where we've been, what we're doing, yada, yada, yada

I post so much on a social networking site now that I forget to update here.  Poor, neglected blog.
What was supposed to be 1 week in FL at my parents', turned into almost 2, thanks to a minor yet embarrassing accident that cost us our deductible and the insurance company almost $2400.

The kids and I drove down on Tuesday, taking about 8 hours including stops.  It's the farthest I have driven by myself, with or without the kiddos.  I don't intend to drive any farther than that by myself, but it really went well.  They are good travelers, most of the time, thanks in part to the invention of the portable dvd player that straps to the back of the seat.

Granwendy and Grandaddy showed us around the area on Wednesday, which proved to be a well needed break in between our drive and our visit to the Magic Kingdom. (My first visit ever.)  We met the Happy McFamily at the gate and took the ferry across the pond to the park entrance (instead of the monorail).  The girls literally ran into each other's arms when they saw one another, it was so sweet.  I've always been pretty skeptical of the over-commercialized hype surrounding WDW, but I must say, the place is contagious.  When a friend described it as a well-oiled machine, they were just about right. I say just about, because there was one rude employee who was more intent on moving people out of the way of his exit than the guests comfort during a torrential (yet normal, from what I hear) afternoon shower.  Other then that man, the employees were friendly and helpful.
The kiddos met Daisy duck, Pluto, the fairy Godmother, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, and Snow White, and we saw the show with countless others on the steps of the castle.  We did not meet Ariel.  We rode all the youngun' friendly rides we could, and watching Brandon's response was especially magical.  Hannah and Juliana are old enough to understand pretend vs. real... Brandon was so enamored with the experience that he glowed.  He was such a trooper, barely napping until he fell asleep between the Electric Parade and the fireworks show.  My Dad and Uncle Brett really helped when I needed an extra set of hands to hold B, especially when my hip acted up.

Hannah says her favorite things about Disney World are "Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle and most of all Snow White."  Apparently the monorail ride ("train") back to the parking lot was her favorite ride, though she sure fooled me.  She seemed to enjoy Dumbo, the Magic Carpet Ride and Its a Small World the most from my observations throughout the day.

When Brandon saw Snow White in our path, he immediately exclaimed "Why!" (his pronunciation of White- we have that movie).  He hugged pluto and seemed amazed by his size.  He had fun crawling around the princesses beautiful gowns when we visited them in the ToonTown meet and greet area.  He also LOVED the dumbo ride, and when we went through the Winne the Pooh ride (he rode with Aunt Becca), he exclaimed "Pooh!"

The next day, we were supposed to go to the beach, but it rained.  The girls did get to see a couple of manatees in the bay while they stood under a picnic shelter with Granwendy and Grandaddy.

Saturday morning... beach attempt #2.  I had a run in with a post at the atm, so mom, my kids and I never made it.  I did find a shop and get the car dropped off, however. Juliana, Becca and Grandaddy did make it to play in the sun, at least. (It was J's first time to the beach. Ever.)

So, while the kids and I waited for our car to be repaired, we also were able to go to Weeki Wachee State Park.  We saw their mermaids' version of the Little Mermaid, rode a boat down the Weeki Wachee River and saw lots of wildlife and crystal clear spring-fed water, and the kids pet a kind snake and baby alligator at their reptile show.  Oh, apparently I got bit by a large spider, because I ended up with a welt on my arm, 2 puncture marks, and a trip to the doctor to get antibiotic and steroid treatments just in case. We also spent a decent amount of time at the pool and beach, which was fun.  I really need to take advantage of our pool here at the apartment more than I do.

We enjoyed our time with my mom and dad, but we were also ready to get home to our own little place.  We made the return trip in 9 hours, got our laundry done, etc..., rested a bit, and then headed to the other grandparents for July 4th weekend.  thankfully, Daddy drove that trip.  Mommy napped.

We really enjoyed our extended weekend in Memphis, too, especially playing with cousin Ella, who is almost one year old already!  We saw the fireworks in G-town, visited Jo-Jo and her family, and relaxed.

No we're home and I'm attempting to get into a semblance of a routine. Ha.

*****
What the kids are up to:
Bear is sweet and sassy.  Mostly sweet, but her sass definitely kicks in. One minute she tries to help, the next she resists anuthing I say.  I bought Hooked on Phonics 2 months ago, and have finally started the program with her.  We'll see how that goes. She just doesn't like to listen, period, and for some reason I am not as patient with her as I was able to be with other people's kids when I taught/tutored.  However, she has known her letter sounds for a while, and it is time for her to begin learning to read.  Her later birthday keeps her from entering Kindergarten in the public school system, even though she is academically ready.  So we're putting her in a 3 day pre-k Program in the fall, something that I feel more and more excited about as the beginning of school approaches.  She loves being around other kids, and in our case I think we both need this.  She is fun-loving, social, and mostly tenderhearted... with a little villainous streak in there from watching too many old cartoons like She-Ra.  We took a break from gymnastics for the summer, she has been asking about dance lessons for about 6 months, so we'll see.

Buddy is our little bundle of physical energy.  He's picking up new words weekly.  "Again" and "Too" are his new favorites, joining "Why?" and "how?"  He loves music, too.  And tackling people with hugs and kisses.  Unfortunately, he also likes to bite Mommy for some reason.  He's also taking interest in potty training, to some degree.  He usually poops on the toilet once or twice a day, given the opportunity at strategic times (after meals), sometimes he tells us he needs to go, but it's not regular.  And I'm not motivated enough to push it just yet... because just when I think he is completely ready, he fights being put on the potty, and it's just not worth a battle of the wills to me.  Nor do I feel like switching to underpants just yet, as an accident in this small space could mean accidentally messing on furniture, toys, etc... and there simply is no place to moved things out of the way.

People ask where Bear got her curls (which are really more waves the older she gets), and where Buddy gets the Blondish hair.  (Both Mommy and Daddy had lighter hair when we were his age.

Vacation photos

Part One: Wisconsin

em & mad watch the ducklings

our room at the b & b- looks a bit different than when it was daddy and uncle nate's bedroom!

the kids' table at great-gramma's

kitty lovers

Part Two: Louisville

sitting under an old tree with Aunt Amy at Cherokee Park

playing football with Uncle Adam by the Ohio River

Climbing the pyramid

sunset
Aunt Amy, Uncle Adam, Hannah, Mommy & Daddy

baking cookies

climbing at the playground

while mommy and daddy were away....

hannah went to cousin juliana's to play





I stole the video from Aunt Becca's blog.

gulf shores memories

the dolphin-watch boat ride:

cousin maddie, uncle nate, aunt cheryl

we ran into ally and her parents (friends of daddy and mommy) earlier in the week,
and they came on the dolphin-boat, too!

em, ally & i look for dolphins in our hot, stinky vests

other random photos:

getting braver

daddy & his brother

no trip to the beach is complete without burying someone in the sand!

my "boat", gramma & me

these jellyfish got buried in the sand

aunt sara & uncle grant

stealthy aunt cheryl sets her battle line behind the "pink monster", aka my raft

the water wars continue... papa developed his own helmet/sun protection

pool time fun... a little less violent (note the raft is being put to its proper use)

incredimaddie proudly models her new "pj's/playclothes"

aaaah

"pool? pool?" (i was ready to hit the pool after an hour on the beach)

this is the life

cousin emmy loved practicing her swimming!

hannah-isms

• big house!

• pool! more pool! (then she decides she wants to remain outside the pool, throwing ALL the toys and rafts in. if we take them out, she throws them right back in. she wanted everything except herself to be in the pool most of the day today. (the pic in the previous post was taken yesterday. for some reason she loved her raft then. today was another story.)
  
• while in the pool, i put a bucket on top of my head like a hat. hannah was standing on the concrete in front of me, and she did not want it there. she leaned over to try to take it off, but when she realized she could not reach it, she screamed at the top of her lungs out of frustration. she did NOT want to go in the water. aunt cheryl got her to swim with us for a little bit by playing with wiffle balls. that wore of pretty quickly. i finally got her to sit on the stoop at the shallow end and blow "bubbles" like she does in the bathtub. she also found great fun in standing under the outdoor shower to rinse off. we find that ironic because she hates when we pour water to rinse her in the bathtub.
  
• mommy: do you want to go inside?
  

hannah: yeah.

hannah then proceeded to step into the pool, after spending most of the day avoiding actually getting in the water, but playing on the outside.

• gramma? coffee?!
• ocean
• as we walked on the boardwalk back from the dock, hannah had to stop at each and every post and stand on it. it was so cute! she is definitely developing her own sense of order and how things belong in her mind. just like all the pool toys had to be in the water, she had to step on each piling.
• 
  

1st beach vacation

gulf shores

1st steps on the beach

1st splash in the ocean

scooping the sand

hannah's yacht- under the waterfall

devouring a cupcake - yummy frosting!

shoe fettish?

so, we went to target to pick up some things for our upcoming trip. while j tried on a shirt, hannah and i went to the sandal section to see what they had left. i tried on their imitation crocs... hah. i'd rather pay $30 for the real thing than break my ankle in the ones they had for sale. anyway, hannah was walking right next to me, until she saw the yellow flip flops. bright yellow, in big kid and adult sizes. she pulled a way-too-big pair out of the rack, sat in the aisle, and proceeded to take off her sandals and try to put on the yellow flip-flops. i guided her to the pink beach socks which were only $5, and we found a pair that fit her perfectly. "comfy, comfy!" she exclaimed. so now she is ready to walk on the beach without burning her little bottoms of her feet on the hot sand. in "stylish" comfy beach socks.

Visiting Great-Gramma

We spent Memorial Weekend in Wisconsin. We saw lseveral extended relatives,
and spent a lot of special time with Great-Gramma. I handled the long car ride very well.


story time; great-gramma didn't think she would see well enough to read to me, but with her glasses and the big print in my books, she did great!

i hate posing

farm toys: wood, gravel & dirt. this is the life!

here, kitty, kitty!

spying on the cattle through a hole in the barn

daddy teaches me to "drive" the big tractor

the park in Muscoda

catching bubbles with cousin Candy and Aunt Doris

playing on the porch

waking up with gramma Debbie's old rocking chair

this calf's name is teddy bear because of its unusual curly brown hair

this calf was 4 days old and not shy at all

Mommy posted more photos from our trip on her blog.