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I’m a little nervous about what may be in my future. Josh has a recent interest in tents and lanterns and outdoor stoves. It sounds like camping, and I am unsure that I am a camper. I mean, the idea of making memories and sitting around a campfire sounds great. The reality of it, however, may be a bit much.
My first question was, “What about coffee??!!”
The next question was, “What about renting a little cottage?”
Josh was having none of that.
I’m also curious as to what happens when I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, which I can guarantee will happen.

So we spent some time at a store that sells anything you need for the great outdoors. It was hilarious. Mack walked around saying “This place is awesome!!!” He was trying out play guns and trying on fishing vests. He cried when we left without a hat for him! The girls were noticing other things….like a tick remover tool. I told Molly about ticks. She was appalled. “So you mean I might get a bug on me that will suck my blood???!!!” She spotted mosquito nets and inquired about whether we needed one or not. Josh assured her it would be too cold for mosquitos to get us.
Great. That’s comforting…I love being cold.
Ruby found a s’mores stacking tool. That turned my thoughts back to happy, memory making ones…but I’m still extremely unsure about all of this. We haven’t made any purchases. And Josh has threatened to uninvite me if I keep asking such negative questions. I don’t mean to be negative. I just need a safe place to voice my concerns.

Anyhoo, I decided it was probably time to leave when Ruby saw what looked to be an antiquated pamphlet on the year 1995 , subtitled “a nostalgic look back in time.” I graduated from high school that year. It’s not THAT long ago….good grief!

So we left the store empty-handed. Mack and Josh could have stayed several more hours.
Oh! I almost forgot. Another one of my questions was, “What about bears?!” Again, Josh just shook his head and told me to stop being negative. I prefer to call it being realistic. He is extremely optimistic. He needs me to balance him out. And to remind him to bring his shotgun in case by some random chance a bear does indeed decide to visit our campsite.

The girls have been taking ukulele class every Tuesday, and I am so glad they enjoy it and are making progress.

And then Mack just had to join in on the fun….

While the kids wait for their complimentary cookie at the Publix bakery, I’ll share a funny story.
Mack was helping me pick out some apples. He spotted the pomegranates and said, “Wow! Mom, are those apples made into a bomb???!!!”

So funny.

Mack and I were just doing a lesson on the digraph TH. He was sooooo bored. He told me it was sooooo not fun. “THis is not fun! Why do I have to do THis???” he whined.

I told him he should put as much effort into learning to read as he does in football.
“Mom, THat is not fair.”

Continuing in our TH digraph lesson, I further explained, “THat way, you won’t end up being a THug.”

So, there you have it. Our reading/phonics lesson for today. Aren’t you impressed?

Mack was “helping” me fold laundry this morning. He was actually doing a good job. I asked him how he got to be such a smart, cute kid. He just smiled real big, so I asked him again, “C’mon, Mack, tell me how you got to be such a smart, cute kid.”
He said, “I got it from my mom.”

That’s a clever kid.

Today I left church with the kids alone since Josh was heading in a different direction. We pulled through Zaxby’s drive-thru in order for me to get on to the business of a nap as soon as possible. I spotted a high school guy from church that is the boyfriend of a girl we all know. I mentioned that I saw him and referred to him as so-and-so’s boyfriend.
Ruby spoke up with great assertion and said, “I am never going to have a boyfriend.”
Molly gasped and said, “WHAAAAT?”
Ruby said it again without any hesitation. “I am never ever going to have a boyfriend. ”
Mack is puzzled by her perspective, but for a different reason than Molly….he says to Ruby, “but then you’ll never get to have a precious little son like me.”
Ruby rolled her eyes and then Molly baffles me when she starts asking Ruby, “What if God CALLS you to have a boyfriend?”
Ruby, again, says, “Molly, hush. I’m not gonna have a boyfriend. That’s it. ”
Molly continues to press the point. “Ruby, but what if God CALLS you to be married? Will you just be disobedient? If He CALLS you to be married, you should get married. ”

Ruby didn’t seem to really give. She just dismissed Molly’s yapping and said, “Not gonna have a boyfriend. ”

I was laughing. Ruby wants nothing to do with the boyfriend mess. Molly can’t imagine why Ruby would say such a thing. And Mack, bless his heart, can’t imagine that Ruby wouldn’t want someone as sweet and precious as him in her life one day.

These kids crack me up.

Hey it’s Molly!! This week my pawpaw (grandpa) stayed with my siblings and me! Saturday we went to my brother’s football game and out to eat Mexican with my uncle. On Sunday we went to church and went back home. On Monday we did school and went to my brother’s football practice. On Tuesday my sister (Ruby) and I went to Timothy at our church for 4 hours. On Wednesday we went to sonic, Kroger, and did school. On Thursday we went to sky zone, and and I stayed with Mack and jumped and competed to see if I was a boy or girl (i am a girl). On Friday we grilled and cleaned and did school and MOM AND DAD CAME HOME!!!! And now I am sitting behind a couch making this blog. Later!

This is where my parent’s stayed.

Molly has her second babysitting job today. Little man was happy to be here, but it did take him a while to warm up. He and Mack hit it off just fine. Molly had to take some extra measures to win him over.

I was impressed. It takes a lot to have a girl put on her little brother’s Power Ranger suit that is too small for her and play swords. I give her props for that.
So far, job #3 is a success!

Many years ago, like 16 years, Josh and I went on a sort of double date to the fair. We were attending Middle Georgia College in a small town called Cochran. We were beginning to have an interest in one another, but at this time we were technically “just friends.” He did not tell me that fair rides were not his favorite thing, so he rode several rides with me even though he probably felt like barfing. What a guy! 😉
Anyway, we took the kids to that same fair, and we had a blast. PawPaw and Uncle Jason met us. They had less money in their pockets and also rode rides they may have rather skipped once the night was over, but they sure did make some fun memories with the kids!

Today seems to have gone so much better than yesterday! The kids have worked hard—from chores to piano to math, reading, spelling, writing, history and geography. It’s been a good day. I have enjoyed being with them and helping them learn.

Molly has discovered she enjoys Geronimo Stilton books. Mack is reading better and better every day. Ruby is moving along in her math; I enjoy seeing her doing so much of it on her own. And I have learned a gracious plenty about The Middle East and Europe and Vikings. We’ve definitely made some strides in our learning the past 8 weeks. I’m encouraged!