Vacation Countdown

Let's face it.....life is stressful. Some times are more stressful than others and when I get stressed...this is where my mind goes.

To a beach in the Gulf of Mexico where none of the crap from everyday life mattered at all. And while that vacation had to come to an end, thankfully....there is another one on the horizon. As I have mentioned before...for me, the planning and anticipation of the vacation is almost as fun as actually going on vacation.

We're close enough to our next beach trip that I've added the spot where we will be soaking up sand and surf to my mobile weather app so I can obsessively monitor the forecast. I've started purchasing our vacation snacks...which my husband pointed out with glee must mean we're getting close! But until then, I'm going to let my mind wander to a certain spot 70 miles from Key West where the water is warm and the sky is blue.

Memorial Day Hike

We had a great Memorial Day. We met up with Nana, Granddad, and Anna (Chris had to work) and headed for the Foothills Parkway. I had tried to take the kids up to Look Rock back during spring break but it was closed for some repairs. It's back open now so we took a little walk.

It was such a beautiful day. It was a scorcher in the valley, but up on the parkway there was plenty of shade and a nice breeze.

The visibility was pretty good too, consider how hot it has been.

After the hike, we drove over to the picnic area and ate lunch. Dad gave me grief for not even knowing a picnic area was in that location. Now that I know it's there, we will certainly go more often. Despite the holiday weekend, the parkway was pretty deserted...it was great!

Introducing...Harry Potter

Family Movie Night over the weekend almost didn't happen. We used to have the first few Harry Potter movies, but traded them in at the used bookstore with the idea that we wanted to get a set with all 8 movies. That sounds great in theory, but we never actually bought the set. Thankfully, our neighbors had the first movie and graciously allowed us to borrow it.

The girls loved it. We knew they would, but seeing them meet Harry and his friends for the first time was a lot of fun. I think Jamie and I spent more time watching them than we did the movie. They really got into it and are already demanding to see the second movie. I have a feeling that conversation at our house will be revolving around Muggles and He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named for quite some time to come.

And just wait until they read the books!!!!

Happy Memorial Day

"I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did."
~Benjamin Harrison

Recital Magic

I've tried to type a post about the recital several times, but the new Blogger keeps destroying my format. I'm not savvy enough to overcome these changes so I just don't blog. Not a mature approach, but the only one I've got for now.

Anyway.....the recital last week was wonderful. It was a whirlwind week of rehearsals and end of the school year duties, but we made it to Thursday night with out excitement in tact. Ainsley just loves being on stage and grinned the entire time.

Anastasia was quite nervous at the dress rehearsal but nailed the performance.

We had an awesome entourage for our dancers. Even Anastasia's teacher and her young daughter came! We really enjoyed the entire show. What a fun night for our family!

Wordless Wednesday

Overheard at Our House

Allie: "Where's Nana?"
Granddad: "She's getting her hair fixed."
Allie: (in a serious voice...) "What happened?"

First Swim of the Season

Yesterday brought our first swim of the season. School is out as of today, but we decided we didn't want to wait any longer!

I almost didn't get Allie out of the water despite the fact she was shivering and her lips were turning purple. The water wasn't that cold, but we were there for an hour.

It was such a wonderful afternoon!!!

Here's to many more fun times this summer.

Catch Us If You Can

May still has one action-packed week left for our family. Here's a quick re-cap of what you missed over the last few days.

Anastasia is part of the choir at her school. They performed their concert on Thursday night. It was so much fun to hear them sing the songs they've been working so hard on. She even sang "Down in the Valley" - a lullaby her Granddad has been singing to her and her sisters for years. Anastasia is a very expressive singer. Someone even stopped us after the concert to say how much they enjoyed watching her sing because she really gets into it. My sister says that's called "Showchoir Material."

On Friday, Ainsley graduated Kindergarten. It was a fun ceremony in her classroom, complete with robes and diplomas. We were blessed with a very wonderful teacher this year and I hope our luck with that extends into first grade!

237 Days to Go

It's no secret that I'm a runner. In addition, I'm also a planner. Consequently...I'm already registered for the 2013 Disney Marathon Weekend. It's the 20th Anniversary of the event which means a super cool medal. I also found out today, they've updated the course! For someone who has done the race several times....and update is a SUPER big deal! This time we're even getting to run on the track at the Disney Speedway and through the stadium at Wide World of Sports. Watch the link to let Mickey show you the rest.
 

 By the way, January in Florida is lovely....you should join us!

Wordless Wednesday

May Book Update #2

This week I've already read two books! Hooray! Up first was my mom's Wolff Mountain series has a new book coming out in a few weeks, but the perks of having your mom as the author is getting an advanced reader copy.

Impossible to Resist is the story of the third Wolff brother, Jacob. It is largely set in Antigua, a spot my parents visited on an anniversary trip when I was a child. I've long raved about my mom's work and this new book is no different. I blew through it in less than 24 hours. Great story, great characters. I ignored laundry and postponed the updating of my photo albums to finish this book. I cannot WAIT for the next one.

After mom's book I picked up Nights in Rodanthe.

I've never read a Nicholas Sparks book and I've never even seen "The Notebook." (Which apparently means my woman card is going to be revoked...). It's not that I had deliberately avoided his books, I had just never had the overwhelming urge to pick them up. I recently grabbed Nights in Rodanthe at the used bookstore. To be honest, the only reason I selected it was for the setting. Rodanthe is on the North Carolina coast, the heart of the Outer Banks, and is one of my very favorite spots on the planet.

It was a quick read and a good story, but I wasn't really overly impressed. I know that all of his books are MAJOR bestsellers and it was a page turner, but I didn't really feel a major impact when I was done. So I guess it was just so-so. I'd like to read another of his just to see if they all follow the same formula.

Onward and upward to the next book!

May Book Update #1

I'm still trying to make good on reading more in 2012. Our May schedule is INSANE but I'm trying to squeeze in some pages where I can. Last week I read a book given to me by a co-worker. It had a big Oprah's Book Club stamped on the cover so I started to turn up my nose. She promised me that it was worth the read, Oprah-approved or not.

I'm not sure where I've been for the last 5 years or so because apparently the book was made into an award-winning (an Oscar for crying out loud!) movie that I had heard nothing about.

But I digress. I truly enjoyed The Reader. I found it to be so beautifully written. It deals with the relationship of a 15-year-old boy and an older woman in post-WWII Germany. I can't really do the book justice here on my measly little blog. But I feel like it's one of those Holocaust pieces that everyone should read, like Elie Wiesel's Night and The Diary of Anne Frank. So do yourself a favor and pick it up at your library. It was a super quick read and well worth my time.

Mother's Day Goodness

My Mother's Day ended with a very sick kiddo but it started out well enough. We went to church and then out to lunch with Nana and Granddad. Despite some serious arguing we manged to play a game while Allie napped and I even got to read a few (emphasis on few) pages of my latest book.

Anastasia had created a masterpiece for me in art class, but unfortunately when she got it home and unwrapped it from the newspaper....it was someone else's project. There were many tears but Jamie and I assured her that it was not a big deal and it would just help make my Mother's Day last a bit longer. Please say a prayer that the project is located quickly. I'm not sure she can handle it much longer.

Ainsley presented me with a lovely construction paper flower and the following note.

Such a sweet sentiment from my middle child. And I was going to serve the dreaded chicken casserole this week, but after she said I was only 30, I think I'll give her a week's reprieve.

Running for the Sake of Running

I got a great Mother's Day gift...a six-mile run on the greenway Saturday morning. I knew the weather was going to be bad today so I asked to have my gift a day early. I made a stop at the farmer's market (hooray fresh tomatoes!) and then hit the greenway. It was a beautiful morning.

It's so strange to be running for the sake of running. No training miles to get in, no speed workout to complete. I won't start my next training schedule until August. So in the meantime, I'm just going to run for the fun of it.

Strawberry Pickin'

I truly love living where I do. It's such an amazing place. This afternoon I stood in the foothills of the Smokies with my girls and picked the best strawberries ever grown. Ainsley learned immediately which berries were ripe and which ones needed a little more time. Allie needed some guidance so as to not fill our bucket with green berries. Once she figured it out, our bucket was filled in no time.

I bought about five times the amount I typically purchase at the grocery store. And paid a mere fraction of the cost. Anastasia was on a field trip today and didn't go with us. Guess that means we've got to go back next week. Shucks! 

Berries grown in the soil of our home county. Life is good (and tasty!). 

Frazzled

I posted this picture of Allie's Rapunzel Barbie on Facebook last night. It sort of sums up how I feel this week.

Costumed

At the end of the month, both Anastasia and Ainsley will perform on the stage for this year's ballet recital. I've had a lot of problems out of this dance studio we're using so we won't be dancing with them next year. We're paying far too much for these lessons to be having the issues we are having. They promised costumes for MONTHS, after (of course) demanding that we pay for them early last fall. Finally, they have arrived.

Ainsley's class is dancing in the Aladdin part of the recital. Her dance is so stinking adorable! As is the costume. (I apologize for the crappy picture...she was so excited I couldn't get her to stand still.)

Anastasia's class is dancing in The Little Mermaid portion of the recital. Their song is "Under the Sea" so the costumes reflect that. I know I shouldn't play favorites, but this costume is really the best one. Not only is blue my favorite color, the bubble details are just the icing on the cake!

The tickets for the recital have been purchased and now we just have to survive the 600 rehearsals between now and then. They will have quite the entourage on recital night. I'm so glad our friends and family are making the effort to be there for their big night. They are very excited to show off everything they've been working on!

Wordless Wednesday

Field Day: Take 2

So today was Ainsley's field day. I came into my second field day a little more knowledgable than the first one. The set-up was exactly the same and once the kids came out to the soccer field. We got started! Today was a little cooler and we thankfully had a bit of cloud cover!

 

We had such a great time!

Field Day Fanatic

Today was Field Day: Part 1. It's part one because today was just the second grade version. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we'll have the kindergarten games. I was one of VERY few parents in attendance. Which meant I was part cheerleader and part volunteer. The kids had a blast despite the heat.

We did shoe kick contests, potato spoon races, arm wrestling, and a water gun contest.

We also did dizzy bat races. If you've never seen your child's educator participate in a dizzy bat race, you're really missing out.

It was a really fun afternoon. When so many people complain about what's wrong with public education, this was certainly something that was right. These educators are truly amazing people and I am so thankful they are part of our lives and are helping to teach our girls about the world.

Who Needs A Pool Anyway?

We don't have a pool. Or a boat. But we do have a garden hose. And when you're two years old and you didn't get invited to a birthday party with your big sisters, sometimes a garden hose is exactly what you need. Allie spent about an hour and a half on the deck today, playing with the hose and some buckets. I added dish soap and she even washed her Little Tikes car. It was a perfect lazy Sunday afternoon.

Gems in the Garage

This week my mother and my aunts are beginning to go through my grandmother's things. They decided to start with the garage. It will be the most laborious part and better to do it now than later in the summer when the heat makes everything unbearable.

They have found some pretty gross stuff, but they've also found some amazing gems. Not of the actual stone variety, of course, but of the family history kind. They found old Christmas decorations and wrapping paper my mom swears was painted by the original Kris Kringle himself. They even found a camel saddle from my grandparents' time in Morocco. (Seriously....I cannot make this stuff up.)

But my favorite thing they found all week was this photo of my grandmother.


























What an amazing gift to us! I know I've never seen it. I've seen quite a few old images of my grandmother, but never this one. I can only image what else they will uncover.

Field Trip Goodness

Ainsley's class went to the zoo for a field trip yesterday. I dashed away from work after my show and met the buses at the zoo entrance. I was a little worried because there were SO many school groups, but once we got away from the bottleneck at the entrance, it was fine.

We had one other student in our group, a sweet girl named B who had never been to a zoo of any kind before. I take for granted that I am able to provide those experiences for my kids. It was very humbling to see B experience the zoo for the first time. I had to remind Ainsley to slow down sometimes because she has been to the zoo dozens of times and was zipping from one exhibit to the next. 

 

It was a warm day, but not unbearable. Thankfully the dreaded southern humidity that so often plagues us in the summer was kept at bay and we had a wonderful time. 

 

The animals were all out and quite active. 

 

Even the human ones.....

 

It was a looooooong field trip. The other parents and I were exhausted by the end, but the kids were happy and that's all that mattered. 

Summer is right around the corner. We can almost taste it. And do you know what it tastes like? Frozen strawberry lemonade!

Yes, I realize that our country has an issue with childhood obesity. And as a rule, I don't let my kids do apple juice, sodas, etc. very often. But this week, as the temps neared 90, we stopped for a cold after-school treat.

And it was so good. So good that we flashed peace signs to prove our sheer happiness. 

And please excuse the weird the format issues. Blogger recently updated and I can't get it back the way it used to be.