I slept until almost 9am.  I sometimes like to get extra sleep when I have had busy activity filled days, like having two baseball games last night.

My dad came to pick me up around 11am. 

I spent most of the day with my dad.

 Mimz and Mommy met at the ballpark around 5:30pm to get me dressed in my new uniform.  My team name is Hotrods.  My fans were Mimz, Daddy, GGM, Barbara, and Mommy.

 All of my games are going to be double headers during this summer league.  We won the first game 5 - 1 (I think) and lost the second game 9 - 3 (and I'm really not sure about that score.)   I played great during both games and I was awarded the game ball.  The coach said it was because of my outstanding fielding.  I either had five or six hits, and no strike outs.  I played first base the most, but also played short stop and center field a little.

An interesting thing:  Last year Papa wondered why the coach/pitcher didn't kneel down to pitch like they did when Andy was a little kid.  He ask an umpire who said that coaches were not allowed to kneel.  That didn't make good sense to Papa.   Well, tonight my coach was kneeling down to pitch to us.  After several innings had been played someone decided that that was not legal, so there was a ten minute discussion between coaches and the ump.  Finally they were on the phone with someone, who would definitely know the answer.   In the end, my coach was allowed to kneel to pitch.  Proves Papa knows his baseball!

When we had our after-the-game meeting, the coach told us that they would be awarding game balls to the player that helped the team the most.... well, tonight I was chosen because I did such a good job fielding and I hit well!

I was sure happy with my playing tonight.  I'm becoming a good little ball player.  First thing I told Barbara when I got home was that I was awarded the game ball!  I was hungry so Mommy gave me to bowls of cereal.  I did brush my teeth but I was too sleepy to take a shower.  I went to bed easily, but I wanted Barbara to read to me till fell asleep.  We had the lights out and she used a flashlight to read Chapter 10 of Champion Dog Prince Tom.
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Eli fell off a slide today and broke both of his arms.  He hopes to get waterproof casts like he did when he broke one arm in Kindergarten.  Poor kid!

At 8am Barbara drove me to Sprouts to meet Mimz so we could go out for breakfast before going to Wet 'n Wild (formerly Splash Town.)

Mimz and I had a great day at Wet n Wild with Eli's family.  At one time we had a gang of six boys playing together and going from slide to slide.  I went on two slides that I had had never done before and I swam in the deep end of the wave pool when the waves were off.  Of course, Mimz was right there with me and she never took her eyes off of me.   I have a lot of confidence in my swimming abilities now.   Mimz made me rest when we got home but we did play some pitch after I ate a turkey and cheese sandwich for extra fuel before practice.

Mommy took me baseball practice.  I am becoming a very good baseball player.  I'm enjoying practice and I am really excited about my ballgames tomorrow.

Mommy took me back to Mimz' home after practice.  I watched the Astros play on TV before going to bed.  I think all of my regular fans are going to come to my games.

I was enjoying sleeping late, but I finally got up at 8:30am.  While I ate breakfast Barbara and I talked about the two things she wanted me to help her with: prepare some Sausage Rice Pilaf and start clearning out clutter in my room.  I said I would help but first I wanted to just hang out in bed playing Rider on my phone.

GGM measured the ingredients for Sausage Rice Pilaf, Barbara chopped up vegetables and sauteed them, and I added all of the ingredients to the casserole dish.  This dish had to cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  GGM taught me that many hands make light work.

While lunch cooked, we started going through things in my room to declutter it.  I didn't want to part with my favorite books from my younger years, but I did find several books to give to Anna Kate and Bradley.  We also filled a box with boy toys for Bradley.  I did have one dump truck that I want to keep for myself.  And we did "play school" for a few minutes a couple of times.  I had to unscramble words to put them into sentences.  And I recited all of the US states outloud in alphebetical order. 

Barbara took me to meet Mimz around 1:30pm.   Mimz and I went to her neighborhood pool.  When we first arrived it was raining so we had a 30 minute waiting period to make sure there was not any lightening happening.   First thing I wanted to do in the pool was sim laps of free style and breast stroke.  Then I climbed the rock wall.   I talked with a couple of girls and we all agreed to practice diving in the deep end.

Mimz and I met Barbara at Sprouts around 5:10pm.  Mommy got home just a few minutes after we got home.  Mommy and I played catch with a hardball.  Mommy is pretty good at jumping or reaching to catch my throws.  She threw me lots of pop-ups and I am good at catching them.  That was fun.  More fun than batting the wiffle balls Barbara throws to me.  She is afraid of hardballs.

Here are pictures of me playing catch:

Here I am acting cool.   Mommy took me to my baseball practice.  I hit one long ball to center field and I ended up making a homerun even though my team is pretty good at throwing and catching.

I probably fell asleep looking forward to my double hitter games on Thursday.  I was asleep by 9:20pm.  

I went with Barbara and GGM to her eye specialist eye appointment.  We left home at 8am and it was almost 11 before we got home, but I didn't mind because Barbara and I both have an app called Rider on our phones that we can play at the same time.  I'm better at it than Barbara is and I even helped her finish some levels after I figured out how to solve them on my phone.  I'm now on level 14 and she is on level 9, which is the last easy level.  I'm working moderate levels now.

Papa was at our home when we got home.  He was cleaning the garage doors.  He stopped to have some corn-on-the-cob, pork loin, cheese, and watermelon with us.    Barbara and I went outside to play baseball with a wiffle ball.  Oh, Barbara does have a bruise on her leg where a ball I hit slammed into her leg last week.

Papa fixed my new bike that somehow I had messed up the brakes.  He rode Barbara's tricycle and he agreed it is hard to ride.  Barbara has not ridden it like she thought she might.  It is both physically hard to ride and turns are not easy like they are on a regular bike.

After Papa left we sat on Barbara's bed and played with our phones.  I did work some Flow puzzles.  I didn't want to read.   Barbara really wants me to read, and practice printing, and do some math, but I'm resisting.

Barbara wanted to take a nap so I decided to go see if Anthony or Alissa were home and could play.  In just a few minutes Alyssa and I were back ready to play.  We tried to be quiet and we really were good kids, but we had so much fun and it was loud.  So much for a nap for Barbara.

We played doctor first.  I had a broken arm and Alyssa put a cast on it.  We went to show Barbara.  She was going to write something on my cast, but when she pulled the cap off the pen, she hit my broken arm hard and my cast came flying off.   She was concerned that she had hurt my broken arm.  We all had a good laugh.

We had bowls of Top Ramen and cereal.  We played dodge ball and had balls in every room upstairs.  After an hour of that, Barbara helped us race to see how quickly we could gather all the balls.  That was all fun too.  And we sang and played the guitar.  Everything was fun.  We didn't argue at all.

Mommy took me to my baseball practice.  I had my best practice ever.  I hit two pop flies which were not caught.  I hit a ball that went all the way to the warning track.  I ran fast and barely made it to second base.   My coach told Mommy that I am the second best first baseman.  Later he told her I am a really good baseball player.

I watched American Ninja Warrior and then a little bit of a softball game on the iPad.  It wasn't long before I was asleep.

I spend the morning with my dad.  In the afternoon I wanted to play with Knox so Daddy took me over to Mimz' home.  Around 4pm we met Barbara at Sprouts. Mommy had just gotten home from her weekend spent with Bridget, Grandma, Kristan and 10 other girlfriends of Bridget's.  They called it a Bachelorette party.  Mommy and Kristan were in charge of the party and it was a big sucess.

We watched some of the Astro's baseball game and tossed around a whiffle ball.  It was so hot Mommy and I went to get a small Bahama Buck icee.

Astro's won the game easily, 8 to 2.  We watched some American Ninja Warriers before we went outside to play with my Heli Ball.  It would fly easily but the only problem was stopping it.  We need to read the instructions again.

I wanted cereal for dinner but Barbara insisted I eat something else first, then I could have some cereal.  Yesterday GGM and Barbara fixed some Sausage Rice Pilaf and they had some leftover.  Barbara fixed a bowl for herself, and I tried it... it was delicious so I finished off her bowl, then I ate a bowl of my own.  There was just enough for GGM to have a bowl and I wanted it.  Barbara said no, but she did say we could make some more tomorrow and I was all in favor of that.  I agreed to help make it.

Barbara and I played on her bed with apps on her phone.  She has a bowling app.  Her high score was 87... well, I surprised us both with a new high score of 99.  Oh, so close to 100.   We also played a car racing game and a Fidget Spinner game.   Then I had to get ready for bed.  The last thing we did was watch a video about Black Widow spiders.... creepy!
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"Fashionista"

Daddy weighed me this morning.  I weighed 57 pounds and am 50 3/4 inches tall.  I have gained 3 pounds and have grown 1/2 inch since March 19th. 

I was tired this morning but only slept until 8am.  We were glad I didn't have anything to do today.
We went over to Mimz and made tacos for brekafast.  Then Daddy and I went over to a friend's house to feed their dog while they are out of town.

Today was my last day of VBS and I enjoyed this day as much as I did the other four days.   We worked a little key chain 3D puzzle.  I was the first in my group to finish it.  Well, in the car I told Barbara I was going to mess it up and rework it.  She said take a picture of it first so you can see what it should look like, but I was so sure I could work it that I didn't take a picture.    That was a mistake...

Daddy came to pick me up at the normal 12:30pm itme and we spend the afternoon together.

 From 7 to 9pm the Cub Scouts had an indoor rock climbing event at Inspire Rock.

Daddy had to fill out release forms for both of us, even though he was not going to climb.  The scouts paid my way.

I am fearless.... I made it to the top!

This day started out just like the last few days:  Daddy brought me home and Barbara took me to VBS.  I am having a really good time at VBS.  I like my teenage leaders.  We sing a lot. We eat a snack and we run around.  We also have a lesson about God and how he loves us.

I bought home this picture of my group called Tina Green 2.  There were five Tina groups, all different colors.  I have worn my little fish necklace that my dad gave to me every day to VBS.

Both Barbara and GGM came to pick me up.  GGM wanted to see the gym filled with kids wearing bright orange shirts.  We came home to eat lunch.  Then Barbara and I played baseball until my dad arrived.  We play with a fiffle ball.  I hit it and it slammed right into Barbara's leg.   It really stung and she thinks she may end up with a bruise.  I told her I was sorry and she said she knows it was just an accident and that that is a part of playing ball.

Daddy brought me home in time for me to eat breakfast, brush my teeth, and put on my VBS shirt before Barbara drove me to VBS.

I wondered how kids were in the gym since it looks like a big big number of us.  I was told there were about a thousand people in the gym.  I'm not surprised.

Barbara was there right at noon and my group had not gone outside to the Kona Ice truck to get an icee drink, so we got in line.  I chose Pina Colata and a green colored flavor.  It was pretty good.  Barbara ate one bite and that was enough for her.

We got home in time for me to  eat  a pork chop and some mashed potatoes which I ate quickly so we could go outside and hits some balls before my dad would arrive around 12:45pm to take care of me this afternoon until he will take me to my baseball practice.  Normally we don't have practice on Wednesday but they decided to just to give us more practice.  That's okay with me, I like baseball practice.

Mimz is in visiting her aunt Joyce in Bureaux Bridge, LA, just east of Lafayette.  That area is under a Tropical Storm warning so Mimz may not come home on Thursday as she had intended.   They are having fun visiting while working jigsaw puzzles.

Daddy brought me home in time for Barbara to get me to VBS at 9am.  I enjoyed the first day and was really looking forward to going today.  Today we didn't have to stand in line so we just walked into the crowded gym and got me signed in.

 This is how VBS was decorated at the front door.

There are so many kids there.  This is not all of them.  I enjoyed this day of VBS just as much as the first day.  I brought home a small package of Connect-a-Gears.  Putting it together will show how the gears connect and support each other just like God connects with us and suports us and builds us up.

           "I can't beleive I ate the whole thing."
I came home to eat a quick lunch, pork loin, rice, and vegetables, watermelon, and a small bowl of cereal.  I finished just a few minutes before Daddy arrived.  Barbara and I were heading outside to have batting practice but he was here before we even hit one ball.

Daddy will take me to my indoor-soccer game and my baseball practice.  We will have to quickly go from one event to the other but they are located near each other so that will help.
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GGM has been playing a computer game called Bookworm for many years, at least ten or twelve.  One time she, GGF, and Barbara had built up a score of over 500,000,000 or a half a billion!  And they came close to that score again several years ago.   They didn't expect to get those close, ever again.  Well, GGF came so close to it today...

 Barbara took this picture when her score was 492, 666,090.  GGM kept playing after this picture was taken, but before she could get to 500,000,000, she lost.  She was just not given letters that would make words.  It takes at least a couple of months of playing without losing to get a score that high.

June 19, 2017
Daddy brought me home just in time for me to change into my VBS shirt and then Barbara and I headed off to VBS. 

 We got there about ten minutes early but we didn't need to because they didn't open the door until 9am.

We made our way to the big gym where we looked for a sign that said TINA GREEN... that was my group.

  There were seven girls and three boys in my group. 

We sang a lot, and ran around, and stuffed a bear with stuffing, and string for the guts, and blue paper.   That was about all I had to say about it except that I had a lot of fun and am glad I am going.

Barabara came into the gym at noon where she got to see all of the kids singing He's Got the Whole World in His Hands.

I wanted cereal for lunch, which I got, but I had to promise to eat some of Papa's pork loin that he sent home.  It really was tender and I asked for seconds.

I was going to rest all afternoon because I stayed up a bit too late last night and I need to rest before going to baseball camp.  Daddy was going to pick my up at 5pm but he came earlier at 2pm.

Daddy took me to my baseball camp.  I did well again.  I am a good thrower, hitter, runner, and fielder!  We don't have any games at the camp.  We are just practicing at improving our skills.  The coaches says I am a really good ball player.

June 18, 2017

Mimz took Knox and me to Urban Air.  It was super fun.  

The Swim Team Divisionals meet was held at Klein Forest High School's pool.  Daddy and Mimz got me there at 1:30pm as they were supposed to.  The meet was to start 2:30pm.  Well, the morning meet ran over and my meet was an hour and a half late getting started.  The meet was finally over for us around 9pm!  Talk about a long long day.  The only thing that made the meet bearable was that it was held inside out of the Texas heat!

Barbara and Mommy both came for part of my meet.  Daddy volunteered as a Water Boy giving bottles of water to the timers.  The noise level was so very high because so many people were rooting so very loudly,  It didn't bother me or the other youngsters, but both Mimz and Barbara were glad to escape the pool area when I was not swimming.  I was in four races and they lasted less than 30 seconds each.  That means were were there for over 8 hours for me to swim 2 minutes!  But my fans love me and will do what they can to support me.  I'm a lucky kid.

My Big Buddy had been on vaction in Hawaii with his family and his gift to me was a necklace with a surf board on it.  It was a really neat gift.  There was also some bubble gum, and candy in the sack.

We got home at 9:30pm.   I was tired and Mimz was REALLY tired!  Swim team is now over for this season.

I spent the night at Daddy's home.

Today was my last day of swim practice.  We practiced all of the strokes and practiced diving.  I hope I do well at the divional swim meet tomorrow.

Back home I finished reading The Magic School Bus Gets Baked in a Cake. 

I also strugged to finish my drawings for my Father's Day gift to Daddy.  I think my drawing is horrible but I want to do it all myself so it is very frustration. 

I finally got it finished.  I did let Barbara do the writing on it because there was too much for me to do without making a mistake and then I would have been really upset.  Mommy and I came up with the words, I did the art work, and Barbara wrote the words, so it was a group project for Daddy.

Later in the morning, I stayed home with GGM while Barbara and Grandma went to visit GGF.  He is still just sleeping.  They are giving him morphine to stave off any pain mostly due to his broken arm.  He has a Continuous Care Nurse from Hospice with him all the time.  They work twelve hour shifts.

At camp we did some fishing.  I caught 5 tiny fish.  That was fun.  Everything at camp was fun.  Every chance I got, I went to the playground to play GaGa ball.  When I came home, I was filthy, covered in sand and dirt all over my body.

Barbara dropped me off at Cub Scout Camp then she went home to get a couple pillows and some dry mouth gel to help take to GGF. She was there for about an hour, leaving just after 5pm.  She said he was sleeping peacefully and was in no pain.

After camp was over I went home with my dad.  He will take me to my swim meet tomorrow.
Mimz helped me take a shower, because she knew there was no way I would get all of that sand and dirt off of myself.

At 7:26pm the Hospice nurse called to tell Barbara that GGF had died at 7:19pm.  She was very sorry and said she would take care of everything.  They will call Barbara and GGM to keep them posted on what is happening.

I found out as soon as camp was over that GGF had died.  I said that was sad.  He lived a long healthy life and he is now in a better place.

Mommy took me to swim practice.   After today I only have one more day of practice unil we have our last swim meet, which is the divisionals.  It is six teams and is held indoors at Klein Forest High schools pool starting at 1:30pm.

When I got home I found out GGF has taken a turn for the worse.  He may not live too much longer.  Barbara went up to the Memory Care  place and GGM stayed home with me.  GGM was fine with staying home, since she can't do anything to help GGF. She has said her goodbyes to him. She is a realist and she is prepared for whatever happens.  GGF is sleeping and his body systems are starting to shut down.  I'm concerned about all of this but I am assured that it is all normal and GGF is not in pain and it is a part of life.  We are born and we die. 

Papa came to get me around 10:30am to take me to get fitted for my black tuxedo for Bridget's wedding.  We enjoyed this activity and stopped to have a calizone for lunch.

When I got home Barbara told me my dad wanted me to call him, so I did.  Then I went to go play with Anthony and Alyssa until 2pm, when I had to come home to get ready for cub scout camp.

At Cub Scout camp the highlight today was the fire truck coming to shower us with lots of water and boy was that fun.  I guess that is really the highlight of the entire camp just because it is so different.

Mommy came to volunteer after she got off work.  She wasn't there for the firetruck so she missed that fun fun event.


At home I'm working on a project with Barbara and Mommy.  We hope to get it finished tomorrow before I leave for Cub Scout camp.  I'll tell what it is after this weekend.

It was almost 9:30pm before I got into bed.  I talked Barbara into reading me a chapter of Champion Dog Prince Tom.   I was asleep by 9:50pm.  I should be asleep earlier since I have to get up by 7am.
but it is hard when we don't leave camp until 8:30pm.  The hot temperature is the only bad thing about camp.

Grandma and Papa went to visit GGF.  He was sleeping.  They siad they glad he is where professional people are taking care of him.

7am and time for me to get up for swim practice.

After swim practice, Barbara and I made a blanket fort.  I got inside it and read more of my chapter book for twenty minutes.  That was another reading challenge I had for the summer reading program.

I worked on the Rubic's Cube.  I so want Barbara to relearn to work it, so she can teach me.  She is trying to get caught up on things she has put off for the past two years while she was babysitting Anna Kate.

Barbar went to visit GGF at the Memory Care center.  I was a very very good boy for GGM.  I earned two stickers for being good, reading, and doing a chore while Barbara was gone.  I took watermelon rine and threw it into the gully behind our home.

I played nicely with Alyssa before I had to get ready for Cub Scout Camp.

We drew pictures.  This was my picture.

 At camp we figured out some secret codes using numbers and letters.



Mommy volunteered from 5:30 to 8pm.  Then we came home to bed.

This page lists all of my Pack's summer events.

I've started reading book #2 of in the Boxcar Children series.

This morning I found $5 that the tooth fairy left for me.  What a lucky boy I am!

I woke up with a bit of a sore throat so Mimz and I decided I should not go to my swim team practice.  We want to make sure I don't get really sick and then have to miss some of Boy Scout Camp or my first day of Baseball camp.

I felt better after Mimz gave me a Claritin pill.  We went to the movies to see _____ with ______.

We drove over to my home to get my camp supplies.  Barbara had my Cub Scout bucket and my lunch ready for the first day of Cub Scout Camp.  A funny thing, most of my lunch is an orange color today.  Camp starts at 3pm every day this week and lasts until 8pm...except today.  My dad came to pick me up at 5pm so I could make it to my first day of baseball came which is at 5:30pm every Monday for six weeks.

Mommy took off a half day of vacation so she could be there at noon to help set up camp.  The rest of the week she will arrive around 5:30pm and stay until it is over at 8pm and stay a little longer if necessary to help clean up camp.  Mommy will be helping in the Wolf area in all the Wolf dens, not just my den.   I'm in den 1.

 Eli was at my camp this year.  He is not in my den though.

 This is my den.  Mrs. Christine, my Tiger leader last summer, is now the leader of all of the Wolves.

This is the flag Wolf Den # 1 made.  We got to shot b-b gun rifles.  It was easier this year because they were not as heavy as the rifles we used last year, or maybe I'm must stronger.

Daddy and I arrived on time at the Farm League for my baseball camp.  There are coaches there who are just working on improving our baseball skills.  There are not any games.  The coaches in our area said I was the fastest runner and the fastest fielder.  That made me really happy.  We had two challenges and my team won both of them, partically thanks to my fast running.  That meant the other team had to do three push-ups for losing each challenge.  Oh, it is very hot out here so we drink water often just like we do at Cub Scout camp.

I came home and ate some cereal, then I worked the Rubic's Cube and works some 10 x 10 Flow puzzles.  I brushed my teeth and went to bed.  I will read in my Boxcar Children book tomorrow.
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This afternoon, Grandma and Barbara took GGF to a memory care center, (similar to a nursing home but for people that have dementia.)

Autumn Grove Cottage is where GGF moved to.  His room was the front corner room right by the American flag.

To get GGF into the car,  Mr. Mark, Anthony and Alyssa's dad came over to move him from his bed to his wheelchair, and from the wheelchair to the front seat of the car.   His help was really needed and appreciated.

Great grandfather did really well at the nursing home.  He sat and drank a cup of coffee with Grandma while Barbara did the paper work.

When Grandma and Barbara were leaving GGF was batting a beach ball back to one of the aids.  He later was talking about the card game Bridge with other residents.  GGF and GGM were both excellent bridge players.  GGM still plays Bridge on the computer.

That was Great Grandfather's last good day.  His health started failing quickly from that evening on.  GGM and Barbara were glad he was in a place that had people that knew how to care for him.

Today I had another great new experience.

I went to see the Astro's play baseball in the Minute Maid Stadium with Mommy, Grandma, Papa, Daddy, and Mimz.  Barbara needed to stay home to help GGM take care of GGF so Papa gave her ticket to Willie, one of his neighbors.

I took my baseball mitt to the game just in case a ball came my way and I had a chance to catch it. 

 Daddy and I and all the other kids, got to walk around the field, walking only on the warning track.

Picture of one of the dugouts.

 Our seats were in the right outfield, which is where Papa likes to sit.  We were far away from the aciton, but they have huge TV screens around so after watching the play, you could look up at the big screen TV to see the instant replay.

 I didn't have to ask many questions.  I have a good understanding of how this game works.

Mommy and me!

We were supposed to get to run around the bases after the game, but they had made a mistake and scheduled another event so we didn't get to do that.  Oh, well, that happens sometimes.

The only other bummer to the day was that Mimz and Daddy both got boots put on their car tire for parking where they were not supposed to park.  Not just them, but many other cars also.  They had paid a guy $25 to park there and got a ticket to put on their car dashboard.  Well, when Daddy got to his car he discovered that the guy was a crook and had no right to let them park there.  Daddy talked with the owner of the land and found out that this had happened before, so he agreed to take off the boot and not charge them the $125 that he was asking for to have the boot removed.

I'm spending the night at Mimz and she will take care of me tomorrow so Barbara and GGM can concentrate on GGF's care.  GGF's care is getting to be more than they can manage, so we know GGF will move to a facility that can care for him very soon.   

I lost my seventh tooth tonight.  I pulled it out myself!  It was under my pillow when I went to bed in hopes that the tooth fairy would come visit me.