5/07/2014

When the sun rises in the west...

We have only had a few tball games this season due to so many rainouts.  As in, I think they've only had 3 games... and there is only one more.  Rhodes isn't the easiest baby in the stands.  I think it has a whole lot to do with the fact he can see his daddy out there on the field and he can't be with him.  True torture!

Our sweet and precious buddy, Nora Grace (Noris Grace as Ryder calls her??) surprised him for one of his games.  If you will remember, she is the precious soul who accompanied us on our family beach trip last summer...and helped us...A LOT!!!

Not gonna lie.  I'm real anal about keeping a clean house.  I clean while the boys nap instead of just relaxing.  But lately, since it's been real pretty out, I'm no stranger to a beach chair, the sunshine and a good book.  Until the rascals wake up and take my spot!

This is such a typical Rhodes face when he says "ooowwwwww."  Ryder must've bonked him with the stick.

This right here... this is the life!!!

Real excited about our garden.  A couple families in our neighborhood have gone in together and planted a large and luscious garden full of goodies!  Now I'm just ready to see the fruit of their hard work... no pun intended.

Welp.  The time has come and I have entered the world of the 30's.  I hear it only gets better!  John Michael and I took a sweet little vacay just the two of us.  No better way to spend my 30th!  First stop was Fairhope, AL.  We had never been.

I thought it was a darling town.  However, it was a little too artsy for John Michael, I'm afraid.

After we wandered around a bit, he asked...."where are all the dudes!!!"  No kidding, it was seriously a town full of ladies!

We stopped by a fun bookstore downtown.  I got The Goldfinch because I just can't stop hearing about it.  It's nearly 800 pages.  I'm currently on somewhere around 735 and I'm still trying to figure out what all the rave is about.  John Michael picked a WW2 survivor book and also some kind of boring non-fiction business "let's be positive" book, he's a sucker for those.

The next morning we got up bright and early - 6 a.m. to be exact - and went for a jog down to the pier and back and had a tasty breakfast.  Then it was go time.  Beach bound.  Until five minutes down the road I realized I wasn't wearing my wedding rings... and they weren't in my jewelry bag.  Or any of my bags for that matter.  So, back to the hotel.  They were tucked safely underneath a wash rag by the sink.

Then.  Oh, then.  What's that saying?  When pigs fly?  When "heck" freezes over?  When the sun rises in the west? We pulled right on in to town and had a nice little lunch next to our place.  We couldn't get in for a couple more hours so John Michael suggested a pedicure.  For two!!!  Say what?  Yes.  I know it was my birthday and all, and he was totally trying to schmooze me all weekend.  But this?  This tops it all! All along I've known he'd always secretly wanted to get his feet rubbed and scratched and all that good stuff they do in the pedicure chair, who wouldn't?  But he would never do it in the great state of Mississippi!  Now I know what our new vacation go-to is!

There wasn't a cloud in sight the three days we were there.  Made for some delightful beach time!  We were happy vacationers.

Sunday morning I woke up to a new year.  30!  Started off with a game of tennis (6-3... me!) and then a big ole' breakfast at Flip Flops.

Mid-day we dropped by the Red Bar for some live music and lunch.  Can't not while in Seaside!

I was just trying to get a decent pic, but OK!

We had bikes the first half of the trip.  Of course I went with old faithful, the trike.  No muss, no fuss and best of all, no wrecks!  Lots of looks and sympathetic smiles, though!

But then, John Michael realized he had been missing out on the big secret... the scooter.  HAD to have it.

It was fine with me.  Shoooot.  And I thought the trike was easy!




We drove on over to Grayton, just a few miles down the road.  Shorty's was the choice for appetizers before dinner.  Lots of crazy locals there.  And one in particular who brings her bird everywhere she goes.  The poor bird even has a Facebook page.  And a business card.  I'm serious.  No, I did not friend request her like I said I would in order to have a picture made.

Bird's mama told me that it could bite a finger off, but that it wouldn't bite mine, no way.  Then she proceeded to feed it something equivalent to a small boulder and the bird bit right through it.  I gave her back immediately.

 We pulled out of our condo, or shall I say studio (because it was just one big room), at 7:15 a.m.  Sign of two parents who are dying to see their babies?  Ohhhh we missed them.  We were ready to come home two of the four nights in when we got a phone call from a hysterical Ryder who missed us badly.  But we fought through it.

Those curls though!


Ryder had his end of year school program where they sang lots of precious songs.  This is the grand entrance :)  Well, for some reason I thought they'd be wearing their school field trip shirts (which stay at school) so I let him pick out his own clothes, as I have been doing recently, because he asks to.  John Michael was quite embarrassed with his ensemble.  Kept asking me why he was wearing a tshirt with all the other kids were dressed up.  You see who cares about the important things in life!

After Ryder's crying episode while we were gone, we promised him we would bring him home a great prize.  This dried him up real quick!  Well on the way home we stopped by Dollar Tree and bought ten things, $10.  Can't beat it!  Ryder enjoys going down the hill and digging up bugs, worms, dirt, whatever he can find.  I knew this bug kit would be a winner!

Rhodes has figured out how he can finally make a goal.  Just knock the thing over!

These are the faces of two people who missed one another desperately!

And then Ryder spotted a turtle.  He used to have a large fear of creatures.  But one way or another, he has overcome that fear.  I catch him daily smashing spiders and picking up worms and all the little things boys love.

Naturally, I feared the snapper would come out and slice their fingers off.  But he was a good turtle.

John Michael tried to act like he wasn't worried about the snapper.  But he was real quick to monitor the situation!

Melt my heart 10x over.

Make that 20x over!
Gah.  I am blessed!

Two friends from church are adopting a special needs child from India.  We were able to go a fundraiser to help bring her home, "Art for Adoption."  I love the sweet art we took home, with lyrics from "Who You Are" by Kristian Stanfill.  And if you don't know the song, youtube it.  You will be blessed!

We wrapped up the night with some art of our own.  Bathtub art.  Keeps the kids entertained for a good while.  Winner.

The weekend came good and quick.  John Michael wanted to start it off good with a jog around the neighborhood.  Don't leave the boys out, now!

Stretch those legs.

Stretch those arms.

Few pushups.

Time to roll!

Ryder ran nearly a mile without stopping.  Has never run in his life.  He was beat red (get it from his mama) and I had to lure him into the golf cart with a cold juice box.  He didn't want to give up.  Finally, John Michael had to stop and get in to appease Ryder.  That boy is determined.  Love him so.

Well, there's my monthly update for ya!

No comments:

Post a Comment