countdown to vacation

One might look in our dining room right now and surmise we're preparing for the end of the world or The Blizzard of 2010, Part Deux. 

No, we haven't become hoarders.  We're preparing for our annual week-long cohabitation vacation at our Lake Anna house with my Mom, step dad, brother, SIL, stepsisters and everyones' assorted children (9 total plus a few more at the end of the week). It will be a cousin-fest and a week of kickball tournaments, grilling feasts, corn hole competitions, floating happy hours, Popsicle licking, campfires, beach picnics, lingering boat rides, butt bouncing tubing sessions and jet skiing, digging our toes in the sand and just all around good family time. 

It takes a lot of shopping and planning to feed a house of 19 - 23 people. All the goods must be brought down since there's no grocery store near the house, unless you count the beer and bait at the gas station down the road.

And in fact, the above doesn't take into account clothing, swim suits, towels, cooler stuff, fishing gear, sheets, the 17 stuffed animals each boy insists on bringing, gallons of sunscreen, ipods, cameras, life vests and other assorted goodies I've been piling up for the week.

The one thing I'm not taking, however, is my laptop. Its always nice to just kind of be unplugged down there.  So no bloggie for a week.    Less bloggie, more bookie.  I picked this up to dive into while we're sitting on the beach, when I'm not having a swim-a-thon with the kids.

We look forward to this week every year, and the kids are chomping at the bit to load up the car and live in swim suits for a week.  Good thing its only a couple of hours away so we don't have to listen to "Are we there yet???  How much longer???"  for toooooo long.


P.S. - If you're a burglar reading this and you know where we live and you plan to rob our house, please know we have a vicious dog we're depriving of food. She'll be holding down fort while we're gone just waiting for you to come by so she can nibble your feet Hannibal style.

"hey dumb dumb..."

Yesterday we met some friends at a nearby little waterpark for a change of pool scenery.   Wasn't long before the thunder came and sent us running for shelter (straight to Friendly's for ice cream sundaes).  We've been to this particular waterpark quite a few times but this year they changed the motif to a Polynesian theme.

When we walked in, we found this guy and guess what movie they started quoting immediately?

the ride

The weather has cooled down a few degrees (only in the mid 90's now) so we're getting out more this week and going places other than just to soak in the pool.   We have a great farm park near us that we frequent often throughout the year, with lots of animals, a farmers market, hay rides, playground and lots to see and do.  This morning the farm hosted a very cute and funny puppet show about dinosaurs.    So we spread our blanket out in the shade and kicked off our shoes for a while. The boys were so good and really enjoyed it, so afterwards we took a hayride and then enjoyed lunch at our favorite burrito joint.   A nice little outing, and back home before it got too hot again. 

You know, I love getting to do stuff like this with my boys.  They won't always be young enough to enjoy the simplicity of a puppet show and some farm animals and a hayride.  They're getting so big, so fast.   While we were on the hayride, they both held my hands and would occasionally look up at me, grinning and just enjoying the ride.  And it is a ride isn't it?  Being a parent is one big ride.  Sometimes you don't know where you're going, other times it can make you feel a little dizzy.  Sometimes its loud, and you're almost always sweaty.  You can't get off in the middle, and you do things you never thought possible.  It's certainly messy, and exhausting and exhilarating.

And at the end of the day, as the park closes and you see those two sweet faces sleeping peacefully, you know you'll gladly get back on the ride tomorrow and do it all over again.   

down at the county fair

Last night, we embarked on our annual family tradition of taking the boys to opening night of our local county fair.  We've taken them every summer I can remember, and the main attraction and what they look forward to all year is the demolitian derby (they still refer to it as the "Dirty").  But the fair itself is an honest-to-goodness real country fair, with lots of cowboy boots, farm animals (last night we watched some of the goat show....how many people can say that?), and fried meats on sticks.  Its always good people watchin', and a chance to get a big fat funnel cake too.    Two years ago, we took Logan for the first time, and last year we all enjoyed it again.

Here are some photos from last night, it was a great time!

h-o-t

Today is a record breaking, ass scorching on your car seat, hotter than hell day. We tried to get out back and do a little yardwork this morning before the stifling heat arrived but we didn't last too long.  It was off to the pool and into the deep end for a cool down.  Today's the kind of day where you can only be one of two places - inside with the A/C at full blast, or in a pool up to your shoulders in cool water. 

Unless you're a sunflower.  If you're a sunflower, this is the kind of day you live for.

aqua boy

Logan is proving to be a little behind where Dylan was at age 4 for swimming.  However, Dylan did basically come out of the womb ready to swim, he was  just a natural.  Logan is definitely more apprehensive about getting water in his eyes, and going under water.  We did some group swim lessons for him over spring, and he did well.  But this week, I decided to try some private one-on-one swim lessons for him at one of our community pools with a certified lifeguard. 

Today was lesson #4, and he was actually swimming and floating on his own for a short time for the first time without a lifevest. Very exciting!  He was all smiles as I cheered him on, and very proud of himself.  I'm glad we spent the money to do this, I think one-on-one is the way to go.

I would love to reach one of our goals for the summer for Logan, which is to make going to the pool more about swimming and less about snacks.

We leave for the lake house for a full week, about a week from now.  So any additional confidence he can gain in the water is definitely a good thing.  He always wears a life vest in the water there anyway, but I still feel better knowing he's learning some basic skills to be a more independent swimmer.

how he rolls

Is it wrong that during Dylan's first day of skateboard camp I sat watching and smiling on the outside but silently praying he didn't break any body parts?  He fell several times and I just held my breath until he got up again.   His first words after falling, "Wow, its much harder than it looks!".  But he kept trying and trying and sweating and trying and by the end of the two hours he was balancing better on his board.  Maybe by Friday we can call Tony Hawk and tell him he has a new sidekick.  Actually, I'll just be happy if by Friday, we haven't made a trip to the ER....

pickles and chips, oh my!

I love pickles.   Dill, bread and butter, gherkins, relish, whole ones, sliced, whatever.  Andrew recently found these at the store, and I've never had such a yummy distinctive pickle.   Its kind of bread and butter, mixed with a pretty spicy afterbite.  Delish!   I'm not a Bloody Mary fan, but Andrew also uses the Wickle juice to make a mean drink.  We don't usually shop at Safeway since we have much better choices in our area.  But there's a Safeway next to our haircut place, and we ran in there to get a couple of items last week.  He came across these and I haven't been able to find them anywhere else, including my beloved Wegman's.  But trust me, everytime my boys get their haircut, I'll be running into Safeway to buy a jar or two of these little babies.

I had a great food find at my local Wegman's this week, and boy am I glad I did.  I love me some potato chips and all their crunchy chipyness.  They're my go to sin food...the one snack I prefer over all other snacks.  My weakness. I've been trying to find a more guilt-free version that would still satisfy my chip cravings for crunchy, salty goodness.  I like these (and they do come in yummy flavors), and these are pretty good too, but THESE Krinkle Sticks are the bomb!  Great flavor and crunch, and you can eat 40 (!!!) of them for only 110 calories and 2.5 fat grams.  They also look like french fries and come in veggie sticks too!   I love that they're dense and crunchy and satisfying, instead of being light and airy and ricecake-like. Just check out their awesome company mission statement, and then run out and get a few bags (store finder by zip code here)!

friends

Dylan and Logan had their friends, A and A (who are brothers, too) over today for some afternoon fun.  The older boys were glued to Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii.  The little guys spent their time in the playroom battling each other at air hockey and basketball.

I think that's one big difference between boys and girls.  No crafts or painting their nails.  No Barbies or playing house.  With little boys, its all about video games and sports!  They're all such good boys, and so handsome!  The ladies better watch out in about 8 or 9 years.

Bella was perched on her usual step, avoiding the chaos and tuning it out to nap.

loot

So, what did Logan get for his birthday? 

Swimmer's ear.

Sigh.

After two trips to the doctor with multiple drops and doses of Motrin, I think he's on the mend.

And some new birthday gift arrivals yesterday and today have sure helped bring a smile to his face.  Birthdays rock!

 

4

Dear Logan,

Tomorrow is your 4th birthday, and we have a busy day planned. First, we’ll have a special breakfast and open presents. Then we’ll go to Grandma Lynn’s pool all day, with a special pizza lunch. Then we’ll have dinner with Daddy and you’ll get to pick out a new big boy bicycle! With so much fun planned, I figured I better do this birthday post now.

You were born at 7:15 am on July 8, 2006 and weighed 7 lbs, 10 oz at 21 inches long. Every year on your birthday, I think about the night I went into labor and knew you’d soon be joining us, turning us into a family of four. Turning me into a mommy of two little boys. And giving me a head full of gray hairs. And a heart overflowing with love that takes my breath every day.

I think your Grandpa’s sum you up best. Grandpa Robby says you have a “fiery spirit”, which I think aptly describes your passion and your intensity. Grandpa Joe says you “absolutely know how to have fun.” That means you find a way to bring excitement into every part of your day no matter what! I will never doubt that whatever you want to do in life, you’ll do it and do it well. You have absolute definite ideas about what you like and don’t like, what you will and won’t do, what you’re good at, and what interests you.

In this past year at preschool you impressed us by running out the door each school day, ready to meet your friends and participate in all the activities. You figured out what it takes to be a good friend, and you’re getting better all the time about controlling your emotions and reactions. Life is definitely still a roller coaster with you, but instead of doing loopty loops all day and heading through dark tunnels, we’re just going up and down the hills almost always with smiles on our faces. We’re getting there buddy.

But for all your antics and dare devil maneuvers, for all your torturing of Dylan and begging for things I don’t want you to have, for all the negotiations and bargaining it takes to get through a day with you, you then turn around and say the sweetest thing or want to still cuddle in my lap. You’re an enigma and we’re still trying to figure out all your bells and whistles.

I know this next year will bring a lot of changes. Being four will mean going to preschool four mornings a week and being even more independent. You’ll learn the rest of your letters and how to write your name even better. You’ll make new friends and go on lots of adventures.

Our family time is very special, and its getting even more fun as you get older and we can do more. You love Dylan and sometimes you’ll hold each others’ hands, or lay on each other, and I don’t even think you realize you’re doing it. He’s a huge part of your world and I think he makes you feel safe. You know how to make each other laugh and sometimes Daddy and I don’t get the joke but you both can’t stop laughing and then it makes us laugh too.

I think another way to adequately sum up life with you, there is never ever a dull moment. Ever.

I can’t wait to see what the year ahead brings. Happy Birthday, little bear. I love you.

Love,

Mama

beating the heat

With a heat index of 106, my girlfriend and I decided the only place to be today with four active little boys was INSIDE. Can you believe she has a Dylan and a Logan, the same ages as my guys?!

4th of July

We're back from another glorious weekend at Lake Anna, where we celebrated July 4th with family.  Perfect weather, tons of laughs and beautiful surroundings.  Once again, I'm reminded how fortunate we are to have this haven to spend time with our family and create amazing memories the kids will treasure all of their lives!