Hometown Pride

My brother's best friend in junior high and part of high school recently auditioned for a reality show on CMT called "Can you duet". Basically an "American Idol" for country music. Josh and Craig were great friends and always in trouble together until Josh moved to Charleston, IL when they were half way through high school. As a matter of fact, they lived across the street from each other in college and would go over to each other's house and play guitar. He moved to Nashville TN in 2006. Well they have went all the way throught the show and are in the top 3 couples. The show is on CMT Saturdays at 8pm EST. Here is there song from last week which blew everyone else out of the water. I can't embed the video. I have tried but am technically challenged so if you paste this into your browser you can watch them.
http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/403639/can-you-duet-202-five-duos-perform-3.jhtml?id=1614580

Some of My favorite 4th of July Memories

On my drive home I was looking at all the corn and couldn't help but think of all my 4th of Julys. Since we live in the heart of corn country all you can see this time of year is corn fields for miles. We used to always go to Mamma and Pamps' every year for the 4th. We would have a HUGE fireworks display and all the family and neighbors would be over and afterward we would have cake and ice cream for Pamps's birthday. Pamps would take us for a ride on the 4 wheeler or the "grasshopper" which was this tiny sprayer that he would use to spray out in the fields. All 4 of us grandkids could ride on the ends and our feet would touch the corn. It was so much fun. We would all 4 spend the night and have so much fun. My only stressor back then was getting Mom and Dad to let us spend the night.

Sophi's mobile

Soph can get just about anywhere by pulling along, now.

I am all alone tonight and haven't had uninterrupted sleep for 2 years. It has seemed so eerie tonight. I keep thinking I should turn the tv down or check on the kids or have a bottle ready before I go to bed. I already miss all of them.

Tootie havin a ball

Sophi's first time swimming

Well, the girls and I went to Mom and Dad's this weekend for some fun and sun. The girls are staying tonight since I have to work tomorrow. The boys are still having a great time in SC. They decided to stay one more day and Eric called Kevin and got approved for another vacation day. J caught the garter, won a dance contest, went Putt putt, went to an arcade, and has definately swam his heart out. When Eric gets back I'll post pictures. The kids are going to have a hard time getting along since they have both been the center of attention for the last 3 days!!!

Fun with the swim teacher

J had some fun playing with Miss Kelly after lessons. J swam with his preschool class all day before I picked him up for lessons. He was soooo exhausted. We stopped for dinner and he could barely stay awake. On the way home he would doze off and Tootie would pinch him and giggle knowing he was too tired to fight back.

Swimming Pictures

Eric had today off work and helped me with Soph and Tootie during J's swim lessons so I was able to pack my telephoto lens and get some pics of J. The lessons are all the way on the other side of the pool and the parents have to stay in the viewing area. I'm sure that it is to keep from distracting the kids. Here's J getting ready for class, he always gives Tootie a hug before he leaves for class.

Whoever invented playdough should be imprisoned

Actually, the kids play really well together when they are playing with playdough.

Me Too!

Little sister always has to have what big brother has. He is all about the goggles and since Aunt Nic's are on loan, he got his own pair today. Tootie immediately ran upstairs and dug through the toy bin until she found her very own matching goggles. It was so adorable.

She watched her favorite show the morning called "Olivia". It's about a little pig and her younger brother. They are always getting into mischief. Anyway, this morning they had to share and Olivia didn't want to. She started calling her brother "my bother" so Toot picked up on this and when J took something away from her this afternoon she would say "NO bother, bad bother". It was hilarious. She's my smart little cookie!

Hangin with my Sissy

Funny story for the day. I was sweeping the floor, Eric was in the living room giving Soph a bottle and J and C were upstairs playing before bed. I thought I could hear the faint "Mommy, Mom help me". I thought I was hearing things and until Eric asked me if I heard it. Eric went upstairs to find that J was locked in the loft closet. Apparently, he was bent over looking at something when his 2 year old sister shoved him and closed the door on him. It doesn't open from the inside. Then he would say Tootie let me out and his temper was escalating while she was on the other side saying "ackson, what doin? what doin, Ackson" It was hilarious!!!!

BADDD Bugs

Tootie woke up this morning and had mosquito bites all over her....62 that I could count and 30 of them were on her face. After talking to Mom, I was convinced to call the doc and since she had some on her eyelids he wanted to see her. She is now on 5 days of steroids and Atarax for itching. She apparently has a hypersensitivity to bits like her Mommy and since the DEET in all bug repellant can be extremely harmful to little ones, we have to limit her exposure to outside and have some non toxic traps in the kids' room. I am nervous about vacation. I hope we can keep her in the house at camp for the reunion. She's just so darn fair skinned, too.

Jackson "Michael Phelps" Saupp

J is my new olympic swimmer. Nichole worked with him this weekend and he learned to seat dive, float, and swim with his head under for half the length of the pool. I'm going to ask if he can get moved up to the next group.

Pop and J swam (well J swam and Pop watched), they went for 2- 4 Wheeler rides down to the river and a Jeep ride down to the river while us girls were at the shower.

Shower Games

One of the games, the girls had us play, was an icebreaker game. A box was passed around and when the music stopped, whoever was holding the box had to wear what was in the box. Nichole's was a corsage. Here are some pics of everybody in their garb. Tootie had a hayday with dressup.