Joe's Boot Camp

My Sister in Law, Kelli and I were talking one day. We were both feeling fat, old and ugly. She mentioned that a "Boot Camp" was starting at the YMCA where she is a member. It is a four week, twice a week, an hour at a time kick start or restart to great cardiovascular health. We discussed it, tried to find a reason we shouldn't take the class, put on our runnin' shoes and away we went! Boot Camp Joe kicked our butts! *grin* We ran, sat up, pushed up, scissor kicked, flutter kicked, bear, crab and every other critter crawl you can think of. We have crawled under make believe barbed wire fences and performed pushups with our legs over our partners back who is stratigically placed on all fours! We wanted a work out, we are getting one! All classes are outside, rain or shine. Boot Camp Joe says he doesn't even care if it is raining out! We have lived through 3 hours of Boot Camp by Joe, only 5 classes to go!

4 Friends + 2 Husbands + 9 Kids x 3 Nights = Tons of Fun, Laughter and Exhaustion!

I am a member of Mommies Minute. I joined in October of 2007. I have made some lifelong friendships through Mommies Minute and am eternally greatful to my friend Angel for telling me about it.

This past weekend, four of us got together with our kids at Gayla's parent's cabin in Erwin, TN. Gayla is from South Carolina, Kelli and I from Chattanooga and Liz drove with her four kids from New Jersey along with Joe and Kelli's husband and Joe's brother, Ron. Liz and Gayla own Mommies Minute. We celebrated Liz's 50th birthday while there. Erwin is a beautiful, quaint little town nestled in the Appalacian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee. The cabin was amazing and my family will definitely be using it again. It is located on 19 acres with a pond and a "barn" the kids practically stayed in the entire time. There was a pingpong table and other things for them to do!

All the girls and kids drove in on Thursday. Joe and Ron drove up on Friday after work. On Friday, we got up, fed and dressed kids. Liz and Kelli took everybody to Gayla's mom's pool. Gayla and I went to the grocery to get food for everybody. We took food back to the cabin and then went to the pool. We grilled steaks and hamburgers there. The boys got to the cabin about 10pm.

Saturday, Joe and Ron got up and took a couple of kids fishing. The moms stayed at the cabin, got everybody else ready and packed a picnic lunch. We headed off to a park located just outside of Erwin. It was beautiful. The kids loved playing in the creek catching crawdads. They got to swim in an honest to goodness cement pond there. It wasn't quite as nice as the Clampets, but our city kids had a blast! We went back to the cabin. Joe grilled corn and chicken for us, started a fire in the pit and the kids fixed S'mores.

Sunday brought more fishing for Joe, Ron, Kain and Caden and packing for the rest of us. We got everybody packed and the cabin cleaned up and headed home.

I love my friends and miss them already!:(

By the way, I don't know what has happened to Blogspot or how you are supposed to move pictures around, so sorry the post seems so disjointed and wierd. I can't move pictures anymore!

Miscelllanous Photos

I have had nothing terrific to blog about lately! Almost a month ago, I gave up smoking! *yippee yay* I met up with a friend, Andrea, to whom I have known longer than almost anybody not related to me! We played softball together and were very good friends until I moved away to Florida as a teenager. We went to visit LaGrange this weekend, oh how I love it there! Not really LaGrange as a city, but we love all of our friends there! Tony, if you happen to read this, I love you, you dirty old man! *giggle* So here are a few pictures of our unblogged about month!

Coy

Caden

Joe's Grandma

Coy

Caden, telling my mom's concrete layers how to do it!;)

Tyler and Caden at the zoo!

Grandpa Bill, he was on his tractor when we took him a cake!

My precious husband and his Walmart Gang sign!

Caden found this snake at the pool in LaGrange!

A Day at the Zoo

My sister-in-law and I took our kids to the Chattanooga Zoo on Wednesday, May 27.  That also happened to be my nephew's actual birthday.  We had a terrific day! 

Gangsta Kids!:0

All four!

Cute Camel

Amazing Peacock

Caden and a Billy Goat

Escape Goat:  He escaped when Caden opened the door for the petting zoo!  We tried for about 10 minutes to get him back in the enclosure.  Coy went and grabbed a guy that works at the zoo.  When the goat saw him, he leisurely walked back in the enclosure.  

He, apparently, escapes often!

Can you see the baby?  The zookeepers didn't realize this little Tamarin was pregnant.  When they initially saw the sweet and tiny baby on her back, they thought it was a tumor!  Tamarin almost never breed in captivity and the couple have lived together for 10 years!

Cooper's Home!

Caden and I picked him up from the vet earlier today.  He isn't quite himself yet, but was really excited to blow that joint!  He is thin and, sort of. . .hmmm,  mad at us, but we have faith that he will be back to himself shortly!

He has lots of medication and a special dietary needs for a couple of weeks and hopefully he will be as good as new!

Thank you for your prayers!

Poor Cooper

Please say a prayer for our little dog, Cooper.  He was missing Friday night.  The last time we saw him he was chasing our truck up the driveway.  We searched and searched and I was up half of the night yelling for him occasionally and worried all night.  Thankfully, we found him on Saturday morning, very sick.  We took him in to the vet and he has Parvovirus. *sigh*  The vet is giving him IV fluids and antibiotics.  He was peppy yesterday when I went to visit him and really mad at me today when I went to see him.  Apparently, lots of puppies with parvo get depressed when they are stuck in that cage day and night with a lampshade collar and his front paw splinted for the IV.  He just wants out.  He was offered food today.  If he eats it and keeps it. . . shall we say. . . in, I am going to discuss continued treatment at home.  I think he'll do better here.  Cajun, our other doxie, misses Cooper terribly.  Cooper needs to be home.  So if you believe we can pray for our animals, say a special prayer that Jesus will heal Cooper.  By the way, in Deuteronomy, the Lord says our animals will be blessed.  We are praying on this scripture!

Just Because

This is a "Just Because I Love My Camera" and have some pretty darn cute kids!

Coy, 13   

My niece, Kylie Girl!  We really wish we could say she is a sweet, precious, girlie girl, but as you can see, she is a mess!;)  She begged for bubbles.  This is the result.  Atleast it was a clean mess!

Caden: Stylin' and Profilin'

My nephew, Kain, celebrated his 5th birthday this month!  So bitter sweet!