Finishing Summer Part 7: Tractor Fun

My dad's had a tractor for several years now to mow his acres, plow the garden, and all that other country stuff he does. My Papa (mom's dad) went to heaven when I was 4, but I do have memories of him. One was riding in his lap on his tractor. All my girls have taken rides with their Grandaddy on his tractor, but none of them became compulsive-tractor-riding-monsters like my son did this summer. He lunged for it. He tried to steer it. He bawled when he was taken off it. Now don't even try to tell me some type of testosterone isn't involved in that. Just the other day as I pushed him in his stroller back home, he heard a dump truck start up. He went crazy. I did have the good sense not to stick him in the lap of the driver.

Also, this summer, Firstborn got to drive the tractor for the first time. She got a detailed lesson, went through a few "learner's permit" type sessions, then she got to do it all alone. She wanted to drive it every day after that. It's hard to believe in just 6 years, she'll be wanting to be on the road. I like the idea of sticking to tractors for now...no streets to navigate, no other cars.

Here are a couple of short video clips of the 2 drivers. (If you can't access the video via email, go directly to http://www.campbellclanblog.blogspot.com/)

Finishing Summer Part 6: Tie Dye T-shirts

I found colored t-shirts at the Dollar Tree for $1. One day we let the kids put rubber bands on them and experiment with tie-dying.

Some we did with bleaching the shirt (the peach). The others we did with using Rit Dye.

It was a fun, inexpensive craft. Even the 4 year olds could get some of the rubber bands on. I thought I'd pass this on as a good birthday party idea.

Finishing Summer Part 5: One Year (Almost) Photos

I distinctly remember taking Firstborn to get her one year picture made. She had just found her tongue. Cute pictures, mostly with a visible tongue. When baby #2 hit one year old, I was about 7 months pregnant. The one year photo never happened. Then baby #3 turned 1, and the kids were 3,2, and 1. It never happened either because I don't think we ever actually left the house at that point. Baby #4 really had a fighting chance to get her one year photo made, but at that point we lived in Turkey. In a Turkish studio, they do some strange things in photo shoots. We've had freckles (which we think are adorable) erased. We've had the photographer put the girls in a gangsta-rapper pose. (Suprisingly, my spell check has not vetoed 'gangsta-rapper'. That's noteworthy.) Without a doubt, we usually get some type of psychedelic background put behind them when the final pictures are printed. So, no, she didn't get a professional one year photo either. My disclaimer in all this: I take LOTS of my own photos of them. But the day before we flew out of the US, I determined to take my boy outside for a photo shoot. The sailor suit was his papa's, from 40 years ago. The rocker was bought especially for this boy. It's seat was out, so his grandparents took it to a blind man who re-caned it. I couldn't even cane a chair with a sinus infection. I have absolutely no idea how he did this. I couldn't take the rocker with me, obviously, but I wanted his one year photo in these heirlooms.

And the baseball outfit with the bat in the background was my idea of a good background. Come to think of it, he would look sort of cute in that gangsta-rapper pose, if only he could balance on those legs...

Finishing Summer Part 4: Chic Chick

Here's a one day old chick.

Here's the mama.

Here's a mama holding the mama. Clearly, I am not comfortable with this just yet.

Finishing Summer Part 3: Sink Bath

Benefits of bathing big boys in the sink:

1. Saves water.

2. Easier to reach.

3. Saves your back when you lift him out.

4. Makes for a nice photo op.

Finishing Summer Part 2: Swinging

One day he's going to be at least a foot and a half taller than her.

And I'm going to show him pictures from days that she was in charge.

Finishing Up Summer Part 1

We are in school full swing here. I've had so many great blog moments in the past week, but no time with which to blog them! I contemplated moving forward with life (I know a few of you are waiting for 'first day of school' photos), but I first wanted to finish the pictures and thoughts from our wonderful summer, beginning with this unique opportunity. A friend asked my sister-in-law if we had any 4 year olds (knowing we have 11 kids between us, all under age 10). A freelance photographer for Lifeway publication wanted to do a photo shoot for a Sunday school poster. This....

turned into this...with a little of his magic...

So if any of you good Southern Baptists are taking your 4 year old to Sunday School and happen to see these sweet girls on the doorway to the classroom, you can say you know them.