Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Cool Club
Ellie started a "Cool Club" last year. About once every month or so, she gathers her club members together for a meeting. We always know it's coming when we begin to see signs hanging in every doorway advertising for all club members to come and sign up. Each member gets a pass with a secret code. You must come with a photo ID and your secret code and slide it under the door, then do the secret knock before you're allowed entrance. Ellie goes into extensive preparation setting up games and snacks prior to each meeting. Last night Keith, Emma and I were allowed entrance. Our games included Jumping Monkeys, Memory, then we had a staring contest, ate some icecream, and went for a walk. Today Alex, Drew, Nick, Elizabeth, Emma, and Julia got to participate. They had a race, ate icepops, and played Pictionary.
PCB with the Nicholson's - Keith's family
We just got back from our home away from home... Panama City Beach! We went down with my mother and father-in-law and sister and brother-in-law and their daughter Kaylen. What a great week! The Nicholson's have a condo there. We've been going there for so many years that it's become like a second home to us. Since so many of us went down at once, we needed two condos. Keith's parents rented the second condo for the week. I felt bad bumping them out of their own condo, but they would have it no other way... they are generous beyond measure.
We just missed the oil. In fact, the day we were leaving, the oil was beginning to hit the beaches there. We relaxed all week. In the mornings we'd go out to the pool. Then before noon, we'd go in and have lunch, play cards, read, build forts... anything to get out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. Then we'd make a grocery run for all the ingredients for Kaylen to cook for us. That doesn't even sound right... maybe I should say, 'to create a masterpiece for us'. My niece is on her way to becoming a top chef. She will be going off to a culinary college in the fall. When that girl gets in the kitchen she creates magic. Zip-Zap-Voila, and our dinner was served! One week of that and my family is spoiled... they'll never appreciate my cooking again. After dinner we'd go for a walk on the beach or an evening swim and then put the kids to bed and watch a movie (or Kaylen's favorite show "Man vs. Food").
We just missed the oil. In fact, the day we were leaving, the oil was beginning to hit the beaches there. We relaxed all week. In the mornings we'd go out to the pool. Then before noon, we'd go in and have lunch, play cards, read, build forts... anything to get out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. Then we'd make a grocery run for all the ingredients for Kaylen to cook for us. That doesn't even sound right... maybe I should say, 'to create a masterpiece for us'. My niece is on her way to becoming a top chef. She will be going off to a culinary college in the fall. When that girl gets in the kitchen she creates magic. Zip-Zap-Voila, and our dinner was served! One week of that and my family is spoiled... they'll never appreciate my cooking again. After dinner we'd go for a walk on the beach or an evening swim and then put the kids to bed and watch a movie (or Kaylen's favorite show "Man vs. Food").
Monday, June 21, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Zinn's visit
Today my dear friend Cathie Zinn brought 1/2 of her children by for a visit. We've known the Zinn's for years... back when they had 1 child. Now they have 6!!! They moved out to Athens around the same time we moved here (about 6 years ago). Now they live in Gwinnett. We miss them living right up the street!
Today we took all the kids to the pool. I got in with Ray (3 yrs), took his floaties off and asked him to swim to me. He is a wild man and absolutely adorable. He has no fear at all! He can't hear, but has no trouble communicating exactly what he wants. He's so smart and has a precious sense of humor. I sign a little and by the end of the day Ellie and Emma were even signing to him. I think we bonded when we started squirting each other with water guns. When we came back to the house and were having a snack, I offered Ray some cherries. He put his hand up and closed his eyes and scrunched up his little nose. That would be a YUK to the cherries. All the kid's were playing in the girls' room and Ray decided to be the doctor and I was his patient. He even wore the doctor's cap and mask.
Hannah played doctor with us too. She is a few years older than him. She's such a tough little thing. She's into karate and will absolutely not wear girly dresses or play with dolls. She's a little shy and I've been trying to get her to let me love on her for a few years now. I think I scored some points with her when I took her swimming in the deep end. She's just learning to swim, but has such a strong will that she swam all the way across the deepend coming up for air when she needed to, but not even grabbing for me or the side once! I think she even surprised herself.
Madison is the oldest of the three. She'll be 9 soon. She is the gymnastics queen. She's got talent oozing out her ears and is so smart. She's also taking Chinese dance. Her and Ellie got on the computer and played a few games. Before we knew it time ran out and the day ended way too quickly. I already miss them!
Today we took all the kids to the pool. I got in with Ray (3 yrs), took his floaties off and asked him to swim to me. He is a wild man and absolutely adorable. He has no fear at all! He can't hear, but has no trouble communicating exactly what he wants. He's so smart and has a precious sense of humor. I sign a little and by the end of the day Ellie and Emma were even signing to him. I think we bonded when we started squirting each other with water guns. When we came back to the house and were having a snack, I offered Ray some cherries. He put his hand up and closed his eyes and scrunched up his little nose. That would be a YUK to the cherries. All the kid's were playing in the girls' room and Ray decided to be the doctor and I was his patient. He even wore the doctor's cap and mask.
Hannah played doctor with us too. She is a few years older than him. She's such a tough little thing. She's into karate and will absolutely not wear girly dresses or play with dolls. She's a little shy and I've been trying to get her to let me love on her for a few years now. I think I scored some points with her when I took her swimming in the deep end. She's just learning to swim, but has such a strong will that she swam all the way across the deepend coming up for air when she needed to, but not even grabbing for me or the side once! I think she even surprised herself.
Madison is the oldest of the three. She'll be 9 soon. She is the gymnastics queen. She's got talent oozing out her ears and is so smart. She's also taking Chinese dance. Her and Ellie got on the computer and played a few games. Before we knew it time ran out and the day ended way too quickly. I already miss them!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
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