handsful

Notice anything? No?

Does this help? I guess I was fortunate that it didn’t happen until child #5. She’s always loved using scissors and we’ve been careful to always explain “no clothes, and no hair!”. And, honestly, it isn’t so bad that I gasped or anything. It took us all a while to figure out that she’d actually done it. I’m thankful she didn’t go TOO short.

Here are a few random pics from our trip back to FL that I don’t think I posted…

Anne’s dog, Sassy, showing Lainey some love. That dog will lick you to death.

We jumped on the trampoline at Anne’s house. I look like I’m in pain for some reason…and, yes, I’m that un-tan.

Love this shot of her hair!

Sheer delight!

More shots of the Power Up Clubs…

Sometimes it’s dangerous to point a camera at Abbey. You never know what you might get.

Tater and Lainey at one of his clubs.

Lainey agrees (although with difficulty) to sit with Ethan during one of the group teaching times. She was EXTREMELY clingy with me that week, and I was only able to get her to “let loose” a few times at the clubs.

This shot of Marley kinda makes me laugh, she doesn’t look much bigger than some of the younger kids attending the club. :)

The home we’re renting is on Lake Norman in NC…our boat is docked right down from our house on a floating dock.  For however long we’re here, we’re enjoying it :) 

Backseat drivers. 

The girls usually have the front of the boat covered. 

Someone is having a good time :)

My patio tomato plant that I have high hopes for. 

I love plants…I think they make a home look more fresh, and alive.  I have a few treasured ones that I’ve had for years.  My 3 african violets are still constant bloomers.  I have a baby spider plant that my sister-in-law gave me and it’s sprouting new baby fronds all over. 

The christmas cactus that I *think* I got from my mother-in-law actually wasn’t doing well at our old house.  So, I took some of the healthier looking pieces and I’ve rooted them in 2 pots.  Hoping they survive (so far so good).  I had two other large plants, don’t know the name, but they’re extremely easy to root from clippings, so I currently have one growing crazy roots in water on my kitchen counter. 

I remember doing a whole post on this clover plant.  We had wild clover growing behind our last, last house (we were there from ’01-’04) and I pulled up some to pot.  It’s always done well, and seems to LOVE it here.  It’s busting out all over the place!  And, see the aloe plant?  I used to have a huge aloe plant in a pot, and it got so big that it was actually dying.  One day, I noticed a little new sprig growing in the side of the container.  So, I pitched the big one and potted the sprig.  :)

There are some lovely plants in the yard of our rental house.  I was surprised and delighted to realize that there were 2 gardenia bushes at the front door.  They smell SO amazing. 

Don’t know what this is, but the leaves looked so pretty right after a rain shower. 

Caught this blooming in the backyard.  No idea what it is, but it’s pretty. 

There are lots more flowers at our rental house, I’ll have to take a few more pictures. 

While we’re back in Jax visiting, my plan is to bring back some of my other plants that didn’t fit in the truck the first time.  My lemon tree, small palm tree, and my geraniums.  Having my plants, especially the ones I’ve had forever, makes me feel more at home.

This morning I got the call that my grandmother in NJ passed away.  She had been sick for almost a month, enduring at least 2 heart attacks and a stroke.  Her body had had enough, and she let go.  She was 89 years old. 

The last time I saw my grandmother was in 2006, when we all flew up to NJ for her 85th birthday.  The picture above is when she came down to NC in 1998, to see the triplets after they were born. 

Since I’ve not seen her very much in my adult years, most of my memories of her are from my childhood.  Specifically during the summers that my mom and I would spend a week in NJ with her.  Spending a week in her huge house (it seemed huge to me), and always going to the NJ shore, were highlights of my summers.  She…

* loved my southern accent and showed it off to her friends

* had a room in her house full of plants and a 2-way radio that my cousin and I would play with, talking to “unknown” people.  We felt very mysterious. 

* made the most amazing display of Christmas cookies you’ve ever seen.  The ones with the silver ball sprinkles looked too pretty to eat. 

* had old copies of Miss America books that I would pour over. 

* took us to the beach everytime we visited.  I loved walking with her as she used her metal detector.  At the end of the day, we’d change out of our bathing suits under the Ocean City boardwalk. 

* lived in an old neighborhood (this was the house my mom grew up in), and we could walk around the corner to Del-Buono’s bakery.  I can almost smell it now.  If you’re ever in Haddon Heights, check it out. 

* had a crazy, loud laugh and was always joking around.  She seemed to always have the attitude that troubles were just “water off a duck’s back” to her. 

That’s how I remember her.  And, always will.  Goodbye Grandmom B.

At least that’s what Jamie and Adam tell us everytime we sit down to watch one of our favorite family shows, MythBusters.  In case you’re not familiar, the show attempts to re-create common myths and folklore, judging them as confirmed, plausible, or busted!  It’s educational, and they seem to spend a lot of their time blowing things up…how can you go wrong? 

The myth that intrigued us this time was whether or not using profanity makes you more tolerant to pain.  They put their arms into bowls of ice water (that was the pain part!), and then timed how long they could keep their arms in without using swear words and then while using swear words.  We decided to re-create part of the test.  NO, not the swearing part! 

The kids were interested to see if they could keep their arms in ice water for the 3 minutes max that the mythbusters did.  Of course, Randy jumped in on this, too.  I wasn’t feeling too well that night, so I passed.  Plus, I hate being cold. 

Randy went first, and lasted the 3 minutes.  He said it was most definitely painful up to about 2 minutes, and then the pain leveled off some. 

Abbey timing him on her phone.  Lainey wondering why we’ve all lost our minds. 

Pain rising, must remain calm…

Payton was next, and was a little blown away by how cold it was!  He squirmed and wiggled and exclaimed the whole time.  His first try was 48 seconds.

Lainey had to play, too.  She lasted 22 seconds!

Marley’s time was 29 seconds.  No wonder she’s usually the first out of the pool. 

Ethan totally put on his game face and lasted the whole 3 minutes.  Have we ever mentioned he was competitive? 

Same with Abbey, 3 minutes.  Not sure if she’s competitive as much as she is stubborn…she wasn’t going to let her dad out-do her in something! 

On a second go-round, Payton got serious and lasted all 3 minutes.  Marley tried again too, but only made it 51 seconds.  The girl doesn’t like being cold!  (like her mama)  Lainey also went again, and went 39 seconds. 

It was a fun experiment (to watch!), and surprising how their personalities came out in their results.  And, we promise…no swearing took place!  :)

Some have asked for a few shots of the inside of the house.  I kept waiting till it was uncluttered and put together.  Who am I kidding?  Here’s the inside of the house…

Foyer, what you see when you walk in the front door.  That room upstairs is the master. 

Rooms to the right of the foyer…dining and living?  Very much not figured out yet. 

The foyer leads into the family room.  Randy watching the Braves…they’ve been crazy good lately! 

The family room then goes into the eating area and kitchen.  We got Payton a cartooning book at the homeschool conference, he draws constantly now.  Marley is working with Lainey on her new handwriting book.  She loves to copy and practice writing her letters now. 

The kitchen.  Abbey sneaking on my computer to check FB.  I really like the kitchen, but it’s small.  Can’t open the pots and pans cupboard if the dishwasher is open…can’t open the drawer with the pot holders if the oven is open.  :)  But, there’s tons of cabinet space and the pantry is bigger than my last one.  Can’t complain too much! 

That’s all I’ve got for now.  No shots of upstairs yet.  We are renting this home for the next 6-12 months, depending on (1) when we sell our FL house, and (2) when our travel for Dylan falls.  We are very thankful to be in such a nice house while we wait for more permanent things to fall into place.

Lights + water jumping in time to music + kids

= dancing!

the boys conduct the water orchestra…

while the girls dance and laugh.

Randy watches the show…wonder what he’s thinking?