Where's mommy

So, I was talking to my Dad on the phone the other day and the girls were watching SpongeBob. I wanted to talk to him about something that I really didn't want to girls to hear - nothing horrible, just not for little ears -so I walked out onto the front porch and continued my conversation. After a couple of minutes, I heard the girls call me, so I finished up my conversation and walked back inside. No girls. Where did they go? I called them. No answer. I checked the garage (which was open). No girls. I went back inside, thinking they might be hiding from me. Called them with that serious, 'you'd better answer me NOW!' voice. No answer. I looked out back. No girls. Checked Grandmom's room. No girls. Now where could they be? From the time they called me until I came back inside wasn't even a minute. Hmmm. What would they do? They'd go looking for me. So, back out the garage to start the search and here they come out of my next door neighbor's house.

Evidently, they called me once and headed straight to Ms. Ruth's house. The told them they couldn't find me! Luckily, Ms. Ruth's mother knows me better than that, and she was pretty sure I was home. The therapist they had there doesn't know me and she was alarmed! I was actually amused that they had left as a team to find me and they had the sense enough to go find an adult. What it really was, though, was an excuse to go see their favorite neighbor, Ms. Ruth!

naptime

What could be more inviting than a love seat on a shady porch on a warm spring day. Doesn't she look so sweet? She wanted to go to Grandmom's room and take a nap (yes, she puts herself down for a nap in the afternoon) but I was outside and I wanted her to stay outside with me. I wish there had been room there for me!

Who Knew!

So, we're sitting outside tonight after dinner, just hanging out. The girls are playing. Blair and I are talking. Then Rena says, "Can you take the training wheels off my bike. Daddy won't do it." "Why won't you do it?" I ask. "Because she's not ready. I'M not ready," is the answer. "I'll do it." I say.

Blair will have none of that. So he reluctantly takes the wheels off. I tell him I'll help her. Nope. He wants to do it. The look on his face says it all.

So, at 4 and a half, Rena decides she's ready to ride her bike without training wheels. The look on her face says it all.

And even though the pictures are blurry, you get the idea. Off she goes! Amazing!

ah, the irony

Back in September, when the girls first started school, I was so excited that I was going to have SOOOO much time to myself and I was going to be able to get SOOOO many things done, like clean the house, organized the closets, clean out the garage, get the twins baby books started (so what if they're 2 1/2!), paint, heck, I might even have time to crosstich again.

Reality. Pretty much nothing got done. If I had anything to do 'in town' it took up most, if not all, of my free time. Then I got addicted to tennis. I managed to work in a private lesson right after preschool drop off, which was perfect! I LOVED it. But, now the girls are out of school and even though my coach is a good sport, I think 3 toddlers interupting our lesson constantly might wear him a little thin. Sometimes, I would come home and just enjoy the quiet and still until it was time to pick them up again.

So, now here we are on summer break and, ironically, I'm excited about not having anywhere to go! No 40 minute round trips to town twice a day. Think of how much I'll be able to get done! And I'm excited about having the girls with me all day. I did manage to get part of the garage cleaned up....again. It's quite the catch-all. Some reorganization and I might just have the problem solved. The list of things to get done is overwhelming. I've planted my garden which requires daily maintanence, the garage isn't quite done, the toys that I confiscated weeks ago and sequestered in the dining room are still waiting for their final resting place, there's a yard sale in my future, I haven't finished planting all the flowers and seeds I've bought, the now mostly empty playroom/formal living room is still waiting for it's new assignment, there are 40 bags of mulch waiting to be distributed, the dogs need a bath, the girls need a bath....wow, I'm tired just thinking about all that. Aren't you?

The girls have been asking since January (not kidding) when the pool is going to open. Well, it's open. And I'm sure it's cold. But we are heading there today. We may come home blue. I'm not getting in unless they are drowning and I can't reach them with that net/pole thingy. I'll let you know how it goes.

first day/last day

bittersweet endings

This week has been full of endings. It was the last week for the girls' preschool and also the last ballet class which culminated in a recital.

Thursday was the last day of preschool. I got the teachers' end of year gifts while we were in Raleigh, thank goodness. One thing checked off the list! The twins didn't have an end of year party (that I know about) but Rena's class did. Since I'm the roommom, I was in charge of organizing it. Never, in a million years, did I think I'd be roommom. But I did and it was fun. I painted sandpails with each child's name and we used those for their lunch. Their end of the year party consisted of eating, blowing bubbles and playing on the 'big kids' playground. Rena had a great class and a wonderful first experience in the classroom. I couldn't have asked for more. So that made it hard to leave. We'll be back at that school in the fall, but it was sad that the year was over. I know it's hard to believe, but I'm a complete mushpot when it comes to endings like this. I cried for weeks every time I thought about the last day. I avoided both teacher the whole time I was at school Thursday, but when it came time to say goodbye, Ms. Beth lost it and so did I. She won't be back next year, and I know that feeling. It also is a milestone, however small, in my childrens' lives. I love them so much and love the age they are at RIGHT NOW, no matter when that right now might be. Change is hard.

Rena started ballet in the middle of the season. It runs it's course on the school schedule. So Rena was late to the party, but she fit right in. Once a week, we have been going. Rena attends class and I hang out in the lobby with the other mothers, Rachel and Riley. Riley wants very badly to do ballet. Next year! But I've gotten to know these other mothers and have really enjoyed their company. In fact, this week we are all getting together for a playdate. Yeah. Hopefully it will go better than the last time we attemped a playgroup.

Anyway, we had the dress rehearsal Friday. Rena stood on stage and looked like she was wondering when the party was going to start. I had already seen another rehearsal during parents day. On that day, Rena also seemed to just watch the activity and would occasionally spin or plie. So, I really wasn't holding out much hope for the actual recital itself. I was sure that with all the strange people in the audience, we'd get nothing from her. Wrong! She was right on cue. Danced the whole time. Never missed a beat. It was great! We got no pictures of the actual recital! So sad. But it will live on (and get better) in my memory.

So I went out with the girls from my tennis team last night and we ended up having a blast. I think that's the first time I have done anything like that since we moved here. We ended up going to the Melting Pot and I was excited because I had never been there before. Our group was early except for one person who we decided we wouldn't wait for. They ended up seating us in the bar. Not what I was expecting, but OK. We had been in the bar waiting for our table. Hmmm. Not only that, but the bartender had never gotten around to getting a drink for me and I was one of 4 people at the bar. OK. So they ended up seating us and then no one came to take our drink order. So one of us went and complained and finally the drinks were brought...except from the bar. Then we waited. Finally we flagged down the manager and complained. He took over the table for us. He did a pretty good job of waiting on us from that point on, although, when salads came, he didn't leave mine and actually took it back to the kitchen. I saw him walking away with it and once he came back I had to ask for it. So, the conversation was fun and it was nice to be out. The service sucked. I don't say that very often, especially since I worked in restaurants for so many years. But he comped our drinks which was very nice.

Next time we go out I think we'll choose something a little cheaper, but it was so much fun to be out with the girls.

Which leads me to the next part. Blair is out of town, so my babysitter was here with the girls. Rachel was still awake when I got home, but she actually fell asleep while the babysitter and I were talking. Babysitter leaves and I have to haul all three kids upstairs to their beds. I start with Rachel. Into her bed. Next is Riley. Into her bed. Last is Rena. Into her bed. This is a rarity that all three girls are in their respective beds and I get my bed to myself. It's late, I'm tired and I might have had just a little too much wine.

Then at about 5:30, Rena shows up and tells me she's had an accident (wet the bed). "Ok, go in the bathroom and take your clothes off and I'll get you new clothes." As I'm going to get clothes for her I check on the other 2. Riley is in my bed....of course. I peek in the girls bedroom. No Rachel. So I go into the room and look. No Rachel. Where is she? My heart picks up an extra few beats. So I think, maybe she came and got in my bed too and I just didn't hear her. It could happen. Back to my bed. No Rachel. Down to the playroom. No Rachel. Back to her room. Shake out all the covers. No Rachel. I'm actually starting to panic a little. Back to my room. Shake out the covers. All the lights are on at this point. Where could she be? Who do I call? I'm planning on checking downstairs since she was the first one I took up, she might have followed me back downstair and gotten in the bed down there with her sisters and in the dark I wouldn't have noticed. Then I'll check the window and the door. Parents who's children have dissappeared from their bedrooms at night flash through my mind. Poor Rena is standing in the bathroom, naked. I'm starting to breath a little rapid. Finally in my last moment of clarity, I decided to look one last place.

Busy, busy weekend

Friday we spent the day at the museum of Life and Science in Durham. This is a really cool place. Here we are on the train. I'm not sure why Rachel is looking so afraid. She loves strangers and is sure to introduce herself to them as she runs for Mayor of the Butterfly house.
RayRay and Riley check out the butterflies welcoming us.
This is a flower in the butterfly house. They hang straight down and I thought it was really beautiful, especially the way the light was hitting it. It's my favorite picture from my trip.

This past weekend we went to Raleigh for a big event at the school where I used to teach. We made the most of the weekend and visited lots of places. We spent Friday at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time. We saw bear, lemurs, red wolves, farm animal and butterflies. Even though we didn't get to stay long, the butterfly house was the biggest hit. It's full of tropical butterflies, plants and birds.

After we left the museum, we met up with Grandmom and Grandpop who had made a special trip to Raleigh just to see us and watch the girls Saturday night. 2 of my Aunts met us at Kanki for dinner. The girls were surrounded by people who loved them and wanted just one big hug. They didn't dissappoint.

Saturday, we (accidentally) went to Pullen Park. I tried to send Blair to a little playground while his mother and I shopped at NOFO at the pig (nofo.com). He didn't quite understand what I was asking him to do (entertain the kiddies for 30 minutes) so he ended up at the biggest(?) park in Raleigh. The girls loved it. They got to do the regular playground things and then they rode the carousel and the little boats and the train. That night Blair and I got to go to a coat and tie affair put on by the school. It's really a fund raiser, but it was also a celebration for the schools 50th anniversary. I had a blast. I got to see old classmates, parents and teachers that I had worked with. I had so much fun and the night ended way too soon. There were 450 people there and I didn't get to talk to everyone!

Sunday, my brother and his wife were in town. We had a short visit and lunch. It was nice to see them. After lunch we went to the schools Open House and then we all headed out to our old neighborhood. We spend most of the evening with my backdoor neighbors whom I REALLY miss. I did get to go meet the people who are living in my house. They were super nice and invited us in. It was so nice to be 'home'. We stayed there for about 30 minutes and then I got to get a cutting from one of my bushes. Hopefully it will root. Back to Sharon and Bob's and we all went out to dinner. We got back to the hotel late, but it was worth it.

Monday, we headed back to GA. :( There's more to the trip and I'll try to post more pictures, but it's bath time and I think I hear them calling.....