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Last Weekend of Summer

09/20/2010 09:38

We still have 2 days of summer left and my kids have already started making their Christmas lists.  I think it's safe to say they're even more ready for the seasons to change than I am.  Even with Fall fast approaching, it's still in the mid-90s here, so we spent the weekend camping indoors, playing at the park, and swimming for the last time at the pool before it closes.  That was about all our weekend consisted of since I was exhausted from waking up at 5 am every day to study for 4 tests last week.  It was a proper end to a wonderful season.  Now I'm ready for some candy apples, trick-or-treating, and carving pumpkins.

Sayanora Summer, Hola Fall

09/06/2010 21:42

I know we technically have a couple of weeks left in summer, but for the most part, once Labor Day is over, its days are numbered.  I, for one, am welcoming the season change.  First of all, I'm a fall baby.  Second, these 90 plus degree temps are killers. And third, Fall means Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner.

To commemorate the last long weekend of summer, we decided to take the kids to the beach and invited the in-laws to tag along for what was supposed to be a largely stress-free vacation.  I had intended to catch up on my reading for school, play (win) some games of Boggle and Scrabble, and relish some alone time on the beach since I would have extra hands and eyes.  Hah!  It's like I forgot who my own children are.

It all began with the 4 hour trip there.  It's normally a 3 hr trip, even with Victoria's mulitple potty stops, but apparently everyone else in Columbia had the same idea as us and decided to take I-77 to I-26 toward Charleston at the exact same time.  After we maneuvered past the nightmare traffic on 26 and 95, we stopped in Walterboro for our last chance potty break.  Sophie, at this point, was exhausted and done.  We made the mistake of taking her out of her car seat, and she refused to get back in.  After smushing and forcing her back into place, we were off again.  Sophie serenaded us with a high pitched shriek for the next hour, almost the entire rest of the way to the beach house.  She didn't stop until about 5 minutes before we pulled up.  One thing you have to give her, she's persistent.

The next day the waves were really rough, especially at high tide.  Wesley turned around for a second to tell Trevor and Victoria to be extra careful and not to go much further than the edge.  No sooner had he turned around when a huge wave came, sucked Sophie under and tumbled her like a washing machine.  It was horrifying to say the least, but about 5 minutes after, she was right back in there playing in the surf.  She's a tough cookie, to be sure.

Sunday we decided to do something different.  Edisto has a natural preserve called Botany Bay, which I've never been to in all my years of going there.  We decided to try it out because it's supposed to have beautiful shells.  Turns out it does, but as of 1/1/10, you're not allowed to take any of them with you.  The place was absolutely beautiful, so of course I took a bunch of pics.  I wanted one of the 3 kids, and Wesley picked out a spot near some trees.  You'll notice I took a pic of the trees, but the kids aren't in it.  That's because on the way to them, Trevor slipped in some muck and sliced the bottom of his foot open on some upturned shells. It's a good 4-5in gash.  Wesley had to carry him back to the car, and we left immediately after. No stitches were needed, thank goodness, but I've learned that if anything is going to happen, it will happen to Trev.  And before you think I'm a horrible mom who stopped to take pictures as my son was bleeding to death, I took all of the Botany Bay pics before he sliced and diced his foot.

Wesley and I never get the opportunity to walk the beach at night, so we took advantage of his parents' help and took off after they went to bed Sunday night.  We initally went just to look at the stars and relax, but we noticed several people carrying red and green lights.  My curiosity got the best of me, so I had to ask what they were doing.  It turns out that the sea turtles were hatching, and they were helping guide them toward the ocean because they're an endangered species.  We were able to help guide 12 baby sea turtles to the ocean that night, so that was really exciting.  We weren't able to get the best pictures, but I posted one that he took.

We made it back on the beach one more time before we left today, and even with Trevor's lame foot, I think everyone had a great time.  We had another 4 hr journey home, because traffic was just as gnarley come back as it was going, so I am thrilled to finally be here.  Incidentally, it was exactly a year ago that I started this site, so props to me for dedication and effort, both of which I'm not sure I've ever exhibited for a year in relation to one particular task.

And we're back...

09/02/2010 13:34

I'm back from my unintended hiatus.  Summer ended, and school has started...for everyone.  Every day I homeschool Victoria and Sophie from 8-12.  Then I feed them lunch, study for a couple of hours for my classes, and pick Trev up from school.  Mondays Vic has gymnastics, Tues and Thurs I have class from 6-9, and Wednesdays Trev has guitar.  Our schedules are insane, to say the least. 

In the meantime, Trevor has started 3rd grade, and one of his first assignments was to write a poem.  It's called an "I am" poem, so every sentence begins with "I am".  Here's his rough draft:

I am a boy.

I wonder if the world will end.

I hear birds.

I see people.

I am cool.

I pretend I'm a super hero.

I touch pencils.

I worry about shots.

I cry when I'm sad.

I am Trevor.

I understand my language.

I say I'm cool.

I dream about being a hero.

I try to be good.

I hope I'm awesome.

I am Trevor.

Literary masterpiece, no?

Goodbye Fatty

08/13/2010 22:18

I discovered the best weight loss tool ever.  My kids.  I don't know why I haven't tried this before.  You see, I've been trying to lose weight over the last few weeks, and it's been slow but steady.  I recently began incorporating exercise, because I'm not one of the lucky ones that can starve myself thin or get skinny cutting carbs.  I have to diet AND exercise.

Like many other mothers, I kept extra pounds from each pregnancy on top of the weight I'd already gained in college.  I need to lose weight and get healthy for me and my children.  I want to be around to see them grow up and become parents with their own children.  I also want to be a good role model for healthy habits so they, in turn, are able to watch their own kids grow up.

Well the kids have been begging to walk with me, but the thing is, I value my exercise time.  It's my down time, of sorts. I put on my Ipod and listen to my favorite songs while having an entire 30-45 minutes all to myself.  No bickering.  No yelling.  Just my breathing and my music.  When Trevor first asked to join me, it felt like an infringement on my me time.  I reluctantly agreed, but we had a really good chat during our journey, and it seemed to mean so much to him.  We discussed things that are important to him, and the walk seemed to go by so quickly.

Cut to today when Victoria decided to join in.  I decided to take the baby as well and make it a family affair.  I thought we would have a relaxing stroll around the neighborhood, but I neglected to account for Victoria's energy level.  Stupid, stupid me.  The second we hit the first big hill, Vic decided it would be a blast to run up it.  Trevor quickly followed behind.  That meant the baby and I had to keep up, so there I was pushing a 25 pound baby in a travel system stoller, panting and pouring sweat just trying to keep up with the two of them.  After begging and protesting Victoria would stop and wait for me to catch up.  Then as soon as I would get close, she would take off again.  This pattern continued virtually the entire time.  By the end, my heart was pounding, and my eyes were stinging with sweat.  It was honestly the most fun I've ever had exercising.  I cannot wait to do it again.

Weekend Getaway

08/09/2010 21:52

This weekend we visited Wesley's Mecca- Athens, GA: Home of the Georgia Bulldogs.  Things have been extra stressful lately- I've been home with the kids the entire summer, and everyone seems to be going stir crazy.  School is starting next week, so I decided we needed to get away ASAP.  My mom was gracious enough to agree to watch all 3 kids from Friday through Sunday for us to escape.  I'm not sure she knew what she was getting herself into.  I mean, I'm their mom, and it's hard for me. But, she came away from it without a scratch it seems, although I haven't heard from her since she left, so I fear she's still recovering.

The weekend was fantastic.  We didn't do anything but relax, walk around downtown and the campus, enjoy peaceful meals, linger in bookstores, and watch whatever WE wanted on tv.  Sounds like a snoozefest to those without kids, I'm sure, but it was heaven for me.  Wesley tried in vain to attempt a bike ride around campus.  6 busted tires later, he was only able to go about 10 miles, but he did snap a few shots.  There are only 3 pics from our trip, one of which is below. Notice I'm not in it.  I was relaxing at the hotel in bed.

 

 

First Haircut

08/04/2010 13:29

For some reason I've been putting off cutting Sophie's hair for a while now.  For one, she's a girl.  Two, I didn't think she would hold still long enough for me to do it.  And, three, I think a part of me wanted to put it off, since it's really her last big milestone as a baby.  I'm pretty sure I cut Vic's bangs right around a year old, so I've definitely been delaying this for a while.  Well recently Sophie's bangs have gotten ridiculous.  She looks like a muppet and can barely see through them.  I figured this must have been the case because she seems to be seeing her world with new eyes, and what pretty eyes they are.

Before:                                                                                            

After:

School Daze

08/03/2010 12:56

It's August.  Already.  The 8th month of the year.  What the hell happened???  I feel like the summer has flown by, leaving me in a daze (get it?).  Trevor starts school on the 19th, and he is less than thrilled, of course.  Wesley starts back on the 19th as well, and the kicker is I'm going back, too, on the 23rd.  So 3 of us will be in school, and I'm sure it will be a struggle, but my inner nerd is super excited.  I get to take my first 2 nursing classes, and from the looks of the textbooks, they look really interesting.  I will also be taking Anatomy & Physiology, which I'm a little nervous about.  I was always good at Biology, but it's been 10 years (oh, God, that long?!) since I've been in a college class and even longer since I've taken a Bio course.  2 of my classes are online and one is in the evening, so I'll still get to be home with the girls and pick Trev up from school.  I'll have the best of both worlds- part-time student and full-time mom.  I can't say enough that everything happens for a reason, and it all works out for the best.  Though we'll see what I have to say when I'm faced with dissecting a cat...

And here are some random pics that are cute and need to be posted.

Happy Birthday Papa!

07/26/2010 12:52

Today is David's birthday, so he and Marilyn came up to celebrate on Saturday.  We had a really good day, and I got my house pressure washed, so that was a bonus.  I have to say, though, that the most surreal experience was discussing my feminine hygiene needs with my mother-in-law.  Turns out CVS had a monster sized package (as in bigger than a pack of diapers) of pads for $2.  My always thoughtful in-laws decided embarassment be damned, 2 dollar pads are a steal, so they kindly bought them for me.  The highlight was when my father-in-law came in after she had given them to me and asked if I could use them.  This exchange of events proved 2 things.  1. They are always thinking of us and will try to help us out in any way possible. 2. We have grown so close that they really, truly do think of me as a daughter.  As insignificant as they probably thought this gesture was, it meant a lot to me to know that we have that relationship, and I will always be able to depend on them for all of our needs, menstrual and otherwise.  And in case they or anyone who knows them reads this, I say it in jest.  It didn't embarrass me in the least, and I really, truly do appreciate all that they do for us.  It's just a humorous story that begged to be told. :)

 

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

07/25/2010 17:05

When I was little, I hated reading (still do for the most part), but this series of books by Beverly Cleary captured my attention and affection.  I was Ramona, the mischevious, misunderstood little girl who was constantly getting into trouble.  I read them repeatedly, so I was thrilled to find out they were making a movie of Ramona and Beezus and even more delighted that Victoria wanted to see it with me.  All morning she kept me abreast of the time, constantly asking how much longer until we would leave to see the movie. 

I expected this to be a nostalgic trip down memory lane, recalling moments from my own childhood.  Instead, I saw my daughter in Ramona and not myself.  She's the headstrong middle child constantly vying for attention and causing turmoil intentionally or unintentionally.  Ramona made a comment in the movie basically stating that everyone loves Beezus because she makes straight A's and is popular, and everyone thinks the baby is so cute, even when she burps, but no one likes her.  It broke my heart.  There were a lot of touching, sappy moments, and I fell for every one, even shedding a few tears.  I adored the movie as a mother of a middle child and as a former Ramona wannabe. 

I can't say the movie exactly captured the attention of the 4yo, though.  She proceeded to pace constantly, getting in and out of my lap, switching seats numerous times.  She said she liked it, but I don't think she'll really get it until she's older.  Until then, I'll enjoy my little Ramona and try to make sure this middle child knows she's just as special as everyone else.

Family

07/19/2010 10:11

Yesterday we had the pleasure of spending the day at the lake with Wesley's family...well our family, really.  They were gracious enough to invite us to eat and play with them for the day.  Trevor and Victoria got to ride in a boat and on jetskis for the first time, and Sophie took her first boat ride as well.  I had several babysitters and tons of extra hands and eyes, so it was a stress-free, relaxing day for all.

Relaxing, that is, except for one event.  This would be when my darling husband decided he wanted to take the jet ski out alone and "open it up," which from what I saw, consisted of him trying to take it as fast as possible, hitting a few too many waves, and flinging himself off into the lake.  While it sounds hilarious (and it will be once his back recovers), it scared the hell out of me.  I believe I was the only one to witness this event, so I silently panicked, not wanting to alarm his parents, while I waited for him to give some signal that he was ok.  He appeared a few terrifying minutes later licking his wounds and spent the rest of the afternoon in a daze. 

Other than the near-death experience, the day was so nice it almost made me want to move closer...almost. 

***The last 2 pics were taken by Leigh. I lifted them from her Facebook page because they were cute. :)

 

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Blog Directory

Topic: Blog

Date: 09/26/2010

By: Grandma

Subject: Mud Run

I love the pictures. The images of the cousins (before and after) were priceless. They all should be proud of themselves because that was a difficult feat. As always, I enjoyed the pictures of the "babies." Yes, you were a participant (in spirit).

Date: 09/07/2010

By: Grandma

Subject: Labor Day

The pictures are great. I am so glad that you all were able to have a summer's end mini vacation. Even with Trevor's foot ordeal, it looks like you had a good time. Here's to many more beach trips to Edisto!

Date: 08/11/2010

By: Grandma

Subject: First Haircut/Weekend Away

I love Sophie's haircut because it shows her beautiful little face. It is amazing how different it makes her look. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend with the kids and am so glad that you two were able to relax and enjoy. It truly was a pleasure. I love your babies!

Date: 05/29/2010

By: Grandma

Subject: Happy Birthday, Wesley

A wonderful tribute to your husband and well-deserved! I hope that he had a wonderful birthday. That is a great picture of the 3 angels and him.

Date: 05/28/2010

By: Grandma

Subject: Beach

I love all the beach pictures--so good of everyone. I really enjoyed being with all of you and am glad that everyone enjoys the beach. Looking forward to more trips!

Date: 12/12/2009

By: Grandma

Subject: Chips off the "ole block"

You have 2 beautiful girls with independent spirits. I remember those days so well. Enjoy this time when you do have some control and GOOD LUCK!

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