Picture a day in May, Day 29: 74 books...

Nana Harmon works as a substitute in the offices at elementary schools in Spartanburg, SC (Aaron's home town) and she has been getting all sorts of books for us to use for homeschooling.  There is an elementary school that is closing down and they are converting it into Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4.  Otherwise known as "get the children out of the homes of their parents as soon as possible because we can do a better job raising them.".  Just kidding...kind of.  You may have heard of Pre-K 4-it is like head start for children at risk and those that they feel can help the children catch up to where they ought to be.  Pre-K 3...free day care.  Any way lucky for us they are doing it because Nana brought us the lasted batch of books-74 to be exact (she has already brought us several others, I posted about a while ago)!!!  I am so excited!  There are books ranging from electricity and magnetism to the Supreme Court.  There are 3 books that will be PERFECT to study during next years election that we will definitely learn about with hands on experience.There are work books and the teacher books that go along with them.  Some are for 5 grade and some are for 6th grade-AWESOME!!!  There are tons of books about US history and birds and animals...I could go on and on!  Jake didn't see them we slipped them in the trunk while he was inside.  They are packed a way in my closet with other things that I have been assembling for home schooling.  I think we are going to use it all to reveal to Jake he is being home schooled...I am thinking of wrapping it all up and maybe a scavenger hunt...I can't wait!  Thank you Nana!

Picture a day in May, Day 28: The Graduate

Congratulations Kayla!!!!  We are so proud of you and love you to pieces!!!  (How beautiful is she!?!)

Papa did what we all felt like doing during a VERY long song by the band. :)

Kayla and Jake.

Nana with the grandchildren (minus Addie Kate and Della)

Nana and Papa with the graduate.

Kayla looked adorable in her rain boots.  Everybody said it was so Kayla. :)

The Mike (Aaron's oldest brother) Harmon Family: Mike, Sara, Megan, Kayla, and Teri

The graduation was a VMI-it is a beautiful campus!

I don't really know why this picture is to the side...But we all devoured the yummy "Frog More Stew" (it is a southern thing and it is so yummy.)  Some people call it a shrimp boil.

Later on we went to the river and the "little ones", as Kayla calls them, has fun swimming and trying to catch craw fish.

Jake had fun hitting whiffle balls in the front yard and shooting air guns.

And we of course celebrated with cake.

Buena Vista is up on the top of the list of places I would LOVE to live...It made me miss the mountains and not want to leave!  It was great to be together and watch Kayla move on to the next phase in life.  Mike and Teri shook hands at the graduation and said "Two down, one to go!"  But don't let them fool ya there were some tears shed. :) 

Picture a day in May, Day 27: Sadie waiting for Jake...

On Friday afternoon we were going to head up to Virginia for our niece, Kayla's, high school graduation. For some reason I didn't feel good about leaving then, so we changed our plan and decided to head out first thing Saturday morning. Which worked out great-we got to see Aaron again before leaving (he had to work Friday night and 2nd shift on Sat. so he couldn't go), we cleaned the house so it is all ready for us all to have tomorrow off (YIPPEEE!), and got to bed early. In between thunderstorms we played in the back yard for a little while too. My favorite picture we took was of Sadie:

If you look closely you can see Jake outside the fence-that is why Sadie was waiting so patiently at the gate. The pot is there to hold up the plywood-she can still stick her head through it.  At one point I accidentally kicked the ball over the fence and when Jake went out to get it Sadie slipped out too...Long story short at one point she was running straight for the busy main road to blocks a way and I thought my child was going to be scarred for life watching his dog get hit by a car.  We were both screaming at her at the top of our lungs...She is definitely a leash dog so far.  When we finally got her back to the gate I opened it and let go of her collar for her to go in and she started to dart off again.  I was very proud of myself because I said her name in a way that she KNEW she better not even think about it and she went quickly into the yard.  I had a Cesar Milan  (The Dog Whisperer) moment.  I thought I was a dog whisperer...I think Emily was just so good that she would have made anyone feel like a dog whisperer.  Sadie-not so much. :)  When school gets out there will be some serious training going on.

This is just a picture of  the view looking up through the...what is it called-it is where the "porch" swing is hanging.  The sun through the leaves was so lovely! 

I was sitting on the swing trying to get a picture of Jake kicking the soccer ball, but we never got the ball in the picture...


We played a little Ben 10...

Took a couple of pictures of us...

Sadie had to get in on the action too, much to Jake's surprise.

I am glad we waited and headed out Saturday morning...even if it did mean getting up at 4:30 am.  I thought Jake was going to be bummed when I picked him up from school and told him.  He was for a second and then he said: "It is probably the Spirit telling you we shouldn't go today so we better listen."  It is moments like those that make my heart happy.  It balances out the other moments I want to ring his neck. :)  (you know I am kidding right?...)

Picture a day in May, Day 26: The Summer Do

Neither of these are going to win any photography awards (eye partially closed, glasses lopsided), but they are Jake and he is adorable.  The Before and After of the Summer Do.

Before:

After:

You can take a walk down my Memory Lane if you want with these links (I figured Nana and Nee would like to look back.  I know I did.):

Summer Do 2010

Summer Do 2009

Picture a day in May, Day 25: Jake's a Bear and what he whittled

Don't you just love that title? Straight and to the point!  Jake has earned his Bear badge for Cub Scouts and will be getting tt next week at the Pack Meeting.  We did so much better than last years finishing up the night before his birthday...That is pretty much the story of my life for the past almost 2 years...Probably longer if I really wanted to admit it, but I don't, so I am going to stick with 2 years. :)

Sorry for the blurry picture.  I was trying to take it quickly so he could use it.  You see although this shows the date of the 25th I am really doing it on the 26th and changing the date.  Jake really "whittled" this bar of soap last night at Cub Scouts.  It was so warm out (94, I think) that it was kind of getting too soft to actually whittle so he went with a design, and I just love it. :)

I cut Jake's hair into his "Summer Do" (a tradition ever since he ended up with head lice at the end of Kindergarten.  I was awesome...) tonight (which is actually the 26th...), and he wanted to take a shower in the hose outside after rather than taking it inside and that is why he needed the soap in a hurry.  I was yelling raising my voice at him, again, to hurry up.  He is the king of stalling.  But any way, a shower in the hose works for me, and yes it is that hot here already.  It was 93 degrees out today.  It is the end of May and we have already had a LOT of days in the 90's.  Summer starts early in the South.

Picture a day in May, Day 24: If you have a little girl you MUST go to Target....

..and buy her this bathing suit.  Seriously how cute it that?  Yes I do carry my camera in my purse at all times. :)

Also...on a totally unrelated subject and a picture that really isn't good enough to be the photo of the day...Jake was in the "Knowledge Bowl" today at school. If you were on the honor roll for 4 out of 5 terms you were invited to compete in it. Jake's team (team #9) went today, and sadly they were eliminated-but they did great! I am not even kidding you when I tell you there were a few a LOT of questions I didn't know the answers to.  Jake did great!  He was bummed that he "lost it for his team" (which he didn't) because there were 2 questions that no one was answering, so Jake guessed and got them wrong so the questions went to the other teams and they ended up getting them right.  Each question was worth 10 points and they lost by a lot more than 20 points. (I think the final score was 280 to 360 or something like that.)   I told him it is better to guess and get it wrong than not do anything at all because you may guess right!  I was so proud of him.  They were up on a stage in front of the whole 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades and he didn't even seem nervous.  So, here is the one and only picture I got to take and it is pretty pitiful so it couldn't really be the picture of the day but I had to post it. :)  You did awesome Jake!!! 

Picture a day in May, Day 23: Memory Lane...

(This is NOT a hint that I am pregnant, because I am not...Just a picture that I couldn't resist posting.)

This folks is a  wonderful example of why you should journal.  Back in 2004 (can you tell that is when I finally learned how to put my pic's on the computer?  Before that it was putting them on a picture CD at Walmart...Every time I want to post an older picture the farthest I can go back really quickly is 2004...), we went to the doctor and  I remember Jake had "Blue Boo" (his blanket) and then stuck it under his shirt to pretend he had a baby in his tummy. :)  Was this at his 3 year well visit and he had to get shots that is why he had Blue Boo (yes it has to be capitalized because that is "his" name)? Or maybe a visit for me because this was the last time we did fertility drugs?  No idea.  It would be nice to know.  Let this be a lesson to me (and anyone else who needs this lesson too): Journal you dummy because you won't remember the absolutely darling things Jake did when he was 3, 7 years later!!!!  Seriously though how cute is he?  Look at that blond hair and little face...At least I always have my camera in my purse to catch the memory in a photo. 

Picture a day in May, Day 22: As Good a Place as Any For a Nap...

...if you are a dog that doesn't want to miss anything of importance. (Meaning: any plates or dishes I will let her lick off before putting in the dish washer.)

Picture a day in May, Day 21: A life lesson taught by a Couponer

One day when I was at work, I had to run a gallon of milk (or something cold...it was a while ago and I can't remember every detail...I guess that is why I should have documented it a long time ago) back to the dairy section.  I saw a an older lady fumbling with a handful of crumpled coupons looking very frazzled.  I said hello and asked her how she was doing.  She looked at me, and said she was getting over being very sick (being a cashier at a grocery store is right up there with bar tenders, hairdressers, and therapists, when it comes to people pouring out their hearts to you...I could write a book!),  and couldn't wait to get home and get back in bed. This was her first outing since feeling a little the teeniest, tiniest bit better, but she had to get some things and her husband (shame on him) wouldn't even do the shopping for her-he was in the car waiting.  She looked at the crumpled coupons in her hands and said "THIS is my life!", and kind of shook them in the air in front of her.  We both chuckled at her little analogy and I did what I could to help her.  I have thought about that little life lesson so many times since.  Is my life (laundry, dishes, errands, callings, relationships..etc)  well organized or a bunch of crumpled up coupons that I really want to use but don't even know where to begin?  Hopefully some where in between...
This is how I would like my life to be:

 Completely organized.  In order of the aisles of the grocery store I work and shop at.  Ready to use when ever I need to.

In reality this is how my life really is:

...Way behind on everything!  Some of the coupons are cut out and where they are supposed to be, but some are sitting neglectedly (I just made that word up.  Its my blog and I can if I want to) on top of the puzzle I finished...a while ago...That my husband keeps reminding me, I said I was going to use puzzle glue on to keep it together...a while ago.  So many things to do and so little time...And yet here I sit blogging (when I really should be sleeping...).  To this I say: "THIS is my life!"  I am working on it.  I will work on my coupons tomorrow night at 9:00 pm and watch Materpiece Classics on PBS and get a little closer to organized in at least one small category of my life...But only a little...There will still be that puzzle underneath to take care of.

As a side note: I happened to look out the window as the lady was slowly pushing her cart to her car.  Her husband came around the back and opened the trunk...and watched her as SHE put all the bags in.  As old as they were and as long as I am sure they were married, he really should have learned that was his job...I guess we all have things to work on.  :)

Picture a day in May, Day 20: Gross

Evidently Jake the person who did this never noticed.  It has been there for several days.  It' gone now, thanks to me.  How do you not notice your hands are that dirty you ask?  It's a boy thing I will never understand....

Simple Pleasures and Picture a day in May, Day 19: Robin's Egg Blue

This is my picture of the day. I found this on a walk with Sadie the other day and carried it carefully home, in my hand for 2 miles. :)  I love this picture for some reason....

This is my absolute favorite color.  It is my Simple Pleasure to see Robin's Egg Blue everyday.
I found the egg shell like this:

It made me wonder how it got that way...Then took it apart to check it out...

...And compared it to the set of dishes that I fell in love with ages ago and that my sweet Jake got me for Christmas (they are from Target...Love that store).  I can pretend I am a little fairy drinking my hot cocoa out of a Robin's egg every time I use this mug.

It is my simple pleasure to be able to have this amazing color in my life everyday.  It makes me smile every time I see my plates, mugs, and bowls through the glass doors on the cabinets in our kitchen.  Simple pleasure is a PERFECT description for Robin's Egg Blue...

What are your Simple Pleasures today?

Picture a day in May, Day 17: Breakfast in bed

This morning Jake enjoyed breakfast in bed.  He had mini bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits, and banana's with peanut butter.  He needed a good breakfast (it was his choice), because today was the first day of EOG's (end of grade testing).  Good luck dude-you will do great!

Picture a day in May, Day 16: Miss Sadie May

Sadie is 5 months old.  Sorry about the creepy eyes, but isn't she adorable?

Picture a day in May, Day 15: What we did LAST Saturday...

We had a great time checking out all the cool things that were on display at the BBQ competition in downtown Monroe.  I couldn't help but think about a scene from one of my favorite movies "Sweet Home Alabama".  Have you seen that movie?  If not, you need to rent it-you will love it.  There is a scene in it where the main character is walking down the main street in her little hometown when they are having a street festival.  Living in a smallish town is so fun.  Here are several pictures of the day: