Another beach trip

Before school started, we squeezed in one last beach trip and, honestly, I think it was my favorite trip of the whole summer. 

Normally when we go down there, there's family down, or we take friends down, or we try to schedule meet ups with people... this time it was just us four (five if you count Bru!), and we had so so so much fun.  The kids were well behaved, the weather was amazing, and everyone was just really happy!

This post will be picture-heavy.  I posted like a fool on instagram the whole weekend.  Couldn't help myself.  Feel free to skip over this post.  It's a long one. 

The boys and I went down Wednesday- we didn't have anything the rest of the week and all their buddies were in school so we decided to scoot.

Bruce went for a golf cart ride right off the bat-- he was super excited to go....

 SWIMMING! I swear, this is his happy place too! Look at him smiling!

 The next day, we ran to the store for some groceries.  I ran into the dollar tree to get something for the boys and picked up this hat.  I thought it was cute for a buck! ha!

We went over to the beach for a while-- this one was in heaven.  The boys were too! I didn't take any pictures there because I was trying to watch the dog and the kids and it was just a lot!

 That night we went on a sunset cruise with my parents who were down at their house with some friends. 

 It was a gorgeous sunset!

 The next morning, Cal lost another tooth! He actually pulled this one out with very little ordeal at all, shockingly!

 Snuggles with Bru


Back to the beach-- these two played in the surf for hours! It was LOVELY out there!

 I love these next two:

And the pool:




Eddie was coming down that night so I let the ids stay up to wait for him.  Andy fell into the nap trap and didn't make it to see him get there. 

 The next day was beyond beautiful.  We headed out in the boat and had the best day out on the water.

 That smile! That hair!!!

 We went to sand dollar island, which is basically my favorite spot, and played for hours. 

 We found many many sand dollars, but decided to leave them all there for others coming. 

 The boys worked with the trainer kite.... (see those clouds in the back ground?!)

Me and the Nugster, ignoring the clouds behind us....

Lots of water playing (there was a big ledge there that he was diving into-- definitely not shallow water as it appears)

 Another sand dollar!

So much fun being together today.

We were having so much fun---

 The weather turned rotten pretty quickly so we had to make a quick run for it to a restaurant nearby-- no one seemed to mind!

It looked like a break in the storm, so we loaded up and headed home-- only to be hit by another storm, this with a WHOLE lot of lightning.  So we pulled into a marina and found a safe spot to hunker down and wait it out:

We made it home safely and everyone agreed that even with the storm, it was the most fun day ever.  So much so that we loaded up to do it again the next day-- this time with more fishing. 

 

After fishing for a while, we anchored and swam a bit.  Apparently Cal aged while we were out there. 

We had another wonderful day out on the water with our crew! I love their tan little smiles in this one. 

 Monday morning, we made plans to drive to Wilmington (just me and the boys) to visit our buddies that moved.  The kids played for a while and had a blast and then the whole basketball team showed up.  Boys were in heaven!

And then it was time for the ECLIPSE! We went over to a friend of their's dock to watch.  Boys thought it was pretty cool, but were more excited to swim and play. 

 

 Ms. Kris helped Andy see the eclipse--

 A big fat crew out watching:

We were supposed to head home after the eclipse, but boys were begging to stay for a sleepover.  So we ended up staying and heading out to a REALLY fun dinner at a Japanese steak house. 

 Saki in a squirt bottle the whole meal... it was hilarious and ugly and so much fun.

Randomly each kid won a ball in the grabby machine-- they were so excited!

It was such a great way to finish the summer off-- we came home and got ready to meet the teacher!






 

Back to School!

Before I begin this post: thank you so much for the sweetness that came after yesterday's post with Andy. Bottom line is we are all a bunch of mommas who can't stand to see our babies in pain.  The good news is I heard from the doctor and we got an appointment with a specialist next week.  All the praise hands and angels singing and dancing.  On to this post:

Our summer was really, really great.  I was excited for school to start back up, and really excited to meet the teachers and find out class assignments, etc.  I think the boys were equally as excited.  Their buddies all went back the week before, or even two weeks before, so they were to the point where they were ready to go too. 

This year, Cal is in SECOND grade and Andy is in FIRST! How can this be?? That sounds so old to me! Cal got a man-teacher (haha) who I have heard wonderful things about; he is strict, but the kids all love him....which I think is a great combo.  He is no-nonsense, which I think will be perfect for Cal! Andy's teacher is off the charts amazing.  She is young and energetic and calm and truly like a gift to our family.  I realize I sound over the top about her.  But with all Andy has going on right now with his tummy issues, he needs someone who will love him while he's at school.  She is aware of his issues and has been wonderful about helping us.  (let me just enter a big fat SIGH right here.  I am just so sad that these are issues that a teachers has to be made aware of. Seriously.)

 (this next picture isn't good of Cal. but it's great of Bruce- hahahaha)

Once Bruce realized he wasn't going with them, he was much more serious.  I think it hurt his feelings. 

Woohoo! Second Grade!

 Woohoo! First Grade! (someone might have been a tad anxious....)

We take flowers to school for the teachers on the first day-- it's just what we do.  It's not sucking up; it's appreciating these AMAZING people who will look after my little people all day long.  

 Seeing as Cal has a male teacher this year, I didn't think he would love the flowers, so we took him some star shaped cookies from Trader Joes for when he might need a snack after his busy day. 

 We walked the boys in, although Cal was content to say peace out at the car, and took a picture with Andy's teacher.  She's adorable, right? I think she liked the flowers :)

She sent me a picture of Andy getting measured outside-- can't even imagine how much he will grow this year...!

 And, the biggest change this year is the boys are BUS RIDERS! Holla! It comes way too early in the morning to ride it, so we still drop them off, but they ride it home and it is glorious.  Bruce and I walk down to the bus stop to pick them up in the afternoon-- this was the first day, and Bruce was FREAKING out looking for his boys! He was literally smiling as he waited for them. 

Thereeeeeee's CalBoy!

 And Nuggie!!!

 Andy declared the best part of the day riding the bus and putting his hands in the air.  Cal said his favorite part was filling in a number chart as a competition in the class. 

We are PUMPED for a great, great year!!!!

 

so.much.to.post.

Will I ever get back in the habit of writing blog posts? I wish there was an app that would make it so much easier.  I have so much to write about, so much to share. 

Summer is over.  School is back in session.  We have a first grader and a second grader.  I think both teachers are going to be great.  Andy pretty much hit the jackpot.  It is like God looked down on him and said "this is the exact person you need this year..." Think I am exaggerating? I am not. 

With summer ending and school beginning, sports are beginning too.  Cal is doing golf, swim, baseball and soccer (however, now that all the schedules have been released, we are realizing we can't do it all so I think we are dropping soccer). Andy is doing golf and baseball.  We are going....a lot.  But that's what we do, it's what we love.  The boys are on the same baseball team again, so that makes life easier. 

Andy's stomach is at a really really bad place.  We found some medicine a friend told us about whose son was going through everything we have gone through.  The first week, it was like the miracle drug and worked wonders.   But then it didn't.  And he was in pain.  And screaming.  A lot.  And oh my word the pain.  It just isn't normal.  I took him in to the doctor last week and he agreed that it is time to see a specialist.  So we are now waiting on a call from a pediatric GI doc to help us.  We can't do miralax any more.  We've tried everything.  It is affecting his extra curricular activities, his sleep (even more than usual), and I am worried it will impact him at school.  He is always worried about it and is in a lot of pain at school.  breaks.my.heart.

So I have lots to post about and lots of pictures to share.  I will so regret it if I let this blog slip away from me.  So I refuse! A massive summer recap will be up this week.  Maybe.  Hopefully!!!



 

Great Wolf Lodge

All our good buddy wanted for his birthday was a trip to Great Wolf Lodge with his best buds.  We were thrilled to be invited along for the fun!

Monday, around noon, we loaded the car (5 kids, three adults) and headed to GWL, just about 2 hours away.  It was an easy, albeit LOUD car ride.  We were pumped when we got there! Had to take a group pic:

We checked in to the rooms and dealt with a minor snafu (there are no adjoining rooms, so we were across the hall from the boys-- which isn't really a big deal...unless your kiddo needed you in the night and was out wandering the halls looking for you......which didn't happen.  But the thought of it possibly happening kept all three moms up all night long- ha!).

After dropping bags, the boys were changed and ready to go in seconds.  It took the moms a few minutes to get situated and gets drinks made #priorities.  And then we were ready for the park!

Okay, so here's the thing about this place-- we were all kind of dreading it and thinking ughhhhh, but we knew the kids were excited.  We actually had just as much fun as the kiddos did, I swear.  Andy was super nervous and apprehensive when we got in the park and wouldn't leave my side.  Kris asked him if he would feel better if all the moms rode a ride with him.  He said it would, so off we all went.  And we didn't stop there-- Andy gained confidence and went off on his own and the moms spent the day riding ride after ride, laughing our heads off.  

We picked a central location for our stuff that was easy for the boys to get to, and every now and then they would come find us and ask us to ride a ride with them- which was SO fun.  I think they got a huge kick out of us screaming like crazy on the rides- haha

We all played hard until about 7, when we made the boys stop to eat dinner- still in the park.  They devoured the first pizza and then we ordered a second one.  While we were waiting on that one, they went and did a few more runs.  

We stayed in the park until it closed at 8:30.   It was basically empty and we had to whole place to ourselves-- amazing! No lines!



We headed back to the rooms and showered up and got the kids in bed.  The moms say in the hallway with a bottle of wine waiting for them to go to bed.  Finally it was quiet about 11 and by 11:30, we were out cold too.  But we were up soon there after listening for little boys looking for us-- which they never did.... of course. 

As I tucked them in that night, Andy was still wearing his wolf ears, which they get at check in....

And Cal was all snuggled up with that toothless smile.  Melt me.  

 The next morning we were up and got breakfast for everyone.  The boys were excited to his the arcade.  Andy played this game first and hit the jackpot on his first attempt and got 1000 tickets.  Immediately.  Oh, and wolf ears still on....

 Cal was like a ADHD child on red bull in there, running from one thing to the next, so most of my pictures are with Andy, who preferred I stick close to him. 

He turned in his tickets and got a wold tail key chain, some candy and a blaze toy....which he LOVES.  

We hit the pool for a bit more until we had to check out at 11.  We went back to the rooms and packed up and then hit the road to head back home.  Wolf ears still on!

We had a LOT of fun! And the memories the boys made are priceless.  I think we did it right-- there for just one night, just under 24 hours.... no need to be there longer than that, I don't think! I also suggest if you are going, go ahead and ride all the rides.  I would have been bored out of my mind if I just sat there for 8 hours! There's my unsolicited advice about Great Wolf Lodge.  I do think we will be going back-- Eddie is dying to try these rides we've been talking about!