Is this my kid or what?

If you know me at all, you can appreciate why I bothered to take these seemingly mundane photos of Lydia eating. I was feeding her spaghetti and had just started eating a plate of black and green olives and some cheese. After watching me for just a bit, she asked to try one. Knowing this was going to be her first taste of one of my favorite veggies*, I grabbed the camera. Imagine my surprise when she not only ate one, but asked for another. And then ANOTHER!! So yeah. She's definitely my kid.

Yay for olives!!!!


*they are veggies, right?**



**correction-they are fruit. Awesome.

Happy Father's Day!

Boy Scout Camp Egg Drop

Last week Cade attended Boy Scout day camp for the first time. He absolutely loved it, too. I mean, how could he not? He came home chattering about shooting off BB guns, bow and arrows, food fight races and hurricanes outside the window. Not exactly the kind of thing he gets to experience here at our house. There was one day with some pretty intense storms out where they were having the camp and Cade swore there was a hurricane outside, thus the reference to hurricanes.

At the end of the week, they had an Egg Drop contest, complete with a volunteer
from Cox Cable and his truck. When we got the instructions and rules for how to make
our container to house the egg, the height from which it would be dropped was NOT mentioned.
Imagine my surprise when I get there and see the Cox truck fully extended! I imagined maybe from the roof top of the camp's shelter. Anyhoo, turns out our design was perfect. It not only survived, but bounced very softly once it hit the ground.


Our awesome, Bohr Model egg drop contraption.

Some of the other containers. Gotta say, ours was the only one of its type.

Some of the campers waiting to see if their egg will survive the drop.

The cottonwood trees were dropping their stuff like crazy all week. We would come home with our hair covered with the stuff. And our nose and eyes suffered greatly.

Watching the balloon-wrapped egg bounce.

Grabbing his contraption, hoping that egg isn't going to leak all over him.

Holding it out away from him just in case it did break.

Watching an older boy scout pop and destroy the masterpiece, waiting to see if the egg is intact.

Ta-dah! It survived! Not even a tiny scratch!

What is it about a little hill that interests this little girl so much? She went up
and down this sidewalk dozens of times.

This was how high the bucket was that all the containers were dropped from.

Watching to see if his second one (made by another scout mom) survived the drop.

Score!

Getting the awards he earned during the week at camp.

Doing their team yell. I had no idea a bunch of boys could scream
like a bunch of girls!

Cade and his buddy Riley C.

Lordy, lordy! Rusty is really 40??

Yes, Rusty has finally reached that much-maligned milestone: 40. But really, who's to say that it's bad? I for one, think Rusty looks darn good for 40. And he doesn't act a day over 29! Besides, isn't 40 the new 30?

Anyways.

Since he didn't want a party or anything special to commemorate this particular birthday and he didn't want any gifts, I decided I would do something different for him this year. So instead of a gift with a rockin' handmade card, I will use this post to tell Rusty how much I dig him.

(Even when he's going over the charges on the credit cards!)

So, without further ado, Rusty, here are 40 reasons why I love you:

1. You are an amazing father.
2. You love me for me, not just because I'm a hottie. (Bear with me, people. I've gotta use humor since I'm putting it all out there!)


3. You understand right sock, left sock.


4. You put up with me.
5. You are a Godly man.

6. You are devoted.
7. You get me.


8. You understand why I'm so fiercely overprotective of Cade and Lydia.
9. You make me laugh.


10. You laugh at yourself.

11. You have great legs.

12. You're not easily swayed.
13. You don't like ham and beans.


14. You let me eat all the olives when we go to Olive Garden or Paisano's.
15. You have enough patience for the both of us.

16. You are incredibly generous.
17. You're as big of a KU fan as I am.


18. You're hot.
19. You've given me the most beautiful and wonderful children.


20. You always put others first. Always.
21. You like my cooking.



22. You don't complain on the rare occasion that I snore.
23. You don't beat me or the kids. (Hey, I have 17 more to go. You try going for 40!)


24. You make incredible chili.
25. You like my singing. (Or at least pretend to.)


26. Your gimpy hop.
27. Your children adore you.


28. You always ask what I'm ordering at a restaurant
and ask if I want to share something with you.
29. You take out the trash. (Usually)


30. You didn't let me get that ice sculpture for our wedding reception.
31. You don't care that I will never make meatloaf.


32. You don't mind that we will never get a dog.
33. You understand my germophobia and put up with it.



34. You read books because you like to.
35. You are the most financially sound person I've ever known and yet you still love me.



36. You let me drive after we've eaten so I don't get carsick.
37. You trust my internal GPS because you know yours doesn't work.
38. You go fishing with your uncle until midnight.


39. You always know how to lighten the mood.
40. You have changed my life for the better in every way possible.

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Giants Win Again!

Cade's team won their game last night 6-4. They were down a few runs at the top of the 5th, but they rallied, got some hits and held the Inferno to 4. Way to go, Giants!
Lydia didn't pay as much attention to the dirt like the last game. She did pay it a visit, but didn't take a bath in it like last time.