More Classics from the Scoob

Eliza Grace pleaded with me to record her singing her "newest" favorite song.

She had been sneezing all day (have no clue why) so her eyes and nose were sort of swollen but she managed to belt it out.

You may want to turn your volume DOWN, as she gets a wee bit loud on the second line :)

Maybe We Could Sell It?

Eliza Grace and I LOVE tomato sandwiches. But, as you may already know, tomatoes at the grocery store are really expensive....especially if you want the big, deep red, vine-riped kind.

So, after seeing the commercials for weeks, and listening to Eliza Grace pine away for tomato sandwiches, Scott went out and bought the "as seen on TV" hanging vegetable planter.

We bought a small tomato plant, Scott planted it and then hung it up.

And we waited. And we watered. And we waited.

And, low and behold...a bud!

Just one.

Every morning and every evening the kids rushed to see the progress of our one single tomato. From tiny yellow flower to green little ball then orange then red.

The whole point was to grow our own Big Boy tomatoes, thereby saving all kinds of money at the grocery store. Well, I don't think that's gonna happen.

Hanging Vegetable planter = $9.00

Already sprouted small tomato plant = $3.00

One single small tomato = Not so priceless.

$12.00 + the miracle grow we threw in there for one, single, less-than-a-half-a-pound tomato. I could have

bought about 4 pounds of tomatoes at the store for the same money.

I mentioned the above in front of Eliza Grace, and, always thinking, she said, "maybe we could sell it?"

No way! We will pick that tomato, slice it carefully, gently sprinkle it with kosher salt...and have enough for

each of us to have one whole bite.

**Addendum to the post above - We picked the tomato,

sliced it in quarters and each had one small bite. It was delicious!**

To Prove My Earlier Point...

...Eliza Grace knew darn well I was filming her.

Which is why, despite forgetting the words a bit,
she managed to finish strong for her audience!

Will sings....

...the Scooby Doo theme song.

Unlike his sister, if he had had any idea I was taping him, he would have stopped immediately.

Just goes to show you, the classics never die!

Moments in Time

The portraits we had done in May are in!

Our family.

Our little man.

Both our munchkins.

Yes, I took pictures of pictures. They look even better in real life :)

Barracudas + Sharpies

In the suburban Cary/Apex area of North Carolina, there lives a beast that arrives each summer: the neighborhood swim team!

As members of the Brookstone Barracudas, we are deeply entrenched in this summer activity. Let me take you through typical Tuesday evening activities in ridiculous pictorial detail!

First, stake out your spot on the pool deck with your respective age group (these scenes compliments of the 7 & 8 year old girls)

Next, pull out all the games and activity books you hauled along that will be completely ignored as soon as the girls start playing hand games (Miss Mary Mac-Mac-Mac, all dressed in black-black-black....), giggling and generally acting their age.

Then, allow an adult, whom you barely know, draw on your child with a permanent marker.

Try to ignore it when one of the girls takes the marker and starts writing things like "Eat My Bubbles" and "Barracuda Bite!" all over your child.

Next, and this is extremely crucial, quickly get in line at the concession stand before all of the ring pops, pizza slices and snow cones are gone and all you are left with is Laffy Taffy - ick!

Although Will is just a spectator, you can see he has fully embraced this part of the process!

As has his sister...

Wait, what are we doing here again? Oh, that's right, it is a swim meet. So, after warm ups, pizza, snow cones, and a fairly significant quantity of sugar, these kids are ready to hit the water. First, ala Michael Phelps, you have to get your arms loosened up.

Make sure your goggles are on nice and tight - you don't want the Phelps goggle malfunction!

Then.....a moment of deep concentration. Can you see it on her face? That's it! She has it! The eye of the tiger...grrrrr! Well, either that or she is patiently waiting to be told to step up. But I am going with the tiger thing.

Event: Backstroke.
"Swimmers, take the water"

"On Your Mark"

"HOOONK"

And she's off!

Typical post-event conversation:

"Mommy, how did I do?"

"You weren't last!!"

"Yea! I wasn't last!!"

Ah, how we Hughes reach for the stars!

Then, sometime between 9 and 10 pm, we take our little tigers home, where they pass out on their beds from sheer exhaustion and the down side of the sugar high.

"Mommy, now can I have some Sour Patch straws?"

Of course, you know...we love all of it!

1st day of 2nd grade!

Gee whiz - didn't I just post pictures of Eliza Grace on the first day of FIRST GRADE??

Well, here we are again...the start of another year round school year. The four week break was nice but now we are back at it and counting down the next nine weeks until we track out again and head to Kiawah!

Here is my lovely little lady in her new dress from Lands End. I love their clothes, especially when they are 50% off with free shipping!

Fabulous 4th

We celebrated Independence Day with the Dusek clan with hours by the pool, yummy food and fireworks.

Will was really in the spirit!

The Four Musketeers: Jacob(7), Eliza Grace(7), Isaac(4), Will(3)

His Father's son...in 2 very distinct ways

Despite the fact that he pretty much looks exactly like
his father, below is evidence that solidifies beyond a shadow of a doubt that Will is most definitely Scott's son.

#1. A love of Rush ( in this case, the band...not the talk show host). Will is working toward his Geddy Lee status (yes, I know Geddy mostly plays the Bass but this is close enough).

#2. They dance alike: