DeRidder Dragons ROAR!!!

I finally made it out to Garrett's game and was quite impressed to see my 8th grade corner back all stuntin' on the field! But first I had to wait fir the 6th graders to play, then the 7th graders - so note to self, come late because his games isn't gonna be until the very end. And it was HOT and muggy, well normal swamp weather.

He was in the opening kick off and everything but after that it seemed like it took about two-qtrs for him to get back in the game and in the process Rah was irritating me because he was over it after the first 5-minutes, I was sweating in the stands, the "love bugs" were swarming everywhere (its a local bug that doesn't bite but are simply a nuisance - the fly attached together hence the name), and my hair is straightened and still down so I resembled Simba's cousin by the time I got home...which was around 9:30pm on a Thursday night!!! Can you say tired as heck! We were all cranky the following morning, but we did enjoy supporting Garrett.

He even made a great play in the 3rd qtr which made me get outta my seat, yelling and screaming as the commentator called his name and number (he ran to tackle an opposing player just before he entered the end zone). I was soooo happy that instead of pressing stop on the video that I was recording I mistakenly powered off the dang camera and erased the video entirely! Agggghhhhhh! I did manage to get one video but he was on the other side of the field and the quality isn't as good at all! Its a bummer. They ended up losing the game, but hopefully they will do better in the rematch against Leesville they are our rivals.



Check out Garrett in action - the bit I managed to get without erasing, LOL, he's #8. Go DeRidder Dragons!

Garrett watching the 7th grade game

8th grade team warming up

Getting ready for the game

Completing warm-ups (Garrett is #8)

Discussing final game plans with coach

DeRidder Dragin Cheerleaders

Garrett coming off the field

Garrett Brown, #8, DeRidder Dragons

Camp Swann

Its been an eventful summer to say the least and the final few weeks have been so boisterous I haven't even found the time to sit and blog. My nephew, Davaughn came down after his summer internship at the Smithsonian to spend a couple weeks here and I've had a house full of PS3's set up each room resembled a Modern Warfare Command Center. So add to that the real soldier's laundry and the acting soldiers food intake - Camp Swann was definitely at capacity! With only 2-bedrooms and 1 bathroom, it was a mess - and my constant need to clean and organize (let me just say a house with 4 males plus the occasional adopted teenage son here and there) is much more than I could handle without an ETS date in sight! LOL

We did have a great time though, before Davaughn went home. We saw several movies, went skating, attended church services, ate at local diners, went to the gun range, and just let the boys have the freedom that comes along with country living - to include walking down the street to the corner store, or hanging out at the park (all without worry). I can honestly say I like that aspect of my small 3-stop light town! And if you step outta line I'll get a knock on the door or a ring on the phone - because everyone knows everyone; that's how it was growing up. Community oriented.

We did not get the opportunity to do some of the things that I would have liked such as taking Davaughn to the alligator farm because of the timing of his arrival (coincided directly with the time that teachers returned to work) but he had a ball nonetheless and asked to come back next summer - and we welcome him with open arms! Maybe my other nieces and nephews will hop a flight and come visit in the future, too!

At a local restaurant called FatBoys & Skinny's they have a food challenge so we tried to see if the boys could do it and get their pic on the wall of the elite, well we figured we'd have a prep meal before and come back in a day or two to complete the challenge. It consisted of like 2-combo specials (burgers & fries) and a 32oz shake. Well the boys simply got 1 combo meal and a regular size soft drink, here's what followed...

Dae & Garr starting the challenge

Everyone has the meals - so they are digging in. They have burgers & fries (an entire bag of fries).

Garr thinks he can do it!

So does Dae...

But look, they are both wiped out and haven't even started on the fries

Garr called it quits

So did Dae

And Daddy Swann knew all along that they wouldn't make it!

So they took their concessions and we went to the movies to see the Expendables II, It was pretty good! LOL

No Brass, No Ammo

We managed to get a week of fun in with my nephew before he headed home and decided to make it both exciting and educational; I am an educator after all. And since they have been having such fun with these realistic looking pellet guns, that I didn't purchase but they got "from a friend", dang teenagers - my goodness! Anyway, we figured we'd take them (Davaughn and Garrett) to the gun range for a real lesson on gun safety and usage. Hopefully being exposed to actual firearms by us initially will take some of the curiosity out of it while educating them to the dangers as well as the safe operation of weapons. It's my belief that if I fail to educate properly, someone else will improperly.

Darryl was a wonderful instructor and the boys really enjoyed both the verbal and physical aspects of the gun safety class he put them through, it was quite rigorious. I must admit I needed a refresher myself and its been only a few years since I'd been to the range. They were attentive and yet apprehensive but asked lots of questions and paid was so engaged that I was shocked when he didn't have to speak to either of them twice! I guess they either recognized the seriousness or really just wanted to shoot a gun!

Well, they met his requirements and were able to fire multiple times at multiple targets using a (XD 40) which was so powerful that Darryl had to stand behind them to ensure they didn't loose balance...lol! He had to do it for me also! That gun is pretty powerful, i'll stick with my .38. None of us could hit the targets that made a ringing sound besides Darryl because of lack of control, I was able to hit the mannequin but the boys were unable to do that either.

I joked with them that a real gun is a lot different from a PSP controller with a scope and they both agreed. We wanted to take them back to record their range "expertise" but coordinating both our schedules, time didn't permit. We can only hope that this experience made the lore of guns less mysterious and appealing for them both and more practical and realistic...later in life, much later...if they choose to become firearm owners...LEGALLY.



Garr couldn't believe how loud it was

Rah was too young to shoot but he showed what he could do anyway!

Dae taking his first shots!

He was much more confident afterwards

Darryl steadying me to shoot

I got that green man! Yes!

Describing how I couldn't hit that little target! LOL

Darryl supporting Garrett while he  shoots

There are metal targets on that wooden road block left of the man - simply impossible for a novice shot!



My date with the green man



Told you I got 'em - great pic Garr!