Camp is a Horrible Idea

In February when Mom is organizing the dates and signing Coley up for camp, it all seems like a fantastic idea. Not so much when the day actually comes to send him away into the wilderness for a whole week!!

This year we got Zeke to come along!

and Gavin too! They were right back in Cherokee with Chip! There's Jeremiah. Levi, Seth and Elijah were back too. They had almost an entire cabin just for their gang. Nobody really blinked an eye when the parents left.


and then....... 
absolutely
nothing
happened
for an entire
week.
       not a peep from Coley!!




Mom was not happy. He was under strict orders to email her everyday. Just two words was all she asked for. Just "still alive." She didn't even get that.
When Friday rolled around, we weren't sure she would actually go to get him!

but we did and we found him and he was FILTHY.

They were all filthy!

Happy, filthy little zombie boys.

There were a few hap hazard attempts at songs.

it was a really big group!

but these kids were T I R E D.

except Seth. He was fired up!

They all said their favorite part of camp was emailing their Moms.


JUST KIDDING! None of them emailed!

They liked the zip line.

There's Chip. Camp counselors are sure strange. Coley will make an excellent counselor one day.

How could Mom not forgive this face and take him home?

A few last minute photos. Wait... what?!

How is this even possible?!

Good buddies since they were itty bitty and hopefully until they're full grown.

I hope I find friends this good when I'm bigger.

On the way home we stopped for a good meal. Coley was struggling.

I mean really struggling!

and then we lost him. So Mom says camp is a horrible idea, but Coley definitely doesn't agree. We'll see if she forgets all of this again by the time registration rolls around again in Feb.

American Ninja Warrior Class

So Mom found an actual real life American Ninja Warrior Training class for me!

It has the warped wall, floating steps, rings, a cargo net, climbing ropes and EVERYTHING.

I go every Wednesday and I love it.

I cannot wait to take on the actual course.

Lookout warriors! I'm coming for you!

A Girl Sleepover!?

Okay so the weirdest thing happened tonight. Mommy had a sleepover!
I remember Aunty Lani, who is Mommy's old friend from High School, but B did not.

The only reason we weren't totally against the idea of a GIRL sleepover was because Aunty Lani brought little Jack along and we adore him!

Is he not the cutest kid alive?

We sure did have a great time and I think the Mommies did too. Okay, girl sleepovers are a lot less rowdy, but I guess they're not so bad.

Papa and Nana and Cake - Oh My!

I got the coolest sibling present ever from Daddy. A metal detector! I love finding treasure so this is fantastic. Thanks Pop!

and Coley got a computer! Mom and Dad said we all get to use it, but it's mainly his and it's even in his room. He shares it with me though. He's cool like that.

We had our second bday cake with the big guy on his actual birthday.

and Liam and Lief came over to help us celebrate!

They are always crazy and always fun.

Then Papa and Nana came today to take him to his favorite restaurant and they got him exactly what he wanted - Super Mario Chess. How did they know?!

Thank you Nana!

Thank you Papa!

and birthday cake #3. We sure do eat a lot of cake around here!

Goodbye to 8 Year Old You

Our editor is a bit of a sap and she's been extra strange lately. In an effort to reduce the excessive amount of clinging and hugging and weird, prolonged gazes we've been getting, we agreed to allow her to post about what's on her mind. We are not responsible for any reaction you may have to the thoughts expressed below, nor will we reimburse for tissues. Read at your own risk.


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Nine is a tough one for me, Cole. You’re so close to grown up and it’s equal parts sad and amazing. I’m always in awe at your ability to jump into anything with an open mind and spirit of adventure.  I’ve seen the incredible things you can do when you believe in yourself. I’ve watched you enter new groups and pick out really, really good friends, and I see you investing in the friendships you’ve had as long as you can remember. I see how you take the time to understand when something/someone is different. I watch you closely when you stand up for yourself or your friends and I ask if you still need me when you’re worried about those you love.

 I hear the sincerity in your voice as you thank God each night for your many blessings, then never forget to pray for those on your list. You have such a tender heart, it's hard for me to imagine you'll be okay in this big ugly world of ours, but somehow I know you will be.

I can hardly wait to see what you accomplish and who you'll become. But then again, I can wait. I want to keep waiting forever actually, because waiting means you’re still here and you’re still my little boy and there’s still time for a quick game of catch or a cuddle. Waiting means there’s another prank waiting to be pulled or another experience ready to be shared. Waiting is the best part of this journey, especially when it’s you I’m waiting with. I’d give the sun, moon and stars to wait just a little longer for each birthday to arrive, but that’s not the way this works, is it?

Motherhood is made up of all the most beautiful firsts and all the most heartbreaking lasts, and somewhere in between are the days and the hours we try desperately to carve into memories.

So don’t mind my tears today darling. I’m celebrating too, I promise. It’s just that I love 9 year old you so much that I have to let go of 8 year old you to make room, and oh how I loved 8 year old you… J 

Happy Birthday Baby.  Thank you for bringing me along on your trip through this life.

Inappropriate Opportunities

Mom is mortified whenever she has to answer the ice breaker question "What was your first concert?" She was bound and determined to save us from a pitiful answer like hers (The Smother's Brothers) so she bought tickets for all of us to go see this year's INDYpendence day cancer benefit concert. 



They had to move the concert indoors because it was pouring outside. This meant all of the bands were delayed. We came to see Blue October so we had to wait. Some of us passed the time dancing.

and taking selfies..

and going out to eat...

and some of us were D Y I N G because they were so very excited to see one of their favorite bands and it was taking SO long. One of us may or may not have gotten a very aggressive hug from a very scantily clad female who thought he was "OH SO CUTE" for liking good music. One of us did not appreciate the extra attention one bit.

That's okay. One Vandy dude likes hugs from cute girls :)  Get a room guys!

Our band FINALLY came on and they were amazing except the lead singer cussed up a STORM! No wonder we were the only kids there! We still had a blast and I ended the day with a prayer that went like this:
"Dear God, thanks that Mom and Dad took me to see Blue October. It's a pretty rare opportunity for a kid to see something so inappropriate."

How to Get Ready for Church by Bryce Vandygriff

When mom tells you that you’ll be leaving soon, announce that you cannot possibly go to church because you do not look handsome.

Demand “one of those white shirts” or you’re not going.

Refuse to go upstairs to change. Scary things lurk at the top of the stairs.

Convince your brother to watch you go upstairs. He will surely leap up 15 ft. over the railing and fight off any assailants you might encounter on your quest for “one of those white shirts.”

Ransack your closet. Pull every garment that has any bit of white in it off the hangar. Scream down that you don’t have any white shirts! You only have a lab coat.

Put on a nasty old black long sleeve t-shirt and grubby cut off shorts.

When Mom gives in and comes up to help, explain that you cannot go to church in a lab coat (which is actually a white dress shirt with a pocket on the front), but you can be talked into a blue dress shirt.

Refuse to take off your nasty black shirt because you might get “really really cold.”

Put on your shirt and tie and head downstairs to put the shorts your Mom threw down earlier on.

Cram your dress shirt into your shorts and leave the fly open so it hangs out. Don’t bother with the underwear.

When you’re all put together, lay down in the dog’s bed so you get nice and hairy.

Douse yourself in “smells like death” cologne and tell your brother he looks dumb next to you.

Pose for a picture. It doesn’t get better than this.


Head to church and say an extra prayer for your Ma. She looks a little stressed.