Lake Season 2017: Trip Three

The major takeaway from this weekend's visit to the lake is that the boys would rather play around Randy Cunningham's boat ramp (Randy's the architect on our (hopefully) upcoming renovation; he has a lake house three doors down from the Pressleys') than on the boat itself.

This makes me really happy. Every time we walk that way, I remember the MANY days and hours I spent at a certain boat ramp on Lake Hartwell when I was right about Jones's age. The time I spent there - with some of my favorite people - remains among the banner memories of my childhood, so I hope Jones and Freddie will look back on these days just as fondly.

In addition to loving the boat ramp, the boys LOVE doing sparklers and making S'mores. They've graduated this summer from the Mount Pleasant nursery to its children's church, and sleeping at the lake is IMPROVED, if not yet perfect.

Maybe next year.

In the meantime, here are some pictures from another wonderful weekend at one of our favorite places.

Cow Appreciation Day

Since the advent of Cow Appreciation Day, I have rolled my eyes at the social media posts of nearly every friend I have, all of whom seem enchanted by the idea of spending $10 on a cow outfit in order to save $3 on a chicken sandwich. "That's just stupid," I'd piously think to myself.

Then the boys and I went, on a whim, to Talk Like a Pirate Day at Krispy Kreme last September, and they had so much fun that I began to change my tune. This year, I spent $4 and way more time than I should've creating cow costumes that they boys can wear for many Cow Appreciation Days to come ... assuming they don't spill Chick-Fil-A sauce on them.

Because our Chick-Fil-A is in a new CFA market, I don't think the word was out on all the free "chikin" being handed out to cow-clad customers. Or maybe it was the time of day that we went (6:30 p.m.), but we had absolutely no lines. The other surprise of the nite was Jeremy's willingness to wear my neckerchief and (super tight) cow visor when he joined us to place his order.

The boys thought it was great, and after all the money I spend at Chick-Fil-A throughout the year, they probably owe me a free sandwich or two every July.

As soon as Jones put on his costume,
he said, "Cows don't walk;
they craaaaaawwwl!"

Freddie's been borrowing an old point
and shoot of mine. I love this picture
of the boys checking out his shots.

Given our upcoming Disney trip, I was SO RELIEVED
that the boys were so comfy interacting with the giant cow.

Dinner & a Show

Today, I was treated to dinner and a show - well, lunch and a show, but still. We had a picnic outside, and then Jones proved he was not only the lead waiter but also the chief entertainer.

I was also treated to Freddie walking into the bathroom wearing nothing but a t-shirt and his drawers. I couldn't help but notice an unfamiliar bulge in his Fruit of the Looms. Upon closer inspection, I realized Freddie was hiding a stuffed walrus in his underwear to keep Jones from getting it.  Where else WOULD he put it?

Babies' First Rodeo

For awhile now, I've wanted to take the boys to a rodeo. I thought Jones in particular would absolutely love it. We haven't done it yet, though, because most of the ones around here (in Haywood County or at the lake) don't start until after the boys' bedtime, so we've put it off until they were big enough handle being up later than usual without melting down in the middle of it.

This summer, they've proven themselves ready, so we went to the H-Bar M Rodeo at the Haywood County Fairgrounds, a place familiar to the boys after so many tractor pulls. 

A couple of things about the rodeo:

1) My GOSH, they're expensive. I was thinking a couple of bucks would get us in the gate. Try $15. EACH. It was pretty ridiculous, especially given the number of sponsors whose banners were flying all over the front of the arena.       

                                          

2) Rodeo Clowns are just stupid - at least, the one we saw was. He did this Jerry Lee Lewis bit where actual sparks flew out of the piano when he sang "Great Balls of Fire." The boys liked that, but honestly, I think that's the only part of the entire nite that they'll even remember. The rest of this clown's script were pure lunacy - and not in the "Hardee-har-har" way. They were just STUPID.

3) The rodeo may start at 8 p.m., but the good stuff - at this rodeo, anyway - doesn't happen until way later. I don't even know how much later, because by 9 p.m., we were all ready to cut our $15 per person losses and head home.

All in all, our rodeo experience wasn't nearly as unforgettable as I'd hoped it'd be. Next year, we'll just skip it and save our money.

Freddie calls that Masters bucket
hat his "cowboy hat," which, naturally,
is why he picked it to wear to the rodeo.

Felix & Oscar go to school.

The boys went to school today. I am SO THANKFUL that they have felt so quickly at home at Clyde First Baptist. They love it there. The only downside is that the first OFFICIAL day of school (September 1) will feel COMPLETELY anti-climactic, as they feel like they're already full-fledged pupils. They're gonna be very confused when I put them in fresh new outfits and demand a million more pictures than usual.

Anyway, they went today, because I was having breakfast with our pastor's wife. Lisa Shepherd's awesomeness is a post for another day, but suffice it to say, I LOVE her as much as the boys love school.

When I dropped them off, Jones was still eating his biscuit from the McDonald's drive-thru. Because Freddie was through with his, he was playing around in the empty parking lot. He was running back and forth over a sewer grate when Jones told him there were alligators under there.

I think Jones expected his announcement would invoke more fear in his baby brother. Little did he know, a stinky old gator is no match for Freddie "Bear" Pressley.

When I picked them up, "Choc-what Girl" told me they'd made handprint fish. Oscar, of course, was COMPLETELY on board with these. Felix, on the other hand, preferred that they NOT dip his hand in paint. Instead, they traced his hand, and he filled it in with the exponentially more tidy paintbrush.

Finally, when we got home, Jones was getting his stuff out of the car. He ran over to the patio with his backpack strapped on a single shoulder and said, "Hey, look, Mama! I can hold it like this!"

Where in the world he saw that maneuver, I don't know, but he was VERY proud of himself. I imagine the single-strap-backpack carry will quickly become the new normal for both boys. For as polar opposite as they are, Oscar sure does want to be just like Felix.