Football ... week two.

All I have to say … he’s STILL alive and I stayed in my chair. Alright, Drew successfully made it through day one WITH PADS. We are taking his new football playing in milestones. As in, he GOT THROUGH week 1 conditioning, he is still alive after day one with pads, he still wants to play after day two with pads… at least he doesn’t mind taking Motrin like a “big boy” … and “well, the bruising HAS to go away eventually, right?”. Drew still claims he “loves it”. I am stunned, amazed, and at the same time very happy. It’s good to see my “no contact” little boy suddenly in the throng of crushing helmets and pads and even better watching him get up, dust himself off, and go in for more. The only mistake I have made thus far is the “marble” analogy. I was trying to explain to Drew that tackling (hitting as they call it) was like marbles. If you take a marble and shoot it at a standing marble, the standing marble will shoot across the room. BUT, if both marbles are shooting at each other at the same time, they will either stop one another when they meet, or equally bang off of each other. SO, with this logic, I tried to tell Drew football is the same when he comes off the line. He needs to come off of the line FAST and with the same speed as the other kid so when they hit the other kid doesn’t have more power and can bash Drew. SO, I was thinking I was a GENIUS. Until yesterday … when Drew was participating in “West Points” (the kids bash each other two at a time), I was on the sidelines and watched Drew’s first “hit”. He didn’t seem aggressive enough to me and he sort of got his butt kicked. SO, I hollered, “Drew, lower, lower, wrap his legs!” A few more hits and Drew was doing a little better getting lower, but he still seemed a little less aggressive so I hollered, “Drew, MARBLES, MARBLES!” After practice Drew told me I needed to not yell about marbles anymore because when I did a kid standing by Drew said, “dude, is your mom talking about your balls?” Ugh. So yes, as my friend Amy indicated, Drew will probab;y need a lot of therapy for the “Pee Wee Football and Mom years”. But, for now, we’re both surviving. And yes, I have become the crazy parent that sits in the chair on the sidelines with my drink and hollers at my child telling him to hit harder and lower and cheering him on when he bashes another kid. The transformation process was pretty fast from non sports mom to sports mom the first time I heard the helmets and pads crushing. I think the mommy in me took over as well as a little adrenaline and it’s been all down hill from there. Gooooooooo Drew!

Row, Row, Row the Boat ...

Our friends have a boat ... a really fast boat that keeps the boys entertained by dragging them all over the lake on this large tube. The adults stay entertained driving the boat seeing who can knock the boys into the water first. So far, Jon is the best driver, Bradyn is fearless, Drew is learning fear, and Mark is a ham BEGGING to go faster AND trying "tricks". Yes, the adults have been on the tube as well. I think Mark and Jon hold the record for longest time without falling.

The Boys of Summer ... I hate this jacket ... but I love being in the boat!

HOW YOU DOIN'?

When is it MY turn?

"Hey Bosely, tell Charlie the Angels are all here!"

Geez, that last wave knocked it rought out of me ... I'm exhausted!

Yes, AND a movie ... really, I have become so technological, please click play.

SURPRISE BABY SHOWER 2008

SURPRISE!
Friends ....

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

SURPRISE BABY SHOWER!

My girlfriend, Candie, threw me a surprise baby shower yesterday! I was completely shocked! No, I don't usually dress up ... fortunately for me, the baby shower was "disguised" as after church Sunday brunch so I was still in my church clothes! This is a picture she took of me with my "necklace". The little hanging thing hangs nicely off my EXPANDING belly and reads something like, "expecting mom!". I better be expecting ... or I am on the fast track to a heart attack!

The shower was beautiful and the food was incredible! My friends gave the baby and I absolutely amazing gifts that I am still in shock about! It was so much fun to just hang out with my girlfriends and take a "breather" from the day to day pregnancy ucks. I was so overwhelmed and surprised I couldn't even cry... now that's saying alot for a pregnant girl! Now Caden has all of his baby gear... anytime he's ready, I'm ready to be done being pregnant! There is NO MORE ROOM for him to grow!

Campinng at Patuckaway State Park 2007

CAMPING AT PATUCKAWAY STATE PARK ...

Early in the Summer, we went camping with friends to Patackuway State Park. It was absolutely GORGEOUS there. Our campsite was literally at the edge of our own little private beach. There were a family of ducks (and by the end of our time there, I am fairly certain they had invited friends) who were OBVIOUSLY domesticated. They walked right into our campsite, the mother and babies, and we of course obliged and the kids managed to feed them AT LEAST 2 boxes of fishy crackers, and graham crackers. The second day we were there, I was up earlier than anyone else and started to make breakfast. In a moment, there were the ducks, ready for breakfast. Since I was the only one in sight, they actually ate right out of my hand and we chatted about the morning. Yes, not only did I camp, I talked to the wildlife. We attempted to go on a hike, but apparently hiking through a "marshland" in muggy weather is not the best idea. I think the blackflies and mosquitos had not seen human flesh in that part of the woods all year! THe further into the hike we got, the more we noticed the bugs seemed to be getting more "aggressive". Jon swears they were organizing troops and executing advanced "dive bombing" missions. Our friends, Candy and her son Tyler, went ahead of the group to scout out the situation to see if we should even go on. After a few minutes, we suddenly see Candy and Tyler running and flailing their arms coming at us screaming, "RUN!!!" with a cloud of dive bombing bugs in their wake! I WISH I had captured that picture. Apparently, further up the trail, and the fact that Candy and Tyler had not taken any reinforcements, the black flies and mosquitos organized a posse to take them out. They were helpless to the bugs masterplanned attack, and Candy grabbed Tyler, attached him firmly to her side, and started to RUN back to the rest of us. She finally dropped Tyler, and started flailing her arms to warn the rest of us. We all started running back out of the woods screaming. Needless to say, we packed in the whole hiking idea and finished up the day at the beach. The kids had a blast and Jon and I loved being able to "relax" for just a minute! Yes, there was even wildlife at the beach. These geese and their babies all of a sudden marched right onto the beach, in the middle of crowds, and went right into the water with everyone! It was hilarous. They acted as if they were just out for a day at the beach like everyone else as people on the beach and in the water stood by slack jawed. Of course, it didn't take long for the geese to become more than any kid could handle, and there were kids trying to "catch" them. They geese swam around for a minute, left the water, then proceeded to sun themselves on the beach for awhile. I got some great shots. Candy had a bit of a mexican stand off with the "head" of the pack when she tried to take some pictures and feed them! All in all, despite the kids pyromania at the camp fire and my boys melt down over cheesy poofs (another story, for another day, jsut know that standing between Bradyn and a 5 lb container of cheesy poofs is like holding a bleeding fish out in front of a shark and telling him he can't have it ... madness did ensue) it was a great trip.

COUSINS GALORE!

COUSINS .... COUSINS ... COUSINS ... COUSINS!!

On the West Coast ...

Our NEWEST Cousin ... Noah Jefferson Thompson

Grandma and Grandpa Fish, Riley, Noah, & Tyler

On the East Coast ...

"Rapper" Cousin Erin. She straight trippin' it old school

wiht her pink headband!

Drew, Erin, Sara (aka DIVA) & Bradyn

We have more cousins ... but NO PICTURES AUNT KATI!

Hint, Hint!!

4th July Party at the St.Onge's

Every year our friends, the St. Onge's, have a 4th July party for family ... we are lucky enough to be considered family (or they just feel really bad for us ... hahah!) and we get an invite every year!

Saturday July 7, 2007

"So Tyler, since we aren't allowed in the pool, how much sugar does YOUR mom have at YOUR house?" asks Bradyn (right). "Hmm, I dunno, but we should check it out!" smirks Tyler. "Awesome ...awesome," Bradyn says, reminiscing of the latest sugar caper three days ago.

Drew 'n' Griff ... divemasters of the murky depths .. in matching trunks! (No, this was NOT planned!)

Drew has NO

fear of the water!

Tyler and Bradyn practicing a "cheer" pyramid with Tyler's cousins! GOOOOO team!

Hmmmm, future cheerleaders?! LOL!

Jon shows

NO MERCY ...

demonstrating his

brute strength,

determination,

and competitive edge

on the

bean bag toss field.

GOOOO Jonny!!!!!!!!!!