The weekend that wasn't

This weekend was supposed to be an extended weekend full of fun and sun. JD had to work every day of the weekend - so it didn't seem like an extension of anything except the work week. We did manage to do mexican night on Sunday with delicious homemade margaritas and then went to a rather fun party on Monday. Madelyn was playing the drums and loving it - so now I am wondering if she should get a drum set for her birthday - but then I come to my senses.

A busy weekend

We had a busy weekend this weekend with the wine event on Saturday. JD ended up going and we had a decent time. It wasn't the greatest of venues. Sunday we just hung around all day - I washed my car (I know, heart attack) and the girls swam in our teeny tiny pool - but they had fun. Maci fell asleep while eating her lunch, and we found a turtle that we kept for half the day - then JD let it run away. :)

Two feet in the right direction

I took Mad to the Otho today to make sure her clubbed feet were growing properly and the doc said he hadn't ever seen clubfeet look at good as hers. A compliment, I guess? He knew of the doctor that treated her in Jax, even said he was world renowned for his work with clubbed feet. I didn't bother to tell him that we were frustrated with that doctor and weren't very happy. Apparently he has done a lot of work using Botox in the heels of children with clubbed feet while they are in the healing process. Makes sense to me. I was just extremely happy that we were in and out within 20 minutes. I think that just might be a record for a doctor's office.

Life moves quickly at a slow pace

It's strange how quickly life moves when you are accessing it in retrospect. I often think about how much easier life will be when the girls are older (approaching the double-digit ages)and I think about how far away that is. Then things happen tht help put me in my place about just how fast they have grown. I was going through my cell phone pictures and found two pictures of the girls - when they were younger - and I thought to myself - HOLY COW time sure has flown by. Seems like just yesterday that I found out I was pregnant with Maci and here she is telling me about her bodily functions and declaring every toy in our house as "mine."

I have attached some vintage pictures for your enjoyment.

Pictures from camping

Our big weekend

Well we did it, we went camping with 2 young children (TENT camping)and we survived, although barely. I will give you a synopsis, for your reading pleasure!

Friday - JD gets the tent and EVERYTHING else put up before we actually get there. As a family we arrive around 4:30-ish. We get settled in and mosey down to the beach area where we enjoy the sand and water. A great evening. The girls actually went to sleep pretty easily (thanks to Benadryl!) and slept through the night.

Saturday - we wake up and cook breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs and chill out until about 8 am, at which time we go back down to the water to swim and play in the sand. We come back to the campsite to cook lunch and let the girls take a nap (this was the most enjoyable time for JD and myself - they slept for a good 3 hours!) After they woke up we went back to swim and then came back to clean up. We went to play BINGO - and we won 5 out of 10 games. Not bad, I know. This is where the trip starts taking a downward spiral. Come back to cook dinner - it's too dark, we don't have enough lights. The steak (the one I have been saying all day I couldn't wait to eat) falls into the ashes. JD burns his hand on the grill after he trips over a rock. The girls and myself fall asleep only to be awoken by lightning - at which time I find JD asleep in the chair with his neck in a strange position like when babies fall asleep in their carseats - and we scurry to get everything under the canopy. The rain starts and I decide to take the girls and go home - JD wants to stay to make sure the "stuff" is safe. The storm is pretty bad at our house (about 20 mins from the camp) and I assume it's not as bad at the camp, or else JD would have called.

Sunday - talk to JD - he was SCARED FOR HIS LIFE because the wind and hail were so bad. Our tent is damaged - ripped and metal poles are broken - everything is muddy and soaked. JD packs up camp and I spend most of Sunday washing everything we took to the camp.

Notes to self: go cabin camping when your kids are under 8 years old, when tornado sirens go off, find shelter- a tent is NOT shelter!

All in all, I still say it was a successful camping trip - and I even want to go camping again on memorial day. In a cabin, because well - see note to self above.

A tornado is a-comin!

Of course, the weather has organized and created a tornado happy situation. Large hail and winds of 60 mph are expected. I just hope it's here and gone quickly and there aren't any extra traffic tie-ups - last time it took me almost an hour to get home. How does one live on the coast their entire life and never see a hurricane, and never get to leave school or work early - and then move here and already have left work early twice due to the weather and there is again the threat of severe weather. Hmmm.

I am attaching pictures of Mad and Maci from Monday - when we went out for Cinco De Mayo

A real conversation with a 3 year old

"who's in your belly?" as she yells "hello in there!"
I tell her nobody is in there anymore as she says "your food is"
At which time she proceeds to remind me that food comes out of your hole-your belly button!

Now that I am a music mogul

Since getting the best gift ever - THANKS JD!!! - I have become an undiscovered music connisour - and you MUST check out this GEM of an artist. Country Folk that reminds me of Billie Holliday - and taking hot baths with wine. HMMM - sounds like fun to me! Check her out... www.eilenjewell.com

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

After a night of margaritas and quesidillas-Happy Cinco De Mayo! We ate far too much quest and chips-but this day only comes once a year!

Mad's hair

And Maci eating a cupcake!

I am married to the coolest man!

Look what he bought me for my birthday!! :)

Madelyn's First Hair Cut!

So last night I gave the girls thier bath and when I got Madelyn out of the tub I combed her hair (which in and of itself is out of the ordinary - I usually don't comb it until the morning when it's dry.) I looked at the ends of her hair and how unkept it looked and decided it was time to chop them off. Now you have to keep in mind that her hair is thin - so when I cut it I didn't realize how short I had cut it - it's actually above her shoulders...and it looks CUTE! She likes it and I like it because it's easier to comb. Time will tell if her curls come back.

JD and I are on the brink of disaster. The new dog's potty-training woes are driving him mad - combined with the fact that the old dog won't stop digging up our back yard. They are digging up 2 very nice trees back there. We are making it our mission to STOP THE INSANITY and try to get our back yard back into shape this weekend.

*pics of Mad will be uploaded later - stupid computer at home wouldn't cooperate with me last night*

A fitting advertisement

So I have these google ads on here by the slim chance people click on them I get a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of money for them. Anyhow, I just happened to notice the one that was on here and had to share and bring attention to.

Don't go "double clicking" all at once now!

We're going Camping!

So last weekend we took the girls to Oak Mountain State Park (a park about 20 minutes from our house) and we paddle-boated for about half an hour. Who knew that was such a difficult task?! I blamed my inabilty to paddle on the wind - but really I am just terribly out of shape! WHO KNEW? While we were there we checked out the campgrounds and decided that for mother's day weekend we are going to test out our camping legs for the weekend. I am quite excited because we get to bring the family and enjoy ourselves - with no distractions!

The dogs are digging up our back yard. I am waiting on the day that they come up with a dinosaur bone (cause you know I am SO into that), but unfortunately according to the Humane Society - they actually do this as a form of play. They think the roots are "playing" with them. Hmm. Honey, let's go out and play with the roots, doesn't that sound like fun?!

On another note - job is going fine and the house is great. Gas is so expensive I am starting to think about riding the bike with the cart behind it to work! I couldn't handle the hills though (see above about being OUT OF SHAPE!)

Still haven't found a sitter - but we are still looking. Probably will still be looking when the girls are graduating high school!

I turned 29 yesterday. Ugh.

Madelyn has a boyfriend. I know, she doesn't really know what it means, but the little boy is so sweet on her that it is disturbing. He has to hug and kiss her goodbye and even tells her she looks nice in the mornings. I don't like it one bit. I told her if he keeps kissing her that she will have to get a shot in her mouth by the doctor. Wonder how long that will keep him away. Must think of better plan!