Beautiful things... and hard questions

I picked Tristan up at camp the other day... and he gave me this awesome sun catcher.

I don't know where, but for whatever reason, this thing was REALLY special to me.  I guess, I love it because it reflects light and it's pretty but... I love it because Tristan made it. And, he made it for ME.

While driving home.. he asked "Is today our special day for Daddy!?" and I immediately knew - he was asking if it was Father's Day.  I explained that it wasn't but this coming weekend it would be.  We would do whatever Daddy wanted to do, and we would be extra sweet to him and try and do nice things without him even asking.

Then it came.  "Mommy, where is your Daddy?"  *UGH*
I replied: "Tristan, you know my Daddy, he's your Grandpa."
Then... double Ugh... "Oh that's right, you don't talk, I guess he doesn't like you"

*heart shatters*

I proceeded to take the next 10 minutes to tell him my Dad DOES love me, we just have a hard time talking. Family stuff is HARD. It just is.  We can fake that it's not, but in general, it just is.  So instead of crying (I was close) I chose to tell him all the great things about his Grandpa.

• Grandpa has been to every single game I had ever played in.  Even the ones in the snow and rain.
• Grandpa is very silly and loves to play games - he even played a scary game and I would hide. He would find me and would tickle me when he found me.  I loved it.
• Grandpa loved to take me hiking and out into nature
• Grandpa played soccer with me and encouraged me CONSTANTLY
• Grandpa caught a million softballs that I tried to pitch to him
• Grandpa bought me a ton of gerbils, hamsters and a bunch of cats
• Grandpa and I used to catch "our snake" almost every weekend and he always came to find me when he almost mowed a frog
• Grandpa will forever regret telling me to "paddle out to the lighthouse"... Joanne and I did it (very late and scared Grandpa badly)
• Grandpa taught me about planes and coins and guns
• Grandpa gave me a love for working out, and martial arts
• Grandpa made a thousand cardboard houses and stores and drank warm root beer with Twizzlers with me
• And... we pulled into the house... so I had to stop ... quite frankly he was just done listening, I mean, he's 5!

And lastly I unbuckled him and said...

• Just like when you make me things (like my sun catcher) - I treasure them... just as he always did MY stuff.

He said, "I have a great Grandpa!"

I said "You do, and he loves you"  

Hard............. but still good.  Memories are good.

ESD - Camp Create!

I totally forgot to post about Camp Create!  Tristan's first camp this year was awesome!  In ONE WEEK... they had the kids create the set,

sing and dance and man, they did a great job!!

Watch him in action here

So glad we chose these camps!!

Pre-school Graduation card

Who knew a card existed for that!?

Aunt Jeanne did!!

This won't make it in the mail... but he chose one of his artwork pieces to send a thank you.  I'll bring it home to you.  :)

and the priceless video...

He's nuts

Hate sharks... not funny

Cute... just not funny :) 

Being sick can't stop me (well it can, but I can still have fun!)

T was sick last week and (of course) - I caught it. Holt was traveling for a week so (of course) I was run down and exhausted... then T got sick and (of course) I had to kiss it all away (apparently, I stole it).

Poor little dude had to run errands with me and tolerate my to-do list so I try and treat him.

First we had T-Ball

Cutie Cohen

Little baseballs I gave to each of the boys

and then grocery shopping - first stop a ride!!

then I had to make 50 graduation candy caps for Lauren and Mackenzie's graduation party

(that I was too sick to attend)

Yes.... I washed my hands at least 50 times

Sunday morning I tried to get up and go to church.... yeah, that didn't happen.  BUT we bought food for "Stuff The Truck" battling hunger in DFW and packed our bags to drop off during the day.

I drove the candy caps to Lewisville, then Lindsay called and SAVED THE DAY.  T could come for a play date and I COULD SLEEP!

I dropped him off, sped home and pass out for an hour and a half  Best.Sleep.EVER!

Picked T up and Cohen made me a Get Well card!!!

Love that kid!

Then I mustered up enough energy to take Tristan miniature golfing.  Poor thing just sat around bored all weekend and let me rest.  So, off we went.

a little ski ball

(this place is from like 1970 - and it's SO bad.. it's horribly awesome!)

and he won the weirdest prizes..

a rubber nose and a rubber ear - ODD

Thankfully he survived and so far, so have I!

Popsicle Party at T-Ball

My T-ball boys have worked SO hard and when they reached 100 points, they knew they'd get this:

 

A POPSICLE PARTY!

Sad that 5 of my kiddos had to miss... but it sure was fun!

Then our very last drill at practice was base running (to Simon Says)

They ALL lost in the last round and I was teasing them...

then 

THIS

HAPPENED

Pure awesomeness!

I love these boys!!!

Fun time at the Dallas Zoo with the Mays

Little cuties!

T's favorite animal... the Cheetah!

and the beauty of the Bald Eagle.  Wow!

Elephant tamers

T fed a giraffe!!

Best buds hanging with the goat (that ate my shorts and made me think of the time with my Aunt Trisha loooong ago when that happened!)

Sweet (and fearless) Taylor

Way up hiiiiigh (Cully's not so sure about this)

Great day at the zoo with T's best bud and one of mine to boot!!!

T man gets a new bike from Bebah and Grandpa

Someone is verrrrry happy!!

When the training wheels come off, he gets whatever toy he wants! 

YAHOOO

Memorial Day 2014

 A little of our craziness

We lit up the drinks for Kimmie's birthday!

Heard about some fun on the other cove... so off we went!

Bebah paid for A LOT of fun!!

My boy flew like Peter Pan!!

Ding and dong waited...

and when we got back - Grandpa was silly!!

All in all we had a ton of smiles

and I headed home early to have some "me" time and get my stuff done!

Then... the best surprise EVER...

They brought me home my own "Beyonce" but mine is proudly called Kimye

If your clueless... just Google "Knock Knock.... You should learn to pick your 

He will proudly be decorated in my yard for every occasion possible.

YIPPPEEEE for me!! God help my neighbors!

Onto Kindergarten!!

Here is his final note from Mrs. Hull

and his Progress Report

We have some stuff to practice over the summer but....

Way to go little man!!