Kindergarten Musical

This morning was the kindergarten musical.  Bennett (along with the other children) have been practicing the songs and moves for the past couple of months.  However, it wasn't until this week that she started telling me about it and showing some of her dance moves.  I knew she was excited, so I was too!

Bennett is in the front row with purple apron on right

With Steve out of town, I tried to be prepared....charge camera (check), charge camcorder (check), get there early to secure good seats (check).  However, once I got settled in the FRONT ROW (yes I was that early), I realized I didn't have the SD card for my camera (wa, wa, waaaaa).  Then as I was recording, only halfway through, and not to Bennett's class yet, I realized the camcorder was almost full and was about to shut off (wa, wa, waaaaa).  So I had to get out my cell phone and record the rest of the show on it, breaking up my recording of the musical which I wanted to show Steve (wa, wa, waaaaa).  Needless to say, I wasn't prepared at all, and was livid with myself!

Regardless of my technical mistakes, Bennett did great and the show was just adorable!  "Hats" off to her music teacher, Mrs. Coker, for doing such a great job.  Coincidentally, the name of the musical was "Hats," and each class wore a different type of hat and sang a song that coordinated.   Bennett's class by far had the cutest song: Pizza Love, and they all wore chef hats and had little Italian mustaches painted on their faces.  See for yourself (Bennett is in the front row on the left side):

 

Afterward, the kids were able to come out to the crowd to greet their parents, grandparents, etc. 

Alicia, Bennett and Pres

Bennett and Pres (he winked at her while she was performing)

So proud of my little "chef"

Mimi and Papa came to watch her performance too!

Perfect Camping Weather

Bennett was invited to her first birthday party sleepover on Friday night, so we asked Preston what he would like to do.  Without even thinking about it, he answered "let's go camping!"  I loved the idea, but was hesitant to go too far because this was B's first sleepover, and I wasn't sure if she would make it.  So I pitched the idea of camping in the backyard.

Preston didn't like the idea at all, and claimed that wasn't camping.  Secretly, I totally agreed with the kid, but it is nice to be close to flushable toilets and wireless internet. I asked him why he wasn't happy, and he said "because we can't have a fire, and I want s'mores."  Well, that was an easy fix!  I just explained that we would make a fire in the chiminea and roast marshmallows there.  He instantly changed his tune and was super excited!

resting in the tent

All week he talked about camping in the backyard, so when he came home from school on Friday...he was ready!  I asked him to help me set up the tent, and he was a great little helper.  He was amazed at how it just popped up.  After it was up, he got out his baseball stuff and practiced hitting balls for an hour, with occasional "rests" in the tent.

When dinner approached, we walked Bennett over to Caroline Crigger's house for the big spa themed birthday party. After she was settled, we got on our bikes and road into Edgewood for a little Mexican. After we got home, Steve started a fire and Pres and I got all of the s'mores stuff ready. We roasted some marshmallows, and then settled into our chairs and listened to some music. It was a beautiful evening, and we were having a blast together.

Steve showing P the technique to roasting

Perfect marshmallows!

Yummy S'More!!

I love this boy!

Then all of a sudden, Bennett and Caroline Tanner walked into the yard.  We asked if everything was okay, and B proceeded to tell us that she had a stomach ache.  She said she didn't want to bail on the party yet, but unfortunately, I didn't know what to tell her to do.  So we snapped a quick picture of the girls and they headed back.  Not 30 minutes later, Jeremy carried Bennett home after she threw up!  Steve went over to collect her belongings and I tried to assess the situation.  She said she felt a little better, and asked to sleep in the tent with Preston.

We grabbed her sleeping bag, and all tried to get settled in there.  But within 15 minutes she was complaining about the relay for life PA system at Homewood Park, and asked to go back inside. Steve happily agreed to take her in, as he isn't much for camping anyway. Preston quickly fell asleep, and I wasn't far behind (it was hard to fight it when I was exhausted, the temperature was perfect and the crickets were chirping).

Raising the roof...dancing

My two boys



Pres passed out around 9:15

Unfortunately, I awoke about an hour and a half later to Preston having a major coughing attack.  He was coughing in his sleep, but I could tell his breathing was labored and he couldn't quite get a breath.  After listening to him cough for 15 minutes, I pulled the plug and carried him inside.  He went to the bathroom, drank some water and asked to go back outside.  I insisted that he sleep inside, and he was pretty bummed.  I told a slight fib and told him he made it almost all night, but the sun wasn't quite up yet.  So he reluctantly agreed to sleep in his bed for the remainder of the night.

However, we couldn't be as lucky with Bennett, as she was throwing up.  While we were sleeping in the tent, she threw up a couple times, took a shower and brushed her teeth.  Unfortunately it continued all night, with her getting up at least once an hour.  She had a rough night (and me too since I slept with her once we came inside).

Thankfully Christie brought over some zofran (anti-nausea medicine) this morning.  I have my fingers crossed, but so far she is holding down some water.  We are worried about her getting dehydrated since she couldn't keep anything down all night, but maybe this will do the trick.  Pres and Steve are off at t-ball, and Bennett and I are lounging in our PJs.  So much for going to another crawfish boil today....looks like we will be relaxing at home.

Nothing Wrong with a Little Spoiling

While Steve and I were able to sneak away last weekend, the kids stayed back with my folks.  They had a busy weekend, but Nene and Poppy had everything under control!  Their first day was supposed to include Girl Scouts for Bennett and soccer for Preston, but both were cancelled due to "inclement weather."  In fact, all of the local schools were let out of school two hours early in anticipation of the storm.  Thankfully though the rain and wind weren't too bad, and the kids just had more fun time with their
grandparents.


Once Bennett got home, they all went to the park to burn off some energy.  Then dinner, dessertS (yes that is plural, because my parents think spoiling them is just fine).  Friday, Bennett went off to school like normal, and they escorted Preston on his year-end field trip to the Homewood Park.  There they played on the playground, got tattoos, and had a picnic lunch.  That night they all went out for Mexican food!

Saturday was a busy day with three baseball games: Henley, Preston and Christian's!  Then they took the four oldest grandchildren out to dinner at Johnny Rockets! Afterward they went back to Brian and Shannon's house to play.  Evidently they had a ball together!






Sunday morning ended up being more of a lazy day in preparation for our return.  They just played dress up around the house and watched TV.  Of course their responsibilities didn't end with just caring for Pres and Bennett....our four-legged son needed some love and attention too.  Spencer did great since he just adores my parents, especially my father.  They took short walks, went outside often and had lots of treats!

As always, it is so nice to go out of town and know that our children are well taken care of and loved.  We don't have to worry at all and can really enjoy ourselves!  Thanks to my folks for taking on the responsibility this time!

 

 

Kenny Chesney is Officially Marked off Our Bucket List!

Drinks and dinner at Cosmos before concert

This past weekend, Steve and I snuck out of town for a long weekend.  We were long overdue for a little couple time, and since our anniversary is coming up, we treated ourselves.  We headed south to Orange Beach to see Kenny Chesney in concert, and then stayed through the weekend for a little r and r.  Thankfully, my parents had nothing going on so they came down to hang out with the kids for the weekend.

Thursday was supposed to be bad weather, so we hit the road earlier than planned so it wouldn't interfere with our trip.  We were worried that the concert was going to get cancelled since it was being held at the Wharf Amphitheater (outside), but thankfully the storms that blew through Alabama weren't nearly as bad as everyone thought.  It just rained, and once it moved out...it left a clear blue sky.

They did end up delaying the concert an hour, but that worked perfectly for us.  We just lingered at dinner, and then headed over.  It was a great little venue, and our seats were AWESOME!  We didn't have anyone in front of us, and could see over everyone in the first section.  We danced, sang along and just had a blast!   After the show, we headed over to the infamous Florabama!  I had never been before, and have heard so many stories about this place.  Sadly, I was disappointed.  It is a HUGE place with concrete floors, unfinished wood walls with graffiti and women's bras hanging all over.  Now don't get me wrong, I love dive bars, but this is the epitome of the word.  It is the type of place where people puke and they just pull out the hose and wash it away. 

Anyway, we danced a little, had one more cocktail, and then called it a night at 2:30 AM!  We awoke late morning on Friday to sunny skies.  We were both hungry though, so we headed out for a bite to eat before hitting the beach.  After several hours in the sun, we took a short nap and got ready for dinner.  A friend had recommended a small restaurant in Perdido Key, and boy were we pleased.  Fisherman's Corner was fantastic!  The only bad thing was that everything we ordered was so spicy, so much so that I couldn't stop sweating and had blotchy spots all over my face to prove it!  I hadn't had that happen in awhile, but it was worth it. 

Saturday was another beautiful day, so we decided to take a walk on the beach.  It was supposed to be more for exercise, but we saw so many shells, that we couldn't resist collecting some for the kids.  We found several really cool ones and a handful of sand dollars.  When our cups were full, we turned back around to hit a couple stores and grab lunch.  By 2pm we were ready to hit the beach.  We stayed out for several hours, and then came back in to get ready for dinner.  We decided to try Cobalt for our last night.  It was a huge place with a ton of outdoor seating, though we elected to eat inside.  We succeeded with our fifth and final meal including seafood.  That was all we had the whole trip, and it was delicious!  We sampled Mahi, Mahi, Red Fish, Oysters, Shrimp, Creole Linguine with shrimp and crawfish, fish tacos and it was all fabulous! 

After our bellys were full, we came back to the hotel for an early night.  We wanted to hit the road at a decent time so Steve could watch the closing day of the Masters from the comfort of our own home.  What a wonderful little getaway! 

Easter Weekend Recap

All of the kiddos

This Easter we decided to host an egg hunt with several of our friends and their children.  Everyone brought a dozen stuffed eggs to hide, and then we let the kids loose in our backyard.  Two of the older kids (Lily and Landon) helped me hide the eggs, and then we allowed the other 11 kids to hunt in the yard.  Steve was worried they would push each other down the stairs at the beginning, so we made everyone come down the steps before they actually started.  With over 150 eggs hidden, I was shocked to have the entire race over in less than 5 minutes!

And they are off!

The kids were racing all over the yard, comparing eggs and eating some of the goods along the way.  When things started to slow down, the "hiders" started walking around helping them find the harder ones.  Once all of the eggs were gathered, they all convened to barter and show off their goods.  Shortly thereafter the kids ate dinner, and the adults continued to hang out while nibbling on appetizers.  It was a successful first (soon to be annual) egg hunt!

Racing to find the "Golden Egg"

Enjoying their popcorn, refusing to open their eyes for me!

After a late night with friends, we continued the Easter traditions and dyed eggs with the kids Saturday morning.  Each child had a dozen, and we had everything ready for them to work.  They started off with plain, solid eggs, but advanced to two-tone ones, and tie-dye eggs (made by using a little olive oil in the dye).  The kids had a blast, and it took about an hour to complete (SCORE)!

Pres showing off a tye-dye egg

After a busy afternoon of birthday parties, we met up with Brian and Shannon for a tasty dinner and a little fun at their house.  It has been way too long since we had all gotten together, so everyone had a blast together.

The 5 Banta grandkids

On Easter morning, we finished up our long holiday weekend by having a lazy morning, and then heading to church to celebrate the day Jesus rose!  Though it had been a rainy night and early morning, the rain stopped by late morning so we could continue the tradition of placing a flower on the cross and getting our photo taken.  Afterward, we gorged ourselves with all of Steve's family at his parent's house.  What a fantastic weekend with our friends and family!

Spring Break-Rosemary Beach

Caroline, B & Pres on the beach

This year is dedicated to trying new things, and one of those is staying somewhere differently when we visit the beach.  Therefore, we decided to book all three of our beach trips on the Rosemary Beach side of 30A.  Though Spring Break is always a hit or miss weather-wise, we decided to risk it and go for the week.  Several of our friends were going down too, so at least we would have built in entertainment.  We found a great 3 bedroom condo, and booked it with the Criggers.

We left bright and early on Saturday, and arrived just after noon.  We quickly unpacked and headed straight to the beach to enjoy the beautiful day.  The ocean was a frigid 60 degrees, so we didn't expect anyone to get in, but the kids all frolicked in the surf.  However, after several hours, the kids were anxious to try out the heated pool.

That night Steve and I cooked dinner for everyone (17 people).  The kids had fun playing together, and we had fun planning the week!

The following day was my favorite holiday: St Patrick's Day!  We all awoke bright and early, but Pres and I decided to go for an early morning bike ride to the donut truck to get breakfast for everyone!  After breakfast, Steve and Pres played a little baseball in the cul-de-sac.  Since he has started t-ball, he has really enjoyed learning the sport.  Therefore, this ended up being a fun activity that he and his daddy did on this trip.

We enjoyed the day in style, and ended it with all of the kids at the Sugar Shak (an overpriced candy/ice cream store in Rosemary Beach that is  MUST DO for every kid and teenager).  It was absolute heaven for my two sweet tooths!

St Patty's Day!

Our Sugar Shak Sweeties!



William burying Pres

Queen B

Our pumpkins cuddling to stay warm


Carson, P, Mary Ellis, B and Caroline at Alys Beach

After a couple of days we had created our routine: get up and enjoy our coffee, do a quick work-out, go on a bike ride with the kids (which sometimes included a lesson with B on two wheels), stop off at Alys Beach playground so the kids can burn off energy while the temperatures got warmer, and then head to the beach and/or pool.  However, mid week we decided to switch it up a little.  That morning, we rode bikes to Alys Beach and did the nature trail with the kids.  Shanon had the bright idea of having a scavenger hunt, so all of the kids actually enjoyed the walk since they were so busy looking for items!  It was sunny and warm on the walk, but by the time we got back to our villa it started getting cloudy and cool, and we were all hungry.  We decided this would be the perfect day to drive to Panama City Beach's Dusty's for some of the best food I had that week!  Pres fell asleep on the way, and continued to sleep while I held him for the first hour and a half.  I finally woke him up when my food arrived.  The girls did great, coloring and playing on their itouches.  Shockingly, we were able to really enjoy ourselves for several hours with no unhappy children.   

 

When we got back, the kids were itching to go swimming, so the guys took them to the pool while Christie and I started getting ready for our only night out without children.  We had several Homewood Middle School students babysit the kiddos so we could dine at V in Seagrove.  After a delish dinner AND dessert, we came back to our villa so we could release the girls.  We all hung out a couple more hours, chit-chatting and telling stories.  It ended up being our latest night by a long stretch!



The last couple of days were spent doing more of the same!  Except for Thursday, where we finally managed to make it a beach afternoon and watch the sunset.  We played in the sand and surf all afternoon, and then went home for warmer clothes so we could watch the sunset and play wiffle ball on the beach.  It was such a fun day!


Kids at Alys Beach playground

Pres hanging out in his tunnel

Sunsets at the beach are the best!

On our last day there, we treated the kids to the donut truck for the third time.  After playing some at the playground, the girls broke off to get a jump start on packing, and boys went for another bike ride.  By midday, it was still a cool day due to the wind. We ultimately decided to not even put bathing suits on, and instead opted for play clothes so the kids could be comfortable, yet warm while on the beach.  We built more castles, listened to fun music and just hung out all together.

All of the girls!

Pres representing Homewood!

All and all, it was another wonderful beach trip with another set of great memories!  We are already looking forward to our next visit!