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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Hoops Star

NOTE: Yes, I am attempting to give the blog a mid-year make over only I'm in a huge fight with blogger right now! The width is giving me fits so bear with me as I try to work through my formatting issues.

During the month of July, Will participating in a basketball program run by Raleigh Parks and Rec called "Lil' Shooters".  He really loves basketball and plays in our driveway or inside on his Nerf goal constantly. He loved this 4 week session and was very upset when it was over. There were about 10 little kids in this program, ages 3-5. Will was probably the biggest and maybe even fastest, which was surprising.

From the jumping jacks they did during warm up to the jump ball before their games and then the shooting in the wrong baskets, everything was so fun to watch. Of course Will let everyone know when they were shooting in the wrong basket!
Jump ball

Driving to the basket

Lay up!


I'm open!

Hands up on defense

and the races...maybe the favorite part of the whole thing!


Avery spent a lot of time in the Community Center restroom. My girl loves a public restroom. YUCK!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Runway Model

I've been wanting to do this post for a while...and I'm glad I waited! Last night's attire was too much!

Long story short, Avery is quite opinionated about her clothing. For the most part, it is funny and brings sunshine to our days. Of course there are some "dark" moments too....like when she wants to wear shorts and a t-shirt to church and not one of her many smocked dresses.

I remember how upset I was when Will started caring about his outfits. He thinks brown pants and a brown shirt make the perfect outfit because brown "matches". Maybe giving him some control was easier because I feel like boys grow out of smocked and otherwise "girlie" clothing faster than girls do.

Here is a glimpse of some of Avery's fashion choices over the past few months, starting with last night's gem:
She and Will were playing "Spies"....not sure what she was trying to blend in as....
She loves my shoes and hair accessories

Her gangsta look

Christmas fun

New look: wearable bibs...always ready for a snack

Get in shape, girl

Friday, July 22, 2011

The Big 3-3!!

Last weekend was my birthday weekend. 33 big ones.  It was actually a great weekend, although I think I overscheduled us a bit. Oh well.  I worked that Friday and came in the door right at 5, only to put my swimsuit on and go right back out the door.  We had a good, but quick trip, to the pool that night. It was actually cool but still fun.  Will is really into jumping off the diving board and being thrown up into the air by dad. Gypsy Divers swim lessons were miraculous!!  A few PB&J’s later, we were back home for bath and bed time.
Saturday morning was so much fun. I hosted a 31 party for my good friend, Tiffany.  It was fun to have people from all the different aspects of my life there. Some knew me as Jayne, others as Janie and even a few Janie Beth’s. (ugh)  The party was a huge success and I am so thankful to all my friends for taking time out of their busy summer Saturday morning. 
Looking for Muddy the Mudcat
Saturday evening the family and I ventured back to the Dirty Kitty Cats. We had so much fun again. My parents went with us and it was nice to have an extra few laps for Avery to crawl in/over/out of. We actually had the exact same seats as last time.   Everyone had a great time….it really is good family entertainment. Cheap too, from a ticket standpoint (especially if you have a coupon). Not cheap after the cotton candy, ice cream and beer!!

Good news on the "Operation Mascot"....Avery actually hugged Muddy! So we're making some progress towards Disney!

Sweet Tooth x 2!

Cotton Candy Man
Sunday we skipped church and instead just played outside. It felt good. We go, go, go so much that sometimes we just have to STOP and enjoy our family and our lives. I am sure God understood on Sunday morning. During naps on Sunday, I did try and go spend some of my birthday money at DSW but couldn’t find a thing. So depressing!! Sunday night was my birthday dinner at Matt’s moms. Good food and great gifts!
A spring chick like me really can’t ask for much more for her birthday! Well, except for shoes, but there is still birthday money left!!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

From NICU stars to television stars......

Happy Birthday, Austin, Currin and Lee!

Or as they are known in my house (courtesy of Avery), Awesome, Turrin, and Weepfrog....

Happy Very First Birthday to my favorite set of triplets. I love you all just like you are my own and wish every day I got to see you more. You three have had a remarkable year and I am so happy to see you ALL healthy, happy and thriving.  I am so proud of your parents for how they handled this tough year and I am glad to call you all "family".

You've come along way, babies!!!

photo courtesy of http://multiplemclambs.blogspot.com/

 Aunt Janie loves you!!! Can't wait to celebrate with you in a few weeks!!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Queen of the Throne

I never dreamed I would be writing this post so soon. Never ever. Never ever ever. And I have even waited long enough to make sure it was for real as to not jinx the situation. Drum roll please........ Avery is potty trained!

After such a long, drawn out ordeal with Will, Avery pretty much trained herself in less than 2 weeks. Just goes to show that each child is different. Of course I think having an awesome big brother as a role model helped the situation too. He has been quite the cheerleader and the chief jelly bean dispenser (her treat for when she goes).

We took her to Target this weekend and let her pick out her "potty surprise" as a reward for giving us the "diaper raise."  She picked out the dog-loving Barbie. Fitting to the situation, when you give one of the little puppies water, it immediately "goes potty." Lovely. At least it is just water and it is small!!!


Way to go, Avery!!! We are all sooooo very proud of you!

On a funny note, she says that Barbie is wearing "apple bottom jeans".  Aunt J, I know you love that!!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Dirty Kitty Cats

A few weeks ago, we made the trek to Zebulon to go to a Carolina Mudcats AA baseball game. We had SO. MUCH. FUN. Seriously, it was such the perfect evening I've told Matthew we can never go again because there is no way it will live up to the expectations I now have!

I had been talking the event up to the kids for a few weeks. Avery, who just adores cats, has been so excited and tickled that we were going to see the "dirty kitty cats."  Which is what she thinks a Mudcat it!



We went on a Saturday evening, so the game started a little earlier and we could stay a little later.  We had great seats and a wonderful breeze blowing on us. Just perfect. The kids got to see Muddy, but man was Avery scared. Since we are planning a trip to Disney in the spring, we are officially about to embark on "Mascot Boot Camp" so she will not be afraid of all the characters at Disney! Every event that has a mascot, we are there!

Some funny things that were said at the game:
-In response to me mentioning ti Wll that we would have to leave soon because it was already past Avery's bedtime: "Well, I'm glad Avery is having fun so she won't be cranky."

-As she was using the bathroom for the umpteenth time: "Muddy is going to be SO PROUD of me for going pee-pee."

Will also wore his NCSU basketball uniform, b/c that was appropriate for a Carolina Mudcats baseball game, don't ya think!!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Happy Birthday, America!!

The Fourth of July is a great holiday simply because it is in the summer and we are lucky enough to have ready access to the beach. I have many, many fond memories of the 4th over at Shackleford, eating pig and staying over until late in the evening to watch the fireworks shows on the mainland. While things have changed a bit over the years, water is still a big part of our celebration.

The children and I started the weekend off by baking some festive cupcakes after we got home from school on Thursday. I managed to bake these as well as make so yummy teriyaki pork chops for dinner! We baked the cupcakes before dinner, let them cool while we ate and then they were ready for icing.  Of course Avery and Will helped.
Watching TV while the cupcakes bake


Can you guess which one Avery iced?
Avery spent the entire time icing one cupcake. Probably had something to do with her licking the knife every 10 seconds. Then she eventually managed to break off a piece of her cupcake and gobbled that up. Will spent a good 5 mins upset b/c I had given him a "real" knife to use.  I actually thought the icing on his cupcakes was really artistic and looked like fireworks!
Will's "firecracker" cupcakes are the bottom right 3
Friday afternoon, after short work and school days, we hit the road for the coast. Us and about 10,000 other people. We had quite a bit of traffic getting out of Raleigh, but once we got on the road, the trip, traffic wise at least, wasn't bad at all. Now, traveling with a newly potty-trained 2 year old is a different story. I bet we stopped 10 times on the way down, which wouldn't be so bad if she would just GO once you stopped. But no, she has to touch everything in the back of the car and wave to cars passing by, etc....  Each stop was a good 5-10 minutes.  Thank goodness Matt's mom had the girls because they would have for sure, well Stella, been hit by a car. They don't sit well in a car on the side of the road with the back doors open. Stella has escaped onto the highway I think once, maybe twice, before and it is just a bad situation no matter which way you look at it. 

So a side story about our trip. Because of the long trip down (over 4 hours!!!) we were still an hour outside of Beaufort around our normal dinner time. We pulled into one of the last fast food restaurants we would pass...a Burger King. Now, I normally don't eat at Burger King. In fact, I can't even tell you the last time I ate at one...maybe the day we closed on our first house over 9 years ago?!?!?  We didn't have much time between the closing and the inspection and it was one of our only options. Anyway, Will is in love. In love. With Burger King. Yes. "They're cheeseburgers are hot...just the way I like them."  And so forth and so on. GG Jane loves Burger King too....so I think he must have gotten it from her!


We headed out in the boat on Saturday morning, not really knowing what the day would hold. Growing up, we always went to Shackleford but it has gotten so crowded and shelly, there really isn't a good place for the kids to play. This year we went to Cape Lookout with my brother and his in-laws. One of my sister-in-law's coworkers went as well and she had 2 kids exactly Will and Avery's ages, so that was a lot of fun.  We grilled out, played volleyball, kayaked and got pulled behind the boat on a big innertube. Will ABSOLUTELY loved this last part. Everyone was so surprised. Bless his heart for once he decided to listen. So when he was told "don't let go", he took it literally. As in the tube is upside down and/or bouncing across the water with everyone else already fallen off and he's still holding on!!  I unfortunately didn't get a good picture of him on the tube. I had to stay on shore b/c a certain little mermaid had fallen asleep on my chest. I did eventually move her to a raft when I thought my ribs were going to crush one by one, but I stayed close by so she wouldn't wake up and be scared.
sleep doesn't get much better than this

Sunday was such a treat. My mom's side of the family had a little mini-reunion of sorts. It was a surprise for my grandmother, although she wasn't feeling great that day but I'm sure she will enjoy the memory of it all. One of my mom's brothers rented a beach house on Emerald Isle and brought his daughters, who live in Massachusetts, and their families down. My cousins from SC as well as my brother came too. The only thing missing was one of my cousins and her kids. They moved out of state last weekend and were unable to make it.  It was so fun to hang out and see everyone. I have only seen my cousins in MA maybe 3 or 4 times in the last 25 years or so. Crazy.  Between Jane's 5 grandchildren that were there, we had 9 of the 11 great-grandchildren there!! And so many of them are very, very close in age. It was a blast.



the guest of honor

somebody enjoyed their cupcake!


Jane and her 3 children
Jane and 5 of her 6 grandchildren
Jane and 9 of her 11 great-grandchildren
Ironically, Will and Avery were terrified of the ocean. Sure they are in the water all the time, but in Beaufort, we are always sound side. Will has been in the ocean before, but he was very small and it has been probably 2 years since he was in it. Avery has never seen/been in the waves.  They were scared and actually didn't have very much fun at first. All I kept thinking was I was so glad I wasn't at the beach for a week with them b/c man, it was misery. They did occupy themselves in the sand for a while but about every 10 mins or so, one of them would ask to go back to Nana and Pops' water. I was feeling the same way b/c I don't love the strong waves either!!




On the way back into town on Sunday night, we stopped by Uncle Gray and Aunt Greta's house for a few minutes. They were having a 4th (ok 3rd) of July cookout. After that, we had to swing by Mimi's house to scoop up our girls!!

On Monday, the 4th, we had a fun morning of going to Lowe's and riding the tractor (and picking up Uncle Gray's gift) and then lunch on the picnic tables at Char-Grill. After 3+ hour naps from the troops, we headed to Paw Paw's house for Uncle Gray's birthday party.
Happy 4th of July!!!

Telling Uncle Gray about his birthday greetings drawing

Giving the birthday boy a kiss

Food time!

HUGE beetle that crashed the party!


Happy 4th of July!!