Fun in the Sun with Friends

This weekend I was lucky enough to escape to the beach for a long weekend with my girlfriends. It was a special treat to enjoy the beautiful area before the oil really destroys the white beaches, the crystal clear water and all of the wildlife that lives in and on the water. Thanks to my friend Mary Michael for extending the invitation to a group of us!

We started our adventure early Friday morning, so we could pack as much sun and fun into the weekend as possible. After hitting the grocery and liquor store, we were ready! We were staying in Mary Michael's sister's home on the bay near Orange Beach. Due to the oil, they have closed many of the passes from the ocean so we were able to swim and enjoy the warm water. It is sad though, because fewer boats are out and everyone is canceling their trips to our gorgeous beaches because of oil that hasn't even hit most of it yet. This disaster is costing the gulf shore billions of dollars, not including the lasting damage it will have over the next several years cleaning it up and building it back to the beautiful place it is.

With that said, we did go out on a boat Saturday (within the bay) to a little sandbar and to eat lunch. While we were there, we saw a boat of a local worker that had oil all over the boat, and a huge tarp inside that was also covered in oil. I think the reality of this mess really sunk in when we saw that....very sad.

Friday night, we went out for a couple of cocktails and dinner. A couple of us (clear your throat...me...) enjoyed the day a little too much and didn't recall the whole evening due to a failure in memory. It started off fun, with our group going to a little dive bar named Pirate's Cove. It was all outside overlooking the water, and it had about 10 dogs that were running wild throughout the place. Being the dog lover I am, I was petting them all, and even picked up the one-eyed Chihuahua, Paco and was carrying him around.....UNTIL one of waitresses told me he had fleas. I dropped him like a sack of potatoes and was like "thanks a lot." I immediately freaked out, and we left. Who wants to eat at a place that has dirty dogs with fleas running in and out of the kitchen??

So we drove to Orange Beach and went to Lulu's (thanks to our designated drive, Mary Michael). This is where it started to get a little fuzzy for me. Evidently the electricity was out and the place was running on generators. On top of that, it was a Friday night and it was PACKED! We waited for a long time for a table, and didn't end up eating until 9:30! For us moms who are now accustomed to feeding our kids early dinners, we were ready to gnaw our arms off! As soon as we ate, we left and headed home.

The following morning we enjoyed breakfast and mimosas at home, and then packed a cooler for our boat ride. Lucky for us, the neighbor was eager to drive us around for a few hours, so we took in the scenery and relaxed. Saturday night, we enjoyed a delicious dinner (shrimp and grits and a yummy salad) at home. We stayed up late sharing stories and laughing....too much fun!

Sunday, we had another great breakfast and then enjoyed the sun and peaceful bay with a book before heading back to Birmingham mid afternoon. Staying those extra hours really made the weekend feel longer, and when I got back I actually felt RELAXED! Thanks girls for a great weekend!

And thank you Steve for taking great care of our kids, our dog and our house, and for telling me that you appreciate how I do it everyday....it meant the world to me!

Swim Lessons Day 2

No comments necessary, just one short video of each child this morning displaying their swimming skills (or lack thereof).

Summer is Here!

Now that school is out and the warm weather is here, I need to make sure that I can be comfortable at the pool alone with two small children. So once again, we have enrolled our kids in swim lessons. We decided to use the same lady as last summer, so we will go everyday for the next 11 days (taking off only Sunday).

Yesterday was our first class, and Bennett was excited! She had jumped off the side of the pool in Georgia to Steve and attempted to swim while holding her breath. There were no tears with her and she looked like she did at the end of last summer (which isn't great, but at least she didn't regress).

Preston, on the other hand, was NOT a fan. When she dunked him the first time, he started crying and didn't stop until he was in my arms....outside of the water. Each child had several turns, but at the end of the hour, she got each kid in one more time for a quick turn. Preston pretended to be sleeping on my shoulder and ignored her, so he missed it (the little stinker). Hopefully he will do better today. Right now, he has no inherent skills.

As you can see in the last photo, he doesn't have the instinct to kick or move his arms. He just does the "dead man's float."

I hope to be better prepared later today with some videos (the recorder was dead yesterday). So stay tuned for progress reports.

Memorial Day Weekend 2010

We just returned from a long weekend at Reynolds Plantation with friends, and are now settling back into our routine. We went over with some friends and their little girl, and had a good time hanging out and being on and around the water for several days. Steve left work a little early on Thursday and drove over with us that afternoon so we could all have 4 full days with each other, and our friends arrived later that night.




(above: trying on life preservers...they work!)






We started off like we do for most vacations, enjoying the first night a little too much (if you know what I mean). Going to bed late after a few adult beverages made it tough for us to catch up on sleep for the rest of the weekend, but it was worth it! We had pretty weather for the most part, so we were able to stay active outside....which is needed when you have three young kids full of energy. The first day we all got acclimated to swimming and being around the water (since it was our first day of the summer with pools open), and spent a couple hours at the club pool.


Saturday, we got up and had a little exercise. It was a little cooler so we went for a walk. Then we got the boat out and took the kids on the tube. Lily and Preston had fun, but Bennett decided she didn't want to go. Since it was hot if you were not in the water, we decided to put the boat away, and we went to the neighborhood pool to play for awhile longer. After getting cheered on, Bennett started jumping off the side of the pool on her own, and attempting to swim to the side of the pool. We were excited to see this since the kids start swim lessons Tuesday.




Sunday was the only day that showered off and on, so we took turns on the waverunner in between the rain. This ended up being the most fun for the kids (too bad we didn't try it out sooner). In between all of the water activities, the girls enjoyed painting, playing "go fish," and watching movies. Pres just entertained himself exploring the house, and spotting ducks outside.





































Today we just laid low and cleaned up the house before heading home. It was a great getaway, and we had a lot of fun with our friends. Thanks Mom and Dad for sharing your house once again!

It Is All About Bennett

Today is Bennett's 3rd birthday! It is hard to believe my little girl is already 3. She has been a blessing to us, and I am so lucky to have a beautiful, loving little girl who loves life! Since we elected to not have a birthday party that included her friends, and Steve has been traveling quite a bit this month, we decided to do something different. Each of us chose something to do alone with her.

Friday, Steve took Bennett to see the new Shrek movie after school. She was so excited, and did great for the first 45 minutes. However he thinks she got scared, or grew bored because shortly thereafter she wanted to leave. He called me and I was able to talk her into staying. But after 15 more minutes, there was nothing he could do, so they headed home early.

Saturday morning I took Bennett to get her first manicure and pedicure. She got to choose the color, a light lavender, and sit in her own chair. She did great, and sat very still for the lady. She even sat under the dryers to let her polish dry. Unfortunately, after a hard day of playing outside and swimming in her baby pool, she lost the polish off of three of her finger nails (how does that happen so easily anyway?).

But today is her actual birthday, and all of the family (that live here) came over for dinner and cake. We started off playing in the yard, but when the humidity got to us, we came in to eat a typical summer dinner: burgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, tomato with mozzarella and basil, and chips. However, in typical Bennett fashion, she negotiated to open one present before dinner. Of course she chose the largest one, and had Christian help her open it. It was a water/sand table for outside, which she and Pres already love (thank you Louis, Michelle and kids).

After dinner, she opened the rest, and she loved them all! She got wonderful gifts (a camera, 4 DVDs, dress-up clothes and shoes, books, a tea set and money)! Thanks to all of our family for loving our little princess. She is so lucky to have such a caring family that does so much for her.

We ended the night with birthday cake. She spotted a princess-themed cake in Publix over a month ago, but it didn't feed enough people, and the next size up fed too many people, so we compromised. I let Bennett have her own small cake, and she chose the colors (pink and purple), and then we ordered another cake for the guests. The small cake worked out well since she and the rest of the little ones were licking the icing and she was eating the cake with her hands (rather than a fork).

After everyone left, she watched part of a new DVD and then hit the hay. Her eyes were rolling back as she was saying her prayers, so I know she was pooped (which is a sign of a good time)! Thanks again to everyone who made it to her party and who have given her hugs and kisses throughout her life. You have helped her thrive and become the 3 year old that she is today!

Happy Birthday Bennett!! We love you with all of our hearts.

Just Playing Around

Sharing popcorn and sprite from Bennett's recent trip to the movie theater, and then playing dress-up. Bennett loves to dress up and thought Preston would enjoy it too. I think this photo of Pres could come back to haunt him.....