3 Carrs: 2011

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Tap, tap, tap

Is this thing on? I am a HORRIBLE blogger! I use to blog every stinking trivial moment in Sophie's life. Now we have these huge monumental occasions and I just let them slip on by without as much as a tiny blurb on the ole blog. Something monumental like oh, starting kindergarten! Seesh! I blame facebook. It's so easy to post a quick status, a few pictures and call it a day. Sad.

Anyway, the big day. It was big. Especially for me. I was distraught. A complete emotional mess. The day before I went to bed at 7 o'clock. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want to see anyone. I just wanted to be alone. I wanted to grieve. How crazy is that!? Since she was 9 weeks old I left her every single day at day care. This was different. This was big. This was getting her going to real school. No more chatting it up with day care teachers after work. Worrying about whether or not she's "getting it." Mean kids. Nice kids. The bus. The lunch room. Peanuts. On and on and on.

That morning I was 10 kinds of crazy. But we got up, got ready and headed out the door. And she did it. She walked into her room, sat in her seat and became a kindergartner. And we did it. We let our only one go. We held it together and walked out of the room.

Eating Breakfast before the big day!

Mandatory Pictures

New Chucks

Walking his little girl in :(

The Scott Teays Tiger

Getitng a little nervous

Not a good sign to start out the day!

One last look back :(

We are two months in now. Things are going good. Two yellow cards. She's made new friends. Loves her teacher and hates homework. We've got a long way to go with this school thing so I'm so glad that it has started off on the right foot :)

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Learning to Fly

It's happening. All at once this avalanche of growing up is happening and there is nothing that we can do to stop it. I find myself torn between two words. The world of wanting to hold on to your littleness and the world of beaming with pride as you grow and conquer new things. This was the summer of being 5. The start of summer came and we had a few battles. Some of the worst we have ever had. We worried about you. We couldn't figure out why our sweet Little Bit had all of the sudden become so angry and would fly into fits of rage. But we worked through it and eventually settled into a nice routine.

Things seemed to fall into place as though that was the plan all along. When one door closed and Ms. Susanna, one of your pre-k teachers at school, decided to change jobs another door open and she ended up keeping you two days a week. A nice happy medium was created. You got to be a kid for days a week and sleep in and have lazy days of summer. I can't thank her enough. The other 3 days you got to go to school and see your friends and prepare for big change that awaits you at the end of summer. Kindergarten.

In between all of this, your bottom teeth started wiggling. Not a lot but enough. Enough to know that sooner, rather than later you will loose your baby teeth. Another reminder that you are growing up. Your baby smile will change into something more grown up and permanent. Until we sink about three grand in braces, that is. I told the dentist that those your teeth would just have to wait until after kindergarten starts. I can't handle my baby going to school and the Tooth Fairy's inaugural visit.

Then one hot Sunday evening we were all outside. Our neighbor's daughter was visiting and her son was out riding his bike in the road and she said to you, "Sophie, I bet you can ride your bike. All you need is grass and a slope." Armed with the world's cutest cat helmet, Daddy by your side, your friend Ashlynn running behind you, me and Mary Beth sitting on the patio watching and cheering, and Carmen and Roger telling you what to do, you took off.

And you haven't looked back.

I don't think we have ever been more proud of you. That night I walked past the pile of discarded training wheels in the garage. It hit me that you are checking things off your kid list left and right. I can understand why some people have more than one kid. They get to relive things over and over again. There's always another one to have a "first" time. With us, we get one go round. It's no wonder you think the the world revolves around you. And sometimes, I find myself thinking, why shouldn't it? Let it. For this short span of time, until you really grow up and discover that life sucks and you find yourself revolving around everyone else, maybe you should feel as though you are the most important thing on the planet. You are to us.

So in 10 days from now, when we walk you into your kindergarten classroom, lord help me. There's no going back. Everything changes from that point. Not that I think for one second that you'd turn back.

Love Mama

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Life's a Beach

In no particular order, here's a few shot from our annual beach trip with the fam.

Madi and Tyler. And I know it's Madi thanks to the purple bow and earrings. :)

The whole gang attempting a pyramid. Almost a success!

Singing the Beib on karaoke. Funniest thing evah and I am kicking myself that I don't have it on video.

Mini golf with Daddy and the boys.

Sand castle building.

He's thinking about his vacation in September, sans 7 grandkids and kids :)

Saturday, July 23, 2011

The 4th

Playing a little catch up here. This year we did something a little different over 4th of July week end. We hit the New River with some of our most favorite people. What it is about having a body of water around that makes things extra special?

These 3 were choping at the bit to jump in.

This one could hardly take the wait. River swimming is something new for her!

They were patiently waiting on this:

Inflatable island. So so fun! And I have to admit to my self that this inflatable island would be so so fun without the kiddos too. A good book, margrita and an inflatable island all day long would = awesomeness.

There was lots o food too. Allow me to present the Pioneer Woman's Flag Cake. The thing probably weighs 10 pounds but it is 10 pounds of deliciousness! If you make it, prepare to feed an army and eat on it for 2-3 days.

I think he was a fan :)

His first trip to the river trip too!

We also did a little of this.

But we didn't catch anything. However, Soph announced to everyone that Mike did manage to catch a snag.Wasn't even trying to be a smart ass when she said it, ha!

We packed up in the car on Sunday and had an early dinner at my favorite, Pies and Pints. Complete with a playground and the most delicious pizza, it pretty much rocks.

Last stop was Babcock State Park.

The Captain

We ended the evening with our very own firework show over the river. By far the BEST little private show evah. Thank you Mike and Mary Beth for sharing the Camp with us. We had a blast (we'll just forget the part about Little Bit screaming that she would walk home when it was bed time :>)

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Sometimes....

....I think that Wally and the Beav might roll on up and call this neighborhood home.

An outside family movie night? Yes please! How fun is that?! Our neighbors just threw up a sign in their drive way and come dusk, instant drive in! Gnomeo and Juliet was on the big screen.

Tired little girls who swam all day and were dog tied were in attendance.

Pre-sun down.

These two did this to themselves. I swear. Of course it only lasted .5 seconds before they were ready to explode!

So an awesome evening. Except for the walk home. That's when sophie jumped out of the wagon that my neighbor was pulling and announced, "i'm getting out of this damn wagon, there's too much shit in it." Klassy. We have GOT to nip that little habit in the bud before school starts in the fall. Or I'll be called down to the school just like my momma was called down to the school for me telling the story of a man named Bill. Who swallowed a dynamite pill. His chest expired, his ass backfired and his b*lls blew over this hill! True story. I was klassy like that too!

FINALLY!

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!! I could literally scream and dance from rooftop to rooftop! We have been beyond pumped around here. Finally, after going through all circles of hell about 25 times, backwards, Steven passed his CPA exam. To say that he's glad to have that monkey off his back is an understatement. Actually, it was more like a rabid pitbull barking incessantly and just waiting to chew your arm off. For years it seems as though our entire lives have revolved around that effing test. And that is exactly what it is, a stupid, time consuming, money sucking, effing test. I really thought that the Navy College Fund was going to come to our house one day asking if we were trying to pull some kind of scam because they have paid for that g-d test so many times that SURELY something had to be smelly in Denmark.

Do you want to go out of town this weekend? Can't have to study.

Are you going to home for dinner tonight? Can't, have to study.

Daddy, will you play with me? Can't have to study.

Not no mo my friends! Fini! Steven has looked like the Joker from Batman for going on 48 hours now. I've fist pumped the air probably 3939 times. Sophie is in Pennsylvania for the week telling everyone crosses who her path that she gets to go to Hibachi because daddy passed his test (love her perspective on life, btw).

So many people were rooting for him to get that stupid test behind him. Family, friends, neighbors, Sophie's doctor, my dentist. What can i say, i tend to share my life, the good and the bad, with anyone and everyone. I figure if i have to suffer, others may want to suffer along with me. And when we want to celebrate, well others might want to jump in on that as well.

So....

We are BEYOND proud of you! And Sophie also says, "now take me to Disney World b/c I deserve it!"

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Year 3

This makes the third year in a row that we've headed to snowshoe for memorial day. No doubt about it, we are creatures of habit! We stay in the same place. Go with the same people. Eat at the same restaurant. It sort of becomes "traditional." We were also lucky that for the 3rd year in a row the weather decided to play along and be awesome. Sunny with a blue sky dotted with clouds and just the right amount of mountain breeze. Around 4 years ago we weren't as lucky. It poured the rain, stayed around 50 degree and the fog was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

We only stayed nights and it never ever seems long enough. Getting a cell phone signal is almost impossible. This is huge for me b/c i seem to have my iphone permanently lodged up my butt.

The starbucks tastes yummier!

The pool seems a thousand time cooler and more fun than the pool right down the street.

Jackson had fun and is getting so big!

For the third year in a row we also ran into this guy. Here they are in 2010 and 2009 I guess his parents are creatures of habit as well. I love how every year little Alex has on a polo shirt with a popped collar. It's not every 5 year old who can pull that look off.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Day Uno and Dos

We are back! Finally! We spent 17 hours yesterday in and on air planes and airports but we finally made it home. We had a fabulous time! Puerto Rico is still the same beautiful island mixed with a just the right amount shit holes as it has always been and we loved being back. Sophie loved going for her first time and kept the butt headedness down to a minimum. Although she did decide to tell a guy at dinner (who was also a former navy guy previously stationed at Roosevelt Roads) that "my daddy got bad grades in college so he joined the navy." Nice. Honest. But klassy.

We did EVERYTHING. Beach, pools, deserted islands, snorkeling, sailing, water park, eating, more eating, drinking. The first day we just chilled around at the pool and the the second day we hit a beach.

The view from our room. Yeah, it rocked!

Dressed up for dinner.

Our 2nd night we ate at a gas station turned local BBQ restaurant. (only in puerto rico would you decided to cook bbq ribs and chicken over buried gas tanks!) But the food rocked!