Ken's light display. The neighbor told us she didn't have to turn on her bathroom lights while the display was up.
Dad's happy b/c we're using up he last of our lease miles in a sweet ride that will be turned in shortly after our return home. 
First pit stop is in Tennessee to see Grandma & Grandpa. We got to go out on their boat and it was unGodly hot! But Mark enjoyed his first ride on a true boat.
Uh oh. What's this???? I'd show photos of our room and such, but since Mark walked into the glass door about 4.5 minutes after entering our room, there hardly seems time to have taken any pictures. Naturally, this was my fault since I had the gall to close the door wall. No mother of the year award for me again this year.
After a few hours at the Grand Strand ER, some X-Rays, seeing an old man's family jewels on full display for all to see, and hearing the guy who fell off his bike at 3 a.m. and broke his jaw in 3 places and lost a few teeth scream his head off getting stitches, Mark got this fancy splint and was told that he could not go in the water. Yeah, no water . . . our first day of vacation . . . at Myrtle BEACH.
A couple of days later and after watching many episodes of Sponge Bob and iCarly in our hotel room, Ken went and found a splint that Mark could use in the water and life was good. Sandcastles, sitting in the waves, and me reading under the rented umbrella trying not to fry in the scorching sun. Good times.
My toes look really nice. Thank you Le Nails.
After having two very nice days on the beach, we head home, driving straight through because, well, Ken is kind of a freak and we were "making really good time."
Alas, after getting home Friday night, Mark woke up Saturday and while "testing" his wrist apparently did something to it and we were off to Urgent Care where we got another set of X-Rays and a re-wrapping of his splint. Sunday comes and goes and the pain is not getting any better so on Monday I have to go back to work and Ken treks to our pediatrician X-Rays in hand. The pediatrician sends the boys over to the orthopedic surgeon's office where Mark got this spiffy red cast, which we will call "Cast No. 1."
If only the story could end there, but no. Tuesday comes and goes and still, the pain, the pain. So Wednesday we go back to the ortho and after examination by another physician assistant, who thank God agrees that Cast No. 1 is WAY too tight, starts to split it open and Mark's poor arm practically explodes out of nasty Cast No.1. So, we have to put on a whole new cast which, unfortunately, really hurts Mark and puts us back to square one essentially. I haven't taken a picture of Cast No. 2 but rest assured, it's pretty cool looking - black this time, with an orange stripe. The pain is still an issue but (fingers crossed) he's at camp today.
Mark got to see all of his wrestling heroes at Joe Louis Arena with Dad and his cousins. 
Before he left we made this way cool sign.
Apparently, one of Mark's friends from school watched these matches on PPV and he reported that Mark and his sign were shown on TV. Of course, we did not get the PPV b/c geez, they were already there and that stuff is expensive! Plus, how reliable are 7 year olds anyway?
Here are the lions getting cozy together. It was cool enough that all of the animals were out and about and the male lion even roared. We heard it all the from the bear's habitat. Kinda freaky actually.
But all the lion roaring did not bother the bears at all. See.
I had to take over the photography while Mark played amongst the prairie dogs (did I spell that right?). There were a couple that were right next to the glass and Mark was convinced that they were there because they liked him :)
And, even though Mark is a wonderful photographer, this is my favorite picture from the day, and I took it. Of course, it's my favorite because of the subject in the photo.
And even though Mark's cousins don't look particularly thrilled to be in this picture, I like the way Ken and Mark look. I love them.
