Life Lately

Here is a look at life lately up in here! We are on an airplane right now, heading to the beautiful Turks and Caicos and we can NOT wait for a little romantic getaway to celebrate 10 years of marriage: woot!

The boys are growing- and- eating a ton! Holy cow.  I came downstairs the other morning and Andy was eating FOUR poptarts.  Okay, so we don't usually allow this kind of breakfast-- but some battles we just don't fight and the kid was hungry!

One day last week, Andy went on a play date and Cal and I went to the mall.  He was DREADING it and then half way through, goes "this is actually really fun, mom...just me and you...." annnnnd I melted.  It WAS really fun! He tells me he wants a loft bed like this one from Pottery Barn Teen.  Yeah, we all want a lot of stuff from pottery barn, buddy..... he says it would be perfect for doing his homework.  So would the kitchen table, homes.  

He was looking at rugs-- doesn't he look miserable?? He was actually laughing at how they swing and close him in them.  

See what I mean about growing?? His legs have gotten so long! And I love to look up and see the lacrosse name sign in his bathroom.  I literally smile every single time I see it.  

 And, while he's in his undies, he might as well love on his pup a little bit.  Bruce is the sweetest dog-- I mean, he's no Hank YET, but he is really on his way there. 

The boys were begging to play golf last week, so I took them to the driving range one morning after workout to hit balls.  

 This attests to their personality: Andy walked right up and started whacking away at the ball.  Swinging and missing and not caring, but going as hard as he could.  I looked over and Cal was stretching.  Andy hit probably 20 balls before Cal even hit one.  hahahaha

 They were so cute playing and I need to take them again.  It was actually really fun to watch them!

and another big event around here: tooth number 2 came out! This one was with zero dramatics at all, thankfully.  It was getting really loose and he was wiggling it so Eddie goes "let me pull that thing out" and he did.  That was it.  No tears. No screams.  No panicked mom.  Easy Peasy.  Except the tooth fairy didn't come the night it happened.  But Cal didn't put his tooth under the pillow, so we are blaming him.  Because that seems mature. 

My dad came over to our rescue when we went to urgent care for the toe sitch, and he was so wonderful with the boys while I was there, so we took him a bottle of wine as a thank you.  Andy wanted to carry it in for him.  He was BEYOND proud that I would let him carry a bottle on wine.  I was a little surprised at myself too.  

 Bruce is liking my hurt foot- I have to kick it up every now and then and he gets to rest his head on my lap and wait for love. 

 Saturday, it was time for a chop chop.  It was getting crazy long.  I slept with it in a bun in the below pic, so it isn't straight at all. 

 Almost 5 inches taken off and it feels soooooo good.  It was needed. 

 The boys had a lazy morning watching TV together.... love them all curled up. 

Eddie and I went furniture shopping-- he kept getting sidetracked by "man chairs" in every store.  We finally decided on some couches and we brought one home with us (thank you, pick up truck!) and one is being shipped.  We are SO excited to start to see our living room come together!

 I wore a new tank top from Target when we went shopping-- and it BLED all over my shorts! I couldn't believe how much this top ran! I am scared to wash it now with other clothes... going to try to wash it with one of those color catchers.... hope that helps!

 The start of our living room......ahhhhh..... need a rug and a coffee table and another couch and and and.... does the list ever end?!

The boys have been into working out lately.  Cal was upstairs the other day banging around like crazy.  Finally he came down and asked me to feel his muscles- said he'd been working out upstairs!

Nug has been playing hard lately.  We let the kids stay up to watch some Olympics the other night (holy exciting!) and he crashed on the couch.  Sweet snuggles right there!

That's a look at life lately! We are off on vacation-- I am sure we will be posting on instagram!



 

Book Report

First: y'all are so sweet with the messages from yesterday's post about my toe- haha! Thank you! It is a stupid little pinky toe and I feel like everyone an their aunt has broken it at one time or another.  I know it will heal quickly.  Until then, you can catch me hobbling about!

I haven't done a book report since June! I am over due! I have four books to share with you today.  I swear, it feels like I have read more, but apparently not. 

Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams

 I thought this one was so good! Maybe, deep down, I want to be a 60s housewife?? Doubtful.  But the way this story was told, in the past and in the present and how they tied together was really good to me. Another friend of mine read this also, and she didn't love it as much as I did-- but I really enjoyed this one!

Lies and Other Acts of Love by Kristey Woodsen Harvey

This one was recommended to me and truthfully, the jury is still out.  Part of me really enjoyed this book- a lot! Then part of me was super annoyed by parts of it.  I found myself going back and forth from wanting to read more and more and more and then sighing.  I opened it without knowing anything about it and was surprised to see it takes place in North Carolina-- and part of it at Atlantic Beach.  I liked reading about the dual love stories going on and found it to be a cute story-- with a twist in the end!

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

 I sooooo wanted to like this one...and I soooo didn't.  It had some redeeming parts to it.  But it was a major let down to me.  It's funny because I was almost embarrassed that I didn't love this book because so many people rave about it.  But now, I am hearing more and more people admit that they didn't really care for it either.  There are loads of characters and you don't really get to know any of them.  Right when something happens, you are taken away and a new character becomes the focus and then you forget about the first character you were reading about....then when that first character comes back, you have to remind yourself what it was they were up to.  Oh well.  Glad I read it, but I wouldn't recommend it...

Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes

 This book was a long one (almost 500 pages), but it was oh so good.  This author is becoming a favorite of mine! I listened to this book and found myself so entranced in what was happening.  In it, the characters are on board a ship, at the end of the war, being delivered to their husbands- from Australia to England.  I can picture this book being made into a movie.  There is drama, love, excitement and everything else.  It was gooooood.  Long, but good!


So there are the books I have read this month-ish.  We are leaving on Wednesday for a trip (with no kiddos!) so I am planning on reading a BUNCH.  I have downloaded already to my kindle several books that I can't wait to read.  

You have any suggestions for me?? Send them if you do!



 

The Williamsons love the Urgent Care

We seem to have a hard time going a month without visiting the ER or the Urgent Care.

This time, it was my turn. HA!

It really is a stupid little injury-- I broke my pinky toe-- but the story is kinda funny, so I have to document it here (because that's what blogs are for, right?!).

Thursday night, we were walking into dinner at a little pizza place that is in a strip mall (local people, it is the new pizza place that is next to the jimmy johns and smoothie king).  Both boys were wanting to hold my hand/hang on me as we walked in. 

My pinky toe got hooked on Andy's foot and then it sort of snapped sideways with his foot-- I looked down and saw all 4 toes facing forward and my pinky toe out to the side. 

I assumed it was dislocated, so I had Eddie "pop it back into place".  We were in the parking lot, so we walked over to the sidewalk and he yanked it back in.  (we are now not sure it was ever dislocated....just broken!)

Well, the pain from that made me start to get weak in the knees so I sat down.  And that's the last thing I remember! I passed out cold on the sidewalk.  Like dead to the world- ha! Apparently I sat down and told Eddie I was going to pass out (thank God I told him that because he grabbed my arm and the back of my head and lowered me down to the ground. I used to pass out in high school so he knows that when I say I am going, I am going....!). 

I was out for a  bit (Eddie swears it was 45 seconds of me sheet white and he says I wasn't breathing-- not so sure about that one!) and when I woke up, Eddie was on top of me slapping my face and chest and yelling my name and I was surrounded by people staring at me. Some man was on the phone with 911, the manager of Denny's was holding me. The boys were off with some woman who was sweet as could be- especially since Andy was screaming hysterically.  Apparently, they kept telling him "mommy just passed out...." and he thought they meant "mommy just passed away....." uhhhhhh.........

There is an urgent care literally right across the street so we went over there and they did an x-ray and it was a break in the toe and they sent me on my way with crutches and a lovely little shoe to wear.  They suggested wearing the shoe for 2-4 weeks.  Yeah.  Not going to happen.  The crutches didn't even make it 24 hours. 

I managed to scrape my foot as I went down-- not sure how-- and that (on my non-broken foot) has been hurting more than my broken toe foot.  The scrape actually got infected so I am on some medicine for that too. 

SERIOUSLY?!

Never a dull moment up in here!!!

Life Lately

wheeeeeeeeeeeee-weeeeee!

Here's a look at life lately 'round these parts.  We were super busy last week at camp, Cal earned his first pay check, the boys were put to work and Andy is working on his "reading."

Let the fun begin:

I don't think I ever posted this picture from Cal's last day of UNC baseball camp from a few weeks ago...? Maybe I did? It wasn't showing up for me, so I am posting it again.  Because-- I mean, that smile....! 

Last week, Cal was my assistant at camp.  He worked very hard there...and also had a lot of fun! Our buddy Wells was there-- and sporting one of Cal and Andy's hand me down shirts! love love love seeing our clothes on other kids! It makes me smile-- and also makes me so sad to think that my boys used to fit in them and now they are so big!

Cal had a few special buddies in our class- it made my heart happy to see him with the kids.  

(trying to blur out kids' faces in pics-- not because they aren't the cutest things ever, but because I wanted to respect their privacy!)

He was actually a really big help the whole week-- I wasn't sure how it was going to go, but he did great!

 This little cutie loooved to shout CALLLLL nonstop- it was precious.  He was attached to Cal's side the whole week.  When we had to send the assistants on a mission, this kiddo would say "'ere Cal go?" over and over and over again, until they returned.  It was pretty much precious. 

 Walking the class back inside-- Cal had his hand grabbed immediately every time.  And again- he looks HUGE!

Other than camp.... I've started assigning chores around here and the boys LOVE it! Holy cow! This excitement will not last.  But for now, I love that they want to help out.  Andy loves cleaning the windows for me (the amount of doggie slobber on the windows in this new house is epic).  

 ..and Cal loves to swiffer! (and the amount of dog hair we need swiffered is also EPIC...!)

 If the above room looks super empty...it is.  And I am about to lose my mind.  We need furniture in that room.  We just need to take the time to go pick it out...! We've been talking about it for FOREVER.  And we just haven't gone and shopped.  It is a big room and kind of overwhelming to think about the furniture we need in there.  I have somewhat of a layout in my mind, but it's not there yet.  I *think* I have found what I like... hoping to take Eddie to see it and then we can pull the trigger and get that ish sent to us.  Hard to do when he works all day every day and then we go to the beach every weekend.  Here's hoping this week is the week! I want to share pics of the house at some point.  But I am not there yet.  The Master isn't anywhere near done- at all.  The powder bath needs a lot (it is currently just painted in a really ugly color...nothing hanging...nothing.  I don't love it.). It's a process.....

Went over to a friend's house the other night for dinner and wine and Big Brother (!!!) and she had these cocktail napkins out-- now that's a party I can vote for!

Meredith and Marshy aren't Big Brother lovers like the rest of us.  

My boys have had these back packs for years, and I looooove them.   But after 4 years, Cal's zipper isn't working any more....plus it gets a little nasty after a while! I am sure I could send it back and they would replace the zipper- BUT, I made a deal with him and he got to pick out a new backpack for first grade.  He really wanted an Under Armor one and I have heard excellent things about their backpacks (and their return policy on all of their items...!) and decided to order him on.  

 He was PUMPED when it came in! He picked the colors and everything.  This kid is HARD on things, so we will have to see if this back pack can stand the test of Cal....

Friday, at the end of camp, Cal got his first pay check! Think he was excited?? Ohhhhh yeah he was!!! He couldn't stop smiling (and asking to go to the bank to cash it....).

Andy is determined to get ready for kindergarten.  I made a grocery list and, back when Cal was learning to read, I would put an item in the cart and then tell Cal what it was and he would mark it off.  Well- Andy remembers this and decided he wanted to do the same thing.  It was really really sweet-- and he did a great job.  

 But it was seriously the longest trip to the grocery store.  Ever.  I mean, EVER. 

 He didn't care where he was, he would drop to the ground and start finding words, adding words, and, at one point, he was working really really hard and he finally stood up and goes "look, mommy- I wrote I love you mommy daddy cal hank. I didn't put bruce because I don't know how to spell that" Bless him. 

 Still. In. The. Teeter. 

 It was one of those times where it could have been totally annoying, but he was really proud of himself and it was a good little teaching moment-- the former teacher in me was eating up the fact that he was WANTING to learn and was working hard to piece it all together. 

So, I have had some weird shoulder pain for a few months.  It is annoying and drives me crazy, but I didn't think much of it.  We have friends that were in town in June and the hubs is a shoulder surgeon (hi, T!).  He looked at it and thought it might need something done to it and suggested I see a doc locally to get it taken care of.  Well, I don't really have time for surgery or the recovery from surgery...! so I put it off and put it off.  Well it has been hurting more and more and I have been having to modify workouts and it started waking me up at night hurting.  SO, I finally went to see a doctor and see that little white ball in the below X-ray?

 It is a little calcium "ball" (there is a much more technical term that I don't care to remember) that is causing the pain.  The GREAT news is I don't have to have surgery on my shoulder! WOOOHOOO! I am going in in a few weeks and they do an ultrasound on my shoulder and stick a big ol' needle down there and suck out the calcium ball and I am good to go! HOLLA! I was dreading surgery.  I heard the recovery was 6ish months of being in a sling. Can.you.imagine.  So, that's all great! And I can't wait to have a pain free shoulder!

We went to Target this week so Cal could spend some of his paycheck-- he picked out two xbox games (in the move, we packed his games and can not find them anywhere.  What? They can't just disappear, right?? So where are they??? hmmmmmm)

They each got a slushy too.  And I posted this on instagram and will say it again here.  I swear to you, the number of times a DAY I hear "hey, mom?" is astounding.  What feels like every 5 minutes it is this: "hey, mom? Mom? MOM! Mom. Mom? Mooooommmm??? Hey mom! Mom? MOOOOOM!!!!" Not even exaggerating.  

 It's a good thing they are so stinking cute.  Love these clowns. 

So that's a long winded way to share what's going on in our world lately!

Ohhhh, and Bachelor in Paradise.... y'all watching?
Thoughts:
-Chad.  He is just scary. He needs to go home and seek therapy.
-Lace. She also needs therapy.  And I think she was provoking Chad the whole night and he was too drunk to see when she was done playing.  But she was calling him names the whole night too. (doesn't make his actions okay)
-I can't wait for more characters to arrive to the island because it was boring with just those people
-When did Nick get a hot bod? Because, yum.
-Chris Harrison putting Chad in his place at the end of the first episode was amaze.  Go on, Chris Hare!
-Daniel is a joke. And I think I might enjoy laughing at him through the "season"
-Jubilee is trying realllll hard to be different than how she was on Ben's season.
-I love some trash TV.