Bug Fest

We had heard about Bug Fest for a few years.  It is held over one weekend in downtown Raleigh once a year.  I figured that since Travis is kinda involved with bugs that we should give it a try.  It was not thrilling, but it was free.

The highlight was getting to see a mini horse up close (shout out to Jessie ;-) ).  

Soccer Season

It's soccer season again!  I really enjoy watching the kids play soccer.  This is Phoenix's first year playing.  He hasn't taken to it like I had hoped, but he is still young.  He spends a lot of time in la-la land.  

Phoenix and his best friend Ace were posing for this picture in the middle of the game (I did NOT ask them to), you can see their coach running over to tell them to get back into the game.

Phoenix's favorite time?  The end of the game when he get's a snack!

Audrey has really improved a lot this year, she is much more confident and she doesn't (always) run away from the ball.  There are a few kids on her team that are really good, her games are fun to watch!

Myrtle Beach

When Joanna was here it worked out that we got a free weekend at a Condo in Myrtle Beach (free as in, we got it if Travis treated it for pests).  My sister Leah flew out, and I am so glad that she did!  We rented a minivan (first timers).  I kinda loved it, and the kids definitely thought it was awesome!  Audrey even did a video tour of it on her leappad.  

Want the perfect tan at the beach?  SPF 50 will give it to you!  I reapply it after a few hours, and I never burn, but I get an awesome tan.  

There are several Friendly's down in Myrtle Beach, us yankees definitely wanted to hit it up for some tasty ice cream!

The weather was PERFECT!!!  Sunny and hot.  The water was a great temperature.  It really was an awesome beach trip.

Phoenix tried out surfing (in the kneeling position), he loved it!

Me and my sisters...

We were really looking forward to trying out Pirates Voyage after our fun experience at Medieval Times.  This was Joanna's and Leah's first dinner-and-a-show experience.  

The food was good, and the show was really great.  Everyone had a blast!  After the pirates dinner, we hit up Barefoot Landing and then the boardwalk.

I am a total sucker for some cotton candy.  It was the only thing that I cared about on the Board Walk.  It was so delicious!

Every night, we played games.  Our condo had an indoor pool and an outdoor pool, we would go swimming every time we got back from the beach.  It was the perfect beach trip, made better because two of my sisters were there.  

Phoenix's First Day of School

Phoenix has started his last year of preschool!  He was SO excited to go back to school!  By the time August hit, he was bored out of his mind staying at home with me.  He was in a different class than all of his friends from last year, but I am pretty sure I cared more than he did.  So far, he is doing great in school.  He knows almost all of his letters (thanks leapfrog!), and he is getting better at writing his name. 

Pullen Park with Jo

After the CA sisters trip, Joanna came back to NC with me for a few weeks.  She stayed with us at the beginning of the summer, and we were so happy to have her back.  One of the many things that we did when she was here was Pullen Park.  We had a picnic, then rode on the train and carousel, and then we got out of there (it was too hot that day to hang around).

Califoria Girls Trip

In late August (yes, I am behind once again) me and my four sisters got together for a long weekend in Cali, where my older sister lives.  She had a beautiful baby girl back in March, and most of us hadn't seen little Alexis yet.  

Alexis was about 5 months old.

She loves her bath time!!  This is Jessie, with Alexis.

And the bride-to-be (back in August anyway) Michelle...

 Joanna had her birthday in California, it was really fun to celebrate with her.  Jessie made a delicious chocolate cake (my Dad's recipe), I am still thinking about how good it was!

These two hijacked my camera and did a selfie photoshoot, I love this picture of them!

And here is Leah with the little lady! (the picture below, the above one is yours truly...in case you couldn't tell)

And here is all of us together..

Jessie and Brett bought a house and moved in July, so we got to see their new digs (very spacious and great layout!), and our new little niece.  We celebrated Joanna's 20th birthday, and we threw Michelle a small little wedding shower.  It was such a fun 5 days, and of course they went by way too fast.  

Trip to PA

Last week I decided to go up to PA with the kids, Travis had work, and Audrey had one week left of track out.  Her and Brighton only get about 5 weeks a year when they BOTH are out of school.  I told Audrey and Phoenix that they had to be really good in the car ride because I wouldn't be able to help them.  They were AWESOME!!

I also told Travis that I would take a lot of pictures.  I did not.  I did capture a few moments throughout our week though.

Phoenix and Addison pretended to be sleeping (but somehow the smiles are not too convincing).  

This was the FIRST and ONLY time that Audrey and Brighton played the ENTIRE time with each other!  It was so cute (but normally Addison gets Audrey to herself by day 2 or 3, so I think she was a little sad).  

The kids rode their bikes around the big driveway several times a day.  At one point all 3 of the older kids were chasing Phoenix around on bikes (he was riding a tricycle), and he yelled with great confidence "I am Phoenix Willy!" (pronounced "wooly"), it was so cute!!  

Poor Phoenix is old enough to want to be included, but not old enough for the big kids to want to include him.  It was kind of hilarious how Brighton treated him, one time Phoenix said something to Brighton and Brighton responded "I don't understand you, I don't speak Phoenix"!  Another time Brighton saw Phoenix using his blanket and he said "Well now, I guess I will have to wash my blanket!".  And another time I offered Brighton a box of raisins that Phoenix had barely touched and Brighton refused saying " I don't want them, Phoenix touched them with his hands!".  It is almost as if Brighton knew how unsanitary Phoenix actually is!  But I can't say I blame the kid, I shudder to think of all the stuff that Phoenix touches with his hands throughout the day!  

We had a great week, we went hiking, rode bikes, ate delicious food (compliments to Janae), our new niece (Clare) was born, we cuddled with the dogs, Phoenix went diarhhea in the neighbor's yard, we played at the park, the kids played video games.  It was chock full of fun!

Wait....what was that?  You want to know about Phoenix taking a dump on the neighbor's yard?  OK, OK!  It was evening, and I went outside to check on Phoenix.  He was walking up the sidewalk, and there was something juicy on his shorts.  Around the butt area.  I assumed he had an accident.  I took him inside (ever so carefully) and took off his shorts and undies.  Aside from a really big skid mark in his undies, there was nothing else there.  How did he get stuff on the outside of his shorts, but not the inside?  I asked Phoenix if he went poop,  "in the grass" was his answer.  I told Janae that it would be funny if it was in the neighbor's yard, and we both laughed.  Then I took Phoenix outside to show me where he went.  He ran straight down to the neighbor's house.  We couldn't ever find his...deposit, which was very annoying to him, but it was most definitely somewhere in their yard.  I told Phoenix that he could not poop in the grass, at first he didn't understand (because the kid knows no limits when it comes to peeing), but I think I talked some decency into him...maybe.  Who wants to invite us over to test it out??

It's LICE to meet you

Do you see where this is going??  Cue the "eww's" and "ugghh's"!  It happened.  

Last Monday we went to Marbles and then Audrey's friend invited her to go swimming.  As I was putting her to be that night, she said that her head was itching.  I told her that it was probably a mosquito bite.  The next night she mentioned that her head was still itchy.  I looked quickly at her hair and I didn't see anything.  On Wednesday morning when I was combing her hair I saw a tiny bug.  I told Audrey that she had lice, fully expecting a full blown freak out (because I totally would have if it was me), but she was actually really interested and not scared at all.  I left the kids with Travis and drove to CVS, I picked up some lice treatment stuff, and went back home to immediately begin treatment...on both kids.  Just to be safe.  

Audrey made a face for this picture, but she actually loved it.  Seriously, she LOVED it.  Phoenix wasn't as crazy about it, but he was fast (since he did not actually have lice).  

We had to cancel plans to go to the movies, and to go over to a friends house that day.  Audrey wasn't even phased.  We stayed home, played American Girl dolls (Kit also had lice that day also...), and watched some movies.  Audrey had a blast.  At the end of the day she said that she had the best day ever.  I am laughing as I am typing that, but it is true.  

Both me and Travis were mildly horrified (and totally grossed out) at the discovery of lice on our little girl, but she was not ashamed in the least.  As soon as I found lice on Audrey my whole body started itching, when I was at the pharmacy asking where the lice treatment stuff was I COULD NOT stop itching my head, the pharmacist must have been totally disgusted by me.  I (mostly) knew that it was just my imagination because I was not itchy at all before the lice discovery.  I spend the rest of the day getting random itches, but me, Travis, and Phoenix were spared.  

My friend told me that lice takes about 7 days on your head to start itching, so Audrey probably got it from school (year round school here).  Hopefully this is the ONLY time we have to deal with this!  The removal process wasn't that bad, but the thought...is totally gag worthy.

the Dentist

A few weeks ago Audrey had a dentist appointment.  So far she has a 100% crying record for crying at the Dentist...and the tradition continued.  The dentist looked up at me and said "she might have a little cavity developing"  It was over when she said "cavity".  Audrey burst into hardcore tears.  The dentist was taken aback by her...strong reaction, but she was so wonderful and comforting to Audrey.  She did recommend sealants, so we made an appointment, and today we went back.  Check up = bad.  Sealants = well...let me just tell you about it.

Audrey had a different dentist today (there are two women who share the practice) and this lady also mentioned the developing cavity.  Turn on the water works!  Audrey goes into the dentist on extreme edge, and the slightest upset will send her into a free fall.  The first sealant went fairly quickly, and then midway through the second one Audrey sat up, pulled everything out of her mouth, and spit everything out.  She was very upset, I was holding her hand the whole time, and then when Phoenix saw how much she was crying he held her hand to (aww!).  The hygienist grabbed the dentist back in to have extra support.  They finished the last two quickly, and they were very nice and gentle.

I am fairly certain that we will have to get the cavity filled next appointment...I don't even know how Audrey will handle that!  Poor girl.  I remember being slightly on edge at the dentist, but I was never close to tears.  She is just a sensitive and somewhat emotional little girl, but I love her just the way she is.

my little BOY

How should I say this?  Phoenix is...disgusting.  Ever since he was "potty trained" it has been even worse.  He used to put dirt in his mouth, occasionally mulch, I caught him licking the school cafeteria floor once, he touches every bug he can get his little fingers on (even the crusty dried up worms), and he really fights washing his hands.  And then we (I) potty trained him.  And a whole new world of gross opened up.  He discovered that he can pee anywhere!  Our front yard?  Of course!  The back deck?  Um..duh!  The neighbors yard when we are taking a walk?  You betcha!  All over the bathroom floor (because he intentionally missed)?  Why not?  Our basement stairs?  Totally!  He thinks it is "so cool" to make footprints in his pee puddles.  Eww!  And I cannot tell you how many times I have caught him playing with his...fecal matter...in the toilet.  Every time I catch him doing it, I scream!  You really cannot get more disgusting than that!  I keep waiting for all of my lectures about germs, and getting sick, and how yucky that is to sink in...but so far my attempts have been unsuccessful.  A few days ago I saw this quote that said "Boys are noise with dirt on them"...how true that is!  

Phoenix also has developed a softer side to him.  A "baby hungry" side.  Up until a few months ago he was fairly frightened of babies, which I thought was funny.  Then we went to a party for one of his friends who has twin sisters.  I held one of the girls the whole time, and Phoenix kept coming up and interacting with her (they were about 10 months old at the time), he even tried holding her (under my supervision of course).  When we were getting ready to leave, Travis asked if he wanted to take one of the babies home.  Phoenix said "Yes!  That one!" as he pointed to the one crawling over all of the cushions.  A few Sundays later I held one of the girls during church, Phoenix kept saying "Can we keep it?  It would be so funny!  It can sleep in my room!"  It was so adorable!  Towards the end he wanted to sit in my lap with her.  

I love my little bud.  He might have really gross habits, but he is a super sweet lil guy.