We just spent the weekend in Illinois for some more birthday celebrating. Win couldn't make it, so just the kids and I drove up. My aunt had the whole family over to celebrate all the June/July birthdays in the family (there are a lot). The weather cooperated, and we had a great time sitting out in the beautiful garden and catching up. Dinner was fried chicken and salads, bread and deviled eggs. Then some of us walked up to the park so the kids could play. Back for cake and ice cream (One cake, for little Jack, bit the dust as we were singing Happy Birthday. It flew out of my aunt's hands from the the top of the deck stairs. Jack's face was priceless. We sang happy birthday to him and he blew out the candle, held by his mom.), then opened presents. By then it was getting late, so we headed home. It was a great party.
Sunday we recovered and spent the day at the farm. We sat outside and the kids played in the kiddie pool, sand box and hot tub (filled with cold water). They also played in the garden with Uncle Mike, while I sat in his hammock and read. He took some great pictures, I'll have to get them from him. I was busy being lazy.
Monday, Mom went with us for a day of shopping while the car was worked on. We ate lunch, then killed time at Target and the train library.
Mike has baby guineas, and they are in the old rabbit hutch right outside the sun porch, where I was sleeping. Monday night was the first night they were out there that it wasn't stormy, so the raccoons that have been roaming the yard came to investigate. Twice they showed up, trying to get in the hutch. I woke up my parents, and they went out and scared them off, and set the live trap. Then Mike woke up to see what was going on. My mom told me that they caught the two raccoons last night, so hopefully my parents will get some sleep now.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Big Four
I think Bean Dip's fourth birthday was a success. He was pretty excited all day, he thinks he's hot stuff now that he's four.
We finally had a day of beautiful weather, and went to the splash park on post and met Gretchen and her kids. Bean Dip and Baby G were a little shy at first, but soon were running around with Avery, Jay and Tyler. They are so sweet -- really good with my little ones. They all asked if BD and G could come home with them. And BD and G both gave them all hugs when we left. The splash park is different from Rucker -- it's open, and next to a great playground. The kids ran back and forth between the two.
Lunch was a salami sandwich cut in the shape of an X-Wing Fighter, and a cookie packed in his new Star Wars lunchbox (thanks, Samantha!). He took it upstairs and ate it in front of Yo Gabba Gabba, just chillin' in his Transformers underpants.
We had a quiet afternoon, then he and G helped me make his cake -- pineapple upside down cake. Then Win came home, and they all went outside while I cleaned up for our little party. While they were outside, a Blackhawk flew over, saw them in the field, and did two low fly-bys for them. Win told BD it was his present from the Army. Then three Kiowas flew over right after that.
We had spaghetti, salad with capers, and garlic bread for dinner. Alex showed up early and ate with us. Jessica and Rich came over later. BD opened his presents -- lots of Transformers. He finally got his "own big Octopus Prime," two of them. We got him Megatron and some Legos. Baby G got a little unbirthday present -- a Matchbox Chinook and Dora the Explorer underpants. She was so excited, she kept saying, "Dora, Dora!" and putting them on. By the end of the night she was rocking four pairs of Dora underpants over a pair of Thomas the Train underpants and her "dipe." She had a dress on but managed to take that off before the party even started.
BD's big present was a bicycle. A blue and white one with training wheels. And a helmet. G really liked the helmet, and luckily I knew which box BD's old one was in, so she got one too. We went outside, and BD rode up and down the block on his new bike. He was pretty funny, he refused to wear shoes, but kept saying, "I can go super fast!" Yay for a neighborhood with sidewalks. G was asking for her bike, "Mama, Dada, bike?", so we got out the tricycle and pushed her around. She was a picture in her Dora underpants and too big helmet.
BD loved his cake, probably mostly because of the Transformers on it. I got little ones for it, and I think he really likes them because he can transform them himself. He ate the ice cream, pineapple and marachino cherry and left the cake. G loved the cake, and later that night came and sat back down and asked, "Mama, more cake?" Rich, Jessica and Alex stayed for a while. It was fun to have people sitting around our kitchen table talking and hanging out and playing with Transformers. G got a kick out of putting on Alex's hat and shades.
We finally had a day of beautiful weather, and went to the splash park on post and met Gretchen and her kids. Bean Dip and Baby G were a little shy at first, but soon were running around with Avery, Jay and Tyler. They are so sweet -- really good with my little ones. They all asked if BD and G could come home with them. And BD and G both gave them all hugs when we left. The splash park is different from Rucker -- it's open, and next to a great playground. The kids ran back and forth between the two.
Lunch was a salami sandwich cut in the shape of an X-Wing Fighter, and a cookie packed in his new Star Wars lunchbox (thanks, Samantha!). He took it upstairs and ate it in front of Yo Gabba Gabba, just chillin' in his Transformers underpants.
We had a quiet afternoon, then he and G helped me make his cake -- pineapple upside down cake. Then Win came home, and they all went outside while I cleaned up for our little party. While they were outside, a Blackhawk flew over, saw them in the field, and did two low fly-bys for them. Win told BD it was his present from the Army. Then three Kiowas flew over right after that.
We had spaghetti, salad with capers, and garlic bread for dinner. Alex showed up early and ate with us. Jessica and Rich came over later. BD opened his presents -- lots of Transformers. He finally got his "own big Octopus Prime," two of them. We got him Megatron and some Legos. Baby G got a little unbirthday present -- a Matchbox Chinook and Dora the Explorer underpants. She was so excited, she kept saying, "Dora, Dora!" and putting them on. By the end of the night she was rocking four pairs of Dora underpants over a pair of Thomas the Train underpants and her "dipe." She had a dress on but managed to take that off before the party even started.
BD's big present was a bicycle. A blue and white one with training wheels. And a helmet. G really liked the helmet, and luckily I knew which box BD's old one was in, so she got one too. We went outside, and BD rode up and down the block on his new bike. He was pretty funny, he refused to wear shoes, but kept saying, "I can go super fast!" Yay for a neighborhood with sidewalks. G was asking for her bike, "Mama, Dada, bike?", so we got out the tricycle and pushed her around. She was a picture in her Dora underpants and too big helmet.
BD loved his cake, probably mostly because of the Transformers on it. I got little ones for it, and I think he really likes them because he can transform them himself. He ate the ice cream, pineapple and marachino cherry and left the cake. G loved the cake, and later that night came and sat back down and asked, "Mama, more cake?" Rich, Jessica and Alex stayed for a while. It was fun to have people sitting around our kitchen table talking and hanging out and playing with Transformers. G got a kick out of putting on Alex's hat and shades.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Move-In
The movers showed up Sunday afternoon, a day early. They unloaded about half our stuff before I stopped them so we could eat dinner. Win's father's day request was take out Chinese food. We've found a great place just up the road from us.
Monday, the movers were back again, bright and early at 7:30 in the morning. I hadn't even had my coffee yet. But they were quick and efficient, and were done by noon. They unpacked our bedroom and the family room. It wasn't as helpful as I'd thought, because they just put things anywhere, and in the end it created more work for me. So next time, I'll do all the unpacking myself.
Katherine came up for the week to help us. She has been wonderful, and really helped me get a lot done. After three days the house is livable, and almost all the boxes are gone. And she made multiple trips to her new favorite store, Wal-Mart, for me.
So we are mostly moved in just in time for Bean Dip's birthday tomorrow.
Monday, the movers were back again, bright and early at 7:30 in the morning. I hadn't even had my coffee yet. But they were quick and efficient, and were done by noon. They unpacked our bedroom and the family room. It wasn't as helpful as I'd thought, because they just put things anywhere, and in the end it created more work for me. So next time, I'll do all the unpacking myself.
Katherine came up for the week to help us. She has been wonderful, and really helped me get a lot done. After three days the house is livable, and almost all the boxes are gone. And she made multiple trips to her new favorite store, Wal-Mart, for me.
So we are mostly moved in just in time for Bean Dip's birthday tomorrow.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Out of the Doldrums
Yay! We finally have internet and cable at the house! It only took 10 minutes after seven days of waiting. Now we just have to get out stuff on Monday, and then we can finally get settled. Camping out in our house has not been that fun.
I'll be updating more soon ...
I'll be updating more soon ...
Monday, June 6, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Pick Up Day
Tuesday after Memorial Day was our household goods shipment pick up. I got up at 6 a.m. to make sure everything was ready by 8, in case they came on time. Nine a.m., and no one had arrived, so I called. Ten a.m., no call back, and still no movers. Call again, and turns out they forgot to book us. So the original moving company from Friday scrambled to get trucks and a crew, and showed up at 3 p.m. to start. Really messed up my plans for the day. But we went to eat lunch at Best Burger in Level Plains, a teeny, tiny Mom'n'Pop burger joint, and man that was the best burger I'd had in a long time. Definitely the highlight of my day.
The movers finally finished at 7 p.m., and after we watched the trucks drive away with ALL our stuff, we went to Beef'o'Brady's for dinner. Rocky and Shannon, and Patrick and Colleen came too, and we had a little going away dinner. Bean Dip gave Rocky a big hug, I think Win did, too.
I think we've all done pretty well, considered. Win just needs to get himself out of the house every once in a while, and I always have errands for him. Bean Dip has behaved, and is not sad (yet) about moving. He is quite excited about Kentucky, and has told us he wants bunk beds and a study area in his new room. Baby G is doing alright. Neither one seemed at all concerned about all their stuff being packed up and taken away. But Baby G cries the minute she thinks I'm gone, or when Win leaves. I couldn't even go for a swim in the ocean without her crying. Or run outside to snip some herbs. I think she is worried I'm going to get packed up too. I know it is just a phase, and that all this is hard for little kids.
The movers finally finished at 7 p.m., and after we watched the trucks drive away with ALL our stuff, we went to Beef'o'Brady's for dinner. Rocky and Shannon, and Patrick and Colleen came too, and we had a little going away dinner. Bean Dip gave Rocky a big hug, I think Win did, too.
I think we've all done pretty well, considered. Win just needs to get himself out of the house every once in a while, and I always have errands for him. Bean Dip has behaved, and is not sad (yet) about moving. He is quite excited about Kentucky, and has told us he wants bunk beds and a study area in his new room. Baby G is doing alright. Neither one seemed at all concerned about all their stuff being packed up and taken away. But Baby G cries the minute she thinks I'm gone, or when Win leaves. I couldn't even go for a swim in the ocean without her crying. Or run outside to snip some herbs. I think she is worried I'm going to get packed up too. I know it is just a phase, and that all this is hard for little kids.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Memorial Day '11
Our harvest.
Last dinner at home in Bama.
Our Memorial Day was our beach recovery day. We were all so lazy. We got a couple things accomplished for the packers the next day, but that was about it. The kids and I dug the garden for carrots and potatoes -- there were way more than I expected. And then for our last home cooked meal in Bama, we had grilled venison tenderloin and back strap (Win's buck), French potato salad with our homegrown potatoes, fresh, raw home grown carrots, and honeydew and cantaloupe for dessert. It seemed very fitting.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
On Beach Time
Sunday, we were on beach time. G was up at 6:10, but luckily she was happy with watching Curious George in bed while I dozed. They were quiet until about 8 a.m., which is good for them. They finally woke Win up, who went to get pastries while I got us ready for the beach. After our late breakfast, the kids were both in suits and sunscreen and ready. I went to change, and came back to find G passed out on the couch. Then BD laid down and fell asleep too! So we decided to let them have a little nap. Around 1, I woke them up and we headed to Alex's boss's beach. It's private, and it was almost empty. We had the most laziest, most fantastic beach day. The water was shallow and calm and like bath water. We just sat in the shallows and soaked up the sun. Bean Dip watched Alex skim board, then they came up with a new game: BD lies on the board, and Alex pushes until he's going and lets go. BD loved it.
We spent a good three hours out there, literally being beach bums. Venusja, G and I sat in the shallows and dug sand castles, and BD ended up going out into the water with Win and Alex. I'm so happy he isn't afraid of the water this year. Both kids absolutely love the beach, and are so completely happy there. We all are. It was exactly what we needed, and even though it was only a two-day trip, it seemed perfect.
We ate dinner at a local bar/restaurant on 98, called Steamboat. We sat outside, and Win and I had to chase the kids the whole time. But that was fine too. The food was delicious.
We headed home after that, and crashed into our beds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
