Coming Soon...

....a blog entry on our Labor Day trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  This is a shot of Jayke in his "thug" pose in the backseat on the way down.  

When I first told Jayke that we were going to Gatlinburg for the weekend, he immediately started mentally packing.  His first questions was if he could take his pillows with us.  I said yes and asked him why.  His response, "I don't use hotel pillows."  I just looked at him and then asked..."Since when do you stay at hotels?"  Apparently he was traumatized by the state of the hotel room he stayed in with his dad in Pigeon Forge.  I wouldn't find out just how much until we actually heard repeatedly about how awful it was.  

When we got to the hotel and he was told to take a shower his response...once again..."I don't take showers in hotels."  I had to assure him THIS hotel was nothing like the one he stayed in before and Bobby had to coax him into the shower.  Once in there he was quite impressed.  He even commented on how much he was enjoying his shower in THIS hotel.  

I have no idea what that hotel he stayed in with his dad was like but it must have been pretty close to a shanty with an outhouse the way he was acting.  I think he found our hotel to be satisfactory.  He asked if we could take the bed with us he liked sleeping in it so much.  Now I am thinking we need to do away with the bunk bed and just get him a full size bed.  He is in agreement.  I'm just glad he is over his hotel phobia!

Here he is enjoying the hot tub!

Enjoying the bed in the hotel.

More hot-tubbing...

Hanging out under the waterfall in the indoor/outdoor pool...

....and finally, riding the luggage cart through the parking garage.

We stayed at The Edgewater.  We liked it because of it's central location, which was also right next to the aquarium.  Jayke was so impressed he says he is going to write a review and post it on one of the travel sites.  

More Pimping of the Dog

Winter is coming...so Zoey needed a hoodie.  She also got a pink striped sweater, which I didn't get a picture of yet.  Putting this thing on her is just like dressing a child.  She was very cooperative though.  I think she has worn clothes before!  This is a little snug so I hope it doesn't shrink!  I've already taken it back and exchanged it once.  Crazy that I'm now having to exchange dog clothes now too.  SMH.  (that's shaking my head for those...mom...that don't know text speak)

Macro Shots

I'm not really sure I'm doing this right.  Seems like they should be sharper.  I think the problem is my shaky hand.  I may get a tripod to see if I can get better shots.  This was a dead cicada on my dad's back deck.  The only way I can get a good picture of a bug with the macro is if it is DEAD!

Page Boy Jayke

My Two Children

Playing in the rain.  Guess whose idea it was...

3rd Grade

First Day of third grade!  He was up early and ready to go!

Futballers

Travel soccer started again last Friday.  This is the first time that Jayke and Mason have gotten to play on the same team and they are very happy about it!  I'm even happier because I can tell already that Jayke has more confidence this season, having some of his friends on his team.  We have 3 or 4 kids who have come back from last season's travel team, one player who he played on a rec team with for several seasons, and another boy who he has played on rec teams with and gone to camp with as well.  All of that AND Mason. The only disappointment was that one of the girls from our team moved up an age group and so did one of Jayke's really good friends who he rides the bus with.  Jonathan has been Jayke's friend since kindergarten, he comes to his birthday parties and they have played on rec teams together.  He tried out but got placed on a different team.  That was a bummer for Jayke but I think he is going to be fine with all his other friends who are on the team.

"Hon!  I think there's something wrong with Laynie"

"Like what?"

"She seems evasive all a sudden."

"I'm really sorry you are having trouble keeping up with our extremely geriatric, half-blind, half-deaf, obese Beagle."

blank stare

snicker

It's a Boy...or a Girl...or Both

We have babies!!!  Newly hatched Friday morning.  Two little baby doves.  Momma left this afternoon for a little while so I took advantage of her absense to take this picture.  I'm glad they have their little bird condo to protect them from the weather and predators.  

Third Grader

Look at that...struttin in there like he owns the place.  I remember a few years ago walking in with him plastered to my side, now he walks in with all the confidence in the world!  Says he is ready to start school!  I'm glad because I am certainly ready for him to start...and I think Bobby is probably more ready than anyone since he stays home with him all day.  

Jayke was slightly bummed that he didn't get the teacher he wanted but I took him to see his classroom and he was excited that there were sports themed bean bags in there.  The boy does love his bean bags!  I guess he is thinking it is going to be a relaxing time in third grade now that he saw those.  I did manage to find out that his teacher is really good.  A girl I work with told me her kids had her and LOVED her!  That's good but I think everyone is different and just because someone else's kids love a particular teacher doesn't mean my kid will the that same teacher.  Hopefully, Jayke will though.  Jayke is usually fine with his teachers and it's his mother who ends up having issues with them.  I was the happiest with his kindergarten teacher so far.  Not thrilled at all with first grade, and just ok with last year's.  I'm hoping this will be the year I love his teacher too.

We have registered, got all of his school supplies, and gone to the dentist.  All we have left to do is get a hair cut and get a few school clothes and he is all set!  School starts the 14th!

I Pimped the Dog

Yep...something I said I would NEVER do...I have done.  I pimped my dog.  She has a new pink vest which is her harness that attaches to the leash when she goes out.  Little dogs have delicate throats/necks so I don't want her pulling on her collar around her neck with her leash or tie out.  I did get her a matching pink polka dot collar to go with the pink vest and a pink barrette for her hair.  She has some pink bows too but they don't stay in her hair very well so I put it on her collar instead.  Normally she just wears the collar and vest so she isn't very frilly...I like to refer to her as SPORTY YORKIE rather than a princess.  She doesn't act like a princess that is for sure!  She has little dog syndrome and thinks she has to bully all the other animals...including the neighbor dog.  She tries to attach him through the fence.  Our animals have been really tolerant of her but Simon reached his limit yesterday and grabbed a hold of her and shook her!  We now have to keep a close eye on that because he could kill her.  That is all I need is a dead Yorkie laying in the middle of the floor and an 8 year old standing there screaming.  High maintenance little dogs..now I know why I have always said I prefer BIG dogs!  I did like shopping for her gear though.

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