Our 2nd home

Well it only took two months before it was complete, but here it is our secound home or otherwise known as Parker's playset. John talked me into this by saying our grandkids would be able to come over and use it so I relented and we bought this HUGE playset. After all Parker is not a small boy. Well after it sat on the back porch for a month my friend, Laura offered her husband up to come and help John with this project. Well John works so much he was hardly ever able to get time to do it so we finally decieded that would just pay him to do it. Well A.D. took it this project, but he even struggled a bit with it. Thursday he was able to put the finishing touches on it and we are so happy with it. Parker tells me that him and his dad are going to sleep in it.... I agreed that was a great ideal !! A man's sleepover...LOL! I give them about an hour tops before they come back in.

FROG Graduation

Can you tell them apart??
Hot and sweaty!!Still love those dimples :))
Nice closet!! Lots of choices of outfits.....
We weren't suppose to sit on the bed, don't tell ok? and believe me that wool blanket felt wonderful next to your skin..LOL!!
I made her take this as you can tell.
Well we just got home from Allison's FROG graduation. First of all I'm not really sure what FROG stands for, but basically it is basic training for the cadets. We drove up most of the way, saturday night so we could get there on time sunday. Yeah, I know everyone was moving in on sunday, but that is the way they do it. They had several companys on the field. Of course, my Allison forgot to tell me what company she was in. They all kind of look the same at this point. They gave out of few awards and then they were released until 4:30 pm. One thing I found disturbing in the instructions upon leaving they tell you if you going to have sex to wear a condom and what kind to wear and not to drink any beer because you only have six hours of free time. Ok, I know this is not a church school, but they poor kids looked liked they needed several showers, hot meals, and a nap not trolling for some booty!! Anyway, we found our Allison with a sprained ankle, but she still ran around the whole school today!! We promptly began washing her clothes and made a trip to the local walmart for supplies she didn't realize she would need. We went to eat at this local resturant called the Smith house. They serve food family style and it was SUPER!!!! They also had gold cave in the middle of the resturant. They just discovered or should I say rediscovered it two years ago when remodeling. It was super cool. Parker got a gold diggers hat. We got Allison mostly settled, I'm sure she will need to get a few things still, but she knows where the Wally mart is. We left her about 2:00 so she could get a nap and rest her feet(real bad blisters). It was hard to leave, but I knew she was so tired and needed to put her feet up. Well now I can at least call her.

An update

The hamster has been found..... sunday night John's dad, Terry banged on our bedroom door saying there was a rodent in his room. John being tired and basically a zombie did not piece it together, but monday afternoon Allison found him behind the toilet. Was he trying to escape or commit suicide we are not sure, but for now he is back in his plastic jail, I mean home. Visitors are welcome.

First Day of First Grade!!

We walked to class together on the first day
Down the first grade hallway
Parker is very excited at his new desk.
Just in case someone else tries sitting in our spot!!
Well we go back to school early here in the south. August 11th to be exact. We came back from the beach and had to immediately switch into back to school mode. Allison had alot of items still to get for college. We got everything and she went on her way Tuesday morning. Parker started first grade and was very excited!! He has two teachers plus a parapro. His teachers are both retired, but spilt the day in half and still work. He has been very doing well. I hope it continues. He already does not want me to walk him to class. Also he doesn't give me kisses... sigh;( I miss snuggly time, but he doesn't have time for it anymore. We really miss Allison in the morning when it is time for Devin to go to seminary!! Yikes!! She still hasn't even gotten her permit yet!! Don't blame me she hasn't even asked to take the test yet. Allison is unable to call, but tonight she snuck me a minute phone call. She said that she didn't pass the PT test by two sit-ups!!! Yikes, if she doesn't pass she doesn't get her scholarship, but she says she can do it again in two weeks. Get the stomach muscles going girl!!

HAVE YOU SEEN....... OUR HAMSTER????

OK, IT IS OFFICAL.. I'M FREAKING OUT. IT SEEMS OUR HAMSTER, PANDA IS MIA. PANDA HAS BEEN KNOW TO BE A MASTER OF ESCAPE AND DISGUISE, BUT THIS IS FOR REAL. WHILE WE WERE GONE HE APPEARENTLY HAS GONE AWAL. NOBODY TOLD ME UNTIL ABOUT AN HOUR AGO WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE CAGE WAS VERY STILL. THEN UPON FURTHER

INSPECTION I NOTICED THAT THE HAMSTER IS MISSING. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME FOR ESCAPE, BUT SINCE WE WERE OUT OF TOWN I DON'T KNOW ABOUT HOW LONG HE HAS BEEN MISSING. I'm afraid it will be like that episode of fairly odd parents when Timmy's old hamster comes back to kill his mom. For those of you have seen it you know what I'm talking about. I will keep you updated on his disappearence meanwhile I will have to sleep with one eye open......

No such thing as a "free ride"

Hopefully she is using the calculator on that phone to budget her money!!!

When Allison was granted an ROTC scholarship I thought great no loans, no school money needed! I was just a babe in the woods. I laugh at myself now. What was I thinking??? They sent a booklet with list of things she will need for school. Remember now this military school so when I say list I mean detailed specific list of items she must have before reporting in. Not to mention shampoo, qtips, razors.....etc, etc..... we went on another trip to wally mart today in the hopes of securing any last remaining items. Well we still have one or two items I believe, but essentially everything has been purchased. It was another $300 I spent today. Yikes, what happen to the "free"???? Oh yeah, the classess, books, and food for next couple of years. Still Allison had no clue and to tell you the truth either did I. Well maybe by the time Devin goes to college I will finally have it together. I think I will have Devin go to CSU so we don't have to do of this. No, I just thought about Devin in college and staying at home, maybe it worth the expense!

The last family vacation with Allison

Daddy and son in the pool!!
it's so cute I put it on twice!!
The ocean was great!! HH has hardly any jellyfish!! The dolphins were awesome!!
Parker will miss his big sis, Allison. She told this hat was cool so he had to have it!!
Swimming lessons were the best $30 we ever spent!! Parker loves to swim and he doesn't cry when water gets in his face now!!
We went to Hilton Head this week. This is Allison favorite vacation spot. I didn't think she would be able to come due to school starting, but she got the dates wrong and she doesn't start FROG week until this week. We went on tuesday and immediately hit the pool upon getting there!! Our room was great and we got settled quickly. The Holton's joined us and got some much needed r & r before school starts and Tee has to start driving the bus again. Monday starts school here for Devin and Parker. We went to the beach on wednesday and it was sooooo hot!! They said it was 113 degrees!!! I got a nice beach chair with an umbrella. We had a great time floating in the ocean. We saw so many dolphins with a mile of where we were... it was awesome. We also saw alot of the local "wildlife" too, but that just made us laugh!!! Thursday was another pool day and John is the best day. During this trip he must of logged in over 100 pool hours!! Parker kept him all the time!!! In fact Parker is so tired from our vacation he wanted to lay in bed today and "be lazy" and watch cartoons all day...



We love the beach, but it is nice to get home. We have alot of packing to do for Allison!

Back to School

It is a tradition in our family for the girls to get a certain amount of money to given to them for school clothes. Now this does not include shoes, supplies, jackets, and dues etc. This is very happy time for the girls because they get to deceide exactly what they will get and have complete control of thier money. Well as the years have gone by and the money has gone up, but Devin sensing this was her year to collect the whole loot was very excited. She asked John over dinner a couple of weeks ago if she would be getting the whole $300 for herself or did she have to share with Parker. Well John said nope, she would get the whole purse. She was very excited about this. We have felt that this encourages are girls to budget thier monies and plan. I learned by Tara that when your paying the bill they don't look for bargins and it became to much of a drama. In years past the girls have gone together and had a great time. Devin has been shopping, but much to my amazment she still has money left. She found some great deals (the crate going out of business), but still spent way to much on make-up in my opinion. Oh well she will have to learn that lesson the hard way...