Sweet Shot Tuesday~

This Summer, for me, will always be known as "The Museum Summer". With the heat being so intense the last few weeks, we've made frequent use of museums of all kinds. Of course, the local (and not so local) children's museums were the boys' faves. Everything was interactive and geared towards kids of all ages and development levels. The boys loved playing and we loved that we very rarely had to say no. It was a freeing experience for the Hubs and me (Poppi, too)!

I absolutely loved the studio area in the latest children's museum. Lots of beautiful sunshine streamed in the windows, children's creations were hanging everywhere and art supplies were stuffed in every nook and cranny just waiting for little hands to use them. Very old exposed brick made up one wall...I just ran my hand across it, fascinated with the texture.

As enthralled as I was with that inspiring space our little E-man captured my full attention when he grabbed a crayon and, after his Daddy gave him a piece of paper, started to draw. For the first time. Most definitely a sweet moment...

Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Shot Tuesday~

Okay, I know I haven't been able to link up with Sweet Shot Tuesday in a few weeks...and I've really missed it! I did try and swing by and take a look at what people had been submitting. Y'all are so very talented!

The picture below is so precious to me. We don't have very many days where the Hubs feels like he can do something like this. Yes, he's been having more "better" days. On those days he's able to do very basic tasks around the house and with the boys. We've come to cherish the days that he feels functional. The day we did this, I know he wasn't 100% but he was determined to have some fun with the fam. And we did.

We caught the go-kart area of a local arcade/mini-golf at a great time...no lines! The Bubs and Hubby were the only two on the course and their laughter and joking around could be heard over the rumble of the karts. I was couldn't help but laugh along while I caught these snapshots.

The Bubs now says that he can take our car out for a spin now that he drove his first go-kart. "I drive good, Mommy! I can drive the car now!"

Poppi and E-man hung out on the sidelines, taking in the sight of Hubby and Bubs whizzing around the track.

While these photos aren't specimens of photographic genius, they're pretty special to me and I'm more than happy to share them. Thanks for stopping by! Have a sweet Tuesday...

We're home, y'all!

Well, we did it! We took a few days and went to D.C. We saw as much as we could...with a 7 year old and a baby. The District of Columbia is a place that's packed with people of every imaginable descent and nationality. In any given moment I heard no less than three or four different languages being spoken. Love that!



The Smithsonian Museums were great. We could have spent weeks taking a more thorough tour of them but we were determined to swing through the exhibits that would interest us (i.e. anything to do with trains for the Bubs) and to see as much as physically possible. I got a kick out of all the gardens and greenery that were dotted here and there throughout the downtown areas. They were a lovely respite amidst the hustle and bustle of the day.

The Hubs handled the crazy traffic like a pro. Seriously, the traffic is down right scary at times, y'all! We knew it would be, but still....

That little device in my hand up there was a wonderful thing to have over the last few days. It's my Zune and my Baby Cool Out playlist came in handy a couple times when E-man was quite fussy in the car. Thank heavens!

I have lots of little stories and scads of photos to share with y'all. Who knew so much could be packed into just a few days?

Thank you History Channel...

We weren't sure we'd be able to take one this summer. A vacation, that is.

We finally juggled a few things around and the Hubs has decided he's fit for travel...for a few days, at least.

So we tossed ideas back and forth, the Hubs, my Dad and I...even the Bubs got in on the vacay brainstorming process. Everything from local attractions, to the state zoo were possible ideas. The trick is to find something that will be fun/interesting for all of us. Nothing was really striking the right chord for all of us, though.

Then, out of the blue, an idea struck.

From the History Channel. That's right, the History Channel!

The Hubs was watching a special on the Library of Congress. One conversation led to another and he began talking about some of the sights he saw on his last trip through D.C., and then it hit me. Why don't we visit our nation's capital? It would be fun and educational at the same time (hopefully!).

So that's where we're going sometime this summer. I'm already looking forward to seeing a different view for a few days and the chance to hang with my family. And, of course, taking ridiculous amounts of photos wherever they'll let me!

No photos...and that's okay with me!

I have not one picture for y'all to see in this post.

Nope.

Not a one.

And I'm happy about that.

Ridiculously so, in fact.

Why?

One simply cannot get a camera near a pool filled with water.

Especially when one is in the pool splashing her boys and laughing in gleeful abandon.

Woohoo!

Summer Vacation = Boredom and Teething?

When I was a kid in school, I used to look forward to summer vacation. I could sleep in, no homework, maybe take a vacation trip, trips to the beach, hanging out with friends...I'm sure most of you remember how it felt to be free for a couple months!

Now that I'm a parent, the meaning of summer vacation has changed. It means that I now have both boys at home all day. Two active boys. Two boys who want mommy's undivided attention. All. The. Time.

Of course, they want the attention for two entirely different reasons. The Bubs, who is used to having a scheduled day, wants to be entertained and given activities to do. I don't mind doing that for a while, but since I can't magically split myself into multiples, I have to insist that he find something to occupy himself while I tend to E-man/Hubby/the house. Perish the thought!

E-man wants to be cuddled and entertained most of the time because he's cutting 4 or more teeth at the same time (yikes!) and that makes him a bit crabby. I'd be crabby, too.

So what's a overwhelmed mommy to do? Give us time to adjust to a new routine, plan a few activities for all of us.....and set up the new little inflatable pool that Poppi bought the boys and have some fun.

It's summer vacation, after all!

Holy Moses, What a Vacation! (Thank God It's Over)

"No man needs a vacation so much as the man who just had one. ~Elbert Hubbard"

Well, I think that I will never blog about another vacation......ever. Maybe only the ones that don't involve extended family members. Oy.

We did manage to have some fun in between the more, um, interesting family interactions that occured. The waterpark was a hit with all of us (yes, even me) without a doubt! There were slides for all levels of daring, hot tubs for both adults and those with children, and a lazy river to float around in an innertube. That last thing was my favorite.....wish I had one of those in the backyard!

It was very nice to see friends of Hubby's, I'll call them J&J, that have wlecomed me right into their group. We laughed and gabbed about all of our mutual interests, saw a movie, and generally had a fun and relaxed time together. Y'all, they were such a blessing. Speaking of blessings, they've recently found out that they will be parents in the spring! Yay! I can't wait to put a baby box together to send them.

So now I've got to get back into our routines.....including one of mine which is to read what's goin' on in your lives! I'm off to take a gander at your blogs to find out what I've missed ~ right after I tackle the laundry, put everything away that we lugged out, catch up on yard work and....well, you get the idea!

Vacation Chronicles.....

This is pathetic. I've only been away from home for a few days and I'm already homesick! I miss my bed that's all on one level, having a say in what we do, being surrounded by people who get my sense of humor and aren't obsessed with how fat someone is or has become.............*eye-rolling* Yep. I told ya' it was pathetic.

I can hear my Mom in my head telling me to just "go with the flow". Does my mom know me, or what? Going with the flow is not a concept that comes easily to me in certain situations. My in-laws are very fun, kind people........though sometimes their brand of kindness leaves you feelin' a bit like you've been hit with a mac truck only to be flattened by a steam-roller. In short, you're gonna take it and like it. ~Thanks?~

Anyway, we're all enjoying the cooler weather and the chance to do some outdoor activities without the possiblity of heat stroke. In fact, I think we're all heading up to a water park on Monday. Yeah, you heard me - I'm gonna be in a bathing suit in front of people who are weight obsessed. Pray for me, y'all!!

The Bubs, who has been begging for a dog for months, is having fun with the dogs that are here. They're cocker spaniels and he's already asking if we can take one home. I overheard him talking to the dog, Cubby, the other day asking it if it would like to come home with us. He was soooo cute as he told Cubby he could sleep on his bed at night and that he could have all the food he wanted! That boy is a hoot! He's still not getting a dog, though. Sorry kiddo.

Comin' to ya' from the In-Law's livingroom......

Okay, I've finally been able to connect to the internet here! I had some technical difficulties happen that prevented me from posting like I wanted to. Long story, short.......how come the simplest things take the longest to figure out/fix? *sigh*

And moving right along..........

Our little detour to the zoo (on the way up to mom-in-law's house) turned out to be loads of fun. The weather was delightfully cool compared to the triple-digit temps we had just come from. I think that helped us enjoy our explorations rather than focus on how hot and miserable we were! The entire zoo/aquarium was impressive. From the foliage that surrounded us everywhere we went, to the up close and personal exhibits that invited you to touch the animals - it was amazing. There was even a play area for him to enjoy with climbing nets and slides. I was concerned that most of the day would be spent walking, pointing and trying to keep our active 5 yo entertained. Instead, he was actively engaged for most of the day and we were all able to enjoy ourselves.

We got rained out in the end, but that was just fine with us since we were wrapping things up anyway. The rain was a blessing to my way of thinkin'. We had a physical, tangible reason to give the Bubs as to why we had to leave. It's not easy to argue when your being drenched in cold rain! Hubby made it especially fun for him by running with him to the car. Bubs laughed the whole way! I, of course, was the sensible one and used my handy umbrella while walking sedately behind. Howevah, I'm still tryin' to figure out how I ended up getting drenched and my guys barely got wet.......The Hubs would say "cause they're cool like that"!

Here are some pics of our adventures so far~

Summer Vacation....Prep, Packin' and Mem'ries

Alrighty, my lovely readers, I decided I would attempt to blog my way through our family's summer vacation/trip this year. Thus the fun graphic on my left sidebar....and somewhere in this post if things work like they should. The entries may be just a paragraph or two with lots of pics or just pics alone. Who knows? So I'm starting out where every trip does - prep and packing.....and this year, moaning about the ridiculous price of gas that mysteriously seems to go up right when everyone's going to be traveling! Um, sorry. I lost my head there for a second. I'm okay now.........no, really.

We're not heading anywhere exotic or jaw-dropping but we're going to see the Hubs's family and some of his friends (a few of which have become mine, too) that we haven't seen for a year or so. Hubby's lookin' forward to getting away from the base, havin' fun with the Bubs at a zoo we're going to, and chillin' with his loved ones. I'm excited for us to get away and have some fun......hopefully without any unforeseen "oopsies" popping up. You know what I'm talking about, right? Taking a wrong turn, running out of gas in the middle of a wicked traffic jam with no gas station in sight, someone getting sick or hurt, losing money..........and the list goes on, unfortunately 'cause the possibilities are endless! Murphy's Law and all that jazz. Thankfully, I'm great at making plans while the Hubs is great at following through with them and keeping a level head when something (or someone, ahem) spazzes out of control.

Anyway....where was I? Oh, yeah. Packing and trip prep. I'm already beginning to tackle laundry and, to my Hubby's amusement, have already written out several different lists so I won't forget anything. As I'm doing all this I start to think back to family trips when I was a kid. Those trips were such a luxury for us. Not only for the money I knew it took to go on them, but to find time in our family schedule to get away. Back then we were all heavily involved with our church in addition to Mom working full time at our middle school's library and Dad working three jobs- teacher, accompiniast at the local Methodist church, and being the Music Director/Praise and Worship Leader at our, then, home church. Needless to say, we really needed those times away to chill out with one another. Later on, we started heading up to my Uncle R and Aunt C's house. Uncle R and Aunt C are Boondock Ramblings and Unfinished Person's parents. Yes, they really do live up in the boondocks but, oh, how peaceful and lovely they were to our family! It became an oasis of sorts for us. Especially, I think, for my parents. Yes, the prep for the trip and the trip itself were a lot of work but it was worth every second of it to just get up to that house in the valley and smell the air that was sweet with recently cut hay and grass. If I never thanked you then for letting us invade your home for a couple weeks every summer, I'm thanking you now Aunt C and Uncle R (and you, too, Cousins).

So, my lovely readers, do you have any fond family trip memories? And while I'm thinkin' about it, do y'all have any good travel tips to share with me? I'm listenin'! I love hearing what you all have to say........