Summer Take 3 (It's a long one)

So far we have had a pretty calm summer. And by that I mean somewhat boring. IT IS JUST SO DANG HOT IN MEMPHIS.

The ice cream truck FINALLY came down our street. We hear it all the time but it never comes..kind of annoying. Jacob selected an "Extra Sour Tear Jerker" Popsicle. 

Found this on my garage floor one day after Morgan had left...

 As always Jacob loves a good bargain. We found this at Goodwill while shopping with Grammy and he loves it. I walked into the living room that night and he was wearing it, watching tv. It was a 100 degrees outside. But it is a pretty awesome coat: Old Navy, all snug and soft inside. AND only $2.99. Shut up.

We went to the fireworks at the park down the street from our house and some friends joined us. Their 3 year old little girl is teeny tiny (we call her little bit). Jon had packed this two wheeler with our cooler, chairs, and blankets so naturally she assumed it was meant for her to ride on on the way home :) It's blurry because we were walking.

 When Jacob switched from wanting to play affordable-includes-everything-but-the-shoes soccer to expensive-only-includes-the-jersey football, we went to Dick's to price stuff. Where upon I realized that all the stuff one needs to play 7 year old football is not much cheaper than what one needs to play high school football. So initially I actually told him no, he couldn't play.  Not to sound like a miser but I mean, really? Come on.  Two weeks into it I could be bribing the boy to go to practice. I don't want to sink that much money into anything unless it's almost a guarantee "like." But then a friend of a friend had his son's old equipment and gave it all to us for $20. So, ok, I changed my mind... The drawback to this whole thing though was that it made Morgan want to cheer for football.  And for some reason to join cheer during football season is twice as much as it is for basketball season. So Michael is less than thrilled...Football. What a racket.

Movies with friends. BECAUSE IT IS AIR CONDITIONED.

 We love the Diary movies

At some point one day Jacob actually expressed interest in golf. Why, oh why couldn't he have done this in, say, April or October?? So away to the putting range (is that what it's called?) we went...He actually did really well.

We are all over us some Goodwill this summer. Mom found these Razor Scooters for $3.99. They are normally $40! Craziness. Anyway, we went to our church parking lot and rode them.

We took Dad to the Rendevous for his annual Father's Day dinner.  This is what Jacob and Morgan were up to in the back seat. GET YOUR CHILD A USED IPOD. GOLD.

 Love these glimpses into their sense of humor.

 CRAZY LOVE this one.

 These were the only 2 who would let me take their picture. Party poopers.

Give a boy a blanket that is unraveling...and he will make a tripwire out of it.

What seems to be becoming our annual trip to Mud Island. But this time, I was prepared.  Swimsuits, extra clothes, water bottles and snacks!

Jacob kept freaking out, "Diamonds!"

Anytime we go anywhere where there are paddle boats they want to do them. But since that is usually in a big lake type setting I never let them because if we get miles away and then get tired of peddling, it is going to be hell for me.  But at Mud Island, the area is closed in, AND the swans only allow 2 people, which meant I couldn't go if they really wanted to get a swan rather than the plain one...darn...

 Another group of kids. They played bumper boats and were having so much fun. UNTIL the other kids' mom made them stop. Please. First of all, when the boats bumped, they barely swayed. Second, the kids are deep inside the boat, not, like, on top of it like a canoe or something. Third, if for some odd reason they did fall out, the water was only 3 feet deep. I know I can't be the only person who just wants their kids to be entertained and leave me alone for a few minutes, am I???

They were really nervous when they first got in the boat. They kept looking at me like, "Are you really not coming?" But as you can see, their confidence grew quickly.

Hard to see but in between them is a scale model of a dam. I told them to pretend to step on it like Godzilla. Then they said, "like what?" and I felt old. 

 On the monorail going across. The only part that costs money ($4) but totally worth it.

 Order placement runs in the family. I love the pyramid and the monorail in the background.  I think Mud Island should make this their new advertisement poster...

So pumped up about getting a new book from the library he had to start in the car. LOVE

Doesn't everyone sit in recliners like this??

 Playing legos with a friend in this one and video games in the last.

It's Just a Pair of Cleats...Or is It? And Other Abnormalities

This is for you Melissa and Nicole...

Six months ago I gave Jacob an ultimatum that forced him to pick an extracurricular activity to participate in. Two months ago he voluntarily announced he wanted to play soccer this upcoming fall.  Three weeks ago he changed his mind and begged to play football. Now, don't get me wrong, I am THRILLED that he is so eager to try new things and join a team. However, I have to admit I am nervous about football. The normal parent would be too...about him getting hurt, about the cost. But not me. I have Garzoli blood. I am not normal.  I am worried that if he continues to play football through highschool, he will be in that "popular" crowd that gets invited to the crazy parties with drugs, alcohol, and sex.  Soccer and track seem so much safer. And again, by safer I don't mean the normal person's definition.  I mean, those kids were never at the top of the "popularity" chain, but they still had plenty of friends.  Again, the normal person would recognize that her child is only 8, and that high school is about 7 years away, and that there are more pressing matters to think about, like whether or not the boy will ever learn to put the toilet seat up when he pees*.  Jon and I were talking the other day about different things that different people obsess over.  For example, he obsesses over financial matters and taking care of his family. He asked me, "What do you obsess over?" At first I wanted to laugh in disbelief and ask if he had just met me.  But then, I thought, I must really hide it** well, maybe too well. So I decided that I needed to record that I, too, am just as much of a worrywart as my dear cousins :)

*You see, even this is not normal. I always hear other women complaining about the males in their lives not putting the toilet seat DOWN after they pee. Me, I complain about it not going UP before...

**"it" being everything involving motherhood and Jacob="Am I too strict? Am I strict enough? Was I too hard on him? Am I being too easy?  Will he still want to talk to me when he is an adult? Will his future wife like me?" yada yada yada

Morgan's Track Banquet

I think Jacob summed it up well: "My banquet stunk."  (Although, at the time, he thought it was great...)

As you can see, Morgan's banquet had a water slide.  Also, not pictured, it had a bounce house. It was quite hilarious seeing kids accept their trophies and awards while wearing swimsuits. Also, their banquet was completely free, while ours was $15 per person (athlete was free, woo hoo). Yes, Jon and I paid $30 to eat tacos that were not any better than the ones from Taco Bell. Oh, you are thinking, it must have cost Michael more for Morgan to run in the Arlington league. You would be incorrect. We paid the same amount... oh well. I guess the people in Collierville can't get rich by having free banquets now can they???

She got her medal at the championship (they gave them out as they were ready and the race Jacob ran that he won a medal for was the last race of the meet.  We could have waited for it but...)  

Morgan won a silver :)

Summer, Take 2

For Father's Day for Jon we decided to go to a Redbirds baseball game.  It was going to be perfect: no rain in the forecast, good temps, and fireworks after. Nevermind that I had a wedding to go to in Bartlett at 2:00, then after it I had to pick up Abby, her friend, and Morgan, all in 3 different locations. Then get us all back home in Collierville so Jacob and I could change clothes, pick up Jon, pick up pizza, meet at Hallie's boyfriend's house, and eat the pizza (so we wouldn't have to spend a fortune at the stadium) all in time to hopefully get there when the game started at 6:05 because that is what Jon wanted. Well, we almost made it on time, we got to the game at 6:40.  But that was ok, we didn't miss much right? As we were walking to our section, Morgan needed to go to the restroom. I told everyone to go ahead to the seats and we would find them.  After she finished and I was looking for our section, Morgan says to me, "Aunt Shae, I don't know much about baseball, but aren't they supposed to by playing someone?" "Yes, Morgan, of course they are..." and I look over at the field for the first time to see NO ONE ON IT.  We get to our seats and find out that there has been a delay called because it rained earlier (at 10:30 that morning for about 10 minutes) and they need to work on the field. What? Ok fine, it is supposed to start at 7:05 now. Fine. 7:05 comes and goes. NO PLAYERS. Finally another announcement is made: 8:05.  Ugh. We have another hour. So I take the 2 seven year olds to the children's area.  Granted, it is really great that they have this area: it has games, a bouncy thing, batting cages, etc. BUT IT ALL COSTS MONEY. So much for not spending a fortune.  As I stand in line to buy tickets for all this fun, it dawns on me that this could be the perfect scheme: a game with fireworks scheduled, on the weekend, so there is bound to be a ton of kids at the game...so why not delay that game so parents feel the need to spend more money...hmmm.  Well, we make it to 8:05. NO PLAYERS.  Finally, one more announcement: the game will start at 8:35.  THAT IS 2 AND 1/2 HOURS LATE. What the heck. By that point though, Morgan had run into a friend from school, and we had run into Jacob's cousin, Reed. So the kids were actually having fun. So we decide to stay.  By the time we got home that night it was 1:00 a.m. But Jon says that was his best Father's Day ever so I guess it was all worth it!

Morgan going down the slide that cost 1 ticket...

Jacob trying to knock down the bottles, 2 tickets...

 

This was actually free...

Abby and her friend Marie.

 Hallie and Josh.

 Jacob and Morgan, lookin good...

 The players are warming up!!

 8:05, when the players first walked out to start warming up...

 

 Happy Father's Day!

 We found cousin Reed, and he was way cooler to sit with than we were, plus he wasn't sitting too far away either...

 Also, it turns out that Reed is a strong believer in doing whatever you have to do to get on the big screen, even if that means shaking your bootie for the camera.  You can't see Jacob too well, but he is in between Reed and Morgan, bootie facing the field, shaking it...

Alas, after a while even Reed gets boring, so we moved over to the "splash pad" to get soaking wet...notice the grassy area in the background.  Earlier, that whole area was swarming with kids hoping to see fireworks...but it looks like some parents aren't as tough crazy as we are...

And finally the fireworks.  All I have to say is the Redbirds corporation better be glad these were good...I was already writing the letter in my head.

 The sight in the back seat on the way home. Guess Jacob didn't want to get cooties...