Just teasing you…

So I know its been a month since I last blogged but we have been super busy having a staycation, a fourth birthday, an almost 30th birthday, and and overall blast just enjoying the summer. Truth be told this is just a teaser too…no real blog is fourth coming. I just had to do a quick blog to wish a wonderful, kind caring man a Happy Birthday! Dad you have guided me and loved me over the years and now you do the same for my children. Despite the miles that separate us rest assured you are never far from our thoughts! We love you and miss you every day. Happy Birthday!

Milestones

So another busy few weeks have gone by and my kiddos have hit a few new milestones. My heart swells for them and the fun I know they have but in the same swell it cries because they are growing up and, while they will always be my babies they are not babies anymore.

We finally made it to Fourth of July fireworks! We enjoyed another truly southern tradition. Our first “redneck regatta”. Oh, the sight…just picture it  thousands of pontoons, pleasure craft, ski boats and the like, all with half dressed, beer drinking adults and over tired kids squeezed in one small section of the lake. You could hear hoots, hollers, splashes and country music for miles. The fireworks display is the largest in the state, would they have it any other way (why not blow some sh@! up!)? My sleepy kids managed to stay awake and got to see their first ever professional fireworks display. They are still talking about it. They both also got to ride/drive the Jet Ski this weekend (Dylan has done it before but he was very small and doesn’t remember).

My big heart string tugging moment came yesterday. I shipped my kiddos off for their first weekend away. Not only are they spending the weekend with Amaw, but she took them far away to the outer banks too. The last time the kids were away for more than a sleep over at Amaws I was pregnant with Ella still (4 years ago) and Dylan stayed with Amaw while Shane and I went on a business trip. Now, my mind says I know they are having a blast, and completely enjoying their time with Amaw but I still cried…I know silly, enjoy your free time right…I will…Shane and I are attending a wedding tonight (his cousins) and the kids will be back tomorrow afternoon. It will fly by I know.

We also finished up t-ball this week. Dylan is very proud of his medal (every one got one) and his time on the team. He really does like it, and it may turn out to be his sport, if he can just pick a side (he can bat either way, right or left). Do they have to pick a side… I might know if I knew anything about the sport…

Anyway…milestones and memoreis made everyday.

FREE Paint…

As most of you know I love to paint, I don’t know why I find it so rewarding but the instant satisfaction just trills me. So in true thrifty fashion when I heard about this I just had to share. Glidden is giving away a quart of paint to anyone/everyone that wants it. Pick your color enter you address and boom you get your paint (well maybe not boom, more like weeks but hey its free what can you say!). Dylan has been begging for green stripes in his room so I ordered my green! Check it out and order yours today (really hurry the offer ends July 2nd)! Go here…

VBS – H%*!

Well sickness floated around VBS (vacation bible school for those non southern/church folks, don’t worry I didn’t know either until we moved back and had kids) and finally caught up with us. The kids got it, then I got it…lord know where it will land next. Thankfully it went swiftly and we are all on the mend now. The kids had  a ton of fun learning and playing with friends from church old and new. Crafts are every where and they have only tried to set our holly bush on fire a few times (you know the burning bush and all). We haven’t stopped singing and dancing for two weeks now. 

The kids had dentist appointments Wed. and all check out great! No cavities! We do have one loose tooth though! Dylan is happy to announce that he has his first loose tooth! I am happy to announce that loose teeth are not my department! Even as a kid I just let my teeth wiggle until they were hanging by a “thread.” It was well established before kids came along I would handle womanly things and Shane would handle all teeth.  Anyway we will be minus a tooth hear soon expect pictures (probably taken by Shane).

to T.V. or not to T.V…

That is the question.

Shane and I upgraded the TV in our bedroom (the 19″ baby TV just wasn’t cutting it for us old blind people anymore). So now we have the little TV with no home. I grew up with a ton of TV, but I never had one in my room until I was like 16. Shane barely had cable until he was older. Dylan seems to think he should have the TV in his room…

If we did put it in there we would not hook it up to cable (just a DVD player for approved movies) and it would come with some mega rules about when he could watch it. Never after bed and that sort of thing, he is one of those kids that if the TV is on it takes him that much longer to go to sleep. Unlike Ella who will conk out at the drop of a hat in front of the TV. Should he really have it in his room at all though…is he too little? Will it cause too much distraction. Should we just try it? I am afraid that if we do we may never get it out of his room again.

I’d do a poll  but no one seems to answer them…just leave me comment or shoot me an email and let me know what you think.

Blogaversary

So it’s been one year and 97 posts ( I know I need to blog more, you just can’t get enough of me! ), I thought it was time for a little change. What do you think?

We’re a hot mess…

Wow, I’m not a very good promise keeper am I.

Well the week since school got out has been crazy. After running from one end of the year party to the next, then picnics and award celebrations, then the start of t-ball, then schools out, what do I do with the kids all of a sudden…I swear my head hasn’t been on quite straight in a month.

Dylan made it out of kindergarten reading on his grade level and all ready for first grad, and not having any clue what summer break meant. Three days in he comes in asking if it’s a school day and that he missed his friends sooo much. The poor boy just had no clue. He knew that he would have a new teacher next year, and only a few of his friends would be in his class but he just didn’t get that he would be going three months without seeing most of his friends from class (no matter how many times we told him). His awards ceremony was great, he won an award for being a consistent courteous helper. He was very proud of himself until the neighbor boy got an award for reading, then he was jealous and wanted that award too. He is also super excited about t-ball, which we started two weeks ago. He keeps getting super mad every time it gets rained out (which seems to be a lot right now).

Ella finished her school too, she really loved her teachers and also didn’t quite understand the concept of summer vacation. She is pretty good at going with the flow though, despite the fact that she keeps telling me “Mrs. Steed (her teacher) said SO!!”. She has another year of preschool before kindergarten but is already pretty confident with her letters and numbers. We just found out that we qualified for the “More at 4″ program (which is a state run and paid for preschool program for children deemed “at risk”, which basically means their parents don’t have money rolling out of their pockets, or English is their second language). She will actually end up in the class room of the teacher we thought she would have this year, at the same center she was in this year. We are excited it will enable her to be in a full day program (8-2) that really focuses on kindergarten preparedness. And it’s this little thing called, FREE! Yes I’m a cheapskate I know.

Now that summer has started working has become a whole new complicated mess. I am having to work when I am able to have some one else watch the kids which is pretty hard when you only have 1 person who is willing/able to help (our lovely neighbor, thanks Sabrina!) To repay the favor, I am keeping her kids when she works too, wow it does make me glad we stopped at two. Four brings a whole new level to the chaos.

A Promise

I will blog later, maybe even tonight or tomorrow, it has been one of those weeks…

I guess we really are southern…

The week has been busy, daddy was sick, so mommy had to doctor. Thankfully the rest of us have remained healthy. Knock on wood. Swim lessons are over yet again. This time we moved up a class so our lessons included jumping into the deep end with no float belt (you can see the video on my Flickr at the right). Ahhhh, mommy had a mild heart attack, but the kids loved it.  They also went through there first true southern right of passage last weekend. They have now ridden behind a boat. The climbed in the tube willingly and thought it was a fun ride as long as daddy didn’t go too fast. Despite the looks of terror they really were having fun. Daddy kept it slow enough that I didn’t freak out too much and in true Graham style they hung on like champs and enjoyed the wind blowing and water splashing.

If Only I knew

Wow here we are 12 measly days to the end of the school year. I can’t believe how this year is just flying by. Our past few weeks have been just jam packed and the next few will be equally as busy. I am hoping summer brings a slower pace to our lives (but for some reason I am thinking that may not be the case).

Dad had a good trip to Vegas (he even came back a little richer). While he was gone we partied for Mothers Day at Nana’s, started swim lessons again, found out Dylan will be “promoted” and I caused bodily harm to my daughter. That’s right there is now a new set of holes in my daughters head. She has been PIERCED! I hesitated posting this because I was so worried that they would get infected or gross or something, but so far a mere two weeks in everything looks good (knock on wood!). As some of you may know I do not even have my own ears pierced, after a traumatic start to the whole thing (they almost had to stop with just one done, since I wouldn’t/couldn’t controll my tearful self) they got infected and closed up. All these years I blamed it on being allergic to metal, but it may have just been my lack of care. Anyway, the new be-jeweled lobes are doing well. She was a champ through it all, cried a bit just until I was able to pick her up and cuddle her, and she hasn’t shed a tear since (you know Mom, there are places where they will pierce both ears at once….  ).

Swim lessons are going well, they moved up a level and their lessons now include time in the pool without the float belt, and much more underwater stuff. They are doing boat safety tonight so I am sure I will have some good canoe in a pool pictures for you soon.

Dylan will be moving on to the first grade next year. He has come so far and his teacher thinks he is ready. She wants us to keep up his skills over the summer. Writing and reading and all that jazz. Which will not be too hard for us, he really enjoys all of it. He is now a “C” reader, they start out the year as “non-readers” then move through “A”, “B” then “C” at the mid point of the year he was still a non reader, and just last semester he was only an “A,” but he has blossomed and is finishing the year with 90% of all other kindergartners.  I am so proud, and still a bundle of nerves for him too.

Well over all it has been two weeks that remind me of one thing…my kids are growing up.  Ella will be four soon, and has lost that “baby” face look (no thanks to the sparkly lobes) and Dylan is turning into just your typical full of energy hyper  little boy. Oh  what lies ahead…