State park hike

My aunt and uncle went out last weekend to a state park in Texas. They invited me, Huey, Duey and Louie out to their campsite for the day on Friday. We took a slightly treacherous trail and Uncle David, being characteristically ingenuitive, had a rope for the boys to grab onto if they tripped and started sliding down the hill.

Our arrival destination was this cool area with big flat rocks sticking up out of the ground. Not another area like it around, the perfect place for repelling or rock climbing.

Jack and I worked on his rock climbing skills. He wasn't too confident and didn't make it any higher than where he is in the following picture. It didn't help that he's wearing the upcoming summer's crocs. They were a little loose still. Not good for traction.

Uncle David anchored the rope and taught the boys how to climb up the rock on their feet. I enjoyed watching them practice this new skill.

Ty, seeing Jack's shoes off, took off a perfectly good pair of cross-trainers so he could do it like his brother.

We decided not to rock climb (I mean hike) the 7 miles (I mean 1) back, instead had Uncle David walk down the road to the spot we parked our car. We hung out at a picnic table and checked out where we'd been on the map.

It was amazing how filthy the kids were when we got back to the campsite. I hosed them off --not kidding, before we let them in the travel trailer for lunch.

I miss you most when...

I'd like a nap instead of drive the long trip home.
I sleep diagonally across the bed.
the boys need to be wrestled.
chick flicks are on TV.
I see a child getting a ride on their daddy's shoulders.
the kids are asleep and the house is quiet.

friends invite us over for dinner.

I'm sitting in the sanctuary at church.
I need a jar opened.
Austin's eyes (identical to yours) smile up at me.
the boys want to play baseball.
Alaska Gold Rush is on.
the neighbors come over to lock up the house for the night.
my back hurts.
Jack counts down the days till you get home.
I see pictures of the beach.
I see our dirty garage.
we eat spaghetti.
I'm tired of disciplining.
when the moon is out
...or the sun is shining.

Nice to see you too.

"Mom! It is not good to see you.

Mom. It's not good to see you.

Mom, it's not good to see you, it's nice to see you."

-Ty

Jeremiah 17:9

"Stupid underwear" is the boys favorite thing to say.

And.

They aren't allowed to.

It's tough being a kid when moms pick out perfectly acceptable words and make it into a criminal offense to utter them.

Yeah, life's rough.

But like I tell Jack, "One day you'll be the boss and you can make the rules." For now, stupid underwear will get your mouth washed out or your TV privileges taken away.

So "Stupid Underwear," where did it come from? Mema figured it out while she was here watching the boys (during my va-ca). It came from Polar Express. The bratty kid says something about how he didn't want to get any stupid underwear for Christmas.

Ahhh! I had no idea where he came up with the combination. Now I get it.

Jack tries all kinds of ways to slip the words into a conversation. But every now and then it slips out on its own --on accident. Tonight was not one of those times.

I'm putting Austin to bed. The big boys are getting their PJs on. I hear Jack tell Ty:

"God made everything. He made the trees and the bed and the moon...." He goes on for a little while and ends with:

"...He even made the underwear."

I'm pretty sure his entire bedtime devotional was delivered just so he could get one more "underwear" in before bed.

You've been here how long?!?!?

I love AWANA.

Tonight we met with our kids at church. We played a fun game that included random trivia questions. One question was asked,

"How long has Mrs. Kinney been working in AWANA?"

Mrs. Kinney has served God by loving and teaching the AWANA children for seventeen years. Wow. As I've told her before, "She's my hero." The students were split up into teams and asked to go to a certain leader and give her their best guess. The first team to correctly answer was the winner.

We got guesses like: 16, 19, 7, 5...

But my favorite?

"52"

Innocent? or rude?

It came from a third grade boy so I'm going with innocent.

29? No, actually...

At the Ellis house we are forever talking about growing up. I hear the phrase "When I'm a man" about as often as I hear, "When are we going to eat?" Ty thinks he will be a man when he turns ten. I tell him he won't be a man until he's over 20 AND no longer living at home.

Today Jack and Ty were talking about their next birthdays and Jack flippantly said that his birthday would be June _. I told him, "Hey that's my birthday!" "That's your birthday?" He replied. "Yes!" I exclaim.

Jack says, "Wow, then you will be...."

"...a man!" Ty finished for him.

hmm... slightly insulting (as always.)

Jack, knowing that was incorrect, kept thinking and finishes his sentence with, "... a really BIG lady."

I've got a lot to look forward to this year, the prediction is I'll either turn into a man or a really big lady.

Those who don't know

Jack: "Let's call Austin, 'Ace.' That's what people who don't know his name call him."

Me: "Like who?"

Ty: "Uncle Stan!"

Jack: "Like Gigi and Pop, and their children."

The island

Deployment?

I am on a deployment.

I couldn't take it any longer.

I missed my man.

So I bought a plane ticket and arrived at an "undisclosed location" where I was greeted at the airport by a long-haired, tan, muscley man.

Or, Mike, as I generally refer to him.

So here we are, together, alone (except for our new friend who is pictured below), on an island.

How often does this happen?

Rarely. Don't get jealous.

But we are very grateful for the opportunity to spend some time together. This is such a rare treat. Regardless of where we are, home or on a beach, quality time with one another is so hard to make happen. This time makes me remember the days before the air force and makes me look forward with excited anticipation for the days when we will once again be able to live life at the same pace, have inside jokes, enjoy the same activities and do nothing together.

One day that will come. But for now (a few short days), on these beaches, we're going to live

--together!!

goodbye little friend!