Five on Friday

1. Our new staff guy has been at church now for several weeks. He and Fred really enjoy working together. What an answer to prayer!
2. The boys and I went to stay with my grandmother one night this week. I have been blessed with grandparents whom I would call friends. My grandmother has dementia and will be moving into an assisted living facility some time in August. Knowing this would be my last chance to stay with her at her house I headed to Franklin. As I left she did her usual stand-in-the-drive-way,-wave-and-blow-kisses. I blew kisses back. Thankfully, I had on sunglasses because they hid the tears that were streaming down my face. She would have worried if she'd seen me crying. I cried to the river (half-way home). The realization of not ever being able to go back "home" hit hard. Growing up some times is just no fun.(She does NOT like having her picture made!!)

3. Clayton has been in the kids triathlon club here in Paris, Tri-Eiffel-etes, for two years now.  He will compete in his first triathlon tomorrow.  He will swim 100 yards,  bike 3 miles and run 0.5 miles.  Go, Clayton go!!
4. We found out this week that Jack got Clayton's kindergarten teacher. Also, we discovered that the guy pictured below will be in his class. That is Jack's bff. Look our Rhea Elementary and Ms. Linda!!

5. Andrew is really putting together sentences. This week Fred leaned back in the chair to catch a cat nap. Andrew pointed his little chubby finger and said, "Daddy sweepin'. He lay down."

Five on Friday

1. Fred has been getting lots of yummy things out of our garden. This week he was super proud of a really pretty cabbage.
2. I have been looking into making my own laundry detergent and liquid soap. I think I've finally decided to try it. Why? #1 Andrew has really sensitive skin and I think it will be good for him. #2 I am really cheap. I can make laundry detergent for $0.05 a load. Do you know how much laundry we do around here?!?
3. Clayton has spent the week at Mimi and Tee's house in Jackson. He has attended Union's Summer Music Camp. He has had a blast! We get to go to his concert tonight.
4. Jack has really missed Clayton this week, especially at night. They sleep together in a full bed each night. When I say sleep together I mean that they sleep snuggled up in the middle of the full size bed...all night.
5. Fred says Merwin's (my maiden name) are squirrels. We are always working, we never sit down and we love a project. Andrew is a Merwin...even though his last name is Shackelford. Well...I've been purging the house the past few weeks. I've had a pile of stuff in one of the bedrooms. Andrew was quiet for about 15 minutes and Fred got curious. You see, he found a cup and a bowl in the pile of purged items. He proceeded to turn on the water outside, fill the cup and bring it inside to dump in the bowl. There is no telling how many trips he made. We don't really know why he did it, but he was busy and it was a project. He's a squirrel. It makes me smile.

Camp Linden

After the boys returned from Mawmaw and Pawpaw's house we headed to children's camp at Linden Valley Retreat Center (a.k.a Camp Linden).  I grew up going to Camp Linden with a great group of girls.  Oh the memories, but I'll save that for another day...
I left Wednesday with three of our 4th and 5th graders.  Then Fred and the others came Thursday.  The older kids get to do a few extra things like play paint ball, climb a ropes course, serve around camp, etc.  All in all we took 19 kiddos and 6 adults.  We had the best week!  I cannot stress enough about how wonderful our kiddos acted throughout the week.  It really was the best time!

 One of our kids and two kids from FBC Paris preformed a "normal dance" (as per their words) routine for the talent show.  I laughed until my cheeks hurt! 

 One afternoon there was an obstacle course that included a mud pit.  Once the game was over I looked back at the mud pit and almost every one of our kids (minus my children) were in the mud pit--swimming.  Yes, everyone of them!  Too funny!  They literally had to tell the Paris kids it was time to get out of the mud.  Literally.

Here is the talent show for your viewing pleasure...

Untitled from Fred Shackelford on Vimeo.