Project 19 to 19: Day 9

Color Shift
I've shared before that Wonder Boy has long had a signature color of blue. He loves all hues, especially the darker part of the spectrum. Since the first days where we encouraged the Boy to select his own clothes, he has just naturally gravitated to blue.


If I close my eyes and picture my Boy, I have always imagined him covered in blue.

But in recent months, there has been a noticable shift in color. Gone are the blue hues while maroon no dominates his wardrobe!


I admit it - I love it! He still looks awesome in blue, but he is rockin' the maroon as well! And since I know that this is an outward expression of his excitement over starting classes at TAMU, I'm even more pumped to see him covered in maroon!

Happy Camper, part 2

After only being home 1 week, 7 short days, from his first sleep-over camp, it was time to pack Wonder Boy's bags again and get him started on his NEXT camp of the summer. For the Boy, I think it was just a week to re-charge before jumping back into some serious summer fun. For me, it was a week to soak up time with my young man, trying to get a picture of all he did on his first camp experience.

And while that week ended much too quickly for my taste, by the time Sunday rolled around, Wonder Boy was packed and ready to go with hardly a second look back.

For this camp, at least, he was housed at the University here in town. And I'll admit, it was a lot easier saying our good-byes when I knew he was not a 3 hour car ride away this time.

We checked him in to the Youth Adventure Program (or YAP) for six days of robotics classes (& races!) and a LOT of fun and time with friends (both old and new)!


I can't answer for the Boy, but the highlight for me was the robot showcase and time trials on the last day of camp. Families and friends were invited to campus to see the robots the teams had built in only 4 short days and watch them travel a special course mapped out on the floor of the Rudder Exhibit Hall. Wonder Boy's team dubbed their bot "L.A.B.B.Z." and styled it to look like a tank. I was very impressed watching it run the course. The drag race was first and while "L.A.B.B.Z." was not the quickest off the line, it made a respectable run. But where it shined was on the full course. Many of the other bots got confused in tight turns and back tracked or even ended up completely off the track. But "L.A.B.B.Z." stayed the course and managed a very good time both times it ran. In the end, they finished in 3rd place. I think the guys did a GREAT job!

YAP Robotics Races - Team L.A.B.B.Z.

I don't know why I worried so much about sending the Boy away this summer. As you can see, he has had two really incredible experiences already! It's been an adjustment for me (now *I* am the one struggling through transitions), but to see how much he has matured through this process is truly a blessing. It's hard to let go, but to see him stand on his own (and to do so well with it) really helps me loosen that hold on him.

We don't have any other sleep-away camps planned for this summer, so I get some time now to enjoy some family time with both of my guys. But I hope we are not done with our adventures for the summer.

Game Day

"Some may boast of prowess bold,of the school they think so grand.
But there's a spirit can ne'er be told; that's the Spirit of Aggieland!"



Can I get a 'WHOOP!'?

When asked what he wanted most for his upcoming birthday, our dear friend's nearly 12 year old replied that an Aggie game day experience was at the top of his list. And who could blame him? There are few things as contagiously exciting as an Aggie football game experience ... regardless of whether or not you are an actual Aggie fan.

We started the fun off with a trip to Midnight Yell Practice. We were a bit humbled to realize it had been several decades since our last Midnight Yell experience, but the excitement hadn't changed (& neither had our dates). Our stamina HAD changed though and rather than using Midnight Yell as the start of our evening of fun, this time it was the night cap. We gladly ushered the kids back home and into bed as soon as Practice broke up. And even though they were hyped by the experience, their bodies were as tired as ours. Besides, they still had the game the next day to dream about.

The next day dawned earlier than we had hoped (don't these kids need rest??), but brought bright, sunny skies and anticipation in what the day would hold. After breakfast, we hit town seeing old home sights and hang outs while on a search for the ultimate game wear. By the time lunch rolled around, we had revisited several old haunts as well as procured the necessary maroon attire. We were all game-ready now! Whoop!

And then, of course, we hit the highlight of the weekend as we watch the Ags battle the Idaho Vandals before a crowd of over 86,000+ fans. Yells freshly reviewed, fight song at the ready, and seats high up in the upper deck of the Zone (it's a great vantage point, let me tell ya), we made our way to Kyle field to cheer on our team until we nearly lost our voices. We yelled, we jumped, we shared pop corn and water, and we watched our team roll to a 37 to 7 win over the Vandals. It was another late night by the time we made our way back to the car and finally home, but one I think we will all remember for quite some time to come!