Today was that last day of school. 

Kaiden's last day as a 7th Grader at Princess Anne Middle School

Ashton's last day of 4th Grade at Three Oaks Elementary School

Cannot believe that Kaiden will be starting her last year of Middle School and Ashton will be starting his last year of Elementary School when summer is over.  Good lord where has all the time gone?

For about two weeks, Ashton has been complaining about a bug bite on his neck.  He kept saying his neck hurt and he would not go to sleep.  Then he said there was a lump, which I felt and said "Bud, you have a swollen lymph node... it happens sometimes." Basically, I just kept telling him to suck it up, get back in bed and quit being such a wuss over a stupid bug bite. I mean some nights, he would cry, and I thought he was being ridiculous. Then one day the little bug bite formed a rash...

Well SHIT... that's probably a little more than a bug bite. So I called his father, who nonchalantly mentions that the spot where the bug bite is, is where he pulled a tick off Ashton Memorial Day weekend (2 weeks ago) on the boat while fishing. REALLY? REALLY???? I have been telling my kid to shut up and suck it up for two weeks and you FAILED to mention that you pulled a damn tick off him?  His response? "We are boys... I did not know I needed to tell you every time I pull a bug off my son"  WELL GREAT... the tick changes things a little.  So off to the Doc in a Box we go.  Because of the swollen lymph nodes and the "bullseye" rash - they immediately tell us it is Lyme.  They do not need the blood results to tell them that.  They start him on antibiotics for two weeks and tell us to go to our regular doctor in three days.

We followed up with our regular doctor three days later, and by that time, a second rash had started on his back near his armpit. Also, lymph nodes started swelling in the armpit as well.  I freaked out thinking that he had gotten bitten twice. I was made aware that the presence of multiple rashes is because the infection is spreading - has nothing to do with multiple bites, and the other rashes mirror the original rash. Because of the other rash, we were taken off the original antibiotic and put on a stronger one - and now instead of two weeks, it is one to two months.

I am REALLY hoping that because we caught this within two weeks of the bite, that we will not have any lasting effects from the Lyme.  Poor Ashton. But seriously... the very first tick ever to be picked off this kid and he happens to get the one damn tick carrying Lyme Disease.  Uggghhh.

Todd has been working really hard all day long on our new deck. We are using the old small deck as support for the new deck. Can't wait until it is all done and we can have some decent weather so we can enjoy a beer out there!

UPDATE:

THE NEW DECK IS COMPLETE!

Todd is going to build benches into the deck around the perimieter and he is building a "deck cooler" as well.  It is going to be so nice when it is all said and done.  I am so so happy with it - MAN he did such a great job.  Our dogs also love it!

This is a phenomenal photo of Todd (all the way on the right) that was posted by an old friend of his on Facebook today. I cannot remember the last time that I laughed as hard as I laughed today when I saw this photo. Seriously.... The mullet... There are no words for it. He keeps saying they were popular in Hawaii and I keep saying he is a liar. 

Congrats To Kaiden for making the Princess Anne Middle School Field Hockey team. It was a long two weeks of tryouts.  Kaiden had a few nights that she was really upset and worried that her tryout did not go well, but in the end she made it!  Super dooper proud of her! She is so happy to be on her school team.