.

Since it was his birthday and he asked very sweetly, I let him ride the bus home for the first time! Probably the last time too. *wink* He said "that was fun, but it was really hot."

Just love having those front teeth gone . . . keeps him looking "little" still.

"I can't eat this cake" says Little Lion after this is what he had done to it:

Of course he couldn't eat the "cake" he devoured all 2 pounds of the cream cheese icing off of it!!! Pretty sure he was in some state of a sugar coma for the rest of the night!

We had a great family celebration with Lolly, Pop, Tia and Patrick. Got to skype with G'ma and G'pa and even talked with Aunt Brandi on the phone! More celebrations to come with a b-day party on Sat!

Still in a state of shock myself! But so glad Little Lion is a part of our lives and proud of the gentleman he is becoming! He truly is a Tenderhearted Lion.

Another first!

Today was Little Pumpkin's first haircut. I mean trim! *grin*

I'm so bummed I forgot to take a before shot of the back of her hair. No fear, she is usually up for anything new!

Mrs. Virginia did a great job with her! I must say it was a much better experience than Little's Lion's first haircut. But one must factor in that there was a, hmm, 3 year difference in age! *grin*

Mrs. V gave her a quarter for doing so well. . . . She never gives me a quarter. Must work on my behavior at the beauty shop! *wink* She promptly went to the candy machine to get her 5 peanut M&M's! Geez, I would've expected that many for a penny! Boy, times have changed!

You can tell she is quite proud of her new "do"! She wouldn't let me "fix" it; she never wants it down usually. So glad it was such a good experience. Something tells me she'll be much more opinionated the next time we go for a cut!

(It was about two inches off the back!)

On the first day of the first grade . . .

I'm pretty sure that's some silly song, but it makes a great blog title for today!

Just like his Daddy: the GQ pose!

Now, please tell me, can school be that bad already?

All I'm asking for is a smile!?!

Ok, I'll take it! Even if his tongue pushing through his toothless gap and at least he looks happy!

I've prayed all summer for Little Lion's teacher this year. I know he and Mrs. L will have a great year!

Galveston vacation

So we loaded up Grandma & Grandpa's RV and headed south: Beach or Bust!!! It didn't take us long to hit the beach ~ the four of us went and explored right away. Tuesday we headed to Schlitterbahn; with fish for kids we could have spent the whole week there. Wednesday was Moody Gardens; we did the aquarium pyramid and the butterfly tent. What a blast that was. Wish we could have done more of the pyramids . . . another reason to go back. We all headed down to the beach before dinner. Thursday found us at NASA. Not the most fun for me, however the kids had a blast on the play structures. I will say the very last show we saw was really interesting and informative; there was an actual docking happening while we were in there. Friday we headed to Houston. Our only night in a hotel. After relaxing inside the hotel a little we grabbed a quick dinner and headed to Minute Maid Park. Quite the dilemma: who to cheer for when Astros are playing the Rangers!?! Rangers won big. After the game they opened the dome and had an awesome firework display! We slept in (as much as possible with little kids) Saturday then hit the hotel pool before hitting the road again . . . no place like home!

Catching up . . . Almost there!

Okay, June (don't forget to scroll down for end of May posted earlier today!). Little Lion finished up school and Little Pumpkin, G'ma and I went to the zoo with MOPS. We celebrated G'pa & G'ma's anniversary, Father's day and G'ma's b-day this month. Our weekends were filled with Alley Fest, Father's Impact at Martin Creek State Park and then just some normal summer fun at the local splashpark. For the "run" down on the AlleyRun check out Mer's blog!

We did take a week vacation with G'ma and G'pa in the RV. I'll post it's own slide show later!

End of May

Instead of trying to post about each event, I'm putting the end of May in a nutshell! We had a great visit with my dad. (Unfortunately I didn't take enough pics.) Little Lion had field day at school and did a great job! Daddy Lion's parents arrived and we had a huge family reunion on my mom's side.

Coming soon . . .June!