Bagels, Berries, and (Reusable Water) Bottles

Bagel with cream cheese, yogurt with strawberry puree, cherries, carrots with dip. These are Miss M's smaller portions. Also, I added fun napkins again.

(Alternative, and equally semi-alliterative, title: Cream Cheese, Cherries, and Carrots?)

This post is linked to What's for Lunch Wednesday (Week 14) over at What's for Lunch at Our House.  

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First Day of School (1st grade, Pre-K4)

Ah, the end of summer - back to a routine!  Back to our regularly scheduled activities!  Back to early wake-up calls!

Miss M has been so excited about going back to school!  Uncharacteristically, she was the first kid up this morning, and was cheerful about it, too!  She may be extra-excited because she's full-day this year.  Mister J asked, "Why do I have to get up so early?"  Never mind that he has been getting up early (on his own!) all summer long!  We still managed to make it out the door only 3 minutes behind my ideal schedule (I've already confirmed, I'm a dork), thanks to my very successful preparations last night!

So what slowed me down?  In truth, not the kids.  I wanted to take some pictures!  Forgive the poor color on the lunches - it was overcast this morning, so the natural lighting was non-existent.  (I'm also not taking the time to color correct since I'm anxious to go pick up my kiddos!)

It started with photos of their lunches, which we a little fancier today than normal.  Translation - they had some fun notes and stuff.  See?

Mister J's lunch had:

• turkey and cheddar sandwich, cut in half, with an apple cutout on the top slice of bread
• yogurt with a frozen cube of strawberry puree - according to Mister J, it kept the yogurt cold, but was also melted by lunchtime (yeah!)
• jello - a special treat for the first day of school (I don't usually pack a dessert).  It's hiding under the note from Mom & Dad
• veggies and ranch dip - an apple-shaped slice of cucumber and some carrots hiding underneath
• a Phineas and Ferb napkin - another fun surprise
• an afternoon snack of pretzel nuggets

Verdict:  He ate the whole thing!

Miss M's lunch had:

• half-sized turkey and cheddar sandwich with an apple cutout on the top slice of bread
• strawberry yogurt, store bought for the extra fiber
• jello - again, hiding under the note from Mom & Dad
• veggies and ranch dip - an apple-shaped slice of cucumber and some carrots hiding underneath
• a Princesses napkin - another fun surprise

Verdict: Leftover sandwich bits were not a surprise; Miss M prefers American cheese.

And finally, here's a picture of the two cutest kids I've ever taken to school:

Didn't even have to ask him to put an arm around his sister.  But I did have to ask her to not stick out her tongue.  Yep, just a normal day around here. Except for this - I can't remember the last time I was alone in the house.  It's kinda quiet....

Post-school update:  They walked out to the mommy-van holding hands and smiling!  Mister J wanted to talk non-stop about a new computer game he played at school.  He's usually not much of a talker, so I felt a tiny bit guilty for asking him to give Miss M a chance to answer a few questions about her day.  It wasn't long before I turned the conversation back over to Mister J; I could tell that Miss M was worn out after her first full day of school.  After a quick snack once we were home, Mister J invited a friend over and now they (along with Miss M) are playing in the backyard.

Also: check out last year's first day of school post.   Scroll down to see a picture of the kiddos - they have grown so much since last year!

Also posted to What's for Lunch Wednesday (Week 13) hosted by What's for Lunch at Our House.  Click on over to get some great lunch ideas!

New-School-Year Eve

I just posted this as my Facebook status.

I seriously have nothing left to do to prepare for tomorrow.  This feels weird.

The weird part is that I posted it around 9:30 pm.  That's about 90 minutes ahead of my school-year bedtime.  I feel like I must be forgetting something to be done this early.  So far this evening (since 5pm) I have:

• Held a "peanut butter alternative" taste test (look for future blog post - with photos).  Both of my kids are in class with peanut-allergic kids, so we'll be using an alternative to PB again this year.  Stay tuned to see which one it'll be.
• Cooked dinner
• Cleaned up after dinner - all before I went upstairs with the kids.  That last part there is what makes it a HUGE deal.  (Just FYI, that means I cleared table, put away leftovers, loaded dishes into dishwasher, washed non-dishwasher safe items - all before the start of the bedtime routine.)
• Packed the kids' school supplies - one paper bag full of 'supply list' items for each of them (we never get the 'real' list before Open House, which was on Monday, so I didn't have quite everything they needed until today).
• Remembered to include all of the 'first day of school' forms - which I completed yesterday, including a copy for my files and getting them into said files.
• Prepared the backpacks  - which mainly means cleaning them out from the summer (toys, papers, odd crayons, etc), but I also tucked in a travel-sized pack of tissue.  They couldn't resist the Toy Story-themed packets (Woody for Mister J, Jessie for Miss M) when we saw them weeks ago.  Kudos to me for not losing them by now.
• Packed their lunches, complete with fun surprises (more details tomorrow)!   Except for the sandwiches.  I'll make them in the morning so the bread doesn't get soggy.  But the bread is even cut in half already, just waiting for the fillings.  Oh, my, I'm a dork.
• Put the kids to bed on time - really on time - for the first time in ages.  And that includes bathing, flossing, brushing, and reading (3 chapters of How to Eat Fried Worms).  Oh, yeah - I'm feeling like SuperMom.

So, if I got everything done, why does this feel so weird?  When I figure out what I forgot, I'll let you know.

Crafty? Yes.. Creative? No.

"You're so creative!"

I get that a lot.  And while I like to think I'm crafty, it's less about creativity and more about being able to follow directions.  Cut this.  Fold here.  Print this.  Yes, you read that right.  Print this. 

One of my newest crafty loves - free printables.  So quick!  So easy!  Usually just a little cutting and folding required and - voila!

I'm stealing borrowing and idea from One Pretty Thing - a site that has a ton of craft links every. day.  Only OPT has a photo of every craft, and I'm just linking you here with a short description.  I like to print cards (to stuff into my collection of unused envelopes) since I'm really a fan of letter writing.  Most recently, I've been doing back-to-school printables - especially lunch box notes.  One day my kids will outgrow this, and I'll be sad - but for now, I guess there are worse things that printing out free stuff.  I'm going to link you directly to the site with the printable download, but many thanks again to OPT for the links, the ideas, and the craft reading escape on a daily basis!

Backpack Snack Treat Topper (for the first day of school, so print it now!)
After School Convo Cards (hope this is a fun way to jump-start some after-school conversation with my oldest)
Gingham Lunch Note Cards (so cute!)
Lunch Box Love Notes (get out your circle cutter!)
Lunch Box Notes, Tags, and Stickers (customizable notes, and a cute idea for attaching the notes!)
Make My Lunch ... Fun (notes and bag tags)
Lunch Survey (scroll down - probably best for older kids)
Printable Lunch Box Menus (boy and girl designs - 4 per page)
School Notes Printable (scroll down; 2 per page)

And one more, not via OPT:
Super Sweet Lunch Notes (in celebration of the newly-designed another lunch - one of the bento blogs that I read)

Enjoy!

ETA:  Look at this post that just came through my reader today.  She has some of the same printables in her post!

Wii love Toy Story 3!

Shortly after it came out, we took the kids to see Toy Story 3 (and when I find the pics from that outing, I'll upload one here).  We all loved it, so it's definitely one that'll be added to our DVD collection.  Shamefully, it's the only one I've seen all the way through.  We have Toy Story and Toy Story 2, but I have never made the time to sit down and watch them - I'm always doing something else, so I've only seen them in bits and pieces.  (Same with It's a Wonderful Life, as it turns out....)  Anyway, back to the point....

Shortly after seeing the movie, Mister J spotted Toy Story 3 for Wii - and asked if he could use his savings to purchase it.  Big J and I thought about it for a bit since Mister J would need to use some of his "save" money rather than his "spend" money.  In the end, we agreed that a bigger purchase from his savings would be a great lesson in working hard - and saving - for larger items.  We did ask Mister J to think about the purchase for a while to be sure it was really the way he wanted to spend his savings.  We were just about to go on vacation for 10 days and decided that if he still wanted to make the purchase when we were back home, we'd take him shopping.  Well, shopping day arrived!

Leaving Costco, about a month ago

As it turned out, there was a coupon that day, so he saved $10!  He was so proud of his purchase!
While we don't follow it exactly, we use the principles from Financial Peace, Jr., to teach our children lessons about money.  We have attended Financial Peace University and although Dave didn't pay me to blog about FPU, I'd love it if he'd sponsor a giveaway.  Dave's not reading - who am I kidding?- but if you'd like to know more, check out www.daveramsey.com.  I'm also glad to share our experience, or you can type "financial peace" in the search box on the right.

Almost!

Oh, my! I'm guessing the Tooth Fairy will be here before the weekend is over!
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Overheard #32 and #33

After getting post-haircut Dum-Dum lollipops...
Miss M, holding up wrapper for Mister J to read:  "What flavor is this?
Mister J, paying more attention to the pictures than the words on the root beer wrapper: "Cracker Barrel"

As I was going through the McD's drive through for an iced coffee:
Miss M:  Can I get a box?
It took me a moment to figure out that she wanted a Happy Meal....

There were a few more good ones today, but my brain got full!

Another Post-Allergy First

Over two months after Miss M  was given the "all clear" by her allergist, Big J and I still have aha! moments when it comes to safe foods.  Yes, they are all safe foods now, but our habits aren't so easily changed.  In fact, we have discussed whether or not we will ever stop questioning food safety, and we doubt that it will ever be so.

For instance, on a recent outing we were trying to decide where to go for dinner.  The kids were tossing out ideas (mainly Chick-Fil-A) when Big J proposed a stop at Five Guys.  I've been two or three times before, but I could only go on my own because they serve peanuts.  Big, open boxes of peanuts.  It's completely off-limits for any peanut-allergic family.  In fact, Big J had never been before, but as soon as we remembered that we can go, we headed that way.

So, here's another snapshot of something I never thought I'd see:

That blur is Miss M's fist coming down to smash a peanut open.

And besides the burgers and the super-yummy fries, Five Guys has my respect for this:

Posted on the door as you exit a Five Guys restaurant

 Thanks, Five Guys, for spreading the word about food allergy safety (even though you serve peanuts)!

Overheard #31

Miss M has decided she only likes "fixed" tomatoes - she doesn't like her cherry tomatoes quartered, she likes them whole.
Also, while I was rearranging three of the upstairs rooms, the kids were playing pirates in the soon-to-be toy room - complete with their versions of British accents. Too funny!
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Back to School - Lunch Box Practice

School starts next week, and I'm gearing up to pack two lunches a day, five days per week.  I'm not new to the routine, but I've done a little practicing and preparation over the last couple of weeks.  For starters, I've packed lunches for some of our trips to the pool.  Although the meals are basically the same, we do have slightly different tastes.  Miss M has a smaller appetite, and Mister J's is growing.  This was a good way for me to visualize how much the kids would need in their boxes since it's been a while since I've packed them.

My lunch - with an extra sandwich wedge made with a sage-y bean spread, no carrot sticks (can't eat them with braces), add bell peppers

Miss M's lunch with tomatoes

Mister J's lunch with no tomatoes

They usually eat pretty well at the pool, but get hungry again quite quickly.  I supplement a normal-sized lunch with extra snacks and drinks.  It's pretty easy to do that since there's a break the last 10 minutes of every hour. 

I've gone to several sites with free printables to print out lunch box messages.  Sure, my kids love a few stickers and a note from mom, but the printables are quick and easy for days that I don't have time to track down the sharpies and stickers!  I keep them right in the cabinet with our lunch supplies so I don't have to go very far.

Another way I've started to prepare for the year is by trying out a few new things.  My kids don't mind my school-lunch experiments, but I also like to try new things when I can see their reactions.

New pasta dish based on an idea I'd seen somewhere else.  Verdict:  Mister J loved it, Miss M was not a fan.

You can see these in use in the lunches above.  I wanted to be sure they would a) not poke each other with them and b) put these back into their boxes rather than throw them in the trash (they can be washed and reused).  Thankfully, my kids are used to keeping everything that they find in the boxes.

I also experimented in one other way, though I'm not sure the folks at Laptop Lunches would endorse what I tried.  I've hand-washed the insulated carriers that my kids use, but after an unfortunate yogurt spill I was never able to get the zippers completely clean.  After several loads in our new front-load washer, I noticed that our clothes don't take nearly the beating that they did in our old top-loader, so I thought about tossing in the kids' insulated lunch carriers.  I figured that if it all went wrong, the kids could use our insulated lunch sleeves until I could order new carriers.  I decided to play it as safe as possible, and I put each carrier - closed but unzipped - into a zippered lingerie bag.  I put a couple of towels into the washer to cushion the bags a bit, washed them on cold, and set the spin cycle to a slower speed.  I'm pleased to say that they came out looking new.

Along with the two lunches I pack each day, I also pack a snack for Mister J.  Last year, I either packed a non-perishable snack (like a granola bar), or he would finish up any lunch leftovers.  Finishing up the leftovers was fine, except that he had to get his whole lunch out again.  I'm not sure if the teacher was a fan of that idea or not, but at least she never complained.  However I struggled with that idea a bit.  Lunch time is short, and snack time is even shorter so I didn't want Mister J to feel rushed.  I also wanted the flexibility to pack something like fruit or veggies, but the bento was already full.  As I was shopping earlier in the summer, I came across these insulated containers:

From packaging: aladdin Chill Snack Pack - 14 oz., includes ice pod

The ice pod is attached to the lid, but removable, so the capacity would be a little greater for a non-perishable snack.  Oh, and they come in at least two colors from T@rget.  They also had other sizes, but I didn't give those much attention since I have a pretty specific need.

I'm pretty sure these would get condensation either on the food or the outside of the container, and I'm guessing they would need to be inside of another insulated bag to remain cold.  I'm not sure how leak-proof they would be.  And, you'd need to wash the ice pod and the container after each use, and do it with enough time to spare that you could re-chill the ice pod.  So, as you can guess, I pretty much talked myself out of one.  But, I wonder if any of you have other ideas to share? 

Do you pack lunches for your kids?  Are you getting ready to send you oldest off to school and still trying to decide?  Questions, comments, and suggestions welcomed - and have a happy school year!

Prayer

You know how they say "God works in mysterious ways"?  Well, there's no mystery for me today.  He knows what I need and places it right in front of me in ways that I can hardly ignore.  It's really no question Who is really speaking to me.

I've been feeling like my prayer life isn't quite up to snuff lately.  And there are plenty of folks on my prayer list - more than usual, or at least it seems that way - so I'm feeling an urgent need to regain some focus. 

So what does He do to remind me that prayer isn't hard?  That I don't have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get his attention?  That I just need to find a calm place, quiet my mind, and turn my thoughts toward Him? 

Knee Prints - by Ann Kroeker
Lamb - by Angie Smith

For this blogger, these two posts from today are a pretty good message.  One that I can't ignore.

Muffin Tin Picnic

I'm linking up to Muffin Tin Monday over at Muffin Tin Mom.  She's got all of the details on her blog (like, "What's a Muffin Tin Meal?"), and I encourage you to hop on over to learn more, check out the others who've linked up, and join the fun!

This is our first Muffin Tin Meal, so I'm excited to link up.  I can't believe I didn't do this earlier in the summer - it was so much fun!  School begins next week, and with both kids in school I won't get the chance to do this often. 

I really enjoy being in the kitchen, so preparing this lunch was fun for me.  The muffin tin gave it a fun because this meal didn't have to have a lid over the top and I didn't have to worry that it would get shaken about on the way to school (I pack my kids' lunches in bento-style Laptop Lunchboxes).

I served both kids out of this 12-cup muffin tin.

There wasn't really a theme, although a rainbow theme came to mind as I was filling the muffin tin and I decided to serve it as a picnic on a brightly-colored towel.I served strawberries, carrot sticks, white cheddar (not exactly yellow), cucumber slices, and blueberries.  I didn't have anything purple, so I rolled up a few slices of turkey (the package had a purple label, does that count?).  I served ranch dip in silicone pinch cups, and milk to wash it all down.  

I was surprised by how much food fit into the muffin tin!  I was also reminded that my kids don't need "fancy" foods - they devoured this simple meal.  Mister J finished all of his meal, and then helped me out with Miss M's leftovers (there wasn't much).  They did ask for a snack of chips afterward, but I think that's just because they knew that we had a new bag in the pantry. 

Photos with two smiling kids, eyes open, and looking at the camera are rare.  This was the best of five.

And there's one more thing to be excited about - easy cleanup!  My kids always try to bring their dishes to the kitchen in one trip - and frequently end up dropping something along the way.  Miss M carried all of the 'dishes' to the kitchen, and Mister J grabbed the towel.

I didn't even have to ask her to do this - she figured it all out on her own.  What a big help!

I think I'll be able to revisit this idea on school holidays and weekends, and I'm also going to borrow Muffin Tin Mom's idea of serving snacks this way.  It's a great option for the days that the kids can't really decide what they want - and end up wanting a little bit of everything.  Hop on over and see what others are doing!

Cars

Nope, not the movie - just my musings on automobiles. And although the mommy-van turned 6 in June, my thoughts have been less about what I'll drive next and more along the lines of what I used to imagine would be fun to drive.

Before we had kids, I drove a cute little Saturn sedan.  Red.  Manual transmission by choice.  Sunroof, spoiler, and a CD player.  It was a fun little car.  When Mister J was born, I switched to Big J's larger sedan, also a Saturn.  That's the car we just replaced - but more on that later.

While I ended up keeping my little red Saturn until it was paid off, and for a few years after that, there was a time that I wanted to trade it in on an olive green Land Rover Discovery.  I never did, but two school years ago, I passed an olive green Discovery just about every morning on the way to drop the kids at preschool.  I was pretty envious of the young owner, though I tried to make myself feel better by rationalizing why it really wouldn't have 'worked' for our family.

I never did get a photo of the olive green Land Rovers - but this similar to the one I wanted.

When I drove by the house where we used to live, there was a black Land Rover parked out front.  If you read that post, you'll understand why it's an interesting 'coincidence' - and why I really don't desire a Land Rover anymore.

(I'm skipping back and forth a bit here, but bear with me.)

In the first six months of Mister J's life we lived in two states, at three addresses, and traveled six weeks in a row during the relocation process (not counting a trip to Grandma's when our power went out during an ice storm [no heat in January!], and not counting our house-hunting trip).  During the six weeks where we traveled back and forth between our soon-to-be-former home and our temporary location, we borrowed Grandma RL's SUV.  It would haul more "stuff" than either of our vehicles, which was helpful during that time of transition.  It's also when I fell in love with fold-down seating.  

Soon after we settled into out new home, it was time for Mister J to move into a rear-facing carseat (out of the snap-in, newborn style seat).  We realized how difficult it would be to fit the larger seat into either of our sedans, so we knew it was time for a change.   Anticipating that we would expand our family, we made the move to a minivan.  Red.  Automatic sliding doors.  Second row captain's chairs.  Fold down rear seating.  And yes, the entertainment system.  It was (and still is) quite luxurious for something designed to simply get us from point A to point B.


I've been thinking about this writing post since I started collecting photos in the spring - putting my ideas together and just waiting for the time to write it.  Many of those days I was driving 65+ miles per day to get my kids to and from school.  I filled my gas tank up once a week, and ... longed ... for something more fuel-efficient.  Also, something smaller would simply be more fun to drive (back in high school, I drove a 1973 VW Beetle - cute!).  Of course, this would be a bit too small...

It's a smart car.

...but I bet you can imagine why it caught my eye!  It's a big change from the most of the cars on the road which, around here at least, are typically silver, grey, or white.  Actually, that Pepto-ish pink turns my stomach - ick!  Mister J used to have a keen eye for smart cars, but in the past several months has become a fan of Fords - in particular, Mustangs.  He also thinks Corvettes are pretty exciting, since we don't see those very often.  He can identify the logos of most auto manufacturers, so there's usually a running conversation about cars and trucks when we are in traffic. 

When the mommy-van is due for one of those all-day services and they give me loaner, I usually ask for something that's not a minivan.  Earlier in the summer I got to drive the new Honda Crosstour for a day - it was about the sportiest thing I've ever driven. 

I went shopping, had lunch with a friend, and picked the kids up from various summer day camp locations.  Mister J wanted to "keep this because [he liked] the front."

I've also driven the newer Odyssey, which has about 800 more buttons on the dash that the model year that I drive.  A couple of years ago I drove an Accord, which was fun to drive but not as convenient for buckling in the little ones.  Each time, I'm reminded why I love my mommy-van.  It's mine.  It's comfortable and familiar.  It's easy to get the little ones in and out. And while change can be fun - and it is good - it's just not my time to move into a new vehicle yet.

In late May, though, it was time for Big J to move into a new vehicle. 

New-to-us!

Remember that I mentioned gas mileage?  And wanting something small and fun to drive?  Oh, how I love to drive Big J's car!  It gets twice the miles per gallon as the mommy-van, it's fun to drive, and parallel parking is a breeze.  I still drive the mommy-van, but since all four of us can fit into Big J's car we get to enjoy it, too - especially since the kiddos can buckle themselves now.

Counting Down!

OK, so I'm SO excited, and I can't believe I have made it this long without telling you, but then it would have ruined my idea for this milestone post....

One month from today, I start training for a 5K!

Yes, I really am excited about it!  So, why wait a month?  Well, it's too stinkin' hot to go outside for very long right now, unless a pool is involved.  And then there's the whole the kids don't think this is all it's cracked up to be part.  School isn't back in session quite yet, and I just can't see dragging them along in the heat - which would include pushing 60ish pounds of jog stroller and preschooler.  (Been there, done that!  Ugh!)  Oh, and there are coaches and a training schedule - and it all begins on September 13th!

This is my 3rd attempt to get into the training program - and I've gotta admit, the training that started in January would have been my choice - but I'm so excited to have a spot in this session!  (I think I might have mentioned that already....)  The timing turns out to be great, though, since we will have a couple of weeks to settle back into the school routine before I add 'training' to my regularly scheduled events.

So why put it out there for all to know?  Well, that's part of my accountability to myself.  See, if I'm going to keep you all up-to-date with my progress, you have to know what I'm doing.  And I have to make progress.  And I might be hoping for a bit of encouragement in return.  Putting it out here is kind of scary, even though I am excited.  What if I fail?  It's a risk I'm willing to take, because I want to do this so badly.  I want to be more fit.  I want to have more energy and not tire as quickly when I play with my kids.  I want to make time to enjoy the outdoors - because I really do enjoy being outdoors, I just don't make time.  I want to be a better example for my children, and show them that exercise needs to be a part of their lives.  And I have always - always - wanted to be a runner.  It's been a crazy dream in the back of my head for a loooong time.  "Run a marathon" used to be on my bucket list.  It's not anymore - 'cause a marathon is long, y'all!  But if the 5K thing works out, who knows what else I can do?

I haven't challenged myself in a long time.  I don't think I've ever challenged myself in this way.  It's a physical challenge, to be sure, but there's a lot of it that's mental.  As the start date draws closer, I'm feeling the mental challenge more and more!  Thankfully, there are quite a few folks who are already encouraging me and counting down with me - and that's exciting!

It's Been Quiet Around Here...

Hey there!  So glad you popped in!  I haven't been around much lately, either.  I'm trying to make the most of the last couple of weeks of summer, my mom came for a long weekend (in addition to visiting, shopping, and cooking, we also straightened up my pantry), and Big J took on a yard-improvement project (the rest of us pitched in a bit, but he did most of the work - it looks great!).

I've got a few posts in mind, but I hope you'll be patient with me as we enjoy the end of summer and get into our new school routine.  So, for now, I'll leave you with this little bit of excitement - I got a little link love over at Mama's Laundry Talk today, where "Mama" is highlighting laundry room makeovers!  Ours isn't complete, but it's sure nice to have the virtual pat-on-the-back to inspire me to wrap it up with the finishing touches.

There's nothing like a few small projects to make your space (indoor or outdoor) a more enjoyable place to spend your time - even if it's just laundry time!  As much as I want to tackle some more projects around here - small and not-so-small - I think I owe it to the little ones to set aside my grand plans for a few days.  "Fun" is the order of the next several days - I'll do a bit of mobile blogging as time allows.  Thanks for sticking it out with me during the quiet times!

4 More Days Away!

Yes, you read that right!  Just in case the recent bloggy break didn't give it away, we took another short vacation -and boy, did we ever need it!

After a bit of worry that it might not happen, and then changing our schedule just a bit, we made it to Charleston on Thursday and then just Friday off.  We slept in, saw a movie with the kids (Ramona and Beezus - recommend!), and generally took it easy.  After all, we had exciting plans for the rest of the weekend!

On Saturday, we went on an amazing eco-tour with some friends from our college years.  We learned a lot about the barrier and sea island ecosystem, saw lots of dolphins and cranes, and then got to spend some time on Capers Island, one of South Carolina's barrier islands.  My photos of the dolphins and cranes aren't great - in fact, a couple of times I just put the camera down so I could enjoy watching them - but I did get some good (for my purposes) photos while we were on the beach.

Miss M was excited before we even left the dock!  

During the boat ride - which lasted about 45 minutes each way.

Miss M and Mister J leaning against one of many old stumps on the Boneyard Beach.

Mister J had a great time - and I daresay he could've spent another hour playing in the water, scooping up the sand, and generally just checking things out.

One of many shots from Boneyard beach - this one is SOOC, but I've also spent a little time editing it.  Big J and I are hopeful that we'll end up with a wall-worthy photo to help us remember the trip!

 After the eco-tour, we had a great lunch, drove over the new Copper River Bridge, had a bit of downtime, and then met our friends again for dinner (Cru Cafe' - mmm!) and a stroll on the Battery/White Point Gardens.  I didn't take my camera (gasp!), so I only have a few pics on the BlackBerry....

On Sunday, we visited some friends from my grad school years - and their twin baby girls!  We'd originally planned to see them on Friday, but rescheduled so we didn't risk exposing the babies while anyone was still contagious.  Again, I didn't take my camera!  I spent most of my time with an armful of baby, though, so I wouldn't have gotten it out, anyway. 

Even though we started out a bit under the weather, we really had a great weekend.  I'm already looking forward to our next trip!

Strike three four!

On the Saturday before our trip, Mister J developed a cough.  He asked to stay home from church on Sunday, so I knew he wasn't feeling well - and the cough was worse.  Guess where we were on Monday morning?  After confirming with the doctor that we'd still be okay to travel, we left with a prescription for a z-pack and an inhaler to treat walking pneumonia.

It's hard to get a 6-year-old to rest - and I mean, lay on the couch and do nothing for 2 days - but we managed.  It's also hard to get the little sister to lave the 6-year-old alone so she doesn't catch the same thing - but we managed.  The hardest part, by far, was putting Mister J back into his own room.  The kids were more than disappointed since they'd been bunking in the same room for over a month - and they are asking when they can return to that arrangement.

We continued to prepare for our long weekend away, including going to Miss M's 4-year well-visit, my orthodontist visit, and a dental visit that I'd rescheduled to accommodate our previous travel schedule.  Oh, and Big J's doctor appointment on Wednesday because he, too, needed a z-pack.  That night, my ears were itchy and I had a sore throat.  Great.  So on Thursday I finished packing, went to my doctor for the 3rd z-pack of the week, and we left town only an hour latter than planned.  I'd contacted the friends we were to visit on Friday and rescheduled to Sunday.  I also confirmed with the friends we'd be seeing on Saturday that we were still good to go.  After resting most of Friday, we continued with our Saturday and Sunday plans - hooray! 

Guess who got her own z-pack today?  Whatever she has is still in the very early stages, but the doctor decided to go ahead and prescribe anyway.  And guess what?  She's congested and miserable this evening, along with the cough that started today.   Hopefully, the meds will kick in quickly and she'll bounce back in time for Grandma's visit this weekend!

10 Days Away (well, 9 1/2) - Part Two

(You can read Part One here!)

Much of our free time at Grandma RL's was spend doing this...

To gain her trust...

And pretty soon, they were rewarded with this...

... which they were able to do pretty early in the week!

On Wednesday, we took it easy again.  We went to the local farmer's market - which boasts a drive through shed.  Personally, I think "shed" doesn't quite hit the mark as far as describing this place, but that's what the website called it, so I'll go with it.

The kids wanted to take a (huge!) watermelon back to Grandma's house.  We settled for browsing, talking about all of the fruits and vegetables for sale, and then buying some (hot!) boiled peanuts.  I also tried to drive the wrong direction on the one-way driveway, but we don't have to dwell on that.  This was the first time either of the kids had eaten boiled peanuts due to Miss M's previous food allergies.  It was only a little disappointing that she didn't like them, but Mister J made up for it with his enthusiasm about this bit of southern cuisine.

We are up to Thursday - the last day of VBS, the day of our semi-return home, and laundry day!  No, I'm not kidding.  We were set to drive home after the VBS wrapped up that evening, and leave for another state and another family reunion on Friday morning.  So on Thursday, we did laundry and packed.  Sorry, no riveting photos....

But then the final night of VBS began!  With a Western theme!  And horses!

And a campfire!  And an awesome dinner!  And all of the desserts you could ask for!

This was the second cone if ice cream.  The first was rainbow - see the blue on Miss M's face?  My kids will never choose vegetables over sweets again....


So, as I mentioned, we had a quick turnaround at home to sleep, get a bit of work done (me), and make room for Daddy in the mommy-van before we hit the road on Friday afternoon.  We had a few errands to run on the way out of town (like buying tap shoes), but we made it to our destination in time for a late dinner with Grandma and Grandpa R to keep us company.

Then it was Saturday again, which must mean it's time for a family reunion!  There was a thunderstorm in the morning, but the clouds moved on in time for our gathering.  The kids had a great time on the playground nearby - I have never, ever seen my children play that hard for that long!  I have also never had to scrub my child's legs and feet twice to get all of the dirt off - but that's not a bad thing. 

One of the highlights of this trip for Mister J was his first ride on Grandpa's motorcycle.

We told him to hold on....  Boys....!

The clouds were building up again towards the end of the reunion, and our motorcycle riders got a bit of a sprinkle on the way back to the hotel.  Still didn't dampen Mister J's excitement!

The next morning, we were back on the road toward home.  We stopped at Cracker Barrel for a late lunch followed by a game of checkers on the porch.  

It was a quick visit with the Grands, but we did follow them most of the way home.  The kids got such a kick out of watching them on their motorcycle!

These nine photos to wrap up our ten-day adventure!  This was the longest I've been away from home since before we had kids - in fact, I can't remember the last time I lived out of a suitcase for this long.  It was great fun, we have lots of great memories, and - believe it or not - I'm already thinking about when we can travel again!

10 Days Away (well, 9 1/2) - Part One

EIghteen days ago, the kids and I left home for a 10-day adventure. The bookends of our trip were two family reunions, and in between we hung out with Grandma RL and went to VBS at her church.  Big J was able to join us for part of our travel - and we sure missed him when he was back at home working!

We hit the road to Grandma's on a Friday afternoon, with Big J following us in his car.  After meeting for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants for some yummy shrimp and grits and a chicken salad and fruit plate, we waited out two thunderstorms and navigated around flooded roads to get home and get some sleep before the family reunion on Saturday.

Sunday was another busy day - we said our goodbyes to Daddy, went to a baby shower for my cousin, and then headed off to the first night of VBS!  At Grandma's church!

With a Western theme!  

And saddles!

And wagon rides!

(And waiting in line!)

And popsicles!

And then it was Monday - and we rested.  Just kidding!  We tried out the new ice cream maker!  Miss M was a great help preparing the ingredients for churning.

And then we waited...

(You can find the rest of the story in my post from that day!)

On Tuesday, we visited friends in the town where we used to live.  We spent the morning at the local children's museum, which opened around the time we moved away - so it was a first for us!

Fire truck/man/safety exhibit.  And an itchy nose.

Both kids loved the farm exhibit - 'driving' a tractor, harvesting crops, picking peaches, milking a cow, and collecting eggs.  I think that about covers it.

The grocery exhibit is a hit no matter where we are!  (We've been to three museums with similar exhibits.)  Kudos to this museum for having adult museum-workers to help keep order.  

A couple of exhibits about air power that day.  This one had several styles of 'parachutes' to test - and again, adult museum-workers to supervise (or maybe summer interns - still, my kids listen well when it's someone other than Mom giving instructions). 

Awesome 'put the teeth where they belong' model in the background.  Weirdest-looking mannequin mouth ever on the 'patient.'  Kids didn't seem to mind. 

And on to the outdoor exhibits!  It was a warm day, but thankfully there was a bit of shade out here.  Oh, and some water.  

Fantastic pulleys and cranks and more for the kids to play with.  Oddly, there were no smocks available.  Thankfully, I had a change of clothes for Miss M.

Mister J was able to light the CFL bulb with his own crank-power.  The incandescent bulb was out of the question - so he asked me to give it a try.  I got a little bit of a glow - out of the bulb, and on my forehead (whew!).  If I wasn't a fan of CFLs before,  this was enough to change my mind (though I still prefer the color of an incandescent bulb, I'll sacrifice for the power savings).

Cool art in front of the museum - mom's token 'landmark' photo.

After lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, it was back to VBS for more cowboys! and singing! and Bible stories! and colored punch with dinner!

You know that my kids skipped the lemonade and went straight for the mom-would-never-let-us-have-this-at-home blue drink, right?

Sixteen photos to document the first six days of a ten day trip that began eighteen days ago.  I'll wrap up the trip in another post - coming soon!  (I promise!  I've already written and scheduled it!  But I'm going to make you wait.  Sorry.  But patience is a virtue!)