YMCA Campers!

The boys had their first ever summer 'camp' this week.  They went to the YMCA 'First Camp.'  It was from 9-1 filled with pool time, games, crafts and lunch.  The camp was for ages 3-5 so I wasn't sure if Jackson would be bored or if Nash would want to stay home.  I am happy to report no tears were shed and everyone was all smiles when I picked them up.  Good thing, because I signed them up for 2 more weeks!

SMILE! Or show your muscles whatever you prefer.

Sooo hungry after camp.  Snacks with mom.  Teaching them the art of the Oreo dunk.  Someone has to do it.

BFF

Theo's big brothers have had camp every morning this week.  I was excited to have mornings with just 1 guy and made a big list of different things to get done.  That is what I do.  I make list and look at them and get all hot and bothered when absolutely nothing gets done.  I am not sure what I was thinking.  One year olds don't play by themselves and they can't watch a show or color or ride a scooter.  I had a reality check on just how much I relied on Jackson (& Nash…) to help out with Theo.  This one year old is a crazy mess.  After Monday morning, I embraced the fact that I wasn't going to get much done and did some playing.  We have dug in the dirt, thrown everything in the pond, taken morning baths, had lots of snacks and tons of slobbery snotty kisses.  Theo has started to form his own little flirty personality.  He loves for someone to 'chase' him and play peek-a-boo.  He loves to throw a ball or any other toys.  :)  He loves to be outside and wave to trucks and cars.  And he really loves for his MAAMM to hold him.  My right bicep is a beast. When he is tired he nestles right against my shoulder and rubs my hair.  Sometimes he will even take a nice little nap before we pick up his brothers.  For right now we are best friends forever and it is pretty awesome.

A hunk of burning love - and his stink face.  

Beach Bums

Last week we headed down to Atlantic Beach for some fun in the sun with the Farris family.  Cousins make the best of friends! We had an awesome time and have been catching up on sleep ever since we got home! Our days usually went something like this - 

                                     

Morning Beach Time!

. 

Morning Chill Time!

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Popsicle Time!

Pool Porch Time!

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More chill time for the ultimate chiller!

Afternoon Beach Time!

Muah!

Afternoon chill time.

Afternoon pool time.  

Baby loving time. 

Dinner!

And…post shower naked sword fight.  

Then we sleep, but not for long...

Cousins Beach Trip - 2015 

Nana

The sweetest soul I have ever know went to heaven last week.  Julia Josephine Jackson Frederick, my Nana, went to be with her Lord.  She lived 85 glorious years.  Lucky for me I got to spend 32 of those years with her.  My best childhood memories usually involved Nana.  Every summer I would go and spend a few nights at she and Papa's house.  We never did anything extravagant.  We went to the 'curb market,' church, beauty parlor, Frederick's music store and if all went well, The Dollar Store.  I got to pick out anything I wanted.  :)  In the afternoon she let me help cook dinner, usually my choice, spaghetti, for everyone.  Someone was always coming over to eat.  For dessert we made fudge and I got to eat as much as I wanted.  At night she painted my nails and did my make-up and put my hair up in pink foam rollers.  I would stay up late and make lists on a note pad of what we needed to do the next day.  We always did some sort of craft - make a pillow, paint something, sew up a doll.  She was your story book grandmother.  As I grew older she would call and check in every few weeks.  Always asking about Charlie, Jackson, Nash and Theo.  She loved and cared for so many in her life.  May I grow to be more like my Nana.  Proverbs 31:10-31

Nana, my mom and sisters.  

Jo Jackson' s Senior picture.  They same year she caught my Papa's eye.  High School sweethearts and married for 65 years.

I just love everything about this picture.  Papa had just returned from a trip on a singing tour in Japan.  My great-grandparents and Nana greeting him at the airport.  

Father's Day

Happiest of Father's Day to my best friend, handsome husband, and best dad ever.  I really hit the jack pot with you.  So thankful that we both learned from the best.  Happy Father's Day to all of you wonderful dads out there.  Thanks for making this world a better place.  And please, if you have kids, watch this clip, People with no kids don't know.

THE BEACH!  We were all looking! ;)

loves

“... and she loved a boy very, very much-- even more than she loved herself.” 

― Shel Silverstein

After a really tiring , frustratingly beautiful day - popsicles on the porch with my loves always helps.

BULLS!

I took the older two boys to a day game this week.  I love that the Durham Bulls stadium is all of 15 minutes from our house.  Although once we load up, park, unload and walk to the game it takes about an hour and 15 minutes.  Wish I was kidding.  If we aren't doing some sort of race or playing some kind of game these guys are sooo sloowww.  I try to enjoy the moment, but I just can't do it when we are missing something.  We had a great time cheering on the Bulls, asking tons of questions, and eating hotdogs and pizza.  Theo got to hang with a baby-sitter, maybe next year or the next.  

Prime time seats for grubbing and game watching.

Jackson used his birthday money from Great-Grandma Chally and Aunt Sarah to buy a baseball stadium lego set, just what we needed!

reunion-ing

 Who loves a good reunion?  This guy…

 

Parker's chicken leg, yes please.

Ice cream pie, you know it

Grandmama & Granddaddy's babies and babies and more babies at the 2015 Baltzegar (grandmamas mom was a Baltzegar) family reunion. 

The cart

The Harris Teeter near our house has ONE 'car cart.'  If this cart is not available then two out of three of these boys have to WALK through the grocery store or we wait for the person to walk out with the car cart and straight up stalk them.  Option B usually works out better.  The only problem is we only have enough room to fit some bananas between Jackson's legs before he has to walk.  And then you know who wants to walk.  And then you know who else wants to walk too.  This can't happen.  I do some serious bribing.  Last week they picked Diet Mountain Dew as their 'treat' for being such good helpers.  DMD, just what we need…

Before!  All three, all smiles.

After! Nash doing a we get Mountain Dew dance.  Jackson giving me the we don't have much time until Theo starts screaming look.

Fowler Family Fun

The Fowler's spent a couple of nights at our house this week.  Five 'strong willed' children under 5 was not as rough as I thought it would be.  :)  I love showing them around our town, and doing all of the local things that I often forget about.  We had a great time and are ready for them to move on over to the East Coast.

We took everyone to the pool one morning.  I wouldn't say it was relaxing but everyone had a good time!  Sweet big cousin Jackson watching Nate for us.

These two.

They see me strollin', they hatin'

'Hey BAKAH! I'm charryyy.'

Some serious chill time. 

Rainy picnic evening at Maple View Farms. 

A morning at Kidzu Museum. 

Cooking out with our favorite crazy giirrllllssss

Morning game time with Uncle Charlie.

Lunch at the one, the only, Jersey Mike's!  Photo bomber Jackson, Butler fan for life.  I'll give you one guess on why he loves BUTler.  

Cheering on the Indians! Go JACKSSYYY!

Sooo everything is really good, but the chips are amazing at Nana Taco.

Wedding Love

I love a wedding.  Especially a family one.  Especially one where my sweet children get to stay home with a baby-sitter.  My cousin Betsy got married this weekend and my sister was a bridesmaid, meaning the Fowler family is in town for a few days!  Party time.

Hannah wanted to hang out with her mommy at the 'ball' all day long.  Finally saw her and I got this.

My Papa and The Frederick Brothers.  Singing in perfect harmony at yet another wedding.  They sang at each others weddings, my parents wedding, and my wedding.  They are the best.

Girls!

I am not sure what is going on here or why my handsome husband looks strikingly similar to Pee-Wee Herman.

Momma got her groove on.  And payed for it the next day.