Have you ever gotten caught talking to yourself while shopping solo in Wal-Mart?  I am ashamed to say that I have....more than once.  More than twice actually.  Please tell me that someone else does this too??

dudes....can you believe this?!?

haha, had to add this one!  this is what he gave me when i asked him for a normal smile....what does that say about us?

i have the oddest desire to start singing Boyz II Men....

I'm not really sure what that title means, actually.  I just have one of their songs in my head as I'm pondering Blaine going to school.  I should be singing I Am a Child of God or something similar.... and I'm starting to feel like a bad person soooooo....moving on.

We've finally gotten all of his school supplies (does anyone else find this a daunting task?).  New school clothes (most of them aren't really new, but they're new to us....and someone obviously takes better care of their clothes than we do, thank you nameless benefactor).  All of his paperwork is completed....he's psyched and I'm happy and sad at the same time.  Which sounds a little manic, but I think it makes sense.  We're excited for this new phase, but sad that our times together at home are gone.  We'll have weekends, holidays and summers of course.  It's not quite the same, though, is it?  Someone else is going to be nurturing my son people.  MY son.  Wow, if I didn't sound manic before...I sure do now.  Anywho....he'll be surrounded by other kids, caring teachers....so I'm not too worried.  But I did cry myself to sleep last night.  I'm starting to think I should be medicated.

oregon.....

mini donkeys (like on Shrek!!!)

blaine was bound and determined to bring these bones back to florida with us.  since we couldn't take them home-home....we at least brought them down from the mountain.  "let's look for more bones mom!".......ew.

how great is my dad, seriously?  he made this porch swing for blaine....it was awesome! 

speaking of awesome.....my friend andrea is like the coolest chick ever!  she let us come over to ride her horses.  she had absolute faith that blaine could ride all by himself (he knew he could do it too)....it was me that had a problem lol.  but he showed no fear whatsoever....it was a really special time!

speaking of special (you see what i did there?)  fishing at twin lakes has to be one of the most peaceful, beautiful things to do.  there was a breeze and we (dad really) caught some fish....which they got to fry up and eat the next day!  my mom packed us a delicious picnic lunch....with homegrown cucumbers and pb and j's with her homemade grape jelly......yummy!!!!

this was after our little fishing trip.  i'm not quite sure how he stayed asleep coming down those dirt, gravel roads.  it sure was bumpy, but the ride is fun listening to the oldies station and chomping down on swedish fish :).

this is why i designated  these clothes"dirty clothes".  when blaine put on his "dirty clothes" he could play in this dirt garden, hehe.  oma gaye gave him a little shovel and a bucket for him to go super crazy with.  wait to go oma!!

Wow, okay so....we just got back from Oregon yesterday (technically this morning?) and we're already missing it!  We had what those movies call a "fun filled family adventure", haha.  Blaine's a little older this time and we could do a lot of things that we weren't able to do last year.  He went fishing, horseback riding, mountain climbing, porch swinging, rock skipping, park playing and had a play-date with some friends of mine.  And he could never get enough.....just wanted to keep on, keep on!

I got to have lunch with two of my oldest and dearest friends.  I was able to participate in my mom's fundraiser (PeeF....which helps to raise money for their local school's music and art programs).  Their auction went off well, good show of people....the food was yum and the music was great!  I got to horseback ride for the first time in over a decade.  I got to go fishing....which I love!  We went wood cutting (wow....I'm out of shape...but it was fun)....I got to do some welding with my dad which I've been dying to do for a long time.  My mom and I got to spend lovely time together....she's so fun and we can be silly girls!  I know we did more than that....but I can't remember them all right now.  Suffice it to say, we had a blast!  Can't wait for next year...this time, 3 weeks!