Vacation

Obviously, blogging has been at the bottom of my priority list lately. I still haven't made our annual vacation photo-show, but will soon. I'll just say that we had a wonderful time in Hilton Head! We went with the Dale family as we did 2 years ago.... The kids had playmates, Adam had a guy to hang with, and I had a girl.... yet we still had time just the 5 of us. For any of you who have never been to Hilton Head, I highly recommend it. Especially during the summer time, and especially if you have children. Hilton Head has a reputation of being very expensive... but if you know the activities available, you can visit on a budget. Some of our favorite spots:

1.the beach!!!!

2.Harbourtown - You have to pay $5 per car to enter Sea Pines, but then you can take the trolley (no charge - and the kids think that riding the trolley is entertainment). We like to go to Crazy Crab Restaurant, walk around Harbourtown. Check out the huge old trees, and go to the Greg Russell Show. Both Hannah and Jack were chosen to get up and sing this year. Hannah sang "Our Song" - by Taylor Swift (I had changed the picture quality on our camera and was surprised that I was out of room on my card, so after about a minute the card would be full and I'd erase several pictures and start again, I wish I had gotten it all, although I don't particularly love the song, I was impressed by Hannah's voice and confidence!),

and Jack sang his old favorite "Sweet Home Alabama" again. The show is free.

3. Shelter Cove - We found a new favorite restaurant this year King Fisher, then walk around the shops, we go to the Shannon Tanner show- he is a kid's entertainer. He sings alot of cover songs for the parents, some kids songs, and allows children to get up and sing. On Tuesday nights, a fireworks show follows. Except for dinner, it's all free!

4. Grilling out.... we grilled out a few nights, and played on the beach as it turned dark (no sunscreen required)

5. Salty Dog. Also in Sea Pines. Another trolley ride to South Beach. There are a few great restaurants there, but we order pizza from Jake's Pizza and sit under the tent (with ceiling fans) and enjoy more cover music. The kids love it too. They also make requests. The show is of course free. There is also a clown who had helpers to paint faces and give the little girls manicures. And you could eat before you go and only spend the $5 to enter Sea Pines and have a whole night of free entertainment.

For Hannah's 10th

Rather than the yearly mega-party,

We went shopping with her buddies Bailee and Hannah Montana

got manicures


Had a family-only birthday party

and took 2 of her friends to Lake Winnie.

Funny how when you have the most to "say", there is no time to say it. Our life has been in fast forward again. I think that it will slow down again after this week. Maybe? So, I know that I'm leaving something out... but our summer has started with a bang! School was over for Hannah and Jack on May 21st. On the 22nd, Joey graduated from preschool. the pictures are of Joey with his class and then with his teacher, Miss Stacy (she also had Hannah and Jack) The next day we went from Report-card-pick-up (Hannah and Jack both made straight-A's) to SC for a reunion. My father-in-law's brother, and 5 sisters and their spouses visited Stimart Station. It was great to see him so happy with all of his siblings around (he's a jovial guys to begin with). This was Jack's bath before leaving SC and heading to VA to visit my sister. Her location is up-in-the-air. She is leaving for Hawaii on Friday. and not sure for how long and where she is going next. It's a long story. You can check out her blog. We arrived on Sunday night. We spent Monday at the beach. The sand up there is much darker than what we are used to. We spent most of Tuesday at the Chesapeake YMCA. It was so awesome. I got pictures to show to the new director of our Y, especially since they changing the outdoor pool. The pool was so amazing. The child area was like an indoor playland. There was even a coffee shop area. ... and the rates are the exact same as ours... ok so I am a bit envious! The plastic wrist strings signify that the kids have passed a swim test and can go down the spiral slide. We could not believe that Joseph passed the test by swimming the full length of the pool. He was so proud, and we were proud of him too! On Wednesday, we celebrated Bradley's 2nd birthday (a day early). Jack and I went on a date to see Indiana Jones that night. Hannah and I do "girl-stuff" together, and Joey spent every week day for 3 years with me, but Jack is sandwiched in the middle and doesn't often get one on one time with me. > Thursday was the "best day of (joey's) life! We went to Busch Gardens ="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212673358479728082" />> Friday and Saturday were spent in the car. We had to get home for church on Sunday and start cheerleading camp on Monday. Hannah had a blast at camp. There were about 120 girls and they chose her as one out of about 30 all-stars. She gets to cheer at a Soddy Daisy football game in the fall.

Game Over

This was a year of extreme highs and lows in baseball. The high points were that Adam was able to asst. coach Joseph's team, Joseph had 2 buddies on his team from church (which also meant we had parent friends). Jack went from a mediocre batter and outfielder (last year's coaches description of him- in Jack's hearing- we were mad - but Jack didn't get too down about it) to the lead-off batter and an infielder - mainly playing the pitcher's circle. He scored a few homeruns, including a granslam. He only struck out one time all season. We really liked the coach and parents on Jack's team. There was a lot of action this year. They say that the 7/8 league is the most fun to watch. There are alot of hits, because the boys have been playing a few years and this is the last league for coach-pitch- where the pitchers goal is for the ball to be hit. In 9/10 the kids pitch and the pitcher's goal is a strike. I can't believe that I enjoyed baseball so much this year.

There was an extreme low. One of the coaches from Joseph's team committed suicide with only 2 weeks left in the season. He was the guy that all of the kids loved, who picked the kids up by their feet, and patted them on the head. This coach also had a few children at Hannah and Jack's school. Joseph would see him at school picking up his kids. He would yell "JO JO!" and pat him on the head. He made the kids feel special. It was so hard to tell Joseph that he had died... and every now and then Joseph will start crying out of the blue about it.

Both boys ended the season on a high note. For their last games, Jack got to play 1st base and Joseph was catcher.

Yikes!

Rome, GA, Friday, May 23. You can imagine my concern as we embarked on a long trip beginning on Memorial Weekend. Adam and I drove separately to SC. He went home from there and the kids and I went on to Chesapeake, VA, drove to VA Beach for a day, Williamsburg for a day, back to SC and then home. Thankfully this was a fluke, and we paid under $3.899 the rest of the trip (as if that is good :)

Jack throws out the opening pitch

On May 9th, My stepmother had the honor of throwing out the first pitch for the Lookouts(because she was chosen as a teacher of excellence). She and my Dad took the boys. She had tried to get them to allow Jack to throw it for her - the chance of a lifetime, but they wanted for her to do it.

Well Jack was getting a slight trim at Great Clips about a month ago. He entered a drawing and was chosen to throw out the opening pitch on June 1. He's not exactly the posterchild for hair cuts right now : )

They did all of the opening ceremony, then called the game due to rain.

He walked and potty-trained relatively early. But he has no interest in learning how to tie his shoes. Maybe Joseph can tie them for him soon.

The kids went with their grandparents to see The Lion King road show in Atlanta. They had a really great time! Jack earned the game ball! He has really blossomed this year in his athleticism. Joseph got into the paper plates and decorated them. I guess we will use them like this. The kids on a fire truck at May Day at the ballfield. We spent the day there, and they had a great time. Eating their free hot dogs before going to sit with their teams for the festivities.

Reflective

I feel like I am entering a new stage of life. So many things have been going through my mind.... but I'm not sure how to articulate it all.

When you have a bunch of little kids, you feel like this is life, and this is how it is going to be. I have been very thankful for my kids, but I tend to struggle with that horrible victim mentallity, and I have at times felt trapped by motherhood. Then I felt guilty for feeling that way, especially since my great aspirations were not to be a doctor or lawyer, but a mother.

Now, I am really getting a taste of how quickly time is flying. I can't believe that this week, I'll be registering my little baby for Kindergarten. I don't know where the time went! It hasn't all been spent wisely.

Two summers ago, I had a very busy summer at church (music camp, Wed.nite preschool program, sub. preschool teacher). I put in more time that summer than I ever have, and 2 weeks before school started, I was sad that I had not spent more quality time with the kids. My friend Dana suggested that I prayed that the Lord would redeem my time, which He did, and those last 2 weeks were wonderful. That is my prayer now. With just over 3 months before school starts, I pray that the Lord will redeem our time, and that we will have a great summer.

Well that is about a 1/100th of whats going on in this crazy mind of mine. Maybe I can express more later : )

Funny times in 2 year old Sunday School

Kathy and I teach the 2 year old Sunday School class together. They came to us with very limited vocabularies, some did not speak at all. Now most of them have turned 3 and are becoming very articulate.

Over the past weeks we have talked about the crucifixion and resurrection. We have been singing " God's not dead, NO , He is alive". So one little girl asks if we can sing the "God is not alive song"

Today, we were talking about how when Jesus was finished teaching his disciples, his feet lifted off the ground and he rose, up, up, up in the sky. One little girl said, "You need a helmet when you go into space".

Then I gave them each a paper plate "puzzle" that was cut into 3 pieces. The first one was for the crucifixion, the second for the resurrection and the 3rd for the ascension. I told them to put their puzzles together. One little girl said I don't have a puzzle, just a plate (this one is still only 2 years old), I told her that it IS a puzzle, she said "it looks like a plate to me."

She prays

On Friday, Hannah had a friend spend the night. This friend has ALOT of energy like Hannah, but she is a very sweet girl. I put dinner out and as I was getting drinks, they were huddled together. I asked her if they had just blessed their dinner. She said, "yes, just like we do together at lunch everyday at school." I told her that was wonderful. Hannah said, "We even prayed together on the phone today." "About what?" I asked. "That you would say 'yes' when I asked you if she could spend the night"

pics from March

This past Saturday, we went to Atlanta to meet our new nephew/cousin: Wyatt. He is 2 weeks and 2 days in these photos. He is the son of Adam's brother, Aaron and Hilary. The blonde holding him in the 2nd photo is another aunt, our sister-in-law, Kelly.



Erica and boys spent Spring break with us. It was a great visit.... and nice to spend more time with grandparents too.







I spent the first week of March in Maine training for the part-time on-call job that I will be doing (about 5 days a month). Apparently, once the snow falls in the autumn, it sticks around until the end of March. Notice the snowdrift in a parking lot. One day we were there, they had a small snow, but since they had such a brutal winter, the city was low on sand for the roads and canceled school.



This is in Freeport Maine. Each one of these cottages is a different outlet store. Amongst my favorites: Gap and Banana Republic. Of course the main stores are the LLBean headquarters. Even Starbucks is in a small free-standing cottage.

Flattered

I went to elementary school at Rivermont, and then moved across the country to East Ridge : ). Over my junior high and high school years, I'd occasionally run in to an elementary school friend. Over the past 2 years, I've run into 2 people that I had not seen since 5th grade, but recognized me because of my daughter. They said that it was like looking at me.

Last week at the ballfield a girl asked "Did you have a sister in the 1994 TN Jr. Miss Pageant?" I said, "yes, Erica". She said that she had been in the pageant with my sister. I asked her how she knew that we were sisters, had she seen us together? She said "No, you look just alike". Funny, I did not think so, but thanks!

Casa Hogar Kids

Just a post of pictures of the kids.