Panama Rocks

A trip to Panama Rocks has been on my list for a while and today was the last day of the season, so...

We dragged Grandma and Grandpa W out to the middle of nowhere and it was spectacular!

While there were huge rocks just like we saw at Rock City, this place was different.  Maybe it was the time of year?  The leaves were way past peak, but there was still enough to give us a great fall day.  Check out the crack in the rocks. One wrong step and you could be in serious trouble.

In a place as flat as it is here, to see rocks of this scale is pretty amazing.  They were huge!

The boys heard we were going on a hike and out came the walking sticks plus Tyler's water bottle.  They were prepared for quite a trek!  They are cub scouts after all!!

There he is... swagger boy.

Isn't this crazy?  It looks like it could topple at any minute!

There were all sorts of great places to explore.  This may have been where we lost grandpa... he went up a crevice and couldn't get back down!!

We heard him toward the middle of our hike so we knew he was ok and eventually found him here...

That picture doesn't do the height justice.  It was probably twice as high as it looks here.  Yikes!

This rock was really cool.  Do you see the lion?  Look for the fern mane.

They insisted on squeezing through here.  See Tyler's head back there?  He told me there wasn't enough room for him to turn his head for the pic. Yikes! The adults walked around.

Tread carefully.  These crevices went down really far... 25 feet maybe?  I was a bit concerned with two boys and slippery leaves, but we all made it through unscathed.  

I think I have to bring my tripod on our excursions more often.  Everyone in the same pictures is a beautiful thing.

What a great day!  Now I've got to come up with more outside adventures... that was the last on my list locally and that just won't do!

Boys

I'd like to go on record and say that I had nothing to do with how the boys dressed for their school pictures this year.  This is all them.

Tyler - 4th Grade

Ryan - Kindergarten

They must have also agreed that it is a no teeth year. Such handsome boys.

I had no idea how faded Tyler's cub scout shirt had gotten until I saw these two pictures.  Oh well, I guess that is proof that I do wash it regularly.  It is a well loved shirt.  I'm sure Ryan's will match in a few years.  

Last weekend I decided to get some pictures of my own.  Unfortunately Ryan wasn't feeling cooperative. But, this is a face we see often.  At least I know I'll never forget it!

This just isn't quite him.

Tyler is getting so big.  4th grade and almost in double digits.  Sigh.

4 years apart and the best of friends.

I'm still hoping for family pictures this year.  Maybe next weekend...

Pre-School Graduation - Take 2

Sometimes I think being a parent means being in a constant state of second guessing and holding Ryan back from starting kindergarten was something that I second guessed to myself a lot.  But, after seeing him at his second pre-school graduation on June 19th, I am certain that we made the right decision.  This was a completely different boy from the one who sat on the stage stone-faced last year. 

He surprised us by being the first to march out and onto the stage all by himself.  Not a hint of hesitation.

I love this picture... just a quick peek to make sure we're all there for him.

This year he participated fully in the ceremony.  He sang, he danced and at the end, he even played God in the skit.  So proud of this boy.

Handsome, confident and wearing Spider-man sneakers.  This boy is the whole package.  Watch out world!

 

I'm trying to upload a couple of videos.  We'll see if that works...

First Communion

May 3rd (cough cough... yes, more than 5 months ago) was Tyler's First Communion.  He prepared diligently and carefully for this event by attending religious education weekly, attending mass with worksheets and going to his retreat.  At the same time he completed an extra activity workbook for cub scouts and earned a religious emblem to wear on his uniform.  Tyler chose to do this and I am proud of him.  It really was a lot of work.  But, the big day finally arrived and Tyler could not have been more pleased to get all dressed up.

Very pleased with himself and snazzy with his new tie clip.

We are lucky that so much of our family takes the time to celebrate these occasions with us.  

He's still excited at this point...

Pleased with his pew marker.

Here we go... getting a little nervous.

And, here is the moment.  "Mom, it tastes bad."  He knew what the host tasted like as we attended the retreat, but I think he thought the taste changed when the priest blessed it.  Not so much.

He recovered enough for some post-ceremony pics.  

It was a very special day spent with special people.  We truly are blessed.