Hilton Head Island 2011

We had another fantastic time at Hilton Head in July. As usual, our routine was breakfast, bike, beach, pool, lunch, rest, beach, pool, bike to dinner, crash.... rinse and repeat 3 or 4 times with only a little variation. This was the first summer that we've had 4 full fledged swimmers on our hands, so that made everything "way more fun". For the first time ever, we spent one morning playing putt-putt. Whew, that was exhausting! Another first was the girls actively trying to make friends with other kids we met on the beach and at the pool ... also great fun! They found lots of little girls and even several little boys that didn't mind being friends with a whole gaggle of sisters. Scott helped each of the girls take turns learning to ride on the boogie board. Ella became quite good at it, and after making a new friend one day tried to ride off into the sunset with her new friend on the board. That was a completely new nerve wracking experience for this mama who is used to having her girls hover very nearby at all times!

On this trip the girls became very eager to ride their own bikes... guess those carriers are getting a little bit cramped! So we told them that when they learned to ride without training wheels they could bring their bikes and not ride in the carriers anymore. Guess what? The minute we got home we removed them and within a week all four of our kiddos were riding their bikes sans training wheels!! Perhaps those should be the next pictures I post?!?

Weekend at the Beach

We spent a lovely weekend at the beach with Nanny, Mimi, Kari, and aunts and cousins. It was a great way to spend our time while waiting for Scott to return to the US. The countdown is on...

Weekend Getaway

Scott and I were blessed to be able to go to Hilton Head this past weekend for a Strong Bonds marriage conference sponsored by the ARMY Reserves. It was great to get away with just him.

The 5 hour drive there and back was wonderful because we were able to chat and listen to the radio and just drive without having to stop every hour for someone to use the potty. We also reveled in the fact that we didn't have Dora singing away in the background!

We learned quite a bit in the sessions, but best of all was the free time we had. We enjoyed 2 wonderful date nights including seafood, Japanese food, and a long browse in a bookstore. I even got to do my running out on the beach Saturday afternoon!

Overall we had a fabulous time, and I think we'll try to make a habit of attending some kind of marriage retreat every couple of years. It is always a good idea to invest in the things that are most important!!

We came home Sunday evening to four silly, silly girls who might have missed us... just a little bit. Thanks Kay, Mimi, Donna, and Kelli for taking great care of them.

Our being away meant that instead of getting 12 hours of sleep at night, the girls only got 9 or 10 hours. So it took a couple of days after we returned to get them all caught back up. Monday they were in bed by 6:30 and didn't get up until close to 8am on Tuesday! To say they were worn out by their weekend of fun was an understatement, but things are about "normal" again here.... if you can call this normal!

Play Date

We had a great time visiting with Lawson, Jessica, James, Luke, and Mr. & Mrs. B over the holidays. Ella and James were fast friends. Maggie, Kate, Sarah, and Luke tolerated each other the way 2 and 3 year olds tend to do when no one is on familiar ground. We adults were able to have entire conversations without much interruption.... which was a stark contrast to the last time we were able to all get together.

We had holiday play dates with several other buddies planned that never took place because the girls were all sick, but hopefully the cold germs are on their way out and we'll be able to reschedule soon!

Ella and Her Daddy

While the little girls and I were in Memphis, Ella and her dad had quite a large time. She stayed behind in order to not miss preschool class picture day, and because I wasn't sure I could manage 3 in the airport much less 4.

They did some local sight seeing and hiking and even sneaked in a quick visit with Scott's grandparents who were themselves traveling around our part of the state.

The did a little baking... cookies mostly, I think.

... and by her choice Ella slept in a tent in the living room the entire time.

She was glad for the girls and I to be back home, but I know she had a fabulous time having Daddy all to herself!

First Trip to Memphis

Another major trip of note from the month of October was Maggie, Kate, and Sarah's first ride in an airplane. Not just any trip in an airplane.... I took the three of them from Atlanta to Memphis and back to visit aunt Kari, BY MYSELF, flying standby no less! I was a bit worried how things would go, but they were great! I actually came away from the experience feeling like standby travel with 3 three year olds (well, at least these three) is completely do-able.

The girls each carried their own back packs, and I limited my bags to a single backpack as well. On the way there we sat across the very back row. Maggie, Kate, and Sarah carried their lovies in their bags and even got to use their pacis for the trip. I had some backup candy stowed away as well.
On the return flight we were in the row behind the business class. I was worried, but for no reason. On both flights the people around us were very complimentary and raved about how much fun the girls were to listen to and how well behaved they were.

*** disgusting mommy bragging ends now**

Once we arrived in Memphis we got straight to the fun stuff! Aunt Kari had collected a bunch of play dough and sidewalk chalk. We played in the yard with Zoe and Lila for hours and hours and got all caught up with Kari.

The sleeping arrangements were a little unconventional. On the first night the girls hogged the full sized bed, 3/4 of the corners at least. Then after spending that night on the couch crushed under the weight of Zoe, I squeezed myself in there with Maggie, Kate, and Sarah the next night.

We took the mandatory trip to the Pee-Potty Hotel (the Peabody) to watch the ducks make their march into the fountain.

We helped Aunt Kari and Uncle James pick out pumpkins for carving with their friends.

Aside from generally spending time with Kari and James and the dogs, the girls had a definite favorite part.... Kari's shoe closets! Maggie, Kate, and Sarah played for hours and hours uninterrupted with her bazillions of pairs of shoes. Come to think of it, I really should invest in tons more shoes for myself if it will bring the same level of contentment, enjoyment, and free time for me here at home!

For our last bit of fun, the girls got to paint pumpkins in the kitchen the evening before we left. It was the messy kind of fun that we don't often indulge in here at home. Maggie, Kate, and Sarah all had a blast!

Thanks a million Kari and James for being such great hosts and allowing us to invade for a couple of days just to see if we were capable of such travels. As long as we haven't worn out our welcome, we'll certainly be back!!

Disney or Bust!

If we had stuck with our original vacation plans, Scott and I would be on a big boat in the middle of the Caribbean right now celebrating 10 years of marriage. Instead, we just arrived home from a fabulous date night Willie Nelson concert and are looking forward to 5 days in Disney World celebrating four beautiful little people with whom God has so richly blessed us! Look out Mickey here we come...

Little Girl Excitement

Scott and I have plans to take Ella with us to a wedding in the middle of October. She is absolutely thrilled. The wedding will be the first one she's been to (that she remembers, sorry Kim and Dusty), but more than that she's looking forward to a trip alone with both Mom and Dad.

Her only disappointment with our plans thus far came when she realized we are not planning to travel there via airplane or "great big boat". I'm now trying to convince her of the merits of a simple road trip.... guess she was spoiled on her last Mom, Dad, and Ella outing since we spent the week in Hawaii!

We've discussed both our trip and weddings in general a ridiculous amount over the last few days, and just the other night we had a conversation that went like this:

Ella: "Mom, do you think the beautiful bride will be wearing white for the wedding?"
MB: "I guess so honey, but we'll just have to wait and see."
Ella: "Well, do you suppose the broom will wear white.... ooooh, will he cover his face with one of those thing-ys too?!?"
MB: giggling at her calling the groom a broom "No, the groom will most likely not be dressed in white and he'll definitely not have a veil over his face."


As it turns out the groom is a Naval officer, so he very well may be dressed in white. I don't think Ella has ever seen her Daddy in his handsome dress blues, but I am looking forward to being one of the two ladies on his arm that evening... every bit as excited as our sweet little Ella!

Summer Goodness: Trip to the Zoo

Pop Gary and Ms. Penny took our crew to see the animals at the zoo as part of our summer time fun this past month. The girls were almost 3 before they saw their first caged, not pastured, animal. I am most to blame for their tardiness. I don't generally like zoos. I haven't been to this particular zoo since I was in 5th grade, and things had definitely changed for the better!

I think the girls' favorite spots were the reptile house, ewww gross, I know, and the panda bears... as evidenced by the majority of these pictures. Ella was fascinated by watching one of the big snakes eat his furry rabbit for lunch, but this momma didn't have the stomach to watch, much less take pictures.

Once again, I've managed to get these photos uploaded in a wonky order, and I'm finding it to be too much trouble to change them around on my laptop. So, this will have to do for now.

Another favorite zoo destination was the playground. I was too busy playing to take pictures, but I think I've got a few cute videos to upload from that portion of our day. Perhaps once school starts back I'll be keeping up and can manage to get photos and video uploaded and into the appropriate posts... until then keep enjoying what's left of the summer!