What'd We Do Today?

This morning we awoke to a Rainy Day and Monday. But it was also the Butter's Birthday Eve!!! So, the welcome rain and the special day called for a special Breakfast in a Cup!!! I was inspired by my forever favorite Paula Deen. It's just grits, scrambled eggs and crumbled sausage layered in a pretty parfait dish. The fam thought it was fab. I made mine in under 10 minutes bc I crumbled precooked sausage patties and doctored up instant grits in the micro. It was yummy....Paula's pics are prettier than mine, though!

Since our Hero is still on what's referred to as "light duty" bc of his back injury, he came home early today. After raining ALL MORNING, the sun came out bright and beautiful this afternoon. We loaded up the kids and went to see Wal E. That new Disney movie, ya know? We loved it. It was so sweet. There wasn't much dialogue in the movie, though....because those little robots didn't talk much.

Can we just chat for a sec about movie theater etiquette? Poor manners in movie theaters has gotten worse and worse the last few years. When you spend that much money for movie tickets, you kinda expect other people not to talk LOUDLY to each other in a foreign language throughout the entire movie. And you kinda expect people to make their children stay SEATED instead of standing up blocking your view. Ok. Soapbox over.

After the movie, we ate dinner at a new IHOP. So. During Wal-E, the Butter had his fill of Dollar General movie theater candy. (Yes I snuck it in. You know you do, too.) At IHOP, the Butter had a milkshake with whipped cream all over the top with his pancakes with strawberries and syrup and eggs and bacon. Just when I thought the sugar meter had him pinging off the charts, the waitresses arrived with an ice cream sundae, clapping and singing for his birthday. I can't even begin to tell you how utterly and completely wound up that child was!!!!! WHEW! It's 11:30 p.m. and he is still awake. Yep. The big crash is coming soon. Let's just hope it doesn't involve anything I've already seen once today....

It was a good day today. Tomorrow he turns 9. I'll post pics....
Blessings!

You Are Loved.....Outrageously

Krazy Kat

Our krazy kitty Punkin has some strange habits. The most annoying is his affinity for bags left on the kitchen counter at night. We have to put all bags in the microwave before bed...the bread, leftover pound cake, somebody's half a poptart, Papa's cherry tomatoes, etc. From time to time, we'll forget to hide the bags.

And yes, I know it's Punkin and not Chonji bc I set him up one night and staked him out. With wild eyes and ears laid back, he pulled an entire bag of Sunbeam bread off the kitchen counter, across the long kitchen floor, into the school room and under Rayray's desk, as usual.

Last week, Doodle had to take a bug for the bug jar at VBS. Rayray helped her find a big beetle bug. They put him in a ziploc bag with leaves and a stick and poked teenytiny holes in the bag so he wouldn't smother. And guess what? We forgot to put the bag in a safe place.

See the bag in the picture? That's what we found the next morning. The bug is gone like a freight train. Along with some of the leaves!?!?!

Well.....last night, it happened again. We left a bag out. Honestly, it was a mistake. Honestly!! Unfortunately for Punkin, it was a bag of hot peppers from our neighbor's garden!!!!

We're hoping that cured him of his midnight kitchen raids. Ya think?

Camping....in a tent? Not me!

The JellyB took The Butter camping over the weekend.

They've been planning this for awhile but

the Daddy couldn't go.

(Remember the back injury?

Yes, he's better but

certainly not up for sleeping on the ground.

But thanks for asking!)

They went camping at a nearby lake

in a real campground

instead of the deserted island they first considered.

Uh.....no.

They fished.

But ate hotdogs for dinner.


They rode in a fast boat to the dam
with the Butter's favorite Rockerdude...
so he was totally stoked.
Whatever stoked is.

They explored remains of a real live fort.

The Butter was in his element out in the WILD like that.

And some male-bonding

with his bestest buddy.

I didn't have to know about how he stepped on that snake, though.

No, it wasn't poisonous.

But...still....

It Rained: More Weather Talk

So, now that you know I am an admitted weather fanatic, let's talk about today's wicked weather. Read the post below and you will meet Oscar. There are a few weather-related things that Oscar can not do. One is to sound an alarm when warnings and watches are issued. For that, I turn to my trusty weather radio. Do you have one? No!? You need to get one. It could save your life. (Or you can do like other friends and family members and just call me everytime it clouds up.)

This evening, after swimming and after running to the store for sausage gumbo ingredients and during JellyB's cooking of said sausage gumbo in my kitchen, some pretty wicked weather moved in. As normal procedure during weather events, my laptop is immediately signed on to weather.com radar and my trusty weather radio's alarm is set.

I must say we were particularly excited about this weather tonight because it's been a LONGLONGLONG time since it's even dripped one single drop of rain here! Can you say drought?

Tonight, I had the weather radio in our bedroom instead of bringing it to the kitchen because JellyB's sausage gumbo ingredients had exploded. The rain was pouring and the LIGHTENING.... Goodnightalivin'! The thunder and sharp lightening was right on top of us. It was SCARY. And LOUD.

Sure enough, the trusty weather radio's alarm went off and the little man was just a'talking. I looked at little Doodle and said, "Quick! Run to mama's bedroom and see what it says!"

To which she replied, "But Mama! I. can't. READ!"

(We finally ate our most delicious sausage gumbo at 8:15. And dipped cookies in milk for dessert except for my sweet dh who had ice cream with his cookies.And Rayray who is still riding horses across the state.)

Hotter Than a Blue Flame in a Red Hot Fire!

Meet Oscar.

He is our electronic meteorologist

in charge of our home weather center.

He and I consult regularly.

For those of you who don't know,

I am a weather buff....ok...weather, fanatic.

When Oscar says the temp is 102.3 at 4:52 in the afternoon

after reaching a high of 104.7,

there's only one thing to do.

Put on our swimsuits,

grab towels and floats,

and head to Bob and Wilma's....

For some refreshing water fun.

We take friends with us, too....
The Jelly went with us today.

And water therapy is perfect for stress fractures in backs.

Our neighbors have blessed us so.
They are older and have no kids.
We are the only ones that swim in their pool these days
and we try to ease some of the pool care burden for them, too.
There's nothing else to do in the summer in South Georgia
involving anything outside except swimming.
So, open wide access to a pool has been such a blessing
and has helped this mama keep her sanity!

Sisters

Rayray left today to spend the week with her grands at their horse stables. She goes off and on all year to the other side of the state to visit them. She LOVES it in the big open spaces, fresh air, grands, friends, and horseshorses everywhere.

C-10 went with me to drive Rayray halfway to meet Granddaddy. We laughed and laughed until we were literally crying tears. I just hope the coffee I spewed washes out of my cute skirt!

Rayray and little Doodle share a room. When I put my little one to bed tonight, it actually sunk in, for the first time, that Rayray is gone for a week, including nights. And she didn't like it. Not one iota. Now that she's 5, you know, she understands things "much more better."

Well, she started crying. Not your 'sniff, sniff, I miss my sister' cry. She LOST it, y'all. It was the coughing, gagging, can't catch your breath version. Her sweet brother attempted to console her, but she informed him (rather loudly) that he is not and will never be her precious Rayray. She had me show her pictures of her beloved sister and went to bed clutching one of the two of them together.

I'll be honest with you. She made me cry, too. I was trying to comfort her...and needed a little comforting, myself. I don't particularly like for Rayray to be gone from me, either. She is our sweet Ray of sunshine and also my personal assistant, right arm, and 2nd brain.

Poor baby cried herself to sleep....woke up an hour later and started crying AGAIN. They really do love each other. Even though there's a 7 1/2 yr age difference, they're really close like sisters are supposed to be.

It makes me kinda wish I had a sister growing up. I had some great sister-friends, though. Still do. No complaints.

So...go hug your sister. Or call her. Or pray for her. Or email her. Or cry for her.

Just appreciate her.....