Friday Night Baseball

We traveled to Bakersfield, MO tonight for our travel team baseball games. (We played two games). The weather was P E R F E C T!! I was wrapped up in a towel the last game trying to keep warm...if I'm cold...you know its cool outside. The PERFECT weather for baseball. The games ... well they did NOT go so well! We lost BOTH games...by a bunch of points! We did not play well at all. Jacob played all over the field tonight....pitcher, second base, third base...had a couple of good hits.

Pitching

Up to bat

I love this picture through the fence.

Jacob on first base with his dad coaching first base.

Random Thursday...

Today started out as a yucky day. It was Michael's day off from work. Took Jacob for his allergy shot this morning, then he went to the batting cages. Weather finally cleared up around 4:00 and the boys got in the pool. I went to scrapbooking class tonight (a beach page...love it)...and Jacob had baseball practice this evening until it started raining. Michael trying out his new "diving" stuff.

Jacob

He did some work on his corvette...didn't last long because of the humidity.

Boys think they HAVE to have a fresh pan of brownies EVERYday! Today Jacob made them all by himself. He decided this was not an easy task!ha

One happy kid

This boy was so happy today. He is going to be taking "dive lessons" to become a certified scubba diver. He will start this in a couple of weeks with 4 of his other friends. He ordered a fin, mask and snorkel. They came in today and he was happy happy happy. This could get expensive. He already has his Christmas list going on...

Lake Time..

We enjoyed a few hours on the lake this afternoon; playing on the tube and just relaxing. LOVE the summer time...love the lake...love spending time with my family.
Jacob sitting on the new tube we bought last week.

Casual ride on the tube...no worries...

We are getting into some wakes now...getting ready to get rough...
HELP!

Roger lounging on the tube and sleeping...

Swimming in the lake... (we had to play without Michael..he was working)

And Jacob makes one of these EVERYday...a root beer float....yuck...I hate root beer.

I'm Back...

WOW! How busy we have been since we returned from California last Monday night. Our flights to and from California were great (and I'm NOT a big airplane fan). We have been on GO ever since we got home. Came home to jet lag, tons of laundry, grocery shopping, doctor appointments, LAKE time with the girls, and the list goes on and on. Michael came home to having to go to work early the next morning, and has not had a break since.

California trip: It was AM A Z I N G! The weather was perfect. NO humidity. I could live there. The Arkansas folks were complaining about being cold...nope NOT me! Following are pictures in random order! We had a very busy six days on our FBLA trip...but between the FBLA meetings, testing, and functions, we were able to get some sight seeing in. Even got in on the death of Michael Jackson hoop la! We did Disneyland, (rode Tower of Terror 3 times....my favorite ride), Knott's Berry Farm, Beach tour (saw Huntington, Newport and Laguna beach), and a tour of the city.
Michael did NOT place in the top 10 in his personal finance test. :( We were sad about this but so excited that he was able to compete at a national level. Congratulations son! I am proud of you and enjoyed our time together!


Michael and his mom before the award ceremony.

Michael Jackson's star ..not a great picture, but with all the people was happy to get this.

Tribute to Michael Jackson on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Laguna beach...gorgeous beach! (But I like Florida beaches better!)

Eating at Joes' Crab Shack! LOVE that place!

California palm trees!

Laguna beach.

Notice the HOLLYWOOD sign behind him. Little disappointed not a better shot of the sign.

Disneyland ferris wheel..pretty sweet ride.

Newport beach.

The best cheeseburger from The Cheesecake Factory! He loves that place!


Bench used in the Forrest Gump movie! Can't wait to see that movie again. I'm on the hunt for it.

Our plane out of Fayetteville.

Clouds out of the plane. Wish I could float on them.

Hope the pictures weren't too boring. I only took 344 pictures! Aren't you glad I didn't post alot more! Hope everyone's 4th was good. We had alot of family time on the lake. Bought a new tube, so got good use out of that. Also had girls night out on the 3rd...dinner at the 178 Club and then to the movie to see The Proposal. I saw it while in California also..........it is adorable!!!!

California...here we come...

Michael and I are headed out to Fayetteville to spend the night, we will catch an early flight in the morning to Anaheim, California. He is competing in an FBLA event. We are super excited about the trip...have alot of fun activities planned. I'm NOT excited about flying. I had planned on taking my computer up until a few minutes ago, and I got on the motel website and they charge for internet service...so I'll just leave the computer at home and post pictures when we come back home...
Roger and Jacob are on their own! Sure will miss them...wish they were going...but it is tournament "baseball" week...and we sure can't miss that.....
Be back in a week........

Happy Father's Day

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! After Michael got off work...we went to Branson to eat at "Famous Dave's" (down on the Landing) ....that's where Roger wanted to eat. It was good. We had a nice dinner, walked along the boardwalk at the Landing. Roger....you are the best "daddy"! You are doing a fine job raising your boys!

Weekend Update...

Busy weekend....several photos to tell the story.
Friday night after Roger got off work we went out on the lake with several couples. We grilled burgers/hot dogs/bratwursts. It was a very nice evening and nice to be hanging out on the lake.

Michael let Jacob ride his sea doo. He begs to do this every weekend.


This was a full moon setting on the lake Friday evening. It was pretty.

SATURDAY: Jacob has been wanting a pool. We have had two before when Michael was younger. When we took it down...Roger said NO MORE.. too much work and up keep. Well daddy gave in yesterday! (He is such a good daddy). We bought a pool. Jacob is so excited!
The box says the pool is READY for water in 30 minutes! Only 30 minutes to set the pool up! Yeah right! ALL DAY LONG later...we (DADDY) got the pool set up. It takes alot of prep work, etc...after it was out of the box, all laid out, poles put together, maybe it was 30 minutes from there. The water ran all night in it and most of the day. It holds 8,000 gallons of water! Can't wait for that water bill!

Sunday afternoon he got in the cold pool water.

Later Sunday afternoon (we wait for Michael to get off work at 3:00)...we went out on the lake. Just hung out...water is still too cold for me to get in. Jacob got in and Michael rode his sea doo.

Jacob got to drive the boat. He loves to do this.

GRADUATION DID HAPPEN!!!

I haven't blogged about high school graduation. It DID happen May 15. I don't really know why I didn't jump on the band wagon and blog about this before now?? It was such a HUGE day for our family and one that I have dreaded since he was born! My feelings never changed over the years. I do realize it is the circle of life and this is what we raise these kids to do. But it also closes a chapter in our life....our life will never be what it was. But it also begins a new chapter and that is how I am trying to look at this. We are so incredibly proud of Michael. He was valedictorian. He has received a full ride to U of A. He did receive the Fellowship scholarship at U of A . ($12,500 per year) He also got the Governor's scholarship ($10,000 year). HUGE financial burden lifted off his parents! :)

May 15th was a very busy day for us. It started out with graduation practice, then we came home and planted a Bradford pear tree in honor of his day. Then onto friends for a backyard luncheon for our group of friends in honor of our kids. Then we came home and both sets of grandparents were here waiting on us, along with his aunts and uncle. Our special friends who are like family also joined us. Our family isn't big, but there sure is a lot of love and the boys both know they are loved very much. He opened presents. He got ALOT of cash and he is soooo thankful for all of his cash! (He put it all into his savings account.) Then onto graduation..it was about two hours long. I thought that Michael did an awesome job with his speech! It was so HOT in the gym. I really wish we could do something about that! Since Roger is school board member, he got to give Michael his diploma! That was so neat and so special. Three of the school board members had sons graduating and got to give their son their diploma. WOW! After graduation Michael and his girlfriend went with another couple on a limo ride! Talk about a night...it was....

BIG QUESTION? Did I cry? Because I've dreaded this day for 18 years. NO, I actually did not. I was a big girl! Teary eyed a couple of times, but no bawling like a baby. GO ME! :)

This is a very exciting time in all our lives!! And we are ready to begin this journey.

Proud mama!

Roger's side of the family.

My family.

Opening presents.

The cake did bring tears to my eyes when I picked it up! Can you believe his KidKo graduation had a red cap/gown also?

Giving his speech.

Roger giving him is diploma.

Big hug after graduation.