Rudyisms

* After being told AGAIN to take his feet off the table we had this conversation:

R: If this is the last day of my life, I'm gonna be so mad at you from heaven.

Me; Why? Because I wouldn't let you put your feet on the table for your last day?

R: Yep. Live every day as if it was the last.

Me: Except for putting your feet on the table!!

It took 9 1/2 years but I lost Rudy in a store last week. We went into Kohl'd and were looking for shoes for him. As we approached the shoe section, he was distracted by headphones across the way. As I walked into the shoes I called his name. I looked at shoes and called his name. I thought I heard him calling me and answered "in the shoes". A minute or so later I went back out to the main aisle where he had been and he wasn't there. I decided to just stay there thinking he would eventually make his way back there (this is usually what happens in ShopRite or Target, one of moves on and the other catches up- guess he's not as familiar with Kohl's!). As I'm standing there, I hear a page for "Kathy Murphy to Customer Service" I spent the walk there trying not to laugh. When I arrived, he sheepishly came over and we started walking back to the shoes. I asked if he had gone to customer service himself or did someone take him there; he told me an employee took him there. As we got to the shoes he realized that we had been only about 20 feet apart when he wandered off!

We were talking about cats and dogs and how people usually are giving cats away for free but selling dogs. I explained that sometimes dogs are purebred and that's when they are sold. He responded that cats are like hybrids then.

Rudy spent the day with a friend and the friend's grandmother. He told us they had to run some errands and went to the "flowerist" aka florist. 

Father's Day Weekend

Saturday night Rudy and I met Bill, Renee and Paige and our friends Jim, Marni, Matthew, Zachary, and Daniel at the Ocean City Boardwalk.

As we waited for Jim's family, we went on a few rides at the pier first, Paige picked the log flume for her first ride so Bill and I went with her.

Rudy chose the swings for his first,.

Then Bill took Paige and Rudy on the tilt-a-whirl.

We met up with everyone else and had dinner then the kids played min golf. I got some baby time with Daniel.

And some friend time with Jim.

After minigolf was more rides then treats. Once the ice cream and funnel cake were eaten, the kids had a lot of energy to run off, so they played red light green light, around Bill.

On Father's Day the whole family got together (plus Jim and his family). We tried to take a picture of Grandpa and the grandkids. These two girls were the easiest.

This was the best that included the boys.

And then with two extra boys...

Then we took a picture of the dads and kids...I'm not sure who made it harder the big or little kids! (Note: The big kids who caused the most trouble were the ones on the floor.)

Then we thought we'd take a nice Andes family picture- dad and his kids. Charlie photo bombed us.

Then if you look carefully his fingers made it in.
(Note to family, I thought I lightened these, but I have better versions of them all. Maybe I'll try to print some out but if your turned out better, let me know.)

Then since we had people to take our whole group picture, instead of relying on timers, we tried a few family pictures.

Last Day of Third Grade

It's hard to believe another school year has ended and Rudy is now officially a fourth grader!

This picture shows how much he's grown this year.

Baseball

Rudy's baseball season ended this week. It started out really rough. He was scared going into the season because it was 'kid pitch' and he was sure he was going to get hurt. In the first game, he got hit (barely) then spent the next 4-5 weeks jumping out of the batter's box as the pitcher released the ball. Finally, after a lot of practice, some time at a batting cage, baseball with Paul and some friends, he began to get more confident. Then about 4 games ago, he started swinging. Then about two games ago, he started actually making contact (and grounding out- but we all called it a hit). And then in the last game of the season, he got a hit. I wish the season went on for a few more weeks, but hopefully, when he plays in the fall, we won't be starting over again.

Rudy in the outfield with his hand up to his eyes.

Batting.

Swinging.

Warming up (with the ball right in front of him as it's being caught.)

Ready for the throw.

Batting.