Spring Break 2012

Why is it that the work weeks drag on and breaks fly by? I know time really does always fly by (just look at me--twenty-something years old with a 4.5 and 1.5 year old...how did that happen?). Anyway, here's a look at our Spring Break...

Monday I took the kids to daycare and did my version of "spring cleaning"...which mainly consisted of normal cleaning plus blinds, window sills, and baseboards. While I was busy cleaning Daddy sent a surprise home with instructions to feed it and give it water...after scraping up two heels of bread and a stale Krispy Kreme donut I kindly texted Justin and told him that when I said I could handle another mouth to feed this was not the kind I had in mind. However, I lost this battle 3-1, so I now introduce you to Dolly...

Tuesday we ran errands and then dropped Luke off at Mrs. Elizabeth's on our way to see Dr. Norby. He said Emma's teeth looked great and that her 6 year molars were already coming in!! He also said that it's possible she'll start losing baby teeth within the next 6 months to a year...really?!?!?! Didn't she just get her first tooth yesterday?! We went on a little lunch date to celebrate no cavities...

Wednesday morning we got up bright and early and headed to Gatlinburg for a little getaway. It's really a shame they didn't sleep like this the entire way...especially since Emma wanted to know "how much longer?" before we even got to the end of our road. About 2 hours out of Gatlinburg she loudly exclaimed that "if you can't hurry up and get there I'll just sleep the rest of the way!"...and she did. Poor us;) All in all they were pretty good little riders.

When we got checked into our room we decided to head downtown and take a look around (isn't that a line in a song?). We found an arcade to keep the kids busy before eating supper at Bubba Gump's...where we had to pay TAX on our tip!!

Emma checked out every nook and cranny of our condo, and she was enthralled by it all. Really...we could have just taken her on a tour of hotels and she would have been tickled! Her favorite thing was the sofa bed...

Thursday we had breakfast in the room before heading to the aquarium...

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

The kids are entranced by these in the picture above...

Fearless...she stuck her hand in a dark box to see what was

inside. Of course, it was just a fake fish but she didn't know that!

Laid Back...

I love this picture, because it has to depict what they were thinking...

something along the lines of "I thought we came here to look at fish!"

An attempt at a family pic...

After all that fish lookin' (and picture takin') we needed an ice cream:)

On our way out we had to stop and get pics with the bear...

Friday morning we headed to Cades Cove in search of wildlife, sadly we only saw these (which we could have seen in our yard) but we still had a good time enjoy God's beauty!

We stopped at the Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church

to try to get some pics of the kids. Here's how that went...

My personal fave...

At this point we were all hot, tired, and hungry so we left in search of food. While we were eating it began to rain, so we went to Pigeon Forge to look around. We ended up stopping at the Jurassic Park boat ride and another arcade...

That night Emma and her Daddy went up in the sky lift, while Luke and I kept our feet planted firmly on the ground (isn't that another song lyric?? I'm on a roll;). Really, I'm just a chicken...

Saturday morning we packed up and headed home...

On our way out we stopped at Three Bears General Store to see live bears. Although they weren't the bears we were hoping to see on this trip we enjoyed feeding and watching these guys...

We loaded back up, made a quick stop at Krispy Kreme (the hot donut sign was on and what kind of mother would I be if I deprived my children of that melt-in-your-mouth tooth decaying goodness;), and headed home. We had a great trip, and I'm already counting down to summer when we can do it again...only next time sand will be involved!

8 weeks...

Luke: 18 Months

Luke, you are eighteen months old!
(We spent your 18 month birthday at Cades Cove:)

Here's what you're up to these days...

• You weigh 26lbs. 13oz. (down 9oz. from last month and in the 50th percentile).
• You are 34 inches long (90th percentile).
• You are wearing some 12 and mostly 18 month clothes and size 6 diapers.
• Your sleep schedule has changed just a bit since we "sprung forward" and t-ball season has started...you have been going to sleep between 7 and 8PM. We wake you up at 6:30AM on weekdays, and you usually sleep until 8/8:30AM on weekends.
• Your naps have been sporatic. Sometimes you nap wonderfully, and sometimes it's a struggle. A few weeks ago I had to lay down with you to get you to nap (although you did sleep 2 hours:)...that is something you have never been interested in before.
• You are back on breathing treatments...pulmicort daily and albuterol when needed. Hopefully you'll grow out of this sooner rather than later.
• You are not a picky eater, but you aren't eating as much as you used to.
• You have some defining "marks" that I've been meaning to document...First, you have a dark brown freckle just below your left eyebrow. Second, you have two bumps on the right corner of your mouth from your stitches.
• You are a dare devil...and you are into. absolutely. everything. I don't think that statement can be fully appreciated to those who aren't around you much. I can't turn my head for a single second or you'll be into something. A few weeks ago Emma left a cup of tea on the table, and you proceeded to pour it over your head (like you do the water in the bathtub). You thought it was the funniest thing ever...me, not so much.
• You LOVE to go to the ball field...and of course, you are into everything there too (although your favorite thing seems to be picking up all the trash people have thrown down:/).
• You are a smart little guy. You are learning your body parts, and you love to show us (everybody) your "button" by lifting up your shirt. You usually proceed to rubbing your belly like a pregnant lady (too funny:).
• Your vocabulary is continuously growing. You repeat (or can repeat) most of what we say.
• You have 16 teeth that you love to brush!
• Luke Man -- I can't believe you are one and a half already. I fall more in love with you each day. Happy 18 months big guy!

A Day on the Farm

Yesterday we had a Ladies' Luncheon at church, so the kids hung out with Daddy for a while (a time which he refers to as "babysitting"). If the kids have anything at all in common with their daddy, it's their love for animals and the outdoors.

I often call Luke my "dare devil" and yesterday he confirmed that yet again. They were feeding cows and he had a pellet in his hand. A nearby cow stuck her tongue out and grabbed it from him. While most kids might be frightened by the 800+ pound animal, Luke proceeded to turn around and slap her in the face...yep, that's my boy...all boy!

Emma's no "scaredy cat" herself...

Daddy worked them so hard this boy couldn't even get

his clothes off and his diaper changed before passing out...

I'm thinking Daddy should "babysit" more often! ;)

Helllllooooooooooooo...

Spring Break!

The day I've been pining for has finally arrived. Here's to hoping the next week creeps by!

A few tidbits to get you through until next time...

Last night this bear "flew" up to the ceiling...

This afternoon "the daycare moms" threw a little shower for Mrs.

Brittney, who is expecting Baby Hayden in a few weeks.

Tonight MawMaw fried up this little jewel for supper...

On another note, as I type "The Old Gym" is being demolished. I've said before (and I'll say again) that I am thrilled at the opportunities CHSCC will provide for my children, but it does sadden me to think that this piece of history will only be a memory this time next week...a memory that Emma will possibly recollect, but Luke definitely will not.

The students were able to write on the walls before demolition...

Here's to You O' Lineville High...

Two-fer Tuesday

The boy making a fashion statement...

The girl making a statement of her own...

3 days until Spring Break:)