Trippin' 2016

Right now I'm enjoying the first summer trip of 2016. I knew back in January this was going to be a challenging time for my family and I should plan a trip on this weekend in June. We didn't wander too far, just to Kansas City. It has been just what the Dr. ordered with plenty of kisses, hugs and laughs! The boys have also been averaging about one argument every 10 minutes so we are not living in a dream world here! Yesterday we had lunch at T-Rex and then visited Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead.
I fully approve of both places! We went to the Farmstead with only three hours before it closed and it almost wasn't enough time.
Today was a FULL day at World's of Fun. We hit the park right at 10am when it opens and didn't leave until five. That was when Alex was in full meltdown but he had no warnings before that. It was an awesome day of Snoopy World, dippin' dots and Daryl walking all the way to rides he was tall enough to ride and then changing his mind when we got there!
The boys are having a blast and I am just loving spending time with them. It has been a good trip so far!

Alex riding Cowboy! 

Out of all of us Daryl was the only one that caught a fish! 

This is us on the top of a full sized Ferris Wheel. I was freaking out a bit but Alex was unfazed.
I think he would have rode all of the roller coasters if he was tall enough! 

Camp Stories

Today was my first day back from 4-H camp. I think we had a successful camp this year with lots of happy youth all over the place. It's hard being the first camp of the summer but hopefully we worked out some bumps for everyone else.

This camp was extra special because it was Daryl's first year he could go to camp. He did a rookie camp session which is two days and one night.

Part of the camp experience is youth testing their independence having an away from home experience. This is kinda wrecked when your mom helps run camp. So I did the best I could to give Daryl lots of room and stay away from his living group.

I did get a few hugs before meals but other than that he did his own thing!
He loved it and said if he can have Trace and Elliot again next year for counselors he wants to go back!
Here are some of my favorite stories from camp I got today.


This happened when we were washing up for dinner:
Me-Daryl you need to use some soap.
Daryl-Well you don't have to use soap at camp!
(oops)


This happened this morning:
Me-Daryl did you like camp?
Daryl-Ya it was great!
Me-Do you have an idea now of what mommy does for work?
Daryl-Ya you hang out on the couches in the Air Conditioning.

Obviously he didn't see what I do at camp! 

Good night all, I need more sleep. :-)

Long Weekend Over, Back to Work!

 It might be Tuesday but it still feels like a Monday to me! The Manor did get a chance to sneak away this long weekend back to SW Kansas.
My nephew Canyon graduated 8th grade and while we couldn't make the ceremony we did want to give him some in person congrats and hugs!
I remember the phone call I received my freshman year of college telling me I was an Aunt for the very first time when Canyon was born. Soon he will be taller than me, time has flown!


 With my family and my sister's family together for two days of course we had to play ball, go to a park, fish and stay up too late visiting and watching movies. It was a good time spent with them and I miss them already!

I'm also going to be missing my own family this week as I head to K-State with some of my 4-H'ers. We will be there till Friday and then I'll turn around and take some different 4-H'ers to camp till next Tuesday.

I got some hugs this morning but probably not enough. I just hope the week goes by fast for me! I know it will go by fast for them. Daryl started day camp today at Gage park. He loved this camp last year and was so excited to go back. Alex will be at Ron and Claudia's and he missed them over the long weekend and was ready to be with them today too. Grandma Rosie is coming up for the weekend so they have that to look forward to as well. They won't even notice I'm gone. :-)

Kelly is starting to work with Alex and saying his "S" sounds. He needs to get a video of the way he says spoon, squirrel and school before Alex fixes them. I love the way he can't say things just right. I can't even type how he says them, I just tried, it's too cute. So while I'm gone Kelly work on that video of my Baby Alex before he is a big boy!

Bye all, I'll catch up with you in June!

Last Day of 1st Grade

Had a fun day following Daryl around as he finished 1st grade. School let out at 11:30 so I took the whole day off to hang out with him after the morning. I'm glad I did because I got a lot done too. I did laundry, ran outside, made a trip to Target and got a haircut. Many things I have been needing to do for a couple weeks now.
I will now share for you Daryl's day!

He started out with his favorite breakfast, over easy egg
with toast to dunk in the yolk! 

Picture on the first day of school. 

Have to take your picture by the rock!

Last time in awhile seeing our bus stop friend Nelly!

Loading up for the last time!

Saying goodbye to Mrs. G. She was exactly the teacher Daryl
needed and he adores her. He tried to talk her into being his
2nd grade teacher!

Lunch with mom and dad and it was Daryl's choice. So he got
a Happy Meal.

After lunch we hung out at the library for a bit. Daryl is determined
to stay on his reading level so he already read his 20 minutes for today. 

After the library it was time to play ball in the backyard.
He doesn't need me, he can catch and bat all by himself.

No Time for Words

Daryl did have his first baseball game last night! I was so glad they got to play because we did have some rain yesterday morning. They lost 3-0 but his team did good! Daryl had a blast and Alex got to play in the dirt so he was happy too. Their game started at 8 and we got home last night at 10. As you can imagine my morning was full of frowns and fits. This is the life!

Got to see my daughters this weekend! 

We all love the train! Alex might also have a crush on Addison!

Daryl batting

He is Growing Up Too Fast!

Daryl has been surprising me lately with signs of him growing up. On Friday I needed something from Wal-Mart and the boys got all excited to go too. Daryl took his wallet so I figured he had enough to get a WWE action figure.
I was wrong, when we got to the store he took Kelly directly to the aisle with the Axe body spray and he smelled them all. He found the one he liked and he bought it with his own money. When asked why he wanted to buy it he said, "Because that's what the girls like." :-)

All harmless as long as you don't need to go into the boys' bathroom. It reeks of Axe in there!

Just tonight when he got his allowance for this week he said the words every debt free mom wants to hear. "Mom can you help me do a budget?"
I dropped everything and we got some paper and did his June budget. He put a lot of thought into it! I was so proud of his first little budget.

Hopefully tomorrow he can play in his first baseball game for the Rhinos. It might rain so I'm not talking it up too much. He got his uniform last Thursday and he has found a reason to put on his Jersey every day since. He picked out his own number. I love it!