...You Are My I Love You.

I stumbled across this quote last night and fell in love with it. You can download a free printable HERE, I have plans to put it in a cute little frame for the kids rooms.

home

We made it home! 3 nights in Winston Salem, NC was fun but just another thing added to our list of travels in the past few months. Needless to say the kids had a few grumpy moments. Remind me never to suggest playing "who can fall asleep first?" it ended with major tantrumS from a very competitive little girl. No one fell asleep, yet she kept screaming about wanting to win! The first thing out of her mouth when she woke up, "I want my prize!" haha yeah, no prize given for that game. It may also have to do with the 4 of us in one king size bed (although it is much roomier than the 4 of us in our queen at home!).

Irene wasn't as devastating as predicted, which was good, but it did still wreck havoc on NC and VA. We played it safe and left after hearing of the evacuations of the beach 12 miles from our house. That beach, Sandbridge got torn up by not only the hurricane, but a tornado too. Our time in NC was fun, 2 different Children's museums, thick southern accents, and exploring more places we have never before been. We truly were in the SOUTH, we passed signs for the tobacco and race car museums, the middle of the night gas station stop (to pee, one of the many on our drive there and back!) had HOT boiled peanuts.

Driving home today we got on the freeway alongside 2 big disaster relief trucks. The US Mail semis were delivering generators. I saw more generators being hauled today than in my entire life combined. As soon as we turned onto Highway 58 it was all too common to see huge trees fallen across power lines, trees bottom and top on either side of the road (traveling the opposite direction we were going) with the middle cut out so the road was usable. All the stores, gas stations, restaurants were without power for probably at least a 40 mile stretch. And once we saw an exit with a long line of cars getting off we realized it was the first of the area with power ON.

We heard about our house while away, the power went out during the storm but was back on today. Not sure how long it was out, so to be safe again we threw out some of the fridge contents (it really wasn't that full, since I we haven't been home enough days to have done a big grocery shop.) All is good at our house, and we are so thankful and Blessed to have escaped any damage or harm. The thought of having to deal with hurricanes again after this is no fun, although the move to the coast of FL makes me feel like this will not be my one and only experience!

evacuated!

after lots of worrying and decision making, then finally getting the call from Clay's command that he did not have to report in for work, even tho he is on duty- we evacuated! our family of 4, plus Gina and S, their dog and cat. we left at 10pm, and got into Winston-Salem, NC at 3am and checked into our hotel!

Irene

So the next 72 hours will be a bit of an adventure, hopefully a calm one! Hurricane Irene is headed our way, and I have no idea if we are going to evacuate or sit it out. They have mandatory evacuate orders for much of OBX, which is pretty close by but there is nothing in place for VB. We will have wind and rain for sure, but just how much?? DO I pack up the kids and a cooler of food and head inland, if so, where? Do I go now and avoid the crowds? Wait it out? Right now it looks as though Irene will be a category 3 leaving OBX and downgrading to a 2 closer to us. I feel a little deja vu from the days of Typhoon warnings in Japan. There really wasn't anywhere to evacuate to, so we just stocked up on essentials and hunkered down in our apartments. Half the time they didn't hit, and other times we got the storm. Really there is just no predicting the exact path, I guess be prepared and have a plan is what I will do. Another thing that is totally akin to Japan is the earthquake we had this week! The house started shaking and I knew the feeling, but they are so rare I thought maybe it was construction near the house or something at first.

I guess part of not wanting to leave is that we have only been home from our 3 week WA vacation for a week. During that week we have already taken a camping trip too! We have one busy and exciting summer! Visit from Party Auntie and Fancy Uncle, a trip to WA complete with the amazing wedding of "Stinkin' Mindi" and Jon, 1st family camping trip- with friends as a 4th birthday celebration for Seth, oh and on top of all that we got our final orders on moving. Jacksonville, Florida will be our new home. The two days during which we got back from WA and left for camping we got word that oh by the way not only are you moving, but you have to move SOON! In 2 months from now to be exact. Lots going on, and even more to do! House hunting has started, which is very nerve wracking!

Oh yeah, another exciting note in all of this adventure, Elliot has gone from little boy to full blown BOY! On a whim the other day he didn't wear a diaper (who am I kidding, we aren't strict on him wearing one at home) then the next 2 days he wore underwear- like even when I took him out and about! He has been amazing, using the potty all the time! Coolest thing was he told me the 1st day when we were at Kohls shopping (looking for kid size back packs) they had a kid size toilet! Oh the things that excite a mom! Of course I did just buy a box of diapers, but he can use those for night time still.

Gabby is still the sassiest 4 and a half year old I know, but oh so smart and sweet too. She has been speaking Spanish like you wouldn't believe lately. Her vocabulary has expanded beyond colors, numbers and a few random words she learned from Dora. Many of her words are courtesy of Skippyjon Jones we got a few from the library a while back, and our friends shared them with us too. Now we own a few of the books, and they have CDs that come with them so we listen to the books on CD in the car.... and speak and sing in the silly way as the cat who thinks he is a chihuahua.

I have a million pictures to share, at some point. There are so many to choose from, the sailboat ride with my sissy, beach fun with Auntie, camping kids!

Artist

During some quiet coloring time with new markers and new composition notebooks, E came to me and said "me draw mom" and here it is; this is ME! I totally see it!

I went in search of a really cute bathing suit at Target last night that I saw a lady wearing during our beach morning. They didn't have it anymore. However, I did find 3 cute dresses. One needs a belt, and I don't have the right one. I went in the giveaway bag Clay has going and got out 3 t-shirts, cut them up and fish tail braided little belt. Now I need to get a little pin or something to fasten it together that doesn't make it bulky. Want the story of yesterdays beach adventure? Well the kids surprised me by saying they would rather go to the beach than the park, so we quickly got ready after playing around all morning and were at the beach just before 10am. We played great for a few hours, switching up who got to have their human legs transformed into a mermaid tail made out of sand. G and I were mermaid sisters the entire time, I even got to be Ariel! Our friends showed up about noon, and once they go there I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to actually get out and fully emerse myself in the water! The waves had been pretty huge at times, water up to my ankles became thigh high with a wave. I went out alone and cooled off and even body surfed two waves. On my way back in I had my arms up just as a big wave was coming. My timing was off and the wave took hold of me, with my arms up and pummeled me to the Ocean floor. My left arm got twisted and slammed in a way that made me instantly in pain! I thought maybe I had dislocated my shoulder, I couldn't really put my arm up at all. I sat on the beach and rested, I was able to move it- but it was painful. I eventually got the kids showered and in the car and drove home, one handed. After taking some ibuprofen and moving it around a little it hurt a little less. I woke up today, still in pain but okay. Still not sure what I did to it! The Ocean is powerful!

Berry Fun

Feels like we have been having a true kids kind of summer lately! Nothing fancy, just doing the sorts of things we did as kids- and having a good time doing it!

Yesterday morning we found ourselves way out in Berry country- picking blueberries and blackberries. With fresh peaches from a fruit stand on our way home this was what I made:
Blackberry Peach cobbler. This was before I poured on the custard, added the crumble topping and baked it. It is now out of the house- after eating some last night I made Clay take it to work so I wouldn't nibble it alllllll day long! My favorite part- the almond extract in it!

Chocolate covered strawberries for the baby shower I threw on Saturday. As pretty as they looked here, the next day they were much gooier looking- that's the problem with making things early (24 hrs) to avoid having my most ambitious helpers "help" me.

Backyard baseball, a whole evening full of fun. E started it inside with this bat and ball, but the way he can connect he two we quickly moved outside into the evening sun.

Is it normal for a 2 year old to be able to HIT a tossed ball- consistently?

This girl is a bit newer to the swing, and making contact with the ball. Dad was really coaching her on the proper basics of stance and swing. It helped, but she got so frustrated when she wasn't perfect at it. She has the competitive streak in her that I do not!

her swing had quite the twirl to it when she started! she got so into it, her and Clay ended their coaching session on the computer with clips of professional baseball players hitting homeruns, followed by strike outs. yes even people who play ball for their job miss the ball, it is OKAY!

Back to berry picking, this boy would somehow get quite a few berries in his bucket- but then they were quickly gobbled up!

G is NOT a berry eater, she did quite a good job picking- but didn't eat a single berry the entire time!

These 2 girls are berry best friends!

I was quite surprised on the walk between blueberries and blackberries to find the snake sticking its head out of this birdhouse. I was not brave enough to get very close, ewwww.

Berry Best Buddies!

Now on to more Summertime activities, mowing the lawn! It is after 8am on a Tuesday I can start soon- before the heat index hits 100 today! Looking forward to one of the best things about summer, family visits!

Gardens

We have been trying to find more things to do these hot summer days. The beach and the park both sounded too hot and like we have done a million times lately, so the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Our first summer here we were members, we went a ton that summer when E was just a tiny baby and G could run around and cool off in the sprinklers (these were the days of apartment living and not having a yard.) Since those days we have rarely gone, G doesn't even remember our frequent visits! We met up with Gina and S, and started off the day with a friendly Hello to the mermaid (E was too busy throwing rocks into the fountain to bother with a photo.) We rode the tram, and were scolded by the old lady next to me for talking as she was trying to hear the spiel they ramble. We hopped off the tram at the WOW kids garden, and jumped right into the splash pad sprinklers.

they dodged the droplets

observed, perched on a rock like a mermaid

stood in the middle to see how long they could take being sprayed

pumped water, G was mildly obsessed with being a "farm girl"

we rinsed feet in said pumps, numerous times. this guy isn't fond of anything getting in his sandals and bothering his feet- hard to do when we are in bark or sand!

after running in a few mazes (the current attraction they have) we stopped by the butterfly garden. I spotted this dragonfly just outside the Butterfly house.

We only lasted 4 minutes in the butterfly house, not only because we were waiting to catch the tram on it's way past (which only comes once each hour) and also because after being told they could GENTLY touch the caterpillars a little boy who will remain nameless SQUISHED said caterpillar as I turned to get a magnify glass. A young volunteer in the inclosure didn't miss this act! Boy knew it was not nice, as he got very shy and wouldn't look at the volunteer as he murmured "sorry!"