First Day of School 2013

Today I have a 1st grader and a 3rd grader!

Boogie Boarding Summer 2013

First beach trip of the summer 2013.

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First Beach Visit Summer 2013

We headed to Sullivan's Island, station 29.  It was our first beach visit of the summer.  Thankfully Pete braved the water so I didn't have to!
















Both kids hope to master surfing this summer.  Pete has already begun searching craigslist for surfboards.

First Swim Meet of Summer 2013

Unfortunately Izzy wasn't able to compete in the first swim meet of the season (broken elbow - next post!) but Drew ROCKED!  Pete was a competitive swimmer when he was younger, and while I also swam on swim team my entire youth, it looks as if Drew will take after his daddy in this sport!



Pre-race Drew felt it necessary to teach his "6-Under buddies" his newest talent:


Arm pit farts!  ...it's a right of passage for boys, right?


Drew swam the 6-under free relay, 25 free and 25 back.  He did awesome in all 3, but really smoked his competition in back.

Monday night at practice the kids were timed to figure out where to seat them for the meet.  Drew swam the 25 backstroke in 59 seconds (he was in a swim shirt and regular trunks - not a tight speedo).  At Wednesday nights meet he cut 22 seconds off his time and swam the 25 backstroke in 37 seconds!



When he finished he jumped out of the pool and said, "did I get first?"  I told him to turn around and look...he was all smiles when he looked back to me and said, "I REALLY got first!?  This is only a picture I can share on here.  It isn't so much for bragging purposes (okay, maybe kind of) but just to see how well he really did swim!  Look at hime, arms crossed, checking out the other swimmers as they approach the wall.




And although she couldn't swim, she was able to cheer!  She spent the hour leading up to the meet making signs for all her friends that would be swimming.

Back to Blogging

Long time, no blog.  Seems to be the story of my life.  I continue to say that I will get better, and then never do.  I even went so far as switching servers and then still only posted twice.  So, here we go...

Things may be out of order, but I've got to start at some point.  I have many family vacations, holidays, and just plain fun life experiences to blog about, and hopefully I will eventually get to them all!

But for now I am going to just type away at the keyboard and hope the pictures upload quickly enough for me to play some blog catch-up.

For my kids...when you look back at the blog books years from now, know that a bunch of the following entries will be out of order for the last year of life, but it is really important for me to try and document as much of it as possible - even if not in chronological order!

Let's get this party started...

Uncle Andy's Wedding - part 2

Going to the chapel...and a Rule is getting married!  (I am pretty sure this was a FB status update of my cousin over the weekend when her brother got married!)

Words won't do this wedding justice.  It was BY FAR the best wedding I have ever been to...and I've attended some doozies!  The attention to detail was amazing.  Have you ever been to a wedding and after you were seated thinking, "gosh, I would love a drink?"  Guess what!?!  At Andy and Nora's wedding you were seated with a flute of champagne.  ...and during the cocktail hour, there was a signature drink - the Rule-jito.  Who doesn't love a signature drink?

It was a day filled with lots of friends, family, love and lots of dancing!

A recap in photos...

The wedding wasn't until 6, but pictures began at 3.  I had to be ready WAY early so that I could then help get the kiddos ready.  Izzy took this one of my mommy and me.




Getting ready


How cute is Drew snapping this picture of his sister getting ready?


Once he got his tie on, sister returned the favor


Here they are wondering why they can't "view" the recent pictures on the back of the camera :)  If they only knew we didn't always have the ability to keep/delete pictures so easily.






Cuteness overload with these 4!  Could you get any more polar opposite with flower girls and ring bearers?


Giving Aunt Nora some love just before the ceremony!


And then the boys wait...


While the girls "ooooh" and "ahhh" over Aunt Nora's pretty dress


The ceremony was beautiful.  I am the one on the far left who sticks out like a sore thumb!  Both kids did GREAT!


Izzy sat like this the entire ceremony - the kids just all popped a squat on the floor and took it all in


Gorgeous!



Then it was time for the real fun!

This is my cousin Bonnie...haven't seen her since HER wedding nearly 20 years earlier!


This is my dad (on right) and my Uncle Jim (Bonnie's dad)




Check out the reception room...and the centerpieces


I have some really really fun cousins!  ...and not too bad looking either!








Can you say excited to finally be free from wedding duties and proper behavior!


Hanging on to every word of Uncle Wes's best man speech


Mother / Son Dance







And the final picture of the night...taken by Izzy


Good times.  Good times!

Uncle Andy's Wedding - part 1

Nearly a month after the wedding and I am still wishing I could go back and do the weekend all over again.  I had the most incredible time!

Truth be told the timing of the wedding stressed me out a bit.  We were coming off a very busy summer of travel, the kids had just started school the week prior, and I was in no way, shape or form prepared to go!  But, once the day arrived to leave I was giddy with excitement.  I was excited for so many different reasons:  the most obvious being the marriage of Andy and Nora, but also, time in DC with my family, my kids being in the wedding, seeing my family...and alot of my family!  I always have a good time out with my brothers, and to throw some crazy fun cousins into the mix is just icing on the cake.

Off to DC!


We decided to fly to DC.  The flights were inexpensive, direct, and at really convenient times.  We were also able to book our hotel on points and get an extra night for free.  An added bonus was that our hotel turned out to be right across the street from the Willard, where the wedding would be taking place.

The kids were ridiculously excited to fly.  Neither of them remembers flights prior.  As soon as we entered the airport terminal, Drew said, "Is this Washington DC?  This place is awesome!"

Drew continued to make us laugh as we boarded the plane.  As we were settling into our seats, Drew started with, "Wait, I don't have a window.  Where's my window.  Aren't I supposed to have a window in this place?"  The laughs didn't stop there...once the no smoking sign came on, Drew says, "Well of course there's no smoking.  It's not like we can open the windows in this place!"  And I don't think I have ever seen someone take the reading of the "do's and don'ts" brochure quite so seriously.  His eyes were pinned to the flight attendant as she went over the safety procedures.  Finally, once we cleared the clouds he asked, "Are we in heaven?  Are we going to be there soon?"  Pete said, "Hopefully not this trip."  And Drew said, "Oh, thank goodness!"

Once Drew got all his commentary out, and we were at cruising altitude, the kids quickly took to playing on electronics.  The pilot announced our flight would be 1 hour and 15 min. and Pete looked at me and said, "We are never driving again!"  We did have one rough spot with the descent and Drew's ears.

Once we landed, the kids checked out the cockpit.


But finally we made it to DC and the kids got to take their first taxi ride...which was almost as exciting at the plane!  We arrived the Thursday before Labor Day and a few hours after we arrived, so did Uncle Andy!



Friday morning we had a 7:15 White House tour.  I think we went through either 2 or 3 security checks before we even entered the white house.  We actually had to preregister for the tour 6 months ago.  Understandably it is quite a process.  Anyway, at one checkpoint the kids in the group in front of us were asked their names and birthdates.  I was SO paranoid Drew was going to give his "new" birthdate (you may recall he decided just prior to this trip to change his birthdate).  I didn't want to lean down and say, "make sure you tell them your real birthdate" for fear a security guy would hear me, and then tag me as a potential person needing a more in-depth security check.  It was a great tour, and by that I mean "self guided". The kids had plenty to look at and were given a neat book as a souvenir.  I find it amazing that when security men, as well as tour guides, are stationed around the white house, my children are able to keep their hands to themselves and listen better.

waiting for our tour


completion of the tour




After the White House tour, my mom, Izzy and I headed to the bridal shower.  I thought the other flower girls would be there, but it was just Izzy.  She did great having to sit around with us older gals!


That evening the girls and guys split up for separate events.  While I got to head out for the night, Pete stayed at the hotel with the kids.  I had the BEST time!  I went for drinks and dinner with the girls and then left with a few of the girls to meet up with the guys.








Saturday we got to spend the day touring DC.  We hit up the Smithsonian.  Highlights included the Hope Diamond


...and well it looks like that was the only picture I took!  The kids were equal parts excited and bored with the various exhibits we took them to see.  Their favorite museum was the Air and Space Museum. In fact while some kids were posing for pictures in a plane, I asked Drew if he wanted to and he said, "Uh, no.  I've already had my picture taken flying a plane.  And besides, it was uncle Andy's fighter plane which is way cooler!"

After some DC touring, it was time for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  Rehearsal went just fine...both kids were eager to hear what they would be responsible for doing at the actual wedding.  They were told were to start, how to walk, where to stand at the end of the aisle...all good stuff and they did awesome with their listening ears!  I do recall myself saying quite a few times over the course of the 5 days, "This weekend is going to be lots of fun for all of us!  However, this weekend is not about you.  You are here to support Uncle Andy and soon to be Aunt Nora.  If any adult asks you a question it is to be answered with a "yes ma'am / no ma'am or yes sir / no sir".  If someone asks to stand, sit, stop talking, etc. you are expected to do it.  No questions about it.  Got it!"  ...thankfully when they needed to be good, they were golden!

The rehearsal dinner was at Old Ebbit's Grill and was a lot of fun.  Andy gave a really great speech and many toasts were made by best men.






Andy and Nora gave all the kids in the wedding monogrammed backpacks.  I helped to fill them with a few things to keep them entertained.










And just a nice picture with Grandpa Dave


As much as I wanted to stay and go out after the rehearsal with the gang, I thought it in my best interest to go get a good nights rest.  The big day was less than 24 hours away!

*going to bed that night, Drew asked, "Is Nora going to wear that white thing that looks like tissue on her head tomorrow?"  Why yes, Drew, she is going to wearing a veil :)