Sunday, October 19, 2014

Daddy’s Home and Mimo’s on the Mend

We got back from Baltimore on Monday and life went back to normal on Tuesday.  Well, kind of.

Drew’s mom, Mimo – also known as Lynn – has been super sick and in the hospital.  With everything from a UTI to kidney stones to an infection in her blood to an abscess on her kidney that she ended up having drained on Saturday.  Hopefully the procedure will turn things around and she’ll get better soon!

Drew took the kids to school Tuesday morning and headed down to see his mom.  He spent Tuesday night with her and came back on Wednesday.  I picked the kids up from school and made them do homework in my office before leaving.  We went to soccer practice that I was sure they would cancel because it was raining.  We got there and Will had to pee so we ran around to the porta potty by the field.  When he was done we heard the YMCA people blow the whistle and the other teams all took off.  We walked back to the car and the other teams all came out but none of Will’s team did.  We finally walked back over there after a few minutes and they said they were going to keep going.  They can’t practice if there is thunder and lightning in the area but there wasn’t Tuesday night – just rain.  The only problem was that I had Lindy who I couldn’t have out in the rain because rain and hearing aids don’t go well together.  I headed back to the car and we did some homework in the car while we waited.  It was really hot in the car so I had the car off but the air blowing to cool us off.  Towards the very end it stopped raining so we walked out towards the field to wait on Will.  When we got back to the car, it wouldn’t start.   This is the third time in our marriage where Drew has been out of town and my car won’t start.  Thankfully there were people still there with jumper cables and someone to help me jump it.  We rode around for a bit and headed home. 

After a day or so with Drew home, he headed out again for a few days.  He went to Sarasota, FL for a boys’ weekend with some college friends. He was gone from Thursday through Sunday but it flew by for the kids and I because we kept busy.  I picked the kids up from school on Thursday and Friday.  Friday night the kids went down to the neighbors’ while I went with Martha from church to a play our niece Molly was in at her high school.  She was in The Diary of Anne Frank – her first play in high school.  She, and the whole cast, did a good job.  It was much longer than I imagined so I ended up having the neighbors bring the kids home and put them to bed.  When Drew is gone I have started letting the kids sleep with me so I got Will out of his bed and he slept with me Friday night. 

Saturday morning we were up pretty early because Will had a soccer game at 9am.  It was an exciting morning because they won (! – of course they don’t keep score!) and he played against his buddy Carson.  Will was a little timid the first half but played more aggressively the second half.  We left there and headed home to change clothes before heading out to get some food and go tailgate before the Wake Forest football game.  We met Grandbob, Suzette, Aunt Jamie, and the Bryants.  We headed to the game and watched Wake lose and left in the beginning of the 4th quarter.   The kids and I headed home and I made Will’s Halloween costume.  Glad that is mostly done.  I put both of them to sleep in my bed and later carried Will to his bed when I went to sleep. 

We played hookie from church since Drew wasn’t home and we picked Drew up from the airport around lunchtime.  Will had a birthday party at the trampoline park at 3pm so I took him to that.  We left and ran by Walmart.  After we got home and ate we had a family game of Monopoly.  Well, Lindy didn’t play but she assisted the banker. 

We have a fairly normal week coming up.  But a few pictures from last week.


Lindy decorated a pumpkin at school and got to bring it home.  DSC_1456
A couple of the Halloween shirts they have been wearing.DSC_1457
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Swinging on the hammocks at our neighbors’ Friday night.IMG_5726
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Will at his soccer game.  We eventually had to ditch the pants as it warmed up quick.
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Will and Carson
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I had told Lindy no pictures at the soccer game and the stinker started in taking selfies.  This is right when I caught her!IMG_5718
Will playing ski ball at the party today.IMG_5722

Thursday, October 16, 2014

The Fair and Fair Baltimore

Trying to remember so long ago is hard.  Let’s see how I do.

Lindy had her parent teacher conference on Tuesday, October 7th and it went really well!  Her teacher is really pleased with where she is.  We went over the Dibels testing and she did great.  She said she was one of just a few kids to improve from their end of Kindergarten scores.  She said most kids regressed a bit.  She said she sees no problems right now!  Yay Lindy!  We really like her teacher.  She is still working to figure out some kinks but they are doing well.  She said she was so happy to have her in her class.  That meant a lot to hear.  She doesn’t see Lindy as a burden and it’s just nice to hear.  Will had soccer practice that night and it was so chilly out there.

Wednesday we had lunch with the kids at school.  They think that is just the greatest thing ever!  We both met Will’s class and had lunch with him and his buddy Jose.  Jose is really cute and talked to us easily.  Lindy’s class came in about 20 minutes later and Drew moved down to the end of the visitors’ table and ate with her and her friend Ellie.  Same Ellie from her kindergarten class who we’ve eaten with before and who will barely utter a word to us!  After Will’s class left I moved down to sit with them.  Ellie uttered a few words, but not much. 

Thursday was picture day.  You just never know what they will come back as!  I’m sure Will’s will be his perfect fake smile.  There is no telling with Lou!

Thursday afternoon we took the kids to the Dixie Classic Fair.  I met the kids and Drew right after school and we headed in.  We got their all you can ride wristbands first and hit the rides.  They are kind of at a strange age/size at the fair.  The little kid rides are getting a little small for them but they aren’t big enough or brave enough to go on the big rides.  They still had fun but you can tell they are outgrowing some rides.  For the first time Lindy got to do one of the super slides by herself.  She was thrilled about that.  We ran into some church folks and their grandson went on one of the Ferris wheels with the kids.  Their grandson was Will and he was 8 and he was so sweet with Lindy.   He held her hand and helped her out and made sure she sat down on the ride!  We had dinner and then rode more rides.  We walked very briefly through some exhibits and saw some big pumpkins.  We ran into some of the kids’ friends and Will got to do an obstacle with one of his buddies.  The fair is fun but tiring.  We left around 7pm and were stunned at the lines of people waiting to get into the fair. 

Friday morning we dropped the kids off at school and Drew and I headed to Baltimore.  We had to get some things done at the house so we left around 9:30am.  We went up through the middle of VA which was a bit slow going.  There were a bunch of stop lights and then some traffic.  Then we hit DC.  Holy traffic in DC.  We hit DC at the worst time imaginable.  4pm on a Friday.  Drew was driving but after a bit of that traffic he couldn’t do it anymore.  In the middle of the interstate we switched positions so I could drive.  I didn’t do too much driving after that.  It was more inching.  Not just to DC but most of the way to Baltimore!  It ended up taking us 9 hours to get there but we made it!  We went to Baltimore to visit our friends Gary and Karen.  We met them in Lincolnton and have stayed in touch all these years.  Gary was a Lutheran pastor in Lincolnton that Drew had gotten to know well.   They moved up to Baltimore about 6+ years ago when Karen got a job at Johns Hopkins as a neonatal nurse practitioner.  Gary moved up and got a church up there as well.  We finally got there and we got settled in our apartment.  Gary and Karen have a one bedroom apartment in a big apartment building so they rent the guest apartment for their company.  We had our own apartment which was pretty cool.  Friday night we walked to dinner in their neighborhood, Fell’s Point.  We had a yummy dinner and then watched the Orioles/Royals ball game that evening.   Saturday morning we got to sleep in some and then Karen and I went to the Farmer’s Market and looked in some stores.  Saturday afternoon we went to the Inner Harbor and walked around the area.  It was hopping down there because the Orioles/Royals game was at 4pm.  We walked to the stadium and thought about springing for tickets but opted not to.  Sidenote – our friends are big Orioles fans, rightfully so, and I was one of a few Royals fans in town!   It was killing them to keep losing to the Royals while having to watch the games with me!  We headed back to their apartment to watch the game Saturday afternoon and then went out for a quick dinner Saturday night.  We got chip beef.  I don’t even know what that is!  ha!

Sunday we went to church at Gary’s church and it was really cool.  Gary is the pastor at Amazing Grace Lutheran which is a church in east Baltimore.  There was everything from homeless to us there and everything in between.  Gary totally called me out as a Royals fan and the church booed me!  ha!  Never been booed in church!  The service was super cool and pretty different from ours.  The church is in a rough neighborhood but they are doing a great thing there.  They have a garden planted in the back to help provide the area with fresh veggies.  They have a food pantry as well for the area.  It was a cool experience with them.  We ate lunch at the church after the service as a youth group fundraiser.  Sunday afternoon we headed to Fort McHenry  which was really cool too.  It is where Frances Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner after the fight at the fort in 1814.  It was a gorgeous day to be strolling around the area.  We left there and headed to Federal Hill for the best view of Baltimore.  We finished the evening with dinner in Canton. 

We got up Monday morning, had breakfast, and headed home.  The trip home was much, much better.  We knew of a wreck in DC and took an alternate route.  We also went I81 through VA which was much prettier and no stoplights.  We hit another wreck on I81 and took a detour down through Roanoke.  We picked the kids up at Ed’s house and got them home for dinner, homework, showers and bedtime.

We loved Baltimore!  It was a cool city and reminded us so much of San Francisco.  We definitely are planning to take the kids back because there seemed to be a bunch of stuff for the kids.  They had all these cool neighborhoods and a million restaurants. 

What were the kids up to while we were gone?  They were busy having fun with a variety of people!  Bob and Suzette picked them up from school on Friday.  Saturday Bob took Will to his soccer game at 11am.  Bob said they played good and they tied 5-5.  He said Will played well and took a hard ball to the chest.  Saturday afternoon Bob and Suzette were brave and took the kids to the fair again.  The kids said they had a blast.  Sunday the kids hung out with Bob and Suzette in the morning but then they dropped them off at our friend Katie’s church.  Katie had a meeting till 2pm so they played in the nursery with Claire and some other kids.  Katie took them all home after her meeting where they stayed for the day and the night.  Katie had a meeting that evening so Kris got babysitting duty and actually got all four kids to bed!   Katie got home and everyone was tucked in.  She had them up and at school the next morning like a champ.  It helps they live 5 mins from the kids’ school.   Neither of her kids go there now but Micah used to.  She dropped them off and then her shift ended.  Ed picked them up from school and took them to his house till we got there at 6pm. 

Ahhhhh, I think that is everything.  Some pictures!

 

A super cute Lindy outfit.
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Complete with a super cute hair do!DSC_1394
Will and Jose
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Lindy and Ellie
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The Dixie Classic Fair first ride of the day!DSC_1398DSC_1399DSC_1401DSC_1405
First time by herself!
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Lindy and big Will, who went with them on the Ferris wheel.DSC_1411DSC_1414DSC_1419DSC_1429
The swings were a big hit this year.DSC_1433DSC_1436DSC_1441DSC_1445DSC_1447
Although Lindy’s favorite ride was the carousel.  She rode it 3 times and named her horse.DSC_1450
Our apartment in Baltimore.IMG_5622
Delicious place we ate lunch.IMG_5627IMG_5632
So close to being inside those gates to watch the game!IMG_5646
Gary’s church
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Behind the church where they have a garden and labyrinth.  At one time there were abandoned row houses and I think he said there were 11 murders in them.  They tore them all down and are doing great things back there.  IMG_5652IMG_5659IMG_5660
Fort McHenry and the Chesapeake BayIMG_5670IMG_5678
Frances Scott Key BridgeIMG_5683IMG_5684IMG_5691
View of Baltimore from Federal HillIMG_5693IMG_5696

Showers and Pumpkins

What happened last week?  I wasn’t around for a lot of the week so I had to rely on Drew for all the details. We had our first big fall fundraiser on Thursday (10/2) and I spent many long hours leading up to it.  I got home late from work each day and worked every night after the kids went to bed.  The event went well Thursday night and I’m so glad it’s over! 

The kids had their 6 month dentist appointment on Monday.  Drew had to handle that one solo but thankfully everyone did well.  Both kids had good checkups with no cavities.  We worked hard on brushing the trouble spots last time and Drew said they did less scraping this time.  Lindy’s 6 year old molars are coming in and they are planning to do sealants on them.  They said they are usually about $10 after insurance. 

Will had soccer practice on Tuesday night which Drew had to take both kids to.  The kids got progress reports for the first time and both kids are doing great.  All S’s and 3’s for both!   They both got back their Dibels testing as well and both did a great job. 

Thursday was the big day of the week for me at work.  Mimo came up in the late afternoon and watched the kids for us that night so Drew could come over to Greensboro and eat and volunteer.   The kids would be fine with us going out every night if Mimo could watch them! 

Friday morning Will lost his third tooth – finally!  It’s been loose for about 6 months.  It was super, super loose all week long.  It was hanging all week long but just wouldn’t come out!  Trust me – I tried pulling it every morning!  Finally Friday morning I knocked it out with the toothbrush.  I was going over his teeth after he had brushed and knocked it out.  Neither one of us realized it though.  I saw it sitting on his tongue. Thankfully he didn’t swallow it!  He was so excited!  Lindy was so jealous!  The only time the girl ever gets truly jealous is when Will has lost a tooth.  Even though she has lost more and has two loose ones.  It is quite comical actually. 

Friday I got to pick the kids up from school – in the pouring rain – and we ran by Party City – in the pouring rain -  and then headed home.  Friday night we met Ed and Jamie at the Wake Forest volleyball game.  We love going to the games.  Will didn’t love how loud it was in there but the games are so exciting.  They were down 2 games and they made a comeback and won in 5 games! 

Saturday morning we were up early and headed our separate ways.   I rode with Jamie and Molly to Charlotte because we were hosting a bridal shower for Anna.  We got down there a little before 12pm and got everything set up for the shower to start at 1pm.  We were there till after 3pm showering the blushing bride with food and gifts.  We did a fun red velvet dessert bar for her since that is her favorite dessert.  We headed back to Winston after the shower and I ran errands and did some grocery shopping.

While I was gone, Drew took the kids to Will’s soccer game at 10am in Kernersville.  They won!!  Of course they don’t keep score, but they scored more goals – so they won!  Drew said Will was much more aggressive and played well.  They left straight from his game and headed to Mooresville and dropped the kids off at my parents’ house.  The kids spent the afternoon playing at my parents’ while Drew went with Ed and Bob to a Davidson College football game.  The game went into 5 overtimes so they didn’t get home till close to 8:30pm.   I think they all had a fun day.

Sunday we had church and afterwards we headed straight to a new pumpkin patch in Fancy Gap, VA.  We tried a new place this year called Blue Ridge Pumpkins.  It was less than an hour away and it was a lot of fun.  It had a real pumpkin patch, like pumpkins growing on vines.  I’ve never seen a true pumpkin patch.  We all picked some pumpkins, the kids got tiny little ones and I got the coolest white pumpkins.  They had a barrel train the kids rode.  It was the slowest barrel train of any barrel train they have ever ridden.  We took a hayride and we did a corn maze.  It was the easiest corn maze we’ve ever done but it really was about the right speed for us.  They gave you the actual maze and a crayon and you mapped the way out.  It was much easier and faster than the ones we’ve done in past years.  Lindy enjoyed it much more than the long ones.  We had a great fun, fall afternoon.  We had to go on Sunday because every other free moment in October was booked. 

Enjoy some pictures…

The toothless wonder!  Such a cute wonder!IMG_5543IMG_5548IMG_5553
Whispering sweet nothings to the Deacon!
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The tooth fairy came!!
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Tooth box was empty! I always meant to make or get one of those super cute tooth fairy pillows.  I never got around to it so we use the boxes the dentist gave us.  Bad mama!IMG_5585

Showering Aunt Anna (with red velvet!) DSC_1197
I made Anna sweat a bit with one of the bridal games.  She had to answer questions about Brian (which Brian had already answered).  I see a lot of chatting and getting to know you in their future.  ha!  DSC_1212DSC_1225
The hostesses with the mostesses.DSC_1284
The family.  All the girls in the family, except Lindy.DSC_1285
Anna’s horse friends.
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We busted out the Halloween pjs!
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Trying to make them glow!
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Fun at the pumpkin patch!DSC_1298DSC_1300DSC_1301DSC_1303DSC_1310DSC_1314DSC_1318DSC_1319DSC_1322DSC_1328
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Super crazy story.  I randomly asked some people behind us to take a picture.  Turned out it was some kids from our old church.  Except they are no longer kids.  Freshman and senior in college!DSC_1342DSC_1343DSC_1345
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