monthly catch up

I always have the best intentions to stay on top of blogging...and then before I realize it, a week or two is gone! This past week was a total blur of allergy and cold-induced misery. All four of us got sick at the same time--which has never happened--with some variation of the two and we were all just beat. Deric got severe sinusitis, Jake got a cold and congestion, Reid just a cold thankfully, and I got a sore throat that made me lose my voice plus that dry cough that drives you insane. We're just barely getting our acts together a full week later and I can't wrap my  mind around how we got that sick in August...August! Months away from cold season. Maybe this means we've done our time and won't catch colds in the winter?! That only seems fair.

Anyways, some photos from the week before last when no one was coughing up a lung. ;) (You'll have to pardon the photo quality--my phone is acting up and preventing me from editing them as usual.)

We were invited to the zoo with some friends so we braved the sweltering heat and had a great time checking out the animals. We hadn't been to the zoo since last fall so it was almost new again to Jake. And we got to see the lion "show", where the trainers check the lions' overall health and appearance and reward them with hamburger on a stick. The trainers told us this as they were getting the lions' attention and I actually appreciated that it wasn't a big trained show. Just watching the lion up close--since usually those lions are on the clear opposite end of their space--was pretty incredible. Jake thought the hamburger on a stick was funny. He's also big into sunglasses at the moment, which I love. He's wearing mine in this photo but his little sunglasses are just too cute on him, and I'm glad he actually likes to wear them.

While drawing a birthday card for our children's minister, Jake drew a "cross". He told me that "Jesus died on a cross, soo....give that two thumbs up!" This morning, Jake asked me out of the blue why Jesus died on the cross. I turned the question around on him to see what he thought and he told me that Jesus died on the cross because the Philistines didn't like him. Philistines/Pharisees...close enough!

A few weeks ago, Jake told me "Mom, I love God and you love God! And I keep God and Jesus safe when they come down from way up in the sky!" Clearly our conversations about heaven are being totally understood. ;)

We took advantage of a cloudy and somewhat mild morning to play at a nearby park. A little bit of sand castle building turned into Fort Skinner complete with trenches, bridges and a leaf flag bigger than the castle itself. Jake also adopted a "seed" (walnuty-thing) and brought it home to plant in our garden bed.

Later that evening we went to a Smokies game with friends. Jake was more entertained by the game than I expected he would be. I think his favorite part was dancing to the music between innings--his little moves actually got him on the big screen for a minute! And he was a total trooper staying up way past bedtime. We changed him into pajamas for the forty minute drive home, fully expecting him to fall asleep. But nope, we got home and he wanted something to eat and then wanted to read some books and chat about life...and around 11:30, he finally konked out.

Thanks to some friends, the boys have these cute coordinating outfits! I can't believe I don't have more for them to wear; I mean, they've gotta have at least a few cringe-worthy pictures to look back on when they're older, right? ;) Reid's little collared shirt and overalls just kill me.

And lastly, our garden has pretty much exhausted itself. The oppressive heat combined with our lack of attention has done it in. And yet somehow, the cherry tomato plants just keep on going! Our windowsill has been full of cherry tomatoes all summer and I love it. They're perfect for Jake's lunches and snacks and for topping our salads so easily. I can't believe this was the first year we've planted cherry tomatoes. We'll be sure to plant them again next year!