The comings and goings of the fab four

Rebecca and I took off on Friday for a girls weekend trip to Miami. We had a great trip down, we talked pretty much nonstop. It was nice to drive at our own leisure, to talk without interruptions, and listen to the music we wanted. It was the most amazing thing to drive with the sunroof open into Miami – to see all of the city skyline lit up (it was about 9:00 when we got into town). It was fantastic, and I loved it. I highly recommend it! We were a little worried about our hotel, because we had read tons of absolutely vile reviews on tripadvisor.com, but it turned out to really be a great value, and it was right in the middle of all of the action. We were able to walk everywhere, and were only a block back from the beach. We went out and played pool on Friday night at an Irish pub.

We slept in and then got up and went out to the beach all day on Saturday. I loved people watching, what a crazy place! The water was clear, blue and beautiful, and there was plenty of music and excitement. We saw some guy get arrested, and saw some paparazzi scoping someone out on one of the yachts out on the water. We read magazines, talked and swam. I don’t remember the last time I was able to be so carefree! It was awesome! We came back and ate some Cuban food, then took a little snooze before we went out to experience the nightlife again that night. That night was a little more bizarre, and I have some funny pictures to prove it. We hung out with someone who is apparently very important, and if we figure out who he is, we’ll let you know. We’re thinking something along the lines of Columbian drug lord, but that’s just speculation. We also got to see a fashion show, and meet some crazy makeup designer . It was crazy and gave us a taste of Miami.

I am happy to be home now, but am so thankful that I was able to get away. I needed it! I am thankful to have my special friend Rebecca, too. We had FUN!

Now that I’m back, Miles is sick again. He has had a fever for the last 2 days, I don’t know what is going on, originally I thought it was rubeola, because I had heard it was going around, however now I am not convinced. It it’s another ear infection I might just lose my mind. Today was a hard day, but I am glad that Lydia had school so I could give Miles some extra special attention.

Please say a prayer for Gavin and the Smith Family tonight. I follow their blog, and have mentioned it before. Stacie’s blog post tonight really touched me, I cannot imagine going through what their family is going through.

Please say a prayer for Gavin and the Smith Family tonight. I follow their blog, and have mentioned it before. Stacie’s blog post tonight really touched me, I cannot imagine going through what their family is going through.

Weeee’re back! We got to go to Springmaid Mountain this year for Labor Day festivities. It was the first time back after missing the 2 previous years. I was thrilled to the gills to not only get to go, but as an added bonus, escape the FL heat for cool, fresh mountain air. It was an 8 hour trip, so we left around 6:15 on Friday morning. The kids did pretty well on the ride up, and we didn’t have to stop that many times, just to fuel up and eat. We arrived right around 2:15, and I cannot tell you how absolutely gleeful I felt to ride through the mountains and arrive at Springmaid. Super! We were so glad to see everyone, and pretty much everyone came this year, so that was an added bonus (there was one couple that didn’t make it, and for the record, I am mad at both of you . There were tons of horses on the property, so we visited them, hiked around the trails and climbed the swinging bridge when we got there. Mom took the day off, so she and Dad were able to get there soon after we arrived.

On Saturday we hiked back to the waterfalls at the back of the property. Lydia started off pitching a fit about how she hated waterfalls, but by the end of it, her tune had changed, and she “loves waterfalls” now. If she would just listen to her mother, there would be so much less angst in her life. Lydia enjoyed hiking, and she and mom and Robert climbed up into a cave, they were quite adventurous, and I was sure that they were all going to slip on the rocks and fall down either into the mud, or all the way into the Tow River, and I would have to fetch them out, but luckily, everyone survived completely intact. We had a baby shower for Kim & Todd, Jess & Lee & Marcia & Scott on Saturday afternoon. They were the lucky recipients of uber stylish hard hats to wear during the baby shower. For some reason this group thinks it imperative that hats be worn for any type of shower. It started with shower caps for my and Robert’s wedding shower. So anyway, at least we didn’t ALL have to wear hard hats this year. Usually that’s not the case. I should find some pictures from the cowboy shower, the cooking shower, or the original shower cap shower. Anyway, it was a nice shower and the happy families seemed to rack up some goodies. We also got to have ice cream which made my dear daughter VERY happy.

On Sunday we hiked to Linville Falls. Lucky for us, we got there early, it was absolutely mobbed as we were leaving, but it was pretty quiet when we first got there. We had fun hiking with the Bakers and the Lyles. Miles rode in a fancy backpack that my friend Shea lent me, which is fabulous. She said she got it for $350, so it’s a nice step up from my $5 yard sale version. After we returned and ate lunch, I somehow managed to conk out on one of the couches downstairs in the midst of all of the chaos and madness. Miles barely slept the entire weekend so I was whipped. I don’t know what was going on, because he had been an absolute angel for the 2 days after they put his tubes in (last Wed). I don’t think he liked the pack n play. Who can blame him. Our beds weren’t comfortable, we kept saying how the bunkhouse is merely a step up from camping.

We did all of the usual fun stuff – puzzles, campfire, eating great food, hiking, rocking on the front porch… it was fabulous. What a funny group, and they really are family to us. Jim Sproat heard Miles doing his grunting (eh, eh, eh, eh, eh), and he asked if he was speaking in morse code. Touche! His son-in-law, Lee (who is a genius) said that his mom said he only grunted and pointed until he turned 3. So there’s my additional reassurance. Although I can’t imagine how much more fierce Miles’ tantrums can get if he continues to not be able to verbalize his desires for another year+. He had two great days after he got the tubes, I think the pressure must have been really bad in his ears before and he was enjoying the initial relase – and then he turned back into a grouch. I think now that either it’s his teeth, or he is pissed off because he can’t tell us what he wants. I have been kicking the signing up a notch, but he just looks at me like I’m stupid (he really does, ask someone who has been around him a lot and they will tell you that he does give me looks!). He continues to know exactly what I am offering him, though, so it turns into me asking him what he wants to try to *encourage* him to talk, and then him getting pissed off and starting his little screaming tirade, then I start asking him if he wants one of the 100 things in the kitchen, until I get it right, and he gives me a calm “eh”.

So anyway, that’s about it. I am headed down to Miami this weekend with Rebecca for a little R & R. It will be the first time Robert has the kids by themselves (!!!). I am forever thankful that he’s given me his blessings. So needless to say I am in full list writing frenzy. We didn’t think we’d be able to get a trip in before she skips out on me to go back to her homeland (Seattle), but we are squeezing it in. Last week was NC, this week Miami, next week the beach w/ my family, then the next weekend is Emily Ferg’s wedding. But it will be fun and it will bring us that much closer to being able to start looking at houses and thinking about OUR big move!

Still haven’t figured out the Picasa predicament, but hopefully in the next few days.

I received this email today from Holly, the super lady we rented our house from in Dallas – she is fantastic and awesome. She works for Best Friends, which is a ranch for abandoned animals out in Kanab, Utah. NatGeo has done a reality show called DogTown, which profiles the ranch.

Just a friendly reminder that this Friday, September 5^th at 8 pm CST on the National Geographic channel, Dogtown (Best Friends) kicks off its new season with a 2-hour premier on the Michael Vick dogs following the Dog Whisperer. You can find more details on the following link.

https://www.bestfriends.org/dogtown/

Hope you can catch it!

Holly

I realized I never did put up Lydia’s first day of school pictures. She had an orientation day two weeks ago, then started last Monday. So far she LOVES it! She is picking up the Montessori lingo, and I am going to have to make it a priority to read the book I have on it. She is making friends, but is a little nervous of “the big kids”, which I think must be the 4 year olds in her class – for anyone not familiar, they have 3 and 4 year olds together. I think ultimately she will really enjoy being around older kids, but right now she is feeling the anxiety of not really knowing anyone in her class. She is doing great, though, and her teachers have told me each day what a great day she has had. They also told me that they love her laugh, and thankfully she laughs a LOT! They said that her laugh is like bells, and that it is absolutely beautiful. We agree! So ask her about her laugh the next time you see her.

AAAAND of course Blogger isn’t letting me upload because I have maxed out my picasa free quota. So I will get to that later and add some pictures. They are all online, so if you want to see them, shoot me an email.

To KEVIN!