2014 Week 5

 Bambi turned one year old!  She definitely doesn't look like a puppy anymore, even though most of the time she acts like one.  We're all happy to have her, obviously.  We celebrated her birthday with a quick photo and a new puzzle treat toy.  I assume she's one happy pup.

 Snow Days!  I say this with both amusement and frustration.  Snow isn't new to us, but it sure is an Event in North Carolina.  They were predicting snow for Tuesday night, so of course the school decided that letting out early wasn't good enough, they had to skip school entirely on Tuesday.  And it didn't snow until well after dark.  Urgh.  This is what we woke up to Tuesday morning though.  About 3" of new snow and the sun shining.

 The kids could hardly wait to get out in it.  It almost felt like Christmas.  They were up early and anxiously looking out the window until the sun was up and I finally let them bundle up (in our less-than adequate snow gear) and head outside to make snow angels and throw snowballs.

 Thank goodness for that dog.  When the rest of us were tired of the snow she was still happily letting Tyler throw snowballs at her and chase her around the back yard.

That's pretty much what we did for the next THREE days.  Yes, they cancelled school not only on Tuesday and Wednesday, but Thursday and Friday as well.  Sam got most of that time off, also.  And no, we didn't get any additional snow.

The kids would play outside until their fingers were cold, come inside to warm up and play in the playroom, then eventually head back out to get cold and wet all over again.

 We've also been trying to make use of the our neighborhood gym to get us all a little active and headed down there to work out a couple of times.

 Then by Sunday, complete reversal of the weather.  Snow was all gone and it was warm enough to go without jackets.

 Let's see - what else is noteworthy from the week?  I've been trying to get everyone in more healthy habits this month.  In an effort to boost the nutrition I've added in daily protein shakes for the kids and they love it.  Usually Kaitlyn or I make them, but Tyler has started to want to be more independent and is learning how to do it himself.

 There's usually projects and messes underway in our garage.  Over the weekend we did another big build day for drying racks.  And for the first time I let Kaitlyn help me out a little bit sanding countdown blocks.

2014 Week 4

We were excited to spend the morning of Day 2 of our beach vacation at Wonder Works.  We were up fairly early as usual, had breakfast at IHOP, then wandered around the (closed) shops at Broadway at the Beach until Wonder Works was open.

It's a bit like a Children's Museum on steroids.  The premise is that the building got caught in a tornado in Florida or something and ended up upside-down on a building here so the lobby is all upside down.  It's fun.  Inside they have things like a roller coaster simulator, all kind of science-y experiment stuff,

a bed of nails

giant bubble station

climbing demonstration of pulley and levers, laser tag (we had a lot of fun with that one) and a ropes course (also a lot of fun, especially watching the kids figure out they weren't going to fall and getting more confident as they crossed the obstacles).
We had lunch then spent some time in the pool at the hotel.

Wednesday morning I was up before everyone else and got to enjoy the sunrise.

We did donuts for breakfast then spent some final time on the beach before heading home.

 It was a great little vacation.  I'm really glad we went and am looking forward to going back when we can actually spend some time in the water.

The rest of the week went very quickly with orders to fill, school and work to return to, etc.

We also got some happy mail from Sam's grandma:  her usual cookies and granola for birthdays, plus some ruffle scarves for Kaitlyn and me.  Birthdays are so much fun, even when they aren't mine ;)

2014 Week 3

 What stands out from this week?  Well, lots of projects and finishing things up - especially getting the big photos up in the craft room and reorganizing it.  That room hasn't been this clean and pretty in months and months.

 Kaitlyn won second prize at the science fair!  Go Kate! 

Also took some time to decorate the house for Valentines day - it was looking way too bare without Christmas stuff.

 Sam had a birthday!  And by some stroke of luck not only did it fall on a weekend, but a bit holiday weekend followed by the kids having 3 days off (and half-day on Friday).  Normally I would be annoyed at that since the kids JUST went back to school from Christmas.  But we decided to take advantage of it and use some of Sam's time off so we spent a few days in Myrtle Beach.

 We drove down Sunday after we had breakfast (muffins made by Kaitlyn for her dad's birthday) and packed.  We had an amazing condo (can splurge a little with off season prices - two bedrooms plus a living room/kitchen) right on the beach.

 Once we got settled in the room we went for a walk on the beach.  And kind of got carried away.  When we made it back to the room we calculated that we had walked over 3 miles - no wonder poor Tyler kept complaining that his feet hurt.

 We went to the Medieval Times dinner and show that night - so much fun!  Knights jousting, eating dinner with only your fingers...what's not to like?  Even though Tyler didn't want to eat any of the meal (we planned on that and took a sandwich for him) both the kids were completely enthralled.  If I happened to lean over to ask Kaitlyn a question she would tell me "shh, I'm trying to watch this."

 I know - they're all green.  It's the lights.  We were in the Green Knight's section.  He didn't win.

 And back at the room we surprised Sam with brownies for dessert - pretty sneaky aren't we?  He didn't know we had them (though he almost spoiled the surprise by getting home early Friday when they were still out on the counter and the whole house smelled like chocolate)

 or the sparking grape juice (left over from New Years).

 Tyler loves a good toast.

2014 Week 1

We had an eventful end of 2013/first week of 2014

 Tried to write Thank You cards for all the Christmas and Birthday gifts.  Didn't finish - the kids are so well loved or er, spoiled.

 New Year's Eve Pajama party with friends - FUN!

 We played games, watched The Ball drop, the kids broke a piñata, and we all got fortunes by popping balloons.

 Tyler also lost a tooth at the New Years Eve party.  (at this rate he may not be able to chew food on his own soon lol)  Good thing Mom remembered to put the tooth under his pillow as he went right to sleep as soon as we got home.

 Breakfast New Years Day was waffles and the sparkling grape juice we had forgotten to open at midnight.

 Tyler insisted we all do a toast.

We also spent New Years Day putting away all the Christmas decorations.  The living room looks really bare now.

 But also very clean as we also took the opportunity a couple days later to rent a steamer and clean all the carpets.  While Sam ran the machine I did a few of the deep cleaning items I had been putting off.  The house is now all sparkly clean and that feels good.

 Bambi likes the clean carpet too.

 Oh, and we finally remembered to let the kids pull the wish bone from Thanksgiving.

 Wonder what he wished for...

 The kids are back on a paper airplane kick.  Tyler taped this note to one of the paper airplanes then handed it to me ;)  He's such a cutie.

And to finish up the week, Kaitlyn finished her science project - WOOHOO!