Kid-Cation, Part 1

We arrived at Mom and Dad’s on Thursday afternoon before Memorial Day. We settled in, hung out, and got ready for a fun week. Caedmon kept telling me we were on vacation, but with Daddy not there, it wasn’t quite the same. So we called it our Kid-cation.

Friday morning, the kids wasted no time getting back to the toys. They love Cini’s toys. (As much as we tell them that most of those were our toys when we were kids, they still think they’re cool.)

We met our friends at Chick-fil-A for a play date. It was so much fun!

Honor thought she was big stuff, playing on the playground.

She even learned to climb on the playscape. I. am. in. trouble.

It’s not like we took over the playground or anything.

Or looked like the paparazzi at all.

We tried to get a group photo of the kids, but Stella and Emerson had already left. And we had friends who couldn’t make it. We definitely missed them!

But amid the chaos, this was as good as it got. In the back, Cilla, Hannah, and Lilly. In the middle, Jillian and Brody. And in the front, Honor, Caedmon, and Reid.

After we left the playgroup, we made a stop at Rick’s Bakery for some treats and smash cakes for a special photo shoot. Somebody was a little excited about being at Rick’s. Caedmon was excited too.

When we got back to Mom and Dad’s, HLB was there to see us. Caedmon had so much fun hanging out with him.

He always comes up with fun games.

NLB was there too – but we let him take a nap.

We spent the evening hanging out and playing. We got up and did it all again on Saturday…plus an extra special party!

Friends, Family, and Slingshots

Yes, I’m still talking about our trip back home. We’ll be back to our regular scheduled craziness soon. I promise. Need to catch up? We started with Caedmon’s first flight, then Honor finally met her Uncle NLB, and we went shootin’ and rodeo’n.

Sunday morning, we went to church and saw a lot of friends. Caedmon got to see Coe (our “other brother” and NLB’s roommate) before he went back to school. I didn’t carry the camera into church, which was probably a good thing. Especially since Honor’s rash was much worse (again) and she looked like a leper child.

After church, we got lunch at Sonic and met Brandon and Jill at the park for lunch. I left my camera in the car, and again, it was probably a good thing. The wind was crazy and Jill’s hair was quite bothered by the wind. It was so good to see them. And I’m glad Brandon was there to take Caedmon to pee on a tree (shhhh!) and push him “higher and higher!” on the swings. We miss them terribly. Jill also worked her magic on Honor, because when we got home, the child took a 3+ hour nap, which she desperately needed.

We hung out at Mom & Dad’s the rest of the afternoon & evening. The rest of the family came over for dinner, and the only ones we were missing were Husband and Squirt.

Caedmon and Q played together on the trampoline.

NLB helped guard our dinner while it was cooking.

Mom cooks ”cowboy style” a lot of times when we have family gatherings.

Ribs? Good. Potatoes? Good. Peach Cobbler? Goooood.

Dad made Caedmon a sling shot. He’d been asking for one for weeks, and was so excited that Papa Duke was going to make one for him.

First, they had to locate a proper stick.

Then came the fabrication.

Finding a perfect rock. (We moved to shooting acorns later.)

And then? Figuring out how the thing works.

Demonstrating it for me.

He went back to the slingshot later, but quickly moved on to roping Taco, Papa Duke’s roping dummy.

Cousin E was hanging out in the exersaucer.

Honor and her little leper rash hung out with Mimi and Meemom.

Caedmon and Q played on the swings.

And we finally got to eat.

Uncle HLB was late to the party, but not too late to shoot some acorns with Caedmon.

We stayed up too late, but had a ton of fun with everyone.

Shootin’ and Rodeo’n

Saturday, we headed out to Deputy Guy and Curly’s to do some shooting. (Targets, not each other.)

Caedmon was quite serious in the car.

NLB drove Mom’s car. Oh yeah, he’s bad…driving a car with a steering wheel cushion. (His gripe, not mine.)

We picked up Trump on our way, and Caedmon played shy. Even when she had Skittles to share. She also tried to pick his nose, but that’s neither here nor there.

Caedmon and Cousin Q hung out on the deck and finished off the Skittles.

And while Curly watched my boy, we went out into the pasture to do some shootin’.

Here’s a little of our setup.

I must not neglect to show you Trump’s pink 380. It was fun to shoot. (That’s NLB’s Katherine in the background. At least I think it’s Katherine with a “K” since she was named after Katherine in “MacLintock!” I know for sure she’s never called Katie.)

People often ask me to describe NLB, and the best way I know how is this: You know the scene in Sahara where Al is dropping his guns and ammo long after everyone else is done? That’s NLB.

The little guys enjoyed watching from the deck. After we’d shoot, they’d yell, “Woah!”

We didn’t have any skeet, so we used a plastic jug to test out NLB’s new shotgun.

I’m proud to say that while I’ve never shot skeet before, I was able to knock that jug out of the sky. In fact, we are all pretty good shots.

NLB took this picture. I think he was proud to have shootin’ sisters.

After shooting, we went back to Mom’s for Caedmon’s afternoon nap. And HLB came to eat dinner before the rodeo. It was a good thing he did. Caedmon eats his green beans so much better when HLB is there to eat with him.

After dinner, a pillow fight was just what these boys needed.

Honor’s rash had faded on Wednesday, but came back on Saturday. She stayed home with Mom and rested.

Trump’s target practice was good for her. She went hunting with Grade A that evening, killed a deer, and was still dressed and ready to go to the rodeo with Caedmon and me.

We found HLB before we went inside.

First, we got to watch bronc bustin’, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and calf roping. Caedmon watched everything and did well. Events that last anywhere from 8-20 seconds each are just his speed. It also helped that Trump bought him Doritos and gum.

HLB would come visit us now and then.

Then it was time for the “buckin’ bulls,” as Caedmon calls them. This is one of those instances when a super zoom lens would come in handy. HLB was sitting on the chute (on the left) while another bull rider was getting ready.

And since I wasn’t able to get right up on the fence for photos, this is about the best I got of HLB’s ride.

Caedmon was proud of his uncle. We went to say bye before we left. (It was really dark in there and the flash wasn’t a lot of help.)

By the time we finished with the rodeo, it was late and we headed home for baths and bed so we could get ready to go to church on Sunday.

Friday’s Long Overdue Meeting

Last Friday morning, NLB and Honor finally met. And it was kinda interesting.

Honor was playing in the exersaucer that Curly had so kindly left at Mom’s for us to use. NLB came into the living room and bent down to talk to Honor. She’d been watching us in the kitchen, and I think he may have startled her a little. She wasn’t sure what to think of him. So she made a face. And he made one back.

And then she did this:

But he made some fart noises and duck sounds and totally redeemed himself. She loves him, of course, and spent lots of time during the rest of our trip smiling and flirting with him.

NLB also came bearing gifts for Caedmon – Hot Wheels.

Friday morning, we went to playgroup at Sara’s to see our friends. It was crazy, but a load of fun and it was so good to see everyone.

Caedmon was so excited to see his buddy Jack.

And Honor enjoyed visiting too.

Friday afternoon, HLB dropped by for a little while. Honor loves him, too.

Friday evening, NLB built a fire. The rest of us ate Mom’s lasagna while Caedmon roasted a hot dog.

The horses watched.

The neighbors came to play too.

And we made s’mores.

I think Caedmon enjoyed his.

Friday was busy. But we were just getting started.