Father's Day

Fathers are wonderful, and I'm so thankful for all the dads in my life! Because Dave traveled so much the previous week, we had a very mellow Father's Day. I made dinner; smoked chicken, asparagus with hollandaise sauce and smashed gold potatoes. Dave requested milkshakes for dessert. While I was cooking, the kids and Dave played some new board games.

What a wonderful day! I hope Dave, Papa and Papaw know how much we adore them!!

Birthdays and Broken Bones

With our two crazy ninja boys, I'm really surprised this hadn't happened before...Drake broke his arm. He jumped off of our couch onto one of Dorothy's spinning toys, which flew him in the air.  He tried to protect the fall by throwing out his right arm. I saw the whole thing happen, and I knew something was really wrong by the way he screamed. I lifted him into my lap and I noticed his arm flopping  around. I still didn't want to believe it was broken though! Dave came running over when he heard the screen, and immediately said, " that arm is broken, we need to go take him somewhere."

 That somewhere was Levine Children's Hospital, fabulous hospital in Charlotte. Our neighbors were so kind to take Dorothy and Lincoln, so Dave and I could both be with Drake. The poor buddy fell asleep while Dave was carrying him inside the hospital. They weighed him and took his blood pressure while he was sleeping.

Once we got checked in, we learned that we would be there for a while, since Drake had recently eaten. They didn't want to set his arm until his stomach was empty. The nurse gave him some morphine for the pain. He said some really hillarious things! For instance, "Sometimes when I get really hurt, I say SALAMI!" Also, he watched a commercial with a bouncing hamburger. He laughed and said, "Mom, did you see that? I gotta have one of those at my birthday party."

After many Nick Jr shows, around 1am, the doctors were able to set both broken bones. Unfortunately, they were not able to give him a waterproof cast! We are now down to 21 more days of the full cast, and then he might need another, but I have been assured it will be a waterproof one.

We are figuring out this cast thing and still finding ways to have a fun summer.

                Modified Swinging

                  Brotherly Love

     Lincoln hand fed Drake popcorn!

          Dorothy wanted to help too!

A couple days after our hospital visit, we celebrated Drakie's 5th birthday. Because Dave had to travel, we sang Happy Birthday over doughnuts.

Later that day, BB came down, and we went out for Mexican food, one of Drake's favorites. 

Dave was only home 12 hours that week, so it was perfect timing that Vacation Bible School was happening. It was from 6-8:49 on, and they even fed the kids! I didn't have to cook the whole week.

On the last day, they had inflatables for the kids. One was a wipeout obstacle course.

Drake's party was on Saturday. He wanted an army theme. The kids destroyed bombs (black balloons), flew parachute men, played pin the medal on the soldier, and rescued captured soldiers (army men inside Easter eggs). Everyone had a great time!

Penny and Carson came over to play afterwards. The girls played really well together! 

Drakie tried out his new bubble light saber.

Summer time!!

Despite the swarms of mosquitos and the ridiculous humidity, I love this time of year!

Our driveway is really long, which is great for all kinds of activities. Here Lincoln had attached his big wheels to the cozy coupe to take Drake and Dorothy on rides. He got a great workout!

We try to see friends everyday, except the weekends. Dorothy really keeps up with all the big boys she hangs out with.

One of my teacher friends had to wrap things up at school, so we got to play with Jack and Ella for 2 whole days. We were eating popcorn outside and it cracks me up that there is one kid in a superhero costume, a couple in jammies and one with panties.

Yep, panties! We are in the midst of potty training the last child. Some days she does really well and others...not so much.

Ella was so sweet to sit with Dorothy, while she was sitting on the potty. We did some other fun things like; running in the sprinkler,

eating snow cones,

and made playdough.

On Carson and Penny's last day of school, we went up to Hickory for the ultimate summer bash!! We threw water balloons, made snow cones, played a ball bouncer game, slid on the slip and slide, roasted marshmallows, and ran through ticker tape with the kid's grade they just finished painted on it. Drake and Lincoln even got to spend the night!! I love having more family close to us.