2011 Round 2

Saturday morning, the kids had several hours to play with their new toys and then we loaded up and headed down to the lake just after lunch. When we got there, we all decided to take a walk together and I attempted some “candid” shots. I had just come back from my run, so I turned around and went back to the house before the others, but left my camera with mom and later when I was looking through the pictures, I LOVED that she captured Wyatt’s pouty stance/face. As I laughed and showed him the camera, I asked, “Wyatt, what happened?!”

We had a nice evening and everyone slowly trickled in. Greg drove down early Sunday morning and we all were together on Christmas morning for the first time in years! Santa came and brought Samuel’s gifts because they were going to be there for several more days, but we explained to our kids that because we were going home that day, Santa just left their stuff at our house. They handled it VERY well overall. Wyatt LOVED Samuel’s SuperMan cape and that was really the only point of contention, but they played very well together and a gold cape (that Samuel loved because he wanted Batman) was cut and sewn out of an old nightshirt of mom’s! AND Emily & Daniel were kind enough to let me take it home with us to leave out for Wyatt from Santa, too and I’m ordering a replacement for Samuel! Wyatt was VERY excited and has worn it just about more than he’s not.

We all got a lot of great, thoughtful gifts. Mammie & Grandaddy got Greg & I a new mattress! The one we’ve had for the past 10 years was actually not only Greg’s growing up, but even his parents before he was even born! So, it was loooong overdue. It was delivered on Thursday, so I didn’t get to sleep on it until we got home on Sunday, but it’s been incredible just knowing the dust mite, skin flakes, sweat and drool are just getting going again, not 30 year’s worth of accumulation! They also got Wyatt a basketball goal, which we have all had a big time playing. Dellaina is actually very good at it and says she plays in PE! They got a climbing dome for all of the kids, too, but we never managed to get it put together! Thanks to cold, darkness or rain (or laziness). Greg surprised me with beautiful Tahitian pearl necklace and earrings. It’s always fun to get those maroon boxes!! Emily, Mary & I got swatches of fabric from Doug & Morgan with promises of *something* to come. We each liked our unique fabric and can’t wait to see what Morgan plans to whip up! I love my yellow sweater from Doug & Morgan and Emily & Daniel got me a tiny music player for running AND had already loaded music onto it for me!! Garris & Mary got me beautiful scarf and gorgeous wooden frame with decorative beads – it’s very unique! Wyatt and Samuel got swords and had a blast attaching the trash bags! Dellaina got a Lallaloopsy tree house from Mema and a unique playhouse from Garris & Mary that uses magnetic poles and balls and you can rearrange them in different ways and pop in different pictures of walls and items and even has a page of ones you can color yourself. She also got a keyboard from Mammie & Grandaddy that has a neat teaching program on the computer to accompany it and she's already learned Mary Had a Little Lamb and is very excited about being able to play the piano! We also had lots of help hemming all of Dellaina’s new pants! She’s in a size 10/12, but they make them soooo long! We headed home after naps to have time to get the kids in bed and get Santa set up and have Monday at home together as a family and recover!

Christmas at the Lake VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Race weekend

Friday, after helping at Dellaina’s school, I checked her out and we all headed down to Atlanta Motor Speedway. We met up with Josh and walked around the trailers, bought some ear muffs for the kiddos and then headed into the track to watch the end of the truck race qualifying and the Cup drivers practice. We thought it would be good exposure for the kids to see the cars we talk about each week, but not pay or sit through a whole race. Sure enough, after about 40 minutes, they were asking to go. We had a great time and it was just the right amount. Greg & Josh stayed and watched the truck race and I loaded up the kids and headed to the lake for the long weekend.

I thought for sure Doug & Morgan were going to come down and was surprised they hadn’t and no one had heard from them. I figured they’d gone to the pediatrician and he’d discouraged them from coming (they need to be extra cautious exposing Martin to people – especially school age kids! and ones that had been kind of congested! but were very vigilant with hand washing, Lysol wipes, keeping Martin mostly in their room, changing shirts between holding him and hugging us, etc.). Sure enough on Sunday, they Skyped and basically said as much, but still seemed like they wanted to come down, so as the day progressed, I fully expected them to show up and was surprised when they didn’t. Mom called at dinner time to ask and Doug said they definitely weren’t coming that night, but would probably wake up and have the same battle the next day. Not 15 minutes later, they were pulling into the driveway. It was a great surprise at that point! We had a great weekend visiting – from afar – and just seeing them all interact and be an adorable little family. Dellaina & Wyatt seemed very enamored meeting their new cousin, too. Wyatt even sat down and read him a story at one point, too. precious!

The porch at the lake had recently been painted and I LOVE it. So sophisticated. And I <3 a blue porch ceiling!

Labor Day weekend VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Remnants

So…yeah. Whatever, I’m on “break” from school and will try to get caught up and not get so far behind…

Here are a few stragglers from the 4th of July at the lake, courtesy or Ashley. (If you have access to Facebook, prepare for some repeat exposure)

 

 

   

On the 4th of July

Here are some bonus pictures from the actual 4th of July that I hadn’t uploaded to my computer yet when I posted before. There are some gems in this mix as well.

So glad Angela came on the boat to capture this fabulous picture. It looks like we are laughing hysterically and having a grand time, but really we are screaming in pain at the SAND that was grinding us to bits.   

Dellaina bounced a good 2 feet above Greg over one wave and he had to reach up and grab hold of her!

 

went back over to the old lakehouse for one last swim before it *hopefully* sells.

Teaser Highlights

I neglected my schoolwork for the long holiday weekend and had a fabulous time. However, I now need to get back to it and have no time to post all of the fabulousness from the weekend. Also, the collision of such forces as Pen, Ash and Nik completely knocked out the Internet at the lake and our virtual friendship was forced to exist in reality. It was #Epic.

I can’t resist a few* of my favorites…

4th o’ July VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Hopping along…

Before we left the lake, we had a little egg hunt…(only Wyatt wouldn’t put his shoes on and come outside, so he missed it.)

and discovered something left by the Easter Bunny! Princess bling! and only 3 things of candy! good job, EB! Of which, Dellaina chose the fruit snacks (over the M&M’s or Smarties, surprisingly!) 

Wyatt decided to come out, too, since there was a grand prize and he got a fun pack with a little race track!

 

Then, we made our way to G&G’s where Daddy was already there and they had a new fun surprise!

and the Easter Bunny had come to their house, too! With one giant chocolate bunny (tradition) and clothes! (yay, because had you noticed those snug britches she was squeezed into?) So, thought we’d managed to come away without too much candy, but then…we had an egg hunt with candy in all 124 eggs!! oh well. It was a lot of fun. All 3 kiddos did really well.

 

  gymnastic skills!

  the sand pile was just too tempting.

we even ate our lunch outside on the new picnic table!

Addison was a super swinger! She’d just hop right up in that swing and get going super high! Neither Dellaina nor Wyatt can swing. It’s so awkward trying to teach them, too. I keep laughing because it looks so funny, but it just hasn’t clicked yet. I really thought swinging next to Addison would help, but…it didn’t.

After a good visit, we went over to Garris & Mary’s new house in Bogart! They closed on Wednesday and so were still moving in. It’s a good little home and I’m excited for them. Can’t wait to see when they are more settled. Greg helped with the ceiling fan in the living room and then we headed home. It was late when we got back, but we had a great weekend. I was SOOOO excited to see my surprise.

Greg had followed us on Friday when we left the school Easter party rather thank turning to go home and I called and asked him what he was going to Lowe’s to get and he challenged me to see if I’d notice when I got home. Of course!

 

Our old rotting white mailbox on the cracking yucky green post was a real eyesore! It matched the green mildew on the house, so once we had the house (and deck/fence) pressure washed (thank goodness!) it was time to replace the mailbox, finally. We’ve only had the new mailbox sitting in our garage for a year! Doesn’t it all look so spiffy and clean. I love it. It makes me proud every time I come home.