No More Running Away

We picked up Charlie and Sarah from camp. They had a blast! In fact, Sarah was crying that it was time to leave and asked to stay two weeks next year. Allison, for one, was glad to have her siblings back.

It was a 3-hour drive home. When we reached our street:

Allison: OK, new rule for the summer: no one can run away from me anymore.

Me: What do you mean?

Allison: No more running away from me.

Me: Who ran away from you?

Allison: Well, Charlie and Sarah just ran away to camp, and before that, well I guess I ran away to Gran Gran's. And before that you ran to Africa. So I just want us all to stay together now.

Get a Job

David: Mommy, when I'm a grown up, are you going to give me money?

Me: No. You'll have to get a job.

David: Oh! And they give you money?

Me: Yes. You find something you're good at and you like to do, and get someone to pay you to do it.

Allison: I know how I'm going to earn money: singing. Because it's fun, and I can hit the high notes.

David: I'm going to sing too.

Fluffy

We were talking about our next vacation, to Boston.

David: Are we driving to Boston or flying?

Me: Driving.

David: Oh, too bad. I like airplanes because I like the fluff on top of the clouds.

Little Mama

Allison and David suggested a family walk after dinner. David asked if we could bring the dogs, so we did. Allison brought her twin dolls in a double jog stroller, with a blanket wrapped around them, and she brought her purse.

At one point, I started singing something silly to her.

Allison: Can you please sing quieter? My babies are sleeping.

Me, later: Are your babies still asleep?

Allison: Yes. I think they're down for the night. I hope they are. I want them to get a good night's sleep.

Deep Thoughts ... Or Not So Much

Allison, lounging on my bed one morning while I got ready for work: Mommy, what's your favorite thing in life to do? I mean, what's your favorite color?

When I Grow Up

Allison: Guess what I want to be when I grow up?

I made several guesses, all of which she said were wrong.

A: Want me to just tell you?

Me: Yes.

A: A doctor, a singer, an ice skater, and I may want to try to be President.

David: Know what I want to be? A hockey player, a baseball player, a football player, a soccer player, a basketball player, a hockey player, a golf player, and a croquet player.

Missing Our Campers

When we dropped Charlie and Sarah off at camp, the car seemed empty on the drive home.

At one point, David asked who was singing the song on the radio.

Daddy: I don't know, David.

David: If Charlie were here, he'd know.

********

Later on the drive...

Allison: Where are Charlie and Sarah?

Me: At camp. Remember?

Allison: Oh yeah, I forgot.

********

Arriving at home ...

David: Where's Charlie?

Me: He's at camp.

David: Oh yeah, I forgot.

Allison, moaning: I miss Charlie.

David: I don't really miss him. Because Charlie gave me his heart.

Should Have Seen This Coming

We were listening to country music on the car radio.

Allison: Mommy, what does "sexy" mean?

Me: Uh, it means pretty. In sort of a grown-up way.

David: Mommy, you're sexy.

Jerry Garcia Would Sing Bass

In the car on the way to camp, we spoke to some family members on the phone.

Sarah: Uncle's voice sounded deeper on the phone.

Me: Oh really?

Sarah: Yeah. Maybe it was just the phone. Phones can do that, you know.

Me: Mmmh.

Sarah: Or maybe he grew a moustache. That could do it too.

Me, laughing: No it couldn't.

Sarah: Really it couldn't? I thought it did.

PG-13

We had lunch in Applebee's on the way to take Charlie and Sarah to camp. Allison and I walked through the restaurant on our way to the restroom. She glanced up at one of the TVs and said, "Eww. What is that DIRTY show that's on the TV?"

I looked up quickly, ready to shield her, thinking about all the grown-up ads that play during sports shows, then answered, "Oh, that's monster truck racing."

Red State or Blue State

David, in a moment of rebellion: When I grow up, I'm going to drink Pepsi.

Me, annoyed, but trying not to be: David, you know that all the money we have to do everything with comes from Coke.

David: Yeah, but I'm still going to drink Pepsi.

Me: Well, I guess you can decide that.

There was a moment of silence while he thought about that.

David, contrite: Actually, I am going to drink Coke.

Me, not won over: You can decide that too.

David: I'm cheering for Coke and Coke Zero.

Me: Fine.

David, still working to get in good graces: Because Pepsi's not good for your body. If you drink Pepsi, you turn into a chicken.

He totally had me. Me, laughing: You would not turn into a chicken!

Old Friends

Our friend Jeff came to town, so the Dolans had the old gang over for a pool party. (Tom is David's Godfather). We all knew each other from the Young Adults group at the church in the early '90s.

Top row: Jeff, Tracey, Bryant
Front row: Kate, Tom, Cindy, Eric, Joanna, Steve, Paul, Pam

The next generation. Some of the older kids were missing/at camp, but here are the younguns. Everyone had a lot of fun, and for once there were plenty of BOYS for Charlie to play with. The got a big ball game going so everyone was happy.

Pretty Young Thing

At the hair salon, Sarah saw a copy of TV Guide with a big picture of Farrah Fawcett on the cover from her Charlie's Angels days.

Sarah: That's Michael Jackson??

Me, laughing: No! That's Farrah Fawcett.

S, pointing to the text at the top of the magazine: Well, it says "Farewell Michael Jackson."

Me: Yeah, but that's a white woman and Michael Jackson was a black man.

S: Well, he had plastic surgery to look like a woman, and to make his skin white. And he sings like a woman.

Me: Well, OK. But that's Farrah Fawcett.

Tough Guys Pray Too

We were saying grace before the meal, and after the usual blessing, David asked if he could add on, and spoke from the heart.

Me: Thank you, David, that was lovely.

Allison: Can I add on too? (She did.)

Me: Beautiful, Allison.

David: Hey, how come you said, 'Beautiful, Allison,' but you didn't say 'Beautiful, David'?

Me: Oh, David, your prayer was beautiful too.

D: No, mine wasn't beautiful, mine was tough.

Bored Game

Allison, during a loooong game of Monopoly that we started and stopped several times over the course of four days: I just don't see how this is supposed to be fun.

Don't We All

Charlie, at dinner one night, out of the blue: I wish Willy Wonka was real.

Fourth of July - Pool Fun

After a hot morning of running or cheering for runners, we spent the afternoon at the pool. It was great fun, with lots of fun and games to celebrate the Fourth. We had a great time chilling out with friends and neighbors.

Flipper Race - age 8 and up

Charlie in the shaving cream relay race - swim to one end without losing your shaving cream, swipe it off your head and pass to the next kid.

Sarah swims in the shaving cream relay

Allison takes her turn - great swimming, everyone!

David, swimming without shaving cream

Water balloon fight - parents against kids

Mommy and David take a little break during adult swim

Charlie cools off with a fudgicle

Fourth of July - Peachtree Road Race

Charlie ran his first 10-K (6.2 mile) road race on the Fourth of July. He ran with Daddy and they did fantastic. It's the largest 10-K in the country, with 55,000 runners. At age 10, Charlie was one of the youngest runners.

We all came out to cheer them on. We are very proud of our runners!

The boys, pre-race

Race fans Sarah, Allison, and David in their July 4 regalia

Here come our runners at Peachtree Battle. Way to go, Charlie and Daddy!

Allison's use of the South African vuvuzela is a big hit with the runners.

Allie expresses her support. Many runners cheered for her.

Charlie at the after-party. He signed the poster

Charlie and Daddy in Piedmont Park after the race

The whole family at the finish line following the race

County Swim Meet

The kids had an awesome swim season this year. Charlie even got Most Improved for his age group. Way to go, Charlie!! Sarah had a terrific year too - both of them collected some First Place ribbons. Allison moved up from Junior Penguins to Under Six competitions mid-season.

All three of them participated in the County Meet, which concludes the season. They did great! Charlie and Allison both qualified for the final round on July 3. In the finals, Allison and her freestyle relay team finished 9th in the County. Charlie's breast stroke time was 7th best in the County. Way to go, Penguins!!

The aquatic center at Emory

Allison on the starting block in the semi-finals of the Freestyle Relay.

Charlie - after an incredible race

Allison before the Finals

Allison getting last-minute tips from Coach Joel before her leg of the relay

Allison swims her leg - lane 1 (black bathing cap)

Allison post-race

Charlie and his friends: Ethan, Matthew, Charles

Sarah and Aaron hanging out in the bull pen

Allison's Special Vacation

Allison had a wonderful vacation in Myrtle Beach with Gran Gran and Granddaddy Lane. She went to Vacation Bible School, which is extremely well-done and FUN. She had a ball. Before she left, she was a little worried she'd miss us, so we took some good-bye pictures.

Kaleidoscope

We signed the 4 kids up for our church's version of Vacation Bible School. It's called Kaleidoscope and each class focuses on a country and learns about that culture.

A few days before it started, Liam's mom called and said Liam was signed up for baseball camp that same week and did Charlie want to join him. Can you guess which activity Charlie selected? [Hint: not Kaleidoscope.]

Kaleidoscope culminated in a Mass on Fathers Day when the children wore their shirts from that country and the Kaleidoscope choir sang at the Mass. Sarah and her two friends, Autumn and Samantha, were chosen to sing as a trio the song after Communion, Heavenly Father. Sarah chose to surprise her Daddy with the Fathers' Day song. It was beautiful.

Charlie - American baseball (no Kaleidoscope shirt); Sarah - Mexico; Allison - Ireland; David - Native Americans

Braves v. Red Sox

The boys (Bryant, Charlie, and David) had a night at the ballpark to see their beloved Braves face their beloved Red Sox. As you can see, Charlie mixed it up with a Red Sox cap and a Braves shirt. Dave went with the Braves cap/shirt combo.

David got a ball in batting practice from a nice guy standing near them who caught one and tossed it to the nearest kid. He was exuberant.

David runs the bases in the Kid Zone at Turner Field.

Africa

(pictures to follow)

Thought I Could Slip One By You

Before my trip to Africa, we were on a walk one evening after dinner.

Allison: Mommy, will you bring us home presents from Africa?

Me: Oh yes.

Allison: Can you bring me something girlishy?

Me: Sure. Like what?

Allison: Like an African dress, and an African scarf, and a certificate to get my ears pierced.

Hard of Smelling

I lit a scented candle, and commented that it smelled nice.

Allison: I don't smell anything.

Sarah: Me neither.

Me: Really? Neither of you can smell it?? I think it smells pretty strong.

Sarah: I guess they should call you Tracey SMELLFIELD Mackey.

I'm Guessing Cocoa Puffs

David, coming into our room on a lazy Saturday morning: Can I have my breakfast?

Me: Yes. Are Charlie and Sarah downstairs?

David: Yes.

Me: Then ask one of them to pour your cereal for you.

David, trotting off: OK.

Me: What are you going to have?

David: Oooh, I'm not telling. You'll have to smell my breath.

Teenager in Waiting

Allison, after admiring herself in my full length mirror for a few minutes, stood to face me, left hip cocked, right foot forward, left hand on her hip.

"Mommy, which looks more cooler: this?" [Pauses, then shifts her weight to right hip cocked, left foot forward, right hand on hip.] "Or this?"

Mustang Allie

Allison: When I grow up I'm only going to have two kids so I can have a convertible.

David: When I grow up, I'm not going to have kids, because I don't want them to get in trouble.

Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and the Mackadorables

Our Valentine's Day presents to the kids were tickets to the Taylor Swift/Keith Urban concert - the kids are all country music fans, and Allison has a huge Taylor Swift fetish. This was everyone's first concert, and we made a big night of it. The girls especially enjoyed Taylor Swift, and the boys especially enjoyed Keith Urban.

When the concert was over and we got to the car, Charlie immediately asked for Daddy's iPhone. When I asked why, he said he wanted to use the calculator. In about 30 seconds, he announced, "I knew 82.3529% of the songs."

Me: What? How many did they sing?

Charlie: I'm just talking about Keith Urban. He sang 17 songs, and I knew 14 of them.

Me: Wow.

Charlie: Yeah. There was another song so it would have been 18, but that's the one he was improvising as he went along, so I didn't count it.

Me: Charlie, you are just like Uncle!

So here are some pictures from the big night out. The ones from the iPhone are a little grainy, because I pulled them in from Facebook, but they are too cute not to share!

And a full body shot so you can see those sassy boots on the girls!

Sarah made a sign. One side says Taylor Swift, and the other side says Keith Urban. We were in the upper deck, but I still think, somehow, they knew.

Happy Birthday to David

David came home from Portland on the night of his birthday - but he still had enough energy to have a little party with his family.

Here he is opening presents

Where does it say you must give the birthday boy bunny ears?? It must be in the kid manual, right next to the part about screaming "Eat More Chicken" during the happy birthday song.

David opens another cool gift

Then we take him upstairs and let him unwrap the gift from us: an aquarium!! I did some reading about it and learned you have to get it all set up and stabilize the water first, before you can put any fish in there. In fact, I hadn't quite gotten the filter figured out, so there wasn't water in there yet either. But David was very excited.

Look at me! I'm four!

He made his birthday wish out loud: "I wish I can get some fish to go in my new fish tank!" Well yes, David, that is the point. And no, that's not too much to ask. After the tank was established, we got 3 fish who thankfully seem to be quite hardy and can live with variation in tank temperature, water level, and frequency or timing of their fishy food. David named them Joe, Bro, and No. Or maybe Coe, Roe, and Bo. I can't keep it straight, or else he keeps changing them. D'oh!

Daddy and David Visit Portland

That's funny, I thought Bryant went too, but from the pictures it seems to be all about David and Rowan!

Working in the yard...

Makes getting clean almost as much fun as getting dirty

There he is -- handsome Samuel Bryant! Look at that sweet face.

The big guys watching an even bigger waterfall

Rowan's face is excellent!

Aunt Dargan and Uncle Matt had a cake for David's birthday - the last day of their visit was on his fourth birthday - so they celebrated early with cake and some boys.

"I'm four!"

Apparently trying to best the giant ball was the sport of the evening for the four-and-under crowd.

Hanging at the park

They had a blast picking strawberries. Yum!