Summer 2012

So, what awaits us this summer?  My goodness, I don't even really know where to start.  To start with, I'm only working 6 days in June and 4 days in July.  I work 16 hour shifts for the most part, so I never work more than 3 days a week to start with.  Combine that with asking for lots of PTO these next two months, and Momma is on VACAY!!!  I was originally gonna send all three kiddos to "Summer Fun" at preschool/church, which is a six week, two day a week, program.  I decided to forgo that in favor of some traveling, and just keeping them home with me.  I'll be honest here, I just don't know how other Moms survive working five days a week, and sending their kids to day care for five days a week, 8-9 hours a day.  We all most certainly do what we have to do, and I'm so happy my family circumstances allow me many days at home.  We have many big changes occurring at work-- thanks to a newly hired consulting firm, who is going to help us become more efficient.  Their changes will probably be getting rid of my loved 16 hour shifts, so I'm not sure what I'll do with my schedule come October.  I guess we'll evaluate when we get there!

The first bit of summer fun includes season passes to Carowinds!!  The kids love it, and the water park opens this weekend.  We are headed there tomorrow and can't wait.  I can't wait to take Tessa down the slides!  The boys loved them last year, and I know it will only be better this now that they are a little older.

We are focusing on letters and phonics this summer, and it's already quite humorous.  Everyone is learning to spell and write their names, and it's cute to see them mix up all three kids letters.  Like Tessa will start T-E......then switch to A-K-E.  Um, No.  Close, but no dice.  I hope to have them all set with letter recognition by the time school starts up again in September, and then we'll move on to sight words.

Next week brings our first trip of the year to Buffalo, and we are all so excited!  For many reasons!  We are excited to see all of Eric's family, and I'm excited for Tessa to meet everyone that she hasn't yet.  Drake, on the other hand, is just excited to see Oma.  All he keeps talking about is her cookies.  And her giving him cookies.  And her making cookies.  Cookies, cookies, cookies.  What's so funny is he doesn't get anymore cookies from her than he does anyone else, but he is certainly focused on that right now.  I'm excited for my three to have some quality time with their cousins!  There are seven grandkids, and the older they get, the more fun they are!  We are having pictures done of ALL of them this trip, so we'll "see" how that turns out.  Hilarious I'm sure!  I'm ready for some good girl time and chatting with my SIL's, and I consider myself blessed to have both a mother-in-law, and two SIL's that I love.  I recognize from hearing friends talk that not everyone is blessed with a MIL like mine.  We'll be spending some time this trip planning for our next one in July.  Why, you ask?  Because we are having Oma a BIG 60th Birthday luau!  It's been so much fun planning it!

We also plan to spend LOTS of time this summer down in Florence, at Grandma and Grandpa's POOL!  These three stinkers are turning into little fish, so I know it'll just get better as the summer continues.  We also have a long weekend planned to my parents cabin in the mountains.  Tweetise Railroad, hiking, and river tubing----here we come!!!  At some point, we have to get these three down to the beach for awhile.  I know they will love it.  Although, I said that last year, and they just wanted to go to the flippin' park everyday.  As if we don't live a five minute walk from one.  I mean come on!!!

That is a brief glimpse into some of our summer fun, and I hope to keep up with the blog and pictures.  The rest of the year is pretty open, but we do know we have Disney in November!  We already having dining reservations made, and we got the coveted dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table in the castle.  Tessa and I will have a big time, and hopefully her brothers will too.

Spring Break Part II

Our third day in Charleston was an early one, because we had to be over at the Isle of Palms Marina by 8:45am.  We were going out with a company called Nature Tours of Charleston, for a boat-ride-wildlife-tour-day-of-fun.  It ended up being overcast and a little chilly/breezy, but luckily I had the kids some light jackets in our back pack.  They loved the boat, and the tour guide brought her dog.  So, it was a hit from the start.

The kids all had new sunglasses, but we ended up not even needing them.

 I'm sure these two were up to no good.

 Tessa kept Grandma on her toes!  I love that Tessa has already figured out that Grandma is a pretty special person.  She may not know the word Grandma perfectly, but she is getting it!

 The boat had lots of skulls and animal bits on it.

 I can only imagine what he was telling her...

 Pelican?  I can't even remember.  The boat ride took us out in the marshes, and over to Capers Island.

 This was Tessa's first time on a beach.  I can't wait to take her in June when we can stay longer than an hour, and it's WARM!

 She LOVES to 1-2-3 JUMP!

 Investigating whatever lived in the hole

 Jelly fish!

And then my camera battery died.  Oops.  It was truly a great tour to take, and I highly recommend it for families.  Especially if you have kids that would be into the wildlife stuff.  We saw lot of dolphins, and they even stopped a time or two to pull up crab traps for a science lesson.  Maybe we'll get back next year!

Spring Break 2012 Part I

We decided to head down to Charleston for Spring Break this year, just for a few days.  We originally were just going to head down to Myrtle Beach, but then found out our favorite Florence photographer was going to be doing Charleston sessions.  (Collin Smith if you're wondering)  So, change of plan!  We got down to Charleston Sunday afternoon after an atrocious car ride.  Our pictures were at 4, and it was NOT looking good with the mood my kids were in.  Somehow, we got the photos done, and somehow, Collin once again got amazing photos.  (Will share those another post).  But then, the fun started!!!  We loved our hotel, and I've stayed there twice before.  The first was for my Bachelorette party, and then again for my close friend's Bachelorette party.  Needless to say, this trip was a little different.  The hotel is on a river/marina, and so pretty.  The pool was too chilly for me, and even the kids preferred the hot tub.  Luckily it wasn't too high of a temp for them to get in.  Here are some photos from the fun at the pool!

The next morning we were all up and off to the aquarium.  See their Easter shirts again?  It was a week before Easter, and we got some good use out of those shirts!  I like to dress all three in the same color when we are going out in a busy public place.  It's just so much easier to keep track of them when I know what color to look for!

Again, her first aquarium trip I'm sure.  I love getting to see her experiencing all of these firsts.

These three little birdies didn't like the nest!

There favorite part of the aquarium?  A viewing deck where we could watch boats come and go.  Of course!

Cooper River bridge.  I plan to run it next year!

We finally just decided to sit for a while and enjoy the boats coming and going.

Cutest little Sperry's I've ever seen.

Drake loved the touch tank.  The other two weren't so into it.

After the aquarium we got everyone down for naps, and headed to the pool to......meet GRANDMA  and GRANDPA!!!  Oh my were these three happy kids.

 After some fun in the sun, we decided to head a few blocks over to the Battery and Market.  We had dinner over at the Market, and then decided to let the kids burn off a little more energy at the Battery.  Great decision!

Tessa got Grandpa to help her climb the tree.

 And then Eli wanted in on the fun.

 Can't forget big brother!

 And next thing ya know...

 You see this?  This is why we pay for family portraits.

 They all loved climbing on the cannons.

 What's that?

 We called the dolphins, but maybe they were porpoises?  Are they the same?  Different?  I have no idea.

 Rainbow row approaching

 Somehow came up with this amazing photo of my littlest little.
(edited obviously)

 And this is straight out of the camera.  Guess that photography class paid off.   I just love this photo.

 More cannon climbing!

 I love the bond these two have.  I'm not sure what Grandpa was telling him

 Chasing squirrels!

You will have to wait for Part II, b/c Eli is finally asleep.  If you are wondering how I'm getting so much more blogging done, there are two reasons.  One, I bring my computer into Eli's bed and lay with him until he's asleep.  And sometimes it takes awhile.  Two, blogger finally has an app that is on my iPhone, so I can do short little blurbs from there.  Love it!