Braden Gavin, our sweet, A-N-G-E-L, boy

I'm all BOY!

[Lil' digger *Drooling *Wet kisses *Digging in the dirt *Wrestling with Daddy *Giving Mommy hugs * Throwing the ball *Grunts *Bugs his sissy's *Knocks down sister's towers](Photos taken today: June 13, 2008)

• Mommy's handsome, sweet A-N-G-E-L boy.
  
• 10 months old, 27 pounds.
  
• My secret crush.
  
• Smothered with tons of hugs and kisses!
  
• Happy boy!
  
• Adorable smile!
  
• Teething; bottom two teeth are in, top ones are cutting through.
  
• Puts everything in his mouth; even his toes!
  
• Crawls all over the house.
  
• Plays and adores his sisters!
  
• So far, an easy baby to love and care for.
  
• Enjoys self-feeding himself with his Gerber strawberry, apple, and banana melt aways.
  
• Pulls himself up, stands, walks along the furniture, but will not let go.
  
• Wrestles with Daddy.
  
• Chatter box.
  
• Loves to play in the water.
  
• Giggles.

Camping

Lake Francis Campgrounds

Dobbins, CaliforniaFor the past several years, we have made it a point to plan camping trips with our kids. The kids all love being outdoors and exploring nature. We want them to experience and appreciate God's beauty as we did as kids. This year we were fortunate enough to also share neighboring campsites with my brother, Tim, and his beautiful family. (Tim and Lisa, you rock!) We spent three days and two nights sleeping under the stars at Lake Francis in Dobbins, California. Friday (June 6th): The anticipation could be felt before we even left the driveway. In fact, Tiegan and Kennedy were so excited that they could hardly even sleep the night before. The Sienna was packed to the roof with camping gear. Upon arriving at the campgrounds, approximately two hours later, the girls and their cousins, Austin, Caitlyn, and Riley, were immediately on their way exploring for bugs. They collected earwigs, rollie pollies, beetles, grasshoppers, centipedes (which we encouraged to be released right back into nature), etc. That kept them busy until camp was set up and all the tents were pitched. Dinner was B-B-Q. And Tim's campfire was a perfect ending to a busy, fun-filled day. (Kids were happy that they didn't have to take a bath before bed.) Flashlights were a hit and kept them all entertained for hours. Saturday (June 7th): Everyone was up bright and early ready to begin the day. Morning started off with a hot, delicious breakfast; bacon, eggs, potatoes, and sausages. Kids could hardly sit still long enough to eat. They were anticipating going fishing with Byron and Tim. In just a couple of hours, they caught 6 fish altogether. (We catch and release.) Austin, now 11 years old, fished alone while all four of the girls helped with reeling in the fish. Great memories and experience. After lunch, a game of wiffle ball, follow the leader, big bouncy ball, and frisbee was played. We took a long nature walk deep into the back woods along the designated trails. Hours of playing in the dirt and water kept them content. But the highlight of the day was in the evening around the campfire when each of the kids adorned themselves with glow sticks eagerly waiting to roast smores. Yummy! We adults enjoyed our campfire rendezvous after all the kids were snuggled in their sleeping bags. Sunday (June 8th): Camp clean-up... returning home, time to pack up... back to reality. Everything fit in the van originally, why not now? Even though none of the kids wanted to leave the campgrounds, they were equally glad to be home; clean baths, no shoes. They slept so hard in their own beds. For Braden, this camping trip was a first for him... FIRST time sleeping in a tent... FIRST time outside under the stars by a campfire... FIRST time going almost all day without a nap. Braden was a TRUE camper, taking it ALL in. Happy trails until we meet again. We are already planning our next camping trip. Who wants to go?

Goodbye, Old Friend

Byron posting tonight: (On a serious note.)

Well, this is where it all began. Back in the 1980’s, I was a huge Boston Celtic’s fan; watching Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish battle, Magic Johnson, and the Los Angeles Lakers for NBA titles. Bird retired in 1992 and two years later, on Mother’s Day in 1994, I bought my best buddy for $20 outside of a Bel Air grocery store in Roseville. I named my new friend, Celtic, who was a Rottweiler-Bull Mastiff mix.

Celtic had the markings of a Rottweiler, but the size of a Bull Mastiff. As a pup, the energetic, little guy would get into EVERYTHING and was full of destruction. There were a few times, I left Celtic with Mom. He tore up all of her throw pillows that were on her couches and ate all of her candles. Once, he even got into some cough drops that were left out. Ever try to pull dried on cough drops from the carpet? Not easy, and very messy!

Celtic also loved wrestling at a very young age. When he was about three months old, playful "C" plowed into Jordan, Mom's dog, knocking her across the lawn. No matter where we were, at home or at the park, Celtic would always turn his attention to Jordan. He enjoyed wrestling with her. Getting after him about being so rough, only resulted in him barking louder and more excited running around.

Celtic loved his home in Sacramento too. The backyard had lots of shade from the fruit trees. He would literally lay under them for hours. Having fruit trees also invites critters into our yard. Ocassionally, you would see him chasing the squirrels that ran across the trees. He also caught a few opossums that were in the back yard. (None were found playing possum either.) Celtic was also sprayed by a skunk. I tried every concoction of tomato juice, vinegar, soap, and special recipes for getting rid of the smell. Nothing really worked but after a couple of months, the smell grew fainter and fainter.

In his prime, he was about three feet tall and weighed about 145lbs. He could palm a regulation sized basketball in his jaws. When playing ball, Celtic could catch a kicked soccer ball in his mouth from 15 feet away. He also loved swimming after ducks halfway across the river, about 100 feet into the middle. I debated several times whether or not to go in after him, for fear of him drowning. Celtic was always around to protect. We took him everywhere; whether it was running by the river, swimming, rides to the store in the car, outside, etc. He was the most loyal dog and faithful protector to me and my family.

As of late, my priorities changed a bit. For the last year and a half, my Mom has cared for Celtic because having three children under the age of five takes most of my time and attention. He wasn't getting the same attention that he deserved. So we tried making weekly visits to Gramma's to see Mr. C. The last year or so his gait has grown slower. His aging body wouldn't allow him to do the things he loved to do once upon a time. His walks grew shorter and his naps grew longer. We recently learned that Celtic had cancer along with several other health issues.

Lately, my family and I have spent a lot more time going by to see him. But watching him lose more and more weight (he now weighs 102 lbs.) and seeing the occasional fall when trying to even walk, we knew it was his time. So today, June 9, 2008 at 5:00 pm, after 14 years of loyal companionship, we made the decision to put, Celtic, to rest. Goodbye, Celtic.

Sharleen here posting now: (I know that was very hard for Byron to write.)

There is a little sadness in the Young household. As you now know, our beloved dog, Celtic, of 14 years was put to sleep today. His quality of life took a downhill turn and rapidly deteriorated. We could see that he was in a lot of pain. This was a heart wrenching decision for Byron to make but he/we knew it was time. Celtic lived a long, good and happy life as our family pet.

The girls knew that Celtic was sick. It was just a matter of time before we said our good-byes! They knew that he was going to go to sleep.

Tiegan: Is he going to doggie heaven, like Jordan? (Jordan was Gramma's dog.)
Mommy: Yes, exactly... Celtic is going to doggie heaven.

Celtic was a part of the family. He was the best dog you could ever want. He was loyal to the hands that loved and fed him. He was playful and always glad to see you. He loved to play ball and was usually not too far from the kids. Even more, he was a terrific guard dog. Most kept their distance, with one look at him and the sound of his bark. We'll miss Celtic. He was a great dog.

Off to 1st Grade...

Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony

June 2008

Caitlyn giving her Daddy a "high five!"

C-A-I-T-L-Y-N R-A-M-S-E-Y

A, B, C Farewell

A is for the alphabet which we know how to say.

B is for busy bodies - at work and at play.

C is for colors - red, yellow, blue, and green.

D is for drawing pictures, the best you've ever seen.

E is for exercise to keep our bodies strong.

F is for the fun we've had as we have gone along.

G is for the good friends we made throughout the year.

H is for happy faces, filled with love and cheer.

I is for imagination used at every turn.

J is for good jobs and the praises we have earned.

K is for kindergartners - hip, hip hooray!

L is for learning - more and more each day.

M is for minding and showing our respect.

N is for numbers. One, two, three ... correct?

O is for the obstacles we learned to overcome.

P is for puppets and for playing rhythms on a drum.

Q is for all the questions we've asked throughout the year.

R is for reading stories, even those that bring a tear.

S is for different snacks, several we have tried.

T is for talking. It's not to be denied.

U is for unusual; it fits some things we've done.

V is for volunteers - parents and everyone!

W is for the world of words we've barely dipped into.

X is for extra special kids - it's him, it's her, it's you.

Y is for yes, it has been a great year!

Z is for Kindergarten zest. We're ready, have no fear!

Congratulations, Miss Caitlyn!!! Auntie Sharleen and Uncle Byron are so proud of you! You did it!

Discovery Kingdom

Our day out to Discovery Kingdom. Thanks, Gramma Lynda for trekking along with us on our spontaneous adventure. The kids had a blast!

Are we there yet? Yes! Gramma Lynda and the girls.

The next Amelia Earhart.

Fun on the new Looney Toon Playland/Water park.

Shouka, the Whale.
Whale and Dolphin Show.
Braden and Gramma Lynda watching Shouka.

Ribbit, something Froggie going on.

Miss Kennedy's 1st roller coaster ride!

Thomas, the Train.Choo-choo!

S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G BEE

Tonight was the 81st Annual National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. (Yes, I watched it... it's the teacher in me.) What an impressive competition!

My coaching tip #1: PLAY DETECTIVE
May I have the definition, please?
May I have the etymology, please?
Are there any alternate pronunciations?
Could you please use it in a sentence?
May I have the language of origin?
Am I pronouncing the word correctly?
What is the part of speech?
Can I have anymore help?
Is there any other information you can give me?

My coaching tip #2: TAKE YOUR TIME, BUT WATCH THE CLOCK.
Tonight on the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Jahnavi Iyer, 14 years old, an eigth grader at Eagleview Middle School in Enola, Pa., was given the word P-A-R-F-L-E-C-H-E. (Definition: A rawhide that has been dried after having it soaked in a lye solution to remove the hair.) Intimidated by the word... Time was running down. Clock read: 1: 48 seconds. Time keeper asked, "Jahnavi... do you see the clock?" In a subdued voice, she replied calmly, "Yea, um... It's a VERY pretty clock." Funny!

My coaching tip #3: I'M ALREADY PROUD OF YOU. BE SURE TO SPELL THE WORD CORRECTLY. HENSE, THIS IS A SPELLING BEE.
And the winner is? Sameer Mishra of West Lafayette, Ind., He aced the word G-U-E-R-D-O-N and won the 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., tonight. The word appropriately means "something that one has earned or gained."

This is a must see video of the winner! He brought a little much needed humor to the somewhat tense National Spelling Bee when he was asked to spell the word
N-U-M-N-A-H, but mistakenly thought he was told to spell
N-U-M-N-U-T-S. Hilarious!

Potty Talk

Yesterday, I published our blog, PG-3 bathroom humor from Miss Kennedy. Today, I read this excerpt. Ironic? I love this kind of writing... "in the raw." Another laugh out loud, hilarious reading.

(3-year-old tells all from his mother's public restroom stall)
by Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. People often comment on how clearly he speaks for a just turned 3-year-old. And you never have to ask him to turn up the volume. It's always fully cranked. There've been several embarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words would have been masked by a not so audible voice, but never have I wished this more than last week at Costco.

Halfway through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade with me into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroom that evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the second to the last stall:

'Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on da toiwet paper now? Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?'

At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in the bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full ... 4? 5? Maybe we could wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of this stall and reveal my identity.

Cade continued, 'Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you? Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy! Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty? Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh ... Mommy! I'm trying to see in dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna get some candy!"

I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me. Where is a screaming new born when you need her? Good grief. This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before exiting.

Trying to divert him, I said, 'Why don 't you look in Mommy's purse and see if you can find some candy. We'll both have some!' 'No, I'm trying to see doze more stinkies. Oh! Mommy!' He started to gag at this point. 'Uh oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!! Dat is so gross!!' As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall. I quickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the subject. I began to reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheard this embarrassing monologue will be long gone.

'Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done going stinkies! Get up! Get up!' He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blown laughter. I bent down to count the feet outside my door. 'Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under da door? What were you wooking at, Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?' More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess the situation. 'Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now, Mommy.' He started pounding on the door. 'Mommy, don't you want to wash your hands? I want to go out!!' I saw that my 'wait 'em out' plan was unraveling.

I sheepishly opened the door, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladies crowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud. My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, 'Where's the fine print on the motherhood contract' where I signed away every bit of my dignity and privacy?' But as my little boy gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this little fellow.

*(Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and mother of three. She lives with her family in Grand Rapids, Michigan , where she no longer uses public restrooms.)

PG-3 Bathroom Humor from Miss Kennedy...

By request to publish... Girls night out table talk turned into laughing out loud! (Warning: This may be a little more information than you may want to know, let alone read. So proceed with caution.)

I would like to start out by explaining my dear ol' husband's taste in classical movies. No, I am not talking about Casablanca, Gone With The Wind, or Das Boot. We are talking more like Tombstone, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and undoubtably, Caddyshack. Have you ever indulged yourself in the "Caddyshack" experience? (The 1980 comedy starring Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Ted Knight, and Bill Murray just to name a few.) I, myself, am NOT a huge fan of riotious, loudmouth, slap stick comedy. Byron, on the other hand, rates this hysterical farce in his top five of unforgetable quotable favorites.

(Continue reading at your own risk... Curious, aren't yas? There is no turning back now. )

Setting: Bath time in the kids' bathroom.
(Byron's giving Tiegan a bath while I am blow drying Kennedy's hair after her bath.)

Daddy: It smells in here.
Mommy: Well, you are in the bathroom, sitting near the toilet... maybe one of the girls went to the bathroom before getting into the tub. Check the toilet. And I'll check Braden's bum.
Daddy: (Nothing... all clear.) And I just cleaned the bathrooms today.
Mommy: (Nonchalantly) Maybe someone "putt putted?" (That's the "term" we use in our house.) (What word do you use in your household?)
Daddy: (Leaning over the tub...) Tiegan, did you putt-putt?
Tiegan: Nope, not me.
Kennedy: (Overhearing the conversation and saying rather loudly) I DIDN'T SIT ON A DUCK!
Mommy: (Confused) Kennedy what did you say?
Kennedy: (Grimacing) I didn't sit on a duck.
Mommy: (Asking Byron) Why is our daughter talking about sitting on a duck?
Daddy: (Hyterically laughing) Did she say what I think she said?
Mommy: I have no idea... she is saying something about a DUCK.
Daddy, Tiegan, and Kennedy: (LAUGHING OUT LOUD!!!)
Daddy: She said that she didn't sit on a duck.
Mommy: I know what she said... why is she saying that and what does it mean?
Daddy: (Still ridiculously laughing) But proceeded to let me in on this new found humor.

Byron was SO PROUD in that moment. Do you see what he is teaching our kids? Our three year old daughter is now quoting classical movies and using it in the right context. (Thanks, Rodney.) Now, anytime anyone of them putt-putts... the words, "Did someone sit on a duck?" follow. I guess it could be worse? (If you would like to view the clip from Caddyshack yourself, then you can type in 'Somebody step on a duck?' on youtube.)

Just when you think no one is really listening... Out of the mouth of a three year old...

Is SUMMER here already?

Loves the water already! Splash...splash...splash...

Braden water floating fire engine...

JUMP, Tiegan... Daddy will catch you...

Sisters playing at the water park...

Uncle Tim swimming with Miss Riley...

Auntie Lisa, Riley and Little Man, Brady...

Cousin Caitlyn and Tieg...

The Ramsey Family...

Tieg floating around the pool...

Papa Frank and Kennedy...

Nana Anna and Kennedy swimming with Braden...

Kennedy trying to swim away from Daddy...

Daddy taking the girls for a ride in the fire engine...

Sweet Angel Boy...

Kennedy...

Day in the sun... (Look! See my toofies?)

How do you stay "cool" in 102 degree weather?

Our answer: swim, swim, swim.

Snoring parody

(Byron posting.)

Because some people snore when they sleep, I have written a parody of Edwin McCain's song "I Could Not Ask For More."

Verse:
Lying here with you....I'm snoozin' away
Trying to sleep all through....the night while you're awake
Pre:
And these are the moments....you say the couch should be all mine
And these are the moments....you wake and roll me on my side
Cause I've heard it all before....you wish I didn't snore
Verse:
Look into your eyes....seeing you just can't sleep
Half way through the night....and still you're counting sheep
Pre:
And these are the moments....I could use a nasal strip
And these are the moments....you take your foot and give me kicks
Push me off onto the floor....
Cause you wish I didn't snore
Chorus:
I would not have to snore if our bed were bigger
I would not have to snore if it wasn't you
That took up five feet of mattress
And you left me only two
If my sinuses were open I wouldn't snore and I woudn't be
Waking you waking me

Can you somewhat relate to this topic?