I was the only one of the Gang of Four to ride this bus this morning.

In our backpacks we were to bring a beach towel, sunglasses, and a book to read.  We were going to have a fun lazy day pretending to be at the beach enjoying the sun.

I learned how to make a paper airplane today.  One of my friends taught me.

We brought home the last of our school work and supplies.  In the large yellow envelopes are some of our art work.

I played with all of the gang until a few minutes after 4pm.  Then I had to dress for swim practice.  Mimz arrived to take me and watch my practice.  We found a second place ribbon in my swim team mailbox.  I was so very proud.   Barbara is saving all of my ribbons so she can display them in my room when the season is over. She has my first year of swim ribbons also.  Any ideas how we can display them?  Andy are hanging in our garage, still, after all these years.

GGM asked me how many more days of school. I quickly answered 3!  I can't believe first grade is over.  I have really learned a lot.  My printing and my reading have really really improved.

When I jumped off the bus, a delivery truck was in the driveway.  A hospital bed was being delivered so GGF would be able to sit up in bed and would be able to sleep with his head raised making it more comfortable for him to sleep.

I'm still a little scraced about what is happening to him.

I normally won't eat anything right aftr school, I want to play but today I was hungry and I ate two small bowls of spaghetti and two small bowls of pisatacio pudding.

Grandma arrived bringing a set of long twin sheets for us to use on the hospital bed.  She then took me to my swim pratice.  I showed my coaches how I had learned to dive since they last saw me at the swim meet.  They said that was amazing and I was diving really well.

Mommy picked me up from swim practice.  I was hungry again.  I had cereal and some more spaghetti.

I played with Alyssa and Cole.

Barbara read another chapter of "Champion Dog Prince Tom."  I was listening but I also was thinking about GGF.  We talked about his situation and how we are sad he is hurting and hope he gets to feeling better soon.

Today is Memorial Day. We are thankful for the servicemen and women who have served in the Armed Forces to protect our country.

(insert picture of my Great Great Grandmother's grave.)

Mommy and I came home around 11am.  Today our McDonald's had a special for veterans.  Barbara and GGF went to get lunch for us and bring it home to eat.   Barbara won't buy meals or drinks except on very rare occastions.  We had a Big Mac, 8 pieces of chicken nuggets, 4 McDoubles, and a large fry.  That fed the five of us for $2.36 thanks to GGF's special.

I went over to Andy's and pulled weeds in his flower bed and earned $10.00.

I played at home mostly watching baseball games on Barbara's iPad.  Around 2:30pm Mommy and I were going to get Mrs. Cat a thank you card and little gift card.   We opened the door to the gargage and saw GGF sitting on the garage floor leaning against the sofa.  He turned his head towards us and it was awful.  He had a hugh knot on his forehead and blood on his face and clothes and on the mats on the floor.  I was freaked out.  Mommy called GGM.  GGM and Barbara both came to help.  Nicole came over to help also.  The bleeding stopped, which is amazing since he is on a powerful blood thinner.  Mommy called Andy to come help GGF get upoff the floor, then GGM and Barbara took him to the emergency room.

At the emergency room they took an EKG, and CAT scan which were both normal.  They x-rayed his hand and arm.  His right hand was not broken and will heal on it's own.   His head hematoma will heal on it's own.  It will move down his face and turn all kinds of awful colors but will heal with just soap and water to clean it and a thin layer of Neosporian.  His  left arm is broken up near the shoulder.  He will not need surgery if he can keep it immobilized in a sling.

GGM and Barbara are going to have their hands full trying to keep GGF wearing his sling and to keep him from falling.   He is afraid it will hurt so he isn't able to move very well yet.  

I was upset every time I would think about GGF's condition.  I didn't want to be in the same room where he was.  Around 8:30pm I finally was able to go into his bedroom and see that he was okay with just a bandaid on his head and hand and a sling on his arm.

 While GGF was at the emergency room, Mommy and I did go get Mrs. Cat a card and a Subway gift card to show our appreciation for her being a great first grade teacher for me.

I spent the night at the Pond.

I guess I forgot to write about my day.

There is one picture of me holding my baby cousin, Bradley.
The rest of the day is a lost memory for me.

My daddy and I were at my swim meet at 7am.  I got my heat numbers written on my arm and I warmed up in the pool.  I swapped gifts with my Big Buddy.  Today it was candy bars.  I gave him some minni Hershe Bars (hit favorites) and he gave me Milky Way bars (my favorite).

Barbara arrived next, soon followed by Mommy, Bridget, and Grandma.  Mimz was out-of-town with the Rosses.  Papa and Andy were fishing.

I've started wearing my swim cap because my hair is longer.  It's the longest it has ever been in my entire life.

 Here I'm waiting my turn to swim.

And me watching my teammates swim.

That's me sitting on my starting block ready to swim next.

I did well in my heats.  I don't know the final results yet.  I was DQd in two races but that is okay, I am just learning the butterfly and the breaststroke.

It was over 90 degrees but we all managed to find shade most of the time.   I still need to learn how to dive into the pool.

Mommy and I drove up to the Pond, the new name for Papa and Grandma house, since it is not really a lake.  Well, that's not true.  Its name is Emerald Lake but it is only 30 acres we think of it as a pond.   Andy and Bridget helped me work on my strokes and to dive into a pool.  I was doing it off the side of the pool and not up on a high starting block.

I was so much better at diving when we finished for the day.

This was a very busy day for everyone.

I spent the night at Mimz home but Daddy took me to the doughnut shop and home to wait for the school bus.

Mimz volunteers at the hospital every Friday morning, then she eats lunch with her volunteer friends.

Mommy had a small surgery on her wrist to get rid of a very large and bothersome ganglion cyst.  Barbara drove Mommy to Andy's house where she was going to babysit, then Andy drove Mommy to the the surgery center.  Grandma arrived after the surgery to pick up Mommy.   They were going straight to the airport but Papa's plane was delayed so they went to Grandma's home and waited until time to go to the airport. Papa and Grandma took Mommy home, where she started a load of laundry and packed a bag for the night and for swim meet tomorrow.

Mommy did go over to Andy's for about an hour to visit with Barbara and help babysit Anna Kate and Bradley.  Mommy did return home so she would be there when my bus arrived.  She doesn't get to see me get off the bus except on rare occasions.

Daddy arrvied to take me to my swim practice.  He stayed to watch my 45 minute practice and then I went home with him.  He will take me to my swim meet in the morning.

Bridget arrived around 5pm and took Mommy up to Grandma's home so they could work on wedding invitations.

Today was Barbara' last day of full time babysitting for Anna Kate and Bradley.  She loves spending time with them but she is also very glad to now have time to help her parents and get caught up on things she as put off for a couple of years while she took care of my cousins.  One thing she is really looking forward to is getting caught up on the blog  and pictures and keeping caught up every single day.

See why I said this was a busy day for everyone?

Mimz brought me home to catch the bus.  I took the board game Guess Who? to school.

Anthony and I played after school.  We spent some time working on a Rubic' Cube.  I really need Barbara to relearn how to work it so she can show me.

 At our awards ceremony I earned two spirits sticks for Great Conduct and for making the AB Honor Roll.

Barbara and my two baby cousins came to take me to swim practice.  Every day Anna Kate finds something that she has to take home, like my helmet, a baby doll, a football, a bell, etc.  And later that day or the next Barbara sneaks it back to my home.

In this picture I am outside the pool area waiting for the gate to be unlocked.  Normally it is unlocked when we arrive.  Barbara wouldn't leave until the gate was opened.

I was looking at the pool's lost and found and I found Mimz snack bag.  I put it in my swim bag so I could give it to her.

Daddy picked me up from swim practice and when we got to Mimz home, I gave her her snack bag.  I ate a good dinner and then I went to play with Knox.
-----

 Catch of the day!

Andy caught this fish.... I wondered if she was happy or scared.  Kristan said Anna Kate was terrified for sure!

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Only seven more days of school.
I played with Anthony until time to dress for swim practice.  When Barbara drove up with her two charges, Anna Kate was so excited to see her Ma-ya.  That is how she says my name.

I picked up my four blue ribbons from the last swim meet.

I got in trouble because I didn't mind my mom when she told me to brush my teeth and get in bed.  My consequence is no playground time after my swim practice on Thursday.  I hope I learn to do what I know I should.
I was asleep before 9pm.

Grammie had surgery today to unclog the arteries going to her head.  The surgery was a success.  Papa was glad he was there for her and for Bubba and to help Lisa and Danny. 

Wednesday May 24, 2017

 Great Grandfather, Great Grandmother, Anna Kate, and Bradley.

And then Grandma joined the picture. 

Papa flew to Tennessee to see Bubba and Grammie.  They are both under the weather and he hopes he can cheer them up.  Grammie has surgery on Tuesday so we are praying for a sucessful surgery and quick recovery.

At 1:30pm the first grade had a P.E., Music, and Art Award ceremony.

  Daddy and Mimz were there to see me get my award.
At 2pm, GGF fell for the third time in a month.  He injuryed his head again.  It looks bad but it did not bled like the other two head injuries did. GGF was able to get up and go find GGM to let her know.  She was brushing her teeth and didn't hear anything.

Swim practice canceled but we still had our swim team pictures taken at 5pm.

Played with Jackson, Cain, and antoerh boy named John.  Rode bikes mostly.

AT my bedtime, Barbara used her flashlight to read another chapter of Champion Dog Prince Tom.  I fell asleep one minute after she quit reading.

reserved Monday

special Art, Music and PE awards ceremony at 1:30pm. 

Mommy and I spent the night at Andy's last night.  It is always fun doing something I've not done before.  Mommy and I woke up and went home to eat breakfast and to get me ready for church.  Bridget, Chris, and I met Grandma and Papa at St. Edwards church this morning.  I looked extra nice.  I just remembered that when I was a very little boy I liked getting dressed up in my man suit and today I felt that same way.

Bridget and Chris and I stopped at McDonald's and got some big breakfasts.  We took them to my home to eat and share with GGF, GGM, Barbara, Grandma, and Papa.  Papa worked on replacing a couple of outdoor light bulbs.  Papa had decided our old house is looking a little shabby and we are going to work to get it looking better.  Things like painting the shutters and the front door, replacing some old cracked planters, clean up the flower beds etc.

I showed Bridget and Chris my two new trophies and my swim ribbons..

For the past two nights some animal has been digging in our flower beds.  Papa thinks it was an armadillo.  He suggested we get some mothballs and bury them just under the surface and see it that will discourge it from digging.  Barbara and GGM bought some moth balls and buried them like Papa said to.   Now we wait and watch.

Mommy and I went back over to Andy's and so did Bridget and Chris.  Grandma and Papa went home.  They have things they need to do.  Tonight they have their first fun dance lesson.

I played a lot of wall ball on the side of And's house with a tennis ball just like I do on the back side of my house.  I played with Annd Kate a little bit and that made her happy.  Bradley is too little to do anything with except hold his bottle and I get tired of doing that after just a few minutes.

Back at my house, I was interested in learning how to work a Rubic's Cube.  Barbara spent a lot of time showing me a couple of beginning this I need to know.  It took a long time, but I am starting to see how to make a couple of moves.  It will take a lot of patience, which I don't have a lot of.  I hope by the end of summer I have made good progress on learning how it works.  Barbara will have to relearn how to do it.  She has one more week of babysitting, then she can start on all the projects she is so far behind on and learning to solve the Rubic's Cube is one of those things.  She did solve it one time at Christmas, but she needs to memorize all of the steps so she can teach me.

I was in bed by 8:30pm and Barbara read from  my Champion Dog Prince Tom book using a flashlight to see the pages.  I fell asleep after just a few minutes. 

My second swim meet was held this morning at Champion Forest and it was a red letter day for me... Four blue ribbons.  

 My dad took me early because all swimmers have to be there early to get signed in...

...and to get their events written on their arm.

   Barbara and Papa showed up later.   All of my other fans went to Bridget's wedding shower which was being held at Sonja Wilson's home.

My friends and I enjoy watching and cheering on our teammates.

 Papa gave me some instructions...

..and I really was listening.  It helped because I swam in five events and I came in first place in all five of my heats.  Of course I had to wait to find out how I came out over all.  I think my team won but the score was very close the entire event.   I was very happy with my results and that I was not DQ'd in any event. My events were breast, butterfly, back, and two relay's.

 Papa and Daddy told me I am showing improvement at every meet.

I went home with Daddy and we went over to Mimz' when she came home from Bridget's wedding shower.  Barbara sent short video clips of my five races and I watched them with Mimz. I explained to her that I was not DQ'd in any event.

I had Barbara wake me up early so I could help with a fun wet chore.

GGM, Barbara, and I had started the process of cleaning the garage floor mats before it was time for the school bus to arrive. 

I had time to rinse off the soap while Alyssa and Anthony watched.  We can hear the bus when it is still out of sight, so as soon as we hear it, we run and beat it to the bus stop.

Mimz picked me up for swim practice and after it was over we drove to her home. 

I played with Knox and later Daddy stopped by.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

 I'm a lucky boy.  I get to try many sports and activities and this will help me learn to meet new people, be a friend, and a leader, and be a team player.

Today was the last cub scout meeting for my group of Tigers.  We met at Burroughs Park and had pizza and cookies.

We played on the playground, and in the sand, and we played soccer...

...while the parents watched us.

We had to stop playing for a rest and drink break.

 I was the only boy who ventured to climb this big tree.

I climbed it four times.

One boy found a long snake skin and we all were amazed and got to touch it.

I recieved one last elective belt loop for my Art museum drawing.
My leader Mrs. Thomas gave each boy a leather scarf tie clip kit for us to make over the summer.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

I played in my first All Star baseball game.  We won 8 to 6. 

 Before the game my teammates and I were very excited.

 My dad gave me some poiners.

 I played second base...

right field, pitcher...

 ...and catcher.

I had two at-bats and two hits.   The first was a popfly which my friend John John (on the other team) caught near first base.  The second was a grounder that went to center field.  I was safe but the runner on first was put out at second.  That was the third out.

 It was not too hot...

but I still worked up a thirst.

 Formal picture of my teammates and coaches....

 and fun picture of us....

We were very happy boys