This is Rocket Science

Despite Keagan's repeated cries that he was ready to get home to see his beloved cat, we took a short detour on the way home to see the Rocket and Space Center.

Wes was able to see his childhood dream of attending Space Camp come to fruition today. He was the only 30-something year old hanging out with the young campers. Oh, how I kid! However, he did walk through each Saturn V display and each simulator with child-like wonder.

I, meanwhile, was convinced that nothing is more humbling to one's level of intelligence than a walk through a rocket science museum.

Design your own Space Station

Flight Simulator

Get Your Motors Running

Thousands of dollars on accommodations, hundreds of dollars on food, and the boys' highlight of our annual beach trip was a $7 go-cart ride.  A go cart ride that lasted all of about five minutes. I guess this view just doesn't mean as much to the boys as it means to me.

In their defense, it was cloudy and there was a slight chance of rain, so we agreed to get away from the beach and ride go carts for just a couple of hours. Evan drives a go-cart like he plays soccer. No one gets past him - except for maybe Daddy.

Keagan loved the ride once he and Wes were able to pass Evan on the backside of the track, but he was frustrated beyond belief when he was told by the go-cart operator he was too short to drive a car on his own. Oh, the injustice of being shorter than big brother! He looked up at me with those long lashes fluttering and asked, "Just when am I going to grow, Mom? 

I guess I could save thousands of dollars and just take the boys go-cart racing next summer, but then I would miss watching this:

Summer just wouldn't be the same.

We Survived Putt Putt

You might recall we have a love hate relationship with miniature golf. Every beach vacation has resulted in a game of putt putt, and until last year, every game has resulted in tears.

Wes wasn't around last summer for our first tearless game so he was hesitant to agree to a game. However, it was decided on that long car ride south that parents would play boys at a highly contested battle of putt putt at the first threat of rain.

That was today. 

Evan got a hole in one. He celebrated with his hole-in-one-dance. 

Keagan tried every trick up his sleeve to distract Wes from doing the same. Unfortunately, he learned paybacks are hell.

And the parents left the course with the win!

The Beach

It is an awfully long drive to the beach when you live in Tennessee. Oh, how I miss that short drive we could take when we lived in Georgia! Eight hours and more construction zones than I care to remember later, we made it to paradise!

The beach is powder white and super clean, the seafood is spectacular, and the company has kept me laughing since we pulled out of the driveway!

Evan is already begging to play putt putt. That just might bring an end to my happiness! 

Until Next Time Because Goodbye is Not Allowed

In the Army, good-bye is a bad word. So when we said farewell to our new friends tonight we used the more customary and acceptable phrases of "The Army is a small world" and "until the next time our paths cross and "see you later." The truth, though, is good-bye is good-bye and word choice doesn't change that. 

Evan is adamant, even more so than last year, that he will not move again. Keagan has begun to adopt a similar mantra. Wes is already talking of retirement, and I'm still hoping to see the world on the Army's dime. 

Until then we are hoping for no more goodbyes, farewells, or see you laters.

It's Summer and We Aren't Moving

The boys finished one of three basketball camps of the summer today. Keagan told me yesterday he couldn't believe I had his calendar booked solid through the summer, and Evan responded, "Well, that's better than what we did last summer. Cleaning, packing, moving with a cat, unpacking and more cleaning is no way to spend a summer."

I hear you, Wise One. That's why when I look at this picture I am saddened that two boys are moving to Alabama next week and two more boys are PCSing to Colorado this weekend. But I'm also so thankful it's them and not us!

The Boys

Keagan's highlight of the week was demonstrating a dribbling skill for all of the campers "while everyone else, including the high schoolers, oohhhed and aahhhed over his skills." (Humble he is not.) The high school coach asked which school he attended, and when Keagan replied, the coach told him he looked forward to having him on his roster in six years. I didn't have the heart to tell Keagan we will have moved two times by the time those six years are completed.

Evan's highlight was having a three pointer competition with the high school players and WINNING! Of course, when I asked how camp went, he didn't give me the important details. Keagan went into the full story, though, when Evan, my boy of few words, said, "It was fun."

We are now headed to the store to buy water guns because we are making up for lost summer fun! 

He Said It

Keagan: "Mom, when I grow up and make it big in the NBA, the first thing I am gonna buy is a beach house for you. Then I'm gonna give some money to the American Cancer Society. Then I am gonna build houses for the homeless. But don't worry! I'll keep some money for me, too, because well...I earned it."

Me: "Oh, honey! That's so sweet. No one would expect you to give all of your money away, but it is thoughtful of you to consider how you can help others."

Two minutes later....


Keagan: "Mom, I think it would be cool to be a mailman because then you could steal everyone's birthday money. If I had a son, I would want him to be a mailman, too, so we could gather all of our stolen packages and share it."


This is something I never thought I would say: We are praying the whole NBA career comes to fruition because the alternative doesn't look promising enough.