NO-2015

I got back yesterday from a girls trip to New Orleans.

We actually all went to New Orleans together 11 years ago....just this time we've got a few more husbands and a bunch more kids between us.

 

As I told Shelley on the drive home yesterday, I'm not sure we could have had any more fun. 

(Of course, New Orleans itself is as hot and humid as Houston, and smells like, well, New Orleans.)

 

3 Times

My kids go to the doctor for being sick maybe once a year.

 Yet this summer I've now been in our doctor's office 3 times (plus a trip to the ER for Kyle's staples). 

 

I'm all for over-the-counter, home-remedies, and my personal fav "you'll be fine"...which is what we did to Reed last week when he woke up in the middle of the night with an earache.  I found some eardrops in the medicine cabinet, gave him some Tylenol, and besides everyone playing "musical beds", everything was fine.

 

This morning I woke up to him sobbing (sobbing into his pillow!) that his ear hurt again.

 

Pitiful sobbing and a little face like this gets you an appointment with the doctor.

 

He has an ear infection behind the eardrum, which gets him 10 days of antibiotics.

He's feeling just fine now.

 

And hopefully no more doctor's visits this summer!

106

It was 106 today.

And no, that wasn't the heat index or what is was "supposed" to get up to.

That was the temperature my car was giving me as I drove around.

 

It's what I call "can't breathe hot".

Looking for sympathy Reed said, "It's so hot, I can't breathe."

Getting none, Jason said, "You sound like your mother."

 

I guess it got so hot that it actually hotted-up (I'm know it's not a word, but I can't think of a better description) a rain.

I was so excited to see some rain to cool us off I took a picture of it.

 

Technically the temperature did cool off to 83, but at 1,000% humidity, it's still hard to breathe.

 

On a side (but related) note, I've been spending some extra quality time with my ferns since I'm having to water them all the time.

 

Look how pretty!

Dropping Like Flies

Kyle refuses to come home, and then Reed packed his bags too.

This is all I've got.

 

Kyle is having so much fun at MawMaw and PawPaw's he hardly has time to call us, and Reed decided if Kyle wasn't coming home, he'd just go to Granny Sherry's.

 

And it's not like JR's not leaving cause Jason and I are cool...he has to be here to go to his rehearsals.

Kyle's Stand In

Kyle's sweet teacher who we both loved very much sent out an email that her husband had been transferred and she wouldn't be back. She was worried the kids would be upset when they came by to give her hugs that she wasn't there, and wanted them to know.

 

The moms put together a last second meet-up for her so the kids could drop by and say goodbye.

Kyle is still at my parents and I couldn't get him in time, so Reed stood in for Kyle and gave and received goodbye hugs.

 

Here's the little crowd of almost 2nd graders that were there when we were...with Reed playing the part of Kyle.

 

Man Down

As you can see, I'm missing one.

 

I assumed they'd want to stay home this week after being away at camp.

I was wrong.

Kyle and Reed have begged nonstop to go stay at Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw's house...alone...without me or each other.

 

 

Reed has a friend coming over today, and not even the excitement of "swimming with a friend" could keep Kyle home.  We dropped him off yesterday.

 

 

He called me last night to tell me his upcoming schedule.  Which included: donuts, fishing with Freddie, and going to the movies.

 

 

Maw-Maw promised me she'd teach him to write in cursive.

He didn't list that on his "schedule".

Under One Roof

Can you guess what this is?

 

 

That's the pile of dirt and debris I swept up after finishing 8 loads of camp laundry.

8 loads is a new record for me (usually after a vacation is 6).

 

 

 And this is what it looks like before the washing of the 8 loads begins.

 

As soon as we pulled up at camp we began hearing all about The Ingersoll boys, and specifically how much everyone loved Kyle and Reed's skating routine for the Talent Show.

Apparently it was the "best ever". 

(I'll get them to do it this week and video it.)

 

 

JR was even named Cabin Camper of the Week.  The counselors pick one kid a week, and JR got it the last week. Only 3 kids get it (out of 11 in the cabin) the entire time, so that was a nice honor for him.

 

 

As soon as we saw JR and Steven they told us how much they loved 3 weeks of camp, and they didn't get homesick at all.

 

 

Kyle and Reed started telling us that one week was way too short.

 

 

Reed won best entertainer in his cabin, and Kyle won best nicknamer...Mainly due to giving one of their counselors the nickname "Eight Foot Nate."

 

 

It's great having everybody home, and JR goes "back to work" today as he starts 3 weeks of rehearsals for Into The Woods.