Best Buddies

I know I have already posted about our new cat Charlie, but I haven't adequately described the relationship between these two boys.  To say they really like each other is such an understatement.  Oh my-lanta, these two are literally inseparable.  And, it's not a one-sided relationship either.  They both absolutely love each other!  

Charlie is sooo tolerant of Sam.  He lets Sam lay on him and crawl on him and yell in his face 

"Hi Cha-ney"over, and over, and over.  He even lets Sam pull him around in grocery bags.  

They birdwatch out the back door together...

Sam shares his bath toys with Charlie.  Charlie has actually slipped and joined Sam in 

the tub a couple times for a bath.  He doesn't even seem to mind the water much.

They curl up for naps on the sofa together...

And, a book will no longer be read in this house without Charlie.

Sam shares his milk, his fruit snacks (which is a small miracle in itself), 

and even his toothbrush with Charlie!

...and Charlie takes it all in stride, 

because he loves his boy just as much as his boy loves him.

Memorial Day Weekend

We kicked off this summer with a canoe ride on the river with the Drivers.  I didn't take any pictures on the boat ride.  One too many times flipping a canoe has made me camera shy.  We made it back to CedarRock around 1:00 and were greeted by this crew...

Near dusk (after several Gator rides on the kids' Gator and several more rides on the real Gator with Pawpaw and Kimmie) we went down to the gravel bar to roast marshmallows and make smores.

Over the weekend, Daddy bought Sam a paddle boat and another little fishing boat which we had to try out on the river.  So far, Sam is turning out to be a real water baby this year.  He loves the water and isn't afraid to jump right in...right off the side of the boat if I would let him.  Thank goodness for life jackets with a "momma handle" on the top, for safety of course.

Hello sweet summertime, where my only job is to be the best wife and mom I can be!

Oh, and because nothing says summer like a big garden in bloom, 

here's an update on the Burtram family garden...

Week 2:

Week 8:

A Mom and Her "Boys"

In our house, this mom is outnumbered...big time.  One sweet husband, three handsome sons, and two adorable nephews.  This girl has become pretty good at "boys."  A plus to having a house full of boys is that they sure love their momma, and there is nothing sweeter than Mother's Day love from all the boys.  My sweet husband finished our kitchen remodel as my Mom's day gift.  It looks absolutely amazing.  (More to come on that topic later)  Nothing says "I love you" like an updated kitchen.  Thanks love!

Sam woke me up with a Mother's Day card he signed himself and a pretty potted plant for my desk at school.  Please pardon my bedhead and sleepy eyes in these pictures, just keepin' it real here...

And, speaking of boys, we have a new one!

Meet Charlie...

Charlie was born on March 1st, 2012 in the back of our friend's t-shirt shop.  His mom is a black and white striped tabby and his father is a mysterious vagabond on the Hispanic side of town.  On his 8 week birthday, he left his two other brothers and sister to join our family.  And, who is his best new buddy?  Why, Sam of course!

 He's actually pretty partial to "Momma" too.  He loves to sleep in our bed, but there's far too much kitten in him to stay still very long.  He usually gets kicked out in under 15 minutes. 

One evening, Charlie went "missing."  

I looked all over the house for him and finally found him here...

in bed with Sam.

Sam is super smitten with his new kitty pal.  

He will get right up into his face and want to lay right beside him.

From watching Nina and Star to reading books, these two boys are quite the inseparable pair.

Stay "Gold" Sam

It's "post-TCAP" time in my world, and I'm reading The Outsiders with my students again. This time around, I find myself smiling and thanking my God for allowing me to witness "gold" daily.  May I never forget how precious and fleeting these times are...

"Natures first green is gold, 

Her hardest hue to hold,

Her early leaf's a flower,

 But only so an hour,

Then leaf subsides to leaf, 

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day,

nothing gold can stay."

Stay gold, sweet Sam...