The summer is finally here, I am so excited to be able to run around with the boys. We are going to have many adventures this summer. Some on my list is more realistic than others. After all, I do have three kids at various ages. Thomas is shaking some of his "terrible two" problems. It is still hard to navigate him at times. Guy seems to be the easiest to handle. He is usually content just sitting there watching the world go by. Phillip is going through a tattling phase that is driving me crazy. I am determined that we are going to have a fun summer!
The list is well balanced. I am going to expose them to: Reading (Library), Science (Museum of Discovery, Zoo, etc.), History (Art Museum), Family (the fort, Shaula, Aunt Becca, etc.), Exercise (skating, hiking, camping).
This is going to be a fun summer even if we only do 1/2 of this page.

• Historic Arkansas Museum
• Art Museum
• Museum of Discovery (at least three times)
• Movie in the Park
• Go visit Shaula at least once, and hang out with them all day
• Becca and Dean come up and spend a couple of days
• Try to go bowling with the kids
• The new nature center (I am crossing my fingers for it to be open before school starts!)
• Walk across the Big Dam Bridge
• Walk across the new train bridge
• Go camping at least once
• Go visit the in-laws and the Fort often
• Go to the zoo (at least two times)
• Go to the library (weekly)
• Go to the farmer's market
• Play at the new park down by the River when it opens
• Eat several picnics
• Have a lemonade stand
• Sleep in the backyard once
• Have a day trip to Memphis (with the gas prices the way they are this seems unlikely)
• Swimming (somewhere, I don't know where?)
• Teach Phillip how to skate
• Make Sun Tea
• Watch Fireworks
• Play with Bugs
• Have a night hike around the neighborhood

An eventful weekend

This weekend we went and picked up Phillip from Nana Camp. We had a very busy weekend planned. Friday night we went up to Chicken Creek to visit with my friends Christina and Katrina. I had not seen them in years, and since then we have all got married and had kids. All of our kids are about the same age and they had a lot of fun. Zoie, Christina's daughter, is only a month younger than Thomas. She is a sweet, spunky little girl, you can see her mother in her. Katrina's daughter was so quiet and sweet. Phillip befriended Elvin quickly, and they enjoyed sharing a lunchable together. I really miss them, and I wish we could have visited longer.

The next day my dad, brother and I went up to Springdale to visit the Shiloh Museum. The Shiloh Museum was having an exhibit called "following the crops". It was exploring the migrant farm camps, and several of the pictures in the exhibit was my family. Several of my Uncles and Aunts came to spend the day talking about the camp with the lady that created the exhibit. We spent 2 hours talking and having fun. Afterwards we went to AQ Chicken and then back home. One thing I really enjoyed was spending time with just my brother and my dad. I don't remember the last time us three went out together. I love hearing my dad and brother talk shop.

My mom and Sister in law had the rest of the clan at my mom's house. At one point all four of the boys were asleep. How they managed that I do not know, but it was a miracle.


When I got back to mom's house. I loaded the boys up and we went to visit with Theresa and her clan. We always enjoying going to Mrs. Jackies and visiting. Zach is getting so tall and lanky, and the kids love playing with all the toys. Afterwards, we went to Robyn's house. Greyson was so excited to see us he kept squealing. The kids enjoyed playing, but it was getting really late and it was time to rest.


The next morning we slowly got our stuff together and went back to the Rock. I was glad to be home but the children were monsters.

Phillip's first and last day of school

Phillip's first day of school
Phillip's last day of school.

Yes, I meant for him to where the same outfit.

Phillip school ended this week. Phillip is all ready missing school, but I am so excited and ready to have a fun summer. I got choked up at one point saying bye to the teachers. The classroom was pretty much bare that day as the teachers prepared for the summer. There was only one toy left out and it was sitting on the rocking chair.

It was Corduroy. The first day of school Ms. Ruba read to the class Corduroy. Phillip was chosen to be the line leader, and they went to different parts of the school (library, cafeteria, office, etc.) and Phillip had to ask if anybody had seen Corduroy's pocket. Phillip being a shy child was so proud of his self for asking everyone for Corduroy's Pocket. I remember the excitement in his voice coming home that first day of school.

Visiting with the In-laws

We had a chance on a windy Sunday to visit with our family. We love going out to Memaws and Papas. We had a great lunch that I did not have to cook, and spent the afternoon talking while the kids played. April and Phillip are getting along well, and Todd is so great with the young kids.

This summer my sister in law and and I made a pact that we are going to do at least two things together. I can't wait to hang out with my niece and my nephew.

The River Market

This week Phillip was off to Nana camp. He had a great time, if Fort Smith offered it they were there. Phillip favorite part was the train ride on Friday. Thomas, Guy and I had fun at the Museum of Discovery on Tuesday.

Jay the kids and I enjoyed testing out the new river bridge. It was so pretty and calm. I can't wait until they open the new park area at the Rivermarket.

The good, the bad, the ugly

I decided early this week that we were going to get all the boys pictures taken at Sears. I had this image of a cute picture hanging at Nana's house of my three boys sitting looking at the camera smiling (I was expecting miracles). Instead Jay's expectations for the boys was more realistic.

I had enough sense to bring Jay with me. I don't think Thomas or Phillip would have survived without Jay. When we got there the lady took her time preparing the room which was the first mistake. By the time she had everything ready, Thomas and Phillip were done playing the "good boy" game and proceeded to chase each other around the desk. Guy had spit up everywhere, and I am peaking behind the desk for any coupons better than what I had (I found a great one, but it was for Sears employees only).

She started taking Guys pictures which we got some great ones:

Then she decided to just add the boys. Which was cute, "just add" Phillip and Thomas. How hard would that be....HA!HA!HA!. During the past five minutes of taking Guys pictures. Thomas and Phillip were running behind the curtain and found two old balloons. Well when it came time to "just add them". I realized Thomas was going to have a total melt down when I took the balloon away so he was able to hold the balloon in the picture:



As you can see, the photographer was a very sweet girl, but she did not believe or did not know how to position kids. These shots went around for a couple of minutes, and then she decided to take a couple of Phillip and Guy.



She should have done a couple of Phillip and Thomas and Thomas and Guy at that point, but instead she took a couple of Phillip with the five.


Now Thomas thought that five was pretty cool, so the lady made a great decision of bringing out the two for Thomas:

Yes Thomas is trying to climb the two....

Then we attempted to take pictures of Thomas and Guy, but Thomas would not even sit on the background. I told Thomas that he was going to regret not having his pictures taken with his brothers someday (Yeah, he could have cared less).

Well, I wanted a patriotic background because that was the whole outfit scheme so I asked for one more. This picture is going to be treasured in my house forever. These are my little boys, that someday are going to be smelly teenagers with girlfriends who show too much midriff. I will look back at this very stressful day with fond memories, and wish they were that small again. However, this picture day we ended up fulfilling Jay's one goal for the kids: all of them be in the frame :

How do the Duggar's get all their kids in a picture looking at the camera and smiling at the same time?

Field Day

Phillip's school had a field day the last couple of days of school. Jay took off work to watch Guy so I could go and help the class. Phillip and I had a lot of fun. The Pre-K class did not participate in a lot of the field day events, but I don't think they cared. They had fun dancing, playing on the playground, and playing in the sprinkler set up to cool everyone down.

After the field day activities we went back to the classroom. It was a very exciting day for the kids because they were able to eat their lunch in the classroom. How cool is that? Phillip and his buddies ate back in the block zone, which I thought was cute. Anytime you ask Phillip what he did at school today he always says "play in block zone."

The kids practiced really hard for their "talent show" performance, and sang a couple of other songs. Phillip told me I would not embarrass him if I taught the kids Princess Pat and Montague. Actually for the first time in a while I was pretty cool in his eyes.

At 1:00 the school was having a talent show. Phillip's class was doing a song about the "abc's" This was Phillip first school performance and Jay and I was very excited. The problem was they started five minutes early, and Jay came in right when the performance was over with. I video taped it, but it still was not the same.

Phillip and I hung out and watched several different kids perform their "talents". It was really cute. Phillip was getting fidgety and so we decided that we would walk home from school. Phillip and I have talked about walking home from school all year. I just could not see walking to the school and back with Thomas and Guy in tow. This was our opportunity. It was such a beautiful day, and Phillip and I really enjoyed that special time together.