Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Waterpark mania



Maddie, Emma and Samantha joined in the fun too.


Torpedo Aaron got all the oohs and ahhs.
He flew across the water!


Matthew went with us too.
Hard-working husband missed out on the day.
Thanks babe. You give us great times.


LOOK AT THAT WATER! 72 degrees, springs!
We went with great friends!
Kay-Kay, Egyptia, Nhyzingha


After much coaxing, and drama, this finally happened.
Olivia then could not be stopped.
She said,"I went twenty-hundred million thousand times!"


One of the moments I caught her resting.
She could not get enough of the slides.
They got quite the workout today from all those stairs!
Great fun at Buccaneer Bay, Weeki Wachee, FL

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Rainy days




"Girl spiders are prettier!"


Dezins by Stephanie

These summer afternoon showers have been faithful. Actually they are lasting most of the day. The spiders, bugs and grass are loving it. The kids are too, if they are permitted to swim in it, or play in it or splash in it. Stephanie just grins as if it is raining just for her.

Olivia has been practicing her screams when she sees a spider to see if her Knight comes running to save her. He does. So, when this golden orb weaver (banana spider) showed up outside, I wanted her to get used to it being around. She has done well. She loves it more that the girl spider is so pretty and the male is little and brown. What fun these days have for us.

Last night, Stephanie was hanging out with just me and she came in on the last 20 minutes of PROJECT RUNWAY. My love for reality TV is passing on...yikes. Anyway, she loved it. Thankfully there were only a few bleeps*** for bad words, and she did not ask. But with her love and lessons in sewing this summer, it rang her bell. She woke up this morning and started drawing. I loved how creative she was. She named the dresses, and made them all different. Some even had hats. What a fashionista.

My big news this week is my trip planned for a weekend fiesta in San Antonio, Texas. I am heading there for a girls-getaway and to meet a whole bunch of new friends. Only 21 days to go! I hope to get some incredible salsa and maybe a view of the Alamo.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Summer fun






What says summer like nights and nights of sleepovers with friends? So we dove right in this week and had "marathon sleepover" at our house. I thought more than once, why am I doing this to myself? And then I would...

...hear the roaring laughter from the playroom of girls playing some game, that surely had never received such laughter. Thanks Avery.

...watch a group of girls bask in the awesomeness of real "mermaids" swimming in the springs. What a delight. Thanks Egyptia and Nhyzingha.

...peek into a room with four blondies dancing like there is no tomorrow, and singing at the top of their lungs, enough to make Miley and Carrie proud. Thanks Emma and Maddie.

...see more naked hineys in the pool than should be permitted, EVER! Thank goodness for privacy fences. Thanks Abbie.

...visit friends for a day of giggles, games, movies and fun. Thanks Alma, Chloe, Taylor, Elijah, Josie and Jake.

...cook more pancakes, fishsticks, popcorn, and serve more popsicles than a budget allows for one week. Fishes and the loaves folks...miracles.

...still have time to catch up on my recorded shows and wallow in blogworld.

Many are our blessings in this family. Friends add a spice that cannot be found elsewhere, and we crave its taste.

Come Monday, I will hear voices wondering "who is coming over today mom?", but that will only be if she wakes up and finds my bed already made.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

four generations



Steve's grandmother(Myrtis), parents and aunts were able to come over and we celebrated some birthdays. We have not been able to see Grandmama for so long since she had been ill from a fall. But we were able to see her beautiful smile, hear some of her stories of old, taste the yummy ham and Publix cake she brought for the party.

Just watching her around her daughters made me smile. Steve's mom, Mickie, is her oldest and there were moments when all she could do was smile at her and kiss her too. I imagined how I would feel after seventy years of watching my child's life and the paths it had taken. I wondered if she felt like I do many a day that I just want my daughters so close to me that we are sharing the same air.

Did she look at Mickie and see the six year old who sold kittens at school? Did she see the young woman who was a fine nurse? The young mother of four who sacrificed whatever it took to give her kids a good life. Did Grandmama feel the pain of what she has lost in this lifetime, and yet swell with pride because of her diligence in raising such a great family. Will I still get to steal a few moments in my girl's lives when they are all grown like Myrtis did today?

It was a special day. Every day with Steve's side of the family is.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Summer school


Summer math...daughter + makeup + dad = scary clown


Full grown cystal tree. Evaporation, and liquids to gas!


First step in growing crystals. Summer science, yee haw!


Tents in the living room during afternoon showers.

What a day we had today. I was worried when demands for breakfast were being made before the sun was shining, and whines were heard about a messy bed...but to my great delight cereal and a short prayer for peace got us back on track. I cleaned a few closets, shelves and the school room, and the girls were BUSY.

They did a fun art project, we had our short science lesson on phases of matter, and evaporation which resulted in a great crystal tree. This is quick and fun for the kids if you want to study crystals. It was a day of rain, and so since we were cooped-up we made tents in the living room. They packed half of their belongings to go 15 feet down the hall. I loved it because they cleaned it all up by themselves. Yahoo!

Steve came home and Olivia got ahold of him while I was cooking dinner and the result was a little scary. I would not say it was one of his most handsomest moments, but he was tops in Daddy world.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

AG movie day


The whole crew that went to the movie!


Grammy Sue with the girls, popcorn, candy and soda!


Lunch at Fazolis (Italian food with white shirts! What were we thinking?)

Well the American Girl company outdid themselves on this one. The movie, Kit Kittredge, was a hit. All of us absolutely loved it. We were all high on sugar, soda and filled with popcorn, and we still could put in a valid vote. Olivia said," I did not like it. I LOVED IT!" We had ages ranging from 70's down to 5 in our group and we all found a place for this movie to resonate. We laughed at the incredible Joan Cusack, and cried over Julia Ormond, two great actresses. Take some time and a few ten's and go see it this summer.

Grammy Sue hit a homerun on this day for sure. Thanks for your love and kindness, it is a treasure. Elijah was the trooper, he was our only male comrade today. Good job boy!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Messy Mess

Photos have been removed because of a very concerned uncle. Thanks for sharing your love and concern.

For those of you who know Stephanie, this scene does not come as a surprise to you in the least. Her sister came in and told on her. I believe she was hoping to see some fire in my eyes just for some pure summer entertainment...but, to her surprise I just went and got my camera. These were the only two shots I could post.

All was washed off of her and the wall once she was done, and an hour of running the hose was added to our monthly bill, but what says summer like a good-ol-mud-pie-kind- of-day? Some women pay good money for having mud all over them, and it was free this day. Olivia and I passed on the treatment.

Yes, we have decided Laurie Berkner must have known Stephanie when she wrote the song "Messy Mess" or that is our name of the song, anyway. There is just something about messes that calls her name. Some days I just laugh, some days I have had enough. She is a delight and sensitive and has her moments of girly-girlness, but for the most part she is one with nature. Literally.