CAMP NEENA DAY ONE

WE are happy to let everyone know that Camp Neena is in SESSION. I picked up my THREE special campers last night. I was so excited to pick them up. You are wondering why I said three? Because, Tucker is here too! I met their Mom and Dad halfway last night and we loaded up all the necessities and headed off to the 'ville which is Camp Headquarters. We spent the night last night at Nana and Poppi's just to make it special. I wish I had a picture of our sleeping "pile". We pulled out the sofa bed. I slept in the middle and we all fell asleep laughing about Macy getting school shoes at the Dollar Store. No offense intended if you get your shoes at the Dollar Store but she wants some Shox. Which are pretty cool shoes, I hear. We were all snuggled together. After they fell asleep I just stared off in the dark and thought "It doesn't get any better than this!" Well, maybe if Avery and Jaxon could have been in our "pile" it would have been super better.
Today at lunch we had BBQ from Z's. The best place ever. Macy set the table and this sign adorned the middle.

After lunch.......you guessed it. We jumped in the pool and stayed in all afternoon. Until our toes and hands were all wrinkled and pruney.


Then look here! It's Rooster! He showed us all how he could dive and scuba. We floated awhile until the diving ( off the step ) exhibition started.

As you can see Tucker wasn't very happy he couldn't get in the pool too. Diving Olympics look out!

WHAT TO DO .......WHAT TO DO........ WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I am still contemplating this "closing" my blog to private and deciding if it really is a security concern. I really, really have been thinking about it alot. Of course, I want to do what is safe and right for my own family and their privacy first and foremost. But, let's face it. I don't have alot to say usually. We are not high profile people ...... we are just your average "run of mill", normal- middle class, hardworking, lots of loving families. I respect people's privacy as much as the next guy. And I know that all of you who have expressed a desire to read my blog choose to do so either because you are bored out of your mind or because you see a likeness in our faith, our lifestyles, maybe our hurts and our happy times. I like the idea that you realize that I do have unusually beautiful babies in my family! Perhaps in the world and you don't hold that against me. LOL. Truly. I don't mind that at all. I like making new friends on here and I like when we can comment back and forth. I have made some really sweet and REAL friends. Friends that think like I do. They were raised similiar to me. Someone I would call to come over for dinner if I knew the number. Like Deena, "Pretty in Pink". If could I would go visit her in a heartbeat. And Snapshot. I want her to come to my house for a week and give me a Cooking Course for my HEART condition so that I can learn to eat healthy and cook healthy. I don't want to read it out of a cookbook. I want her to come here and show me! If Ree called me from Pioneer Woman to be a judge in the upcoming Cowboy Bachelor, I'd be there too. I've read stories of families who have buckled under tragedies and the blogworld hammered the gates of Heaven with prayers for strangers we didn't even know. Families who have lost loved ones to to the sting of death. Young mothers, fathers, and children. Accidents, illnesses, and other tragedies. We pray together on line for total strangers and then we read their blogs daily to see of changes and updates. Then we stay in contact and prayers continue. I have read many stories of mothers, much like my own daughter, who had to deal with infertility issues and eventually bury baby sons and others daughters. We prayed for them like they offered prayers up for us. When I write about a need, be it serious or light, I am convinced that my blogfriends know what to do. I don't know their phone numbers. Their cell numbers or their addresses. But, I know I can contact them through here and have and answer from someone in lightning speed. I like the idea that when I have a need and I write it out of a genuine heart that you will know about it and respond to me. I love the comments. I wish all lurkers made comments. To me it is like making new friends everyday. I like knowing that you know enough about to realize when I ask for a prayer or have a need that you care...... And trust me. I will have a need. The other fact that worries me about closing this and making it "invite only "is, I'll lose some of the people that may have never commented but for some reason they found a moment of time to relate to something I said or felt. So, with that being said. I will use discretion and study the matter for awhile before making a final decision to close it. If my family wants me to leave their personal photos off, then I will respect that and leave them off. Give me some time to make this decision. You know how I am when backed up against a wall. I realize I can't please everyone so I just stay on the wall. I want to do what's best and right for all.

I have decided to take my blog to a "invite only" status. Obviously not for the hundreds of readers I have but for overly cautious and psychotic reasons of privacy for my babies and family. And because Ashley suggested it. The reasons are really pretty clear cut. If you blog, go on to the google bar and put in your blogs name. Then hit the "images" and watch all the pictures of your life pull up. It's kind of like googling the map to your house. Creepy. So, just leave a comment if you want me to include you in my list of readers. I've lost contact with some of my friends who have done this and I don't want to lose you if you like to see my blog.

AVERY NAOMI

JAXON BLAIR

MY OWN BEAUTIFUL BIRTHDAY BABIES ~ A YEAR in CONTRAST

But these weren't the only family babies this year! We proudly present the rest of the FABULOUS FIVE.

l to r:

Brooks Reese Sam

This is how I plan to spend Monday. Notice the smile she has? I may not have that. Notice the eagerness with which she appears to start her projects? I may not have that either. Any suggestions?

These last few weeks have had enough packed in to be the whole summer. Everyone within my "earshot" is wondering when it will slow down. Summer is here there is no doubt. Triple digits. No rain in the forecast. Everyone looking for a corner in the shade or under AC vent! Or in my case, my lounge float in the pool. Which I have missed this week because of VBS. By the time I got home from the church building it just seemed like too much effort to change gears to my usual "lazy bum" status. Here are some of the "happ'nings" of the past few weeks. Abbreviated, I might add.

I have had a house guest for the past week. She is 13 yrs old and the whole story is rather sad. So, in order to spare you all the details let me just say that for some reason I am certain that God placed her in my life for a short period of time this summer. Both to teach me something and her also. It has been pretty amazing and instinctively I am still capable of living in the house with a teenager! It has been a V.E.R.Y. emotional week for me because of her. It is hard to explain and I am not sure anyone would understand it if I tried. Let me just say that if I was 20 years younger ( and healthier ) her life and mine would be changing right now. However, I know my limits and I know my heart ( not the one beating inside but the emotional one ). Maybe I'll talk more about it later but right now just let me say, PLEASE pray for her as I return her home (?). I have no idea why I am putting parenthesis's on everything here.

And in the midst of all the other DEEP emotions of the week, one of our dear church friends passed away at 52 years old. He had a massive heart attack in his sleep. He had not been feeling well during the day. Obviously. We have known him and his family since youth. We also have lots and lots of memories of life with him. He was a GREAT guy and Christian. So, there is our comfort. B, T & I sang at his funeral yesterday and it was packed with friends and family. He was a quiet and unassuming guy. He saw good in everyone! He didn't hold grudges and always had that little boy smile that made him so sweet. He loved to study the Bible and I could remember all the many times I have sat in a Bible class with him and he would comment on something and I was like, "Wow, how did he know that?" He was an outdoor guy, sportsman, hunter and he was still a conductor for the railroad. He could see retirement coming and was really looking forward to it. They had his worn Bible and his pocket knife in his hand. Both of those things were part of him! Life wasn't always fair for him. He had lived through some parts of life he wouldn't want to repeat. But, he was a good man. From a good family that loved him alot! Our new minister likened his death to a fishing boat that starts drifting away from the shoreline. We keep watching him drift out and pretty soon we can't see him from our side of the shore. But, on the otherside of the horizon a different group of friends and loved ones watch his boat sail in to their harbor, out of our sight. His Heavenly friends. Isn't that cool? I'll always have good memories of him in my life.

Tucker is doing great! He is looking forward to seeing Reid and Macy this week. We are working on housebreaking and he is doing amazing. It is just like having a toddler in the house. He plays so hard in the morning and then he has to have a nap. Sorry, Heather but he likes to be rocked. Last night he stayed up with me rather late. I took him out one last time before I went to bed and he did all his "potty" business while I praised him and clapped. Then he runs to the door. I picked him up and he just snuggled down on my shoulder and I put him on his blankie in the bathroom and he was out for the night! I had been calling him cry baby but he is so much better about that. No more. He is content with me spoiling him. I think you can forget the crate stuff. He likes the AC. We went to the $$$ store to get a couple more toys and he is loving that. And eat? OMG. That little bag of food you bought? You better find a Pet**co somewhere close with coupons.

I have been on a movie kick this week. So far I have watched.......The Other Boleyn......... 27 Dresses......Sweet Home Alabama ( again ).........several LIFETIME movies........RUDY ( again )....... While You Were Sleeping ( again ).........and a couple of others.

JD will be proud of me. I am reading Twili*ght. And it started as good as she promised. I am enthralled so far and am looking forward to the next pages......and two books in the series. I love the writing style of the author, Steph*anie Me*yer.

So. My next adventure will be Princess J's birthday next weekend. Can't wait to be with them and watch her blow out her 1 candle. Then? Maybe the official Session One of Camp Neena can START.

Just so you know. The * in the paragraph above break up the title and the author or any other universal term that might provide a link. Then when people are googling stuff on the net for info my blog doesn't pop up for all the world to see. I didn't like that at all. That is also why I don't use titles anymore. It's just personal. And I am paranoid like that sometimes. I think I watch too many LIFETIME movies!

CHANGE OF PLANS

As with any major undertaking, such as Camp Neena, one must be flexible. Our camp schedule had a slight calendar change but I think that within the next few weeks we should be back on schedule.

Macy did not get to come to Camp Neena yet. We had to rearrange the schedule slightly but Camp Neena is still open for business. I have been able to see all my precious babies in the last few weeks as they came through here on their way to various summer activities.

However, I do have one camper. He is a whiny little booger though. And, he is a messy eater. He also follows me every step I take and gets all tangled up in my feet. He is a snuggler though and I like that! Tonight is his first night without his mommy and brothers and sisters. It's going to be a long one.

Introducing my newest granddog, Tucker. I am not sure of his middle name yet. He belongs to Reid and Macy and he is staying with me until next Tuesday when they return from vacation. He is 6 weeks old today. Do you see those BIG paws? He is going to be a BIG boy.

He has already grown so much since they saw him a week ago! He misses them ~

Vacation Bible School has been in full swing too so I have had a busy busy week. I have been going in everyday. Aren't you proud of me Connie? I even have helped where needed without, well you know Connie.

This is the VBS Rainforest. Monkeys and jungle animals are hanging from branches all over the church building. Our van pulls up every morning loaded up with excited kids. Wish you could see all the rooms and hear all the little singers!

June is over for all account. Now JULY is on the way. My little Jaxon will be joining our family full of one year olds. Doesn't time fly when you are having fun? Even when you are not.