First I didn't do camp drop and then for camp pick-up
I forgot my camera. So, that means I was at the mercy of Lacey's
little pink camera for blogging pictures.

Lacey had a great week!
Her highlights included:
Skit Night
Square Dance Night and
Watermelon Football in the Pool
(what a surprise!)

The not-so-highlights included:
The Food
Softball and
Walking Into a Tree...oh wait that was funny, she said...actually
she changed it to embarrassing.

If you scroll down a bit below Lacey and Brynne you will find PoPo having one of his last veggie buffets in the tub. He was released as promised, in the backyard, into a nifty little wooden box w/a hanging water dispenser, one of his "blankies" and a plate of food for a midnight snack. Within 30 minutes he had made a hop for it and we have yet to see him again. Gregg and I were both commenting at dinner last night about how much we miss the little guy after 48 hours in our guest bath. Maybe someday we will have our reunion, but in the meantime you can watch this sweet, ultra short video.

Weekend wrap -
Lacey left for camp yesterday!
She was very excited and has been going for 9 summers.
Next to getting her drivers license when she gets back
this is probably the summer highlight for her.

I used to be the camp packer. It was a thoughtful process that took
the better part of a week, enlisted
the support of all extended family
and required multiple trips to Target.

This year Lacey did 99% of it herself. However, less then 3 hours
before departure she still had everything outside of the trunk,
lined up down the hallway in neat little piles.

I missed the camp drop because I was doing an Aggie drop.
Otherwise known as ExpLORE Conference.
This is a 4 day conference for high school seniors who desire
to teach in a multicultural environment.
The text I got last night from Brynne declared
SHE LOVED IT!
The director, the roommate, the first speaker...
How exciting!

And while photo #3 clearly isn't Jacob I can tell you that Jacob
played some basketball this weekend for the first time since
he broke his foot. Running is still a bit awkward, but he was
excited to get back on the court and he will press on with the
recovery and therapy.

Finally PoPo has become quite the eater!
He gobbles down lettuce, carrots and apples with gusto!
He has also figured out how to get out of the tub.
Our mission today will be to reintroduce him to the backyard
and hopefully he will stay within hoppin' distance of the back door!

PoPo the Bunny had a good night!
We have cruised the internet, and found gobs
of conflicting bunny 101...
We have acted on our gut feelings...which
means homemade formula,
fresh produce, inside, outside, tub, box, rock, towels...
Finally we consulted with a bunny rescue gal and she was
both helpful and encouraging. We now know that he is
big enough to go back outside and do his own bunny thing.
And out he will go...after the weekend...we are such softies!

The lawn guy made two discoveries tonight. A snake. End of story. And a baby bunny "swimming" in the pool. Jacob and Gregg have been hooked on Lost of late and are into season #2. Jacob has decided that since the bunny is lost a Lost name is appropriate. The Mattson family is about to embark on a big life lesson...we will either save a life to let it go or lose a life in the trying. In the meantime we will mix up the formula from the online recipe and feed baby every 3 hours...really? Can't we be the schedule sergeants and go for every 4 hours?

Lacey wanted to celebrate
her birthday with a road trip.
Two of her swim friends joined
us for 3 action packed, sunshine filled,
soaking wet, stuffed to the gills, laugh a minute days.

Lacey's club swimming continues on with super-duper
early morning practices AND dinner time practices
PLUS a monster meet at SMU over 3 days of
Father's Day weekend.

Bye-bye cast...hello second shoe!

Brynne had her Senior yearbook photo taken
and also her informal portfolio shot.

Brynne and I attended the high school graduation.
It is stunning to think that next year she will not be serving
as a Red Jacket, but instead will trade the jacket for a gown!

At the end of the year special gifts are given...
Brynne received this from one of her little bi-lingual friends...
Handmade by the little girl's aunt...
It is used to take the corn and grind it into grain.

Jacob is all smiles as his bids farewell to 5th grade
and officially sets his sights on middle school.

Our kitchen cabinets went from white to black and the pain
of being without the kitchen for what seemed like an
eternity is almost forgotten as we love the change!

Are you ready to move with me through the past two weeks?
Has it only been two weeks?
This is our summer so far...

*Happy Birthday LACEY!
A wee bit early. Her official b'day
is the 22nd, the day she goes to camp.
That means she will be about 10 days late
getting her license, but if you can't get it
on time what better excuse then summer camp!

YUM-O!
Lacey has become quite the cake baker
and Father's Day and Mother's Day have given us occasion to enjoy her creative treats.

Happy Father's Day!

I have a terrific father and for that I am very thankful.
My children have a terrific father and for that
I am even more thankful.
The dad job had high expectations for this wife, see sentence #1.
And my husband has not let me down.
That in and of itself is worth mentioning, but personally I view it as a victory of sorts.
You see, while Gregg had some men in his life who taught him various things
a boy should learn growing up, regrettably his dad was not one of them.
Some of the things my husband could have learned from his dad
would have not be credited as positive.
And this is why I am so proud of the dad on
Cottonwood Lane...he is
self taught in so many things, the total fatherhood package being one of them.
As a mom I delight in the dad that Jacob might someday grow up to be,
based on the example his own dad has given him.
And for that I am very thankful.