The 40 Follow-up

 I know, I'm not aging well. However, that is not the subject of this post.

 

 

Back in January, I set a few "finish before I'm forty" goals and I wanted to report:

Finish the Book of Mormon - check!! Awesome experience as always.

Go to the temple 40 times - CHECK!!! I went three times the week before my b-day, but I made it and what a fantastic blessing it was to me and my family.  I haven't gone the last two weeks and I MISS the peace and love that I feel in that Holy House.  SO grateful to live only 4 miles away from that beautiful place. Amazing blessings. Amazing.

Run alot - NOT check. This was a goal I didn't quite complete. I procrastinated starting the running for two months and once I did begin- I just couldn't catch up - but I did come close - I think I was only about 45 miles shy of my goal of 200 miles. I'm a dork.

Now -  the reason you have to look at hideous me.  This photo encapsulates my other goal - to  

Get accepted to the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant program.  I made it through the first cut.  From what I hear there were about 160 applicants.  The second cut required a panel interview/ exam/ writing sample.  There were 40 of us.  They only accept 20 into this program.  I am SOOOOOOOOO nervous! I feel like I'm walking around with butterflies constantly.  My heart just palpitates whenever I think of it. I'm sweating right now.  I need chocolate.

The program director will notify me by mail (hopefully this week) and everyday the trek to the mailbox gets longer and loonnnngggeeerrr....

I could use any extra happy thoughts and prayers out there.  

I'm really exposing the vulnerable me - so if I don't get in send me lots of love, too!  Thanks friends!

As for the other goals - laundry and yelling at my kids - well - check and check.

One year older....

My baby is SEVEN!

I really love this little fella.

He still gives me monster hugs.

He likes hanging out with me.

He is a jokester.

 He had awesome b-day requests this year.

Under armor shirts (cheap Target style)

Gum

Hot wheels

Icee flavors &

a water bottle.

Awesome, I say.

We threw in a football & nerf darts.

 Fuzzy pic below.

Here is my sweet seven year old baby.

We went to Sweet Tomatoes (his choice)

for his birthday dinner.

I feel pretty dang lucky to be the momma to such a special kiddo as this one. The Rydge-it, as we call him, has the greatest sense of humor, LOVES to hang out with the big boys, and is still my cuddlebug.

Happy b-day, buddy!

n-a-a-a-alligators

This week has been such a blast with the Wydicks!

Poppa Bubs took us to the Alligator Park

in Brazos Bend State Park.

The trees were uh-mazing!

Look how huge...

We saw lots of these dudes.

And these dudes...

...and these...

...and then we were REALLY thirsty.

How 'bout a stop at the doggie water station?

Then we saw some more of these guys.

THE BEAST!!

This guy was enormous.

By our scientific calculations we figured

he was about 14 feet long.

A picture of our picture taker with the Beast.

Like another world.

Taking a little rest.

Three little monkeys sittin' in a tree...

Teasing mr. alligator, can't catch me!

One little monkey...

What an awesome tree!

Layni posing with the sweet

baby alligator.

I don't know who's cuter??!!

Fun, fun day.

Great, great memories!

Thanks, Grandpa Bubs!

Cousintz

Rydge and I had a lengthy discussion on how to say

COUSINS.

He insists it's COUSINTZ.

So below are the most beautiful 11

Elmer cousintz EVER!

 Sweet girls!

 Sleepover!

I am so blessed to have such amazing parents,

siblings, nieces, and nephews!

LOVE that we were all together for a couple days!

continuing education

I really worked my kids' brains hard today.

We began with a lesson in water physics.

Tyler, Kyle, and I discovered that when a 

water bottle is squirted at a horizontal angle -

people get wet.

Truly amazing.

 (Ty got his braces off-only pic I've been able to get so far :)

Below is a lovely picture of my hind-quarters.

This one's for you, Spencer.

 The aftermath.

Totally worth the physics lesson.

Next came our "what to do in an emergency" lesson.
Kyle and BFFFF Sammy were scared of 
catching Maddie cooties.
Only one thing can happen when two teenage boys put their heads together in search of a solution....
..... a moment of sheer brilliance!!
Why not tie sheets together and 
escape out of a second floor window.
Why didn't I think of that??

And why not invite our six year old brother to join us?

What could possibly be the danger in this experiment???

Success.  

Our next home school experience will be on finances.

For example - how the air conditioning bill SKYROCKETS

when certain boys leave an upstairs screen-less window open

FOR HOURS when it's 101 outside.

Summer Of Seals

I did an uncharacteristic, 

deny I'm turning 40

kind of thing.

I'm competing in the Summer of Seals on Aug. 27

with 120 other crazy people.

500 Meter Swim

push ups

pull ups

sit ups

1.5 mile run

(K - rainbow colors didn't make it happier)

The above photo is of me and my training partner.

This is after my 1.5 mile run,

14 sit ups with feet tucked under the couch

(Ty says those don't even count)

2 push ups

and 1/2 of a pull up.

I have a long way to go.

Hopefully future posts will be a little more encouraging.

Summer School

Around here I'm pretty serious about 

continuing education during the summer.

There is a lot of (see below) going on...

yes - games on the computer.

 Tyler called me from the community pool the other day.

"Mom - hurry to the pool,

and bring your "blog" camera."

(Sad - all my kids are under the impression that I only take pictures for my blog....)

He had created a science experiment.

It took him like an hour.

A floating pool chair.

 Unfortunately the pic of Ty riding said raft 

was accidentally deleted.

It was awesome.

Stay tuned for the next intense post of our 

extended summer education around here.