not sure if I should brag about this or not...

May be TMI...

but we finally got both girls to pee in the ocean today!
The things that make us parents proud...
:)

Putt-putt

Okay, I guess these don't actually involve putting. I have a cute video of Mollie putting, but can't figure out how to shorten it a bit to load it.

beautiful beach and big, big bummer

The beach is lovely as always! We played putt-putt this afternoon and it was so cute! Sydney is really pretty good and Mollie, well, just wants to get a 40, haha. With NO help. In fact, don't try to touch her when she's putting. Or else. I took a few pics I'll load later. Super cute.

Nancy, Travis, and Chase were supposed to come down this evening. Chase had an ear recheck appt. for a ear infection that he's basically had for almost a month. It was still there. He's allergic to amox. products and had been on Omnicef for too long. So now he has to be on injectable antibiotics that will keep him in Fuquay!!! He got a shot today, has to have one tomorrow, and one Monday, all at the pediatrician office. So they couldn't leave. Poor Nancy was so sad. We were too. Super bummed. Mom was going to ride with them and Dad was going to meet us here this evening. But now Dad drove to Apex and tomorrow morning he and Mom are going to come down. We'll definitley miss the little bug-bug Chase.

what a day

Just when I think I'm going to lose my mind...I don't. But I seriously don't know how today:\

We had meet the teacher this morning for both girls. I hate to say this as a former teacher, but as a teacher, I was not impressed with Sydney's teachers. I can honestly say that I think I know what to look for and hopefully today they were hiding it. Please Lord let this be the case. I did find out that one of the teachers has been there for a long time. That is in a way a consolation. However, usually when you speak to people who have had a teacher before it is followed by, "oh she's wonderful!" or "and my son loved her" or something like that. No, it's more of the "oh yeah, my oldest had her...but it was a long time ago, I'm sure she'll be fine". The other teacher seemed nice enough, but is brand new to the preschool and looked nervous. I probably would be too. She goes for an hour tomorrow while we have parent orientation. I've been trying to really play it up and she's very excited despite my reservations which I'm trying not to dwell on. Surely it will be fine, right?
Mollie has the same teachers as last year, Maria and Caroline, and she was so happy to see them again. She ran right up to Maria, let her pick her up and hug her, and Mollie does not do that. Not that kind of girl. Especially when she hasn't seen her since the beginning of June when we ran into her at a park. I love them. And although she's going to be the oldest by a few months she'll be fine I think. Some cute kids in there.

Sydney was quite wild the rest of the day. We had lunch at Bear Rock with Jennifer, Matthew and Lindsay and wow. Sydney and Matthew are little firecrackers together. We decided it is really for the best that they are in different classes this year. The poor teacher who would have had to deal with that, haha. But they are across the hall from each other so that's pretty cool.

But Sydney's constant squealing and talking and running around and rambunciousness (not sure how to spell that) was really getting to me today. I had a constant headache. If she had taken a nap, it would have done her a world of good, but no. So then I about flipped my lid when I walked into the playroom and she and Mollie were sitting at the computer playing a Super Why game. And I see this fine white stuff on the chairs/ottomans. Hmm...yes...Mollie's hair. Apparenlty Mollie told her to cut it so she ran right up and snipped it off for her. Mollie's hair parts naturally on the side. So of course on the side with less hair Sydney snipps off about a 3 inch length of a section. Ugh. I almost cried. Literally. But what can you do? Sydney lied about it and said Mollie did it, but Mollie said Sydney did it. Oh, and Mollie didn't care at all, haha. She was like, whatever.
And Sydney seemed awfully concerned about if she did it would she get in trouble? So I sent her to her room. Mom came home around this time and went up to her room to talk with her about it. She of course told her the whole thing and though it was hilarious. This is when I'm glad our house has 2 stories and she can be away from me. Hate to say it, but wow, I needed a break. When she came down I didn't box her ears, but it took all the patience I had. She did eat all of her supper and played really well with Mollie after that.
I sent Phil for Frosty's from Wendy's after dinner because we really just needed a lift. I believe it helped.
Thank God we're going to the beach tomorrow. I need some rest. Or at least salty air.

Oh, I almost forgot a few funny things about Mollie. She is getting so "into" things she likes at this age and I've been trying to creatively use it to my advantage and it's so funny. We have been using Pull-ups for nap and bedtime still. Like, the name brand ones with the Disney Princesses on them. She's all about princesses right now. To the point that she calls Gramma "queen Gramma" and Daddy "prince charming". So I bought some Target brand ones and told her that they had Groovy Girls on them. She really likes Groovy Girl dolls right now also. They are just these 2 little generic looking girls on them, haha, but she freaked out and got so excited. Nice. Like 1/3 of the price:)
Tonight she had 3 nuggets left and wanted to go back to her "castle" aka playroom. She got as far as the living room and I said "Mollie, but you still have Cinderella, a wiked step-sister, and the fairy Godmother nuggets left!!" She came running in like "oh my" and ate them up:) Lovin it while it lasts!!!!!!

oh, the things 4 year olds care about...

For one, halter tops. Definitely. And hair. And Hannah Montana, especially when they have no idea who she is and have never watched the show. Marketing, marketing.
Also...bathroom words like poop, pee, butt...private part words like boobies. Constant stream of boobies and things that rhyme with them. Okay, not just 4 year olds, add Mollie to that. It's just a joy to ride in the car with the 2 of them lately:)

I forgot to mention that the sleepover with Aunt Nancy Saturday night didn't quite make it all the way through the night. About 8:45ish she called to say that Sydney wasn't going to sleep over. Bummer. But it was fine. They had a great time. Went to Walmart, picked out marshmallows, donuts and orange soda, nail polish, and a new clearance Tinker Bell halter bathing suit!!! Now Sydney thinks Aunt Nancy will buy her whatever she wants, haha. She took a bubble bath with Chase (who was in his duck tub), ate macaroni, and just really enjoyed herself. Nancy said she was awesome. Until bed time. I don't know why I really thought she would stay there. We certainly didn't want to push it though. She tried and we'll keep trying. One day she'll think it's cool. She was really tired and fell asleep on the way back home.

Phil had to go to Kernersville for his Fantasy Football league live draft. My brother and brother in law Travis rode with him and were meeting Phil's brother and some other guys. I think Fantasy Football is a funny concept. I told him I thought I was the only fantasy he needed, haha, but apparently it doesn't work that way...

car

So...Phil finally got his car on Friday! I went for a short ride with him last night around the block. Then tonight he let me drive it! I didn't think that would happen, haha. I kind of had to relearn a stick shift since it's been about 10 years since I've had one, but I picked it back up in no time. We drove all around the neighborhood and stopped to see a few friends who were outside. Fun stuff! Now we're trying to decide whether to sell his Acura or what to do. We're considering replacing the Tahoe at this point so that it will be paid down/off by the time the lease is up and we have to get Phil another car...that is if we sell the Acura. We'll see. It's a good problem to have!

busy week~TGIF!

Well, we've had a very busy week just doing a random assortment of things, lots of play dates, mall, fighting with Sydney about bed time, etc.
We've seen Phil about an hour since Monday night so we're looking forward to him slowing down a bit. It's just been such a busy week for him. He was out of town one night, but home very late 2 nights. He got to pick up his new car this morning though, finally! So he'll be driving that home, can't wait to see it. We dropped him off this morning at the car place this morning.

Sydney has been doing much better about going to bed. I didn't blog about it, but Tuesday night was hellacious. About 2 hours of trying to get her to stay in her room and stop freaking out about me leaving. I think I've figured out that the real problem mostly lies in the fact that her Gramma is here so Mommy can leave whenever she wants. So I have to get her to trust me that I'm not going anywhere when she's asleep!! It's a long story, but she's doing a lot better now.

We hung out with Dawn and Ava and the babies this morning, and are going out for pizza with our Wright family friends and then to their house to play until bed time. They live right around the corner so it's easy. Tomorrow night Sydney might be spending the night with Nancy and we'll be cooking out with James and Michelle, our favorite neighbors:)
Mom went to Mocksville for the weekend and she's REALLY enjoying her new job so we're really happy that she's happy.

Now I'm really craving something sweet...this is why I don't keep any kind of candy or cookies or ice cream in the house...it would by gone by 4pm!

best lake trip maybe ever

Ahhh....
the weather was beautiful and the girls were great!
We definitely could have stayed a few more days.

Any idea what this is?

It's a sleeping Mollie on the boat. She's in the life jacket, haha, with her head in my lap. I covered her head and body so she wouldn't get too much sun. Both Friday and Saturday she took her lovely naps on the boat and it was great! We were basically able to stay out all day!

Sydney is just so beautiful, I don't know how she has gotten so grown up!
Phil got a little help from Captains Gracie and Sydney...We just got this new little pontoon boat and *it is the best thing ever!!!*** Definitely the way to go for a family. Plenty of room to sleep, play, walk, enjoy!!The girls having a nice swim in the lake (with Dad).

good news!

My mom got a job today!
She'll be teaching AG (academically gifted) at an elem. school in Durham. It's just about 20-25 min. down the road which is closer than a lot of the Wake Co. schools!!
She's very excited and we're very excited for her!

getting all caught up

Gymnastics

We have been really enjoying watching the olympics on TV, especially the gymnastics. Mollie has asked me several times to help her fly through the air like those girls flipping all around. Sydney is just in awe b/c she loved her gymnastics class so much. The funniest olympic quote I've heard though is when Sydney said (about the Chinese women's gymnastics coach), "is that her Grandma or her Daddy?" Ummmm.....maybe.

family

The girls really enjoyed having their Nana here to visit for the 25 hours that she was here, haha. Sunday morning in particular they enjoyed a yummy IHOP breakfast while I had the nursery at Church with my friend Jennifer.

My brother in law, David, brought is girls up yesterday for the day. He had to go to his office in Morrisville all day so Olivia (10) and Emma(5) hung out with us and it was so much fun. They're such sweet girls. We went to the pool and Sydney insisted on having a pj party. They watched Annie and had popcorn.

Sydney and Emma in the sand box

Mollie and Olivia in the pool

things that only happen to me:

Getting the neighbor's tiny dog leash wrapped around your ankle making this 4 inch burn/cut that gets infected, swells your ankle, and requires antibiotics. Gross. It ranks right up there with having to have a piece of glass left over from a 1989 car accident removed from my forehead in college b/c my friend Brandon managed to hit her head on my head in the exact spot. Right at graduation time, with 2 stitches. I just told people I got in a bar fight at Myrtle Beach after graduation. Or then there was 6 months pregnant with Mollie and slipping on the wet floor during my lovely breakfast duty at work and breaking my hand. That darn kindergartener who couldn't mop up their own milk spill.

Anyway, I don't really like dogs that much and have never wanted one. It's not the dog's fault that Sydney was holding the leash and it was running away and my leg just happened to be there. But those retractable cord leash things suck now in my opinion.

school

Sydney got her class assignment this morning. She is going to be in the Elephant class! In the same classroom actually that her Butterfly class was in last year. She'll go MWF mornings. I'm so excited for her. She was pretty bummed at first that she was not in her friend Matthew's class. I had told her repeatedly that they would be split this year (on purpose, haha), but she was still sad that Matthew will be in the Monkeys. She all the sudden *loves* monkeys;) Lucky for her there are 3 other kids in the Elephants that she knows already and were in her class before. I think she's pretty excited now that I've been trying to make a big deal out of it. In 2 weeks we have meet the teacher and orientation and then her first day is Wed. after Labor Day. Mollie will go M/W and will have the same teachers in Mom's Morning Out that she had last year. Matthew's little sister Lindsay will be in her class this year.

We'll enjoy the rest of our summer going to the lake this weekend and the beach Labor day weekend!

stuffed snowball is YUM

If you live near Apex and have never been to Pelican's on 55...it's a new addiction.
Last night I tried the stuffed snowball for the first time. Strawberry Shortcake flavored snowball with a scoop of strawberry ice cream inside. Whoa. Yum.

Phil's mom (Nana) was supposed to get here yesterday afternoon, but she was tired from running his grandmother around so she came this morning. The girls have really enjoyed spending time with her. After Mollie went down for her nap Phil and I left and did some shopping and Sydney hung out with Nana. Without whining (yes!). We went to Homegoods, had a chips and salsa trial treat at the new Mexican place over in Beaver Creek, then went to Lowes and ended up with a bunch of crap, haha. Some new lighting to replace our ugly brass builder model ceiling lights (better late than never, we've lived here 6.5 years). We had done a few, but wanted to finish it up. I got a new Tiffany style floor lamp for $27!! They had tons of light fixtures and lamps of all kinds on clearance. I got 2 random lamp shades for $2 each that I think we can use at the beach house. It was nice to go out together as *I'm* usually the one spending all the money. It was nice to walk into Lowes, spend $136 and it not be all my fault!

No new news on the car yet. We're dying to hear something. And are talking about where we are going to park the thing...We have a 2 car and a 1 car garage. But with my car, Phil's car, the side of the garage where the jetski usually goes that is filled with bikes and toys right now...and mom's car parked in the bottom driveway, and the rental car that Phil usually drives a month or a few weeks at a time when he's traveling a lot...hmmm...we might have to rent boat storage. At least.

a bit speechless

Here is possibly the top ranking story of the day...okay, it definitely is:
Phil sent me a text message this morning that said he won something and I'm never going to believe it. I sent one back and said what? So he called me. I was in the dr. office (cell phone no, no) so I answered real quick and said I can't be on the phone here, but what did you win???



A 2 year lease on a BMW z4 convertible. Like little 2 seater sports car. Seriously.

Do I know any details? Not really. He is supposed to talk to someone about it in the next few days and work out the particulars. We don't know what color, when we get it, how much insurance is, if we have to pay taxes on it, where we're going to put it! Any of that.
But he's pretty excited.

OH, back to where it came from. At his national sales meeting at the end of April I guess IBM started a contest to see who could sell the most of their branded servers. Every one you sold got you "chances" in the raffle. Apparently Phil sold 10% of the servers so he had the most chances or something like that and he won. Holy crapola!

He said, "I think I really like my job"

Do you ever feel like you're waiting for the ball to drop?

breakthrough

Sydney stayed with my 14, almost 15 year old, neighbor this morning for about 3 hours without a peep. She could have cared less that I was leaving. I guess she sees her as more of a playmate than a babysitter? Well, Katie starts high school in a few weeks and you better believe she will get some business (for smaller outings) out of me!!

I went to the dr. with my friend Dawn and her precious little twins. It was their first shot appt. so she really needed an extra set of hands and I really thought it would be fun to go. It was very interesting taking 2 babies to the dr.! She really needed help. I'm sure she could have done it, but both babies deserved equal love:) They were already irritated to be woken up, poked and prodded, etc. So then when the shots came...O did not like it one bit. C was asleep until the first one, poor girl. She calmed down pretty quick, but O was less than pleased. He's probably still mad at Dawn and the nurse. We go to the same pediatrician and it was funny to see Dr. Bowman do a double take when he walked in and saw me in there too. We were just there a month ago!

Anyway, so I had Katie watch the girls while I went and thought maybe I could squeeze in some Target while I was out. You know, since I never get out alone anymore without an extra special little 4 year old...Oh, nevermind, I have been out to dinner and a movie, but I meant shopping! Like groceries and "stuff"! But I was a little short on time and Katie wasn't answering the phone so I came home and checked in and asked the girls if they'd like to stay with Katie some more. Katie had said she didn't have anywhere else to be and wasn't hungry. So they all let me leave again! I couldn't believe it! It was bliss:) Just me and my Super Target!

all is right with Sydney's world today

She got to play with Matthew at Planet Child and eat lunch with him. She's so happy:)

but I still better not try to leave...

weekend

We had a lovely weekend with the family. Well, Phil was gone Wed-yesterday. That got old by Friday afternoon let me tell ya!
Friday we went to have lunch with some friends then to Old Navy for some tax-free plus my 25% off coupon that my Banana employee friend shared with me:) Got some super deals! And it wasn't too crazy. For some reason it really wore Mom and I out and we took it easy Friday afternoon and evening. The girls played in the plastic backyard pool and we went to bed early. Saturday morning we went to the gym and I'm not sure what else, haha. Dad showed up around 2ish for Mom's birthday which was Saturday. Oh, mom and the girls made a cake. I was going to make the cake, didn't expect Mom to make her own birthday cake. But she likes to cook with the girls and they like it too.
Saturday night my Dad too my Mom out to dinner at Peak City Grill so I took the girls to Red Robin. Sydney swore that's where Mom wanted to go for her birthday. So we went for her. And somehow I managed to spend like $37 there with just me and the girls, haha. Do not order a Blue Moon at RR. It is like $4.69. Plus, they have this new obsession with onion rings. Which I think is cute, although extremely unhealthy. But hey, it was a special occassion. I always feel like splurging when Phil's gone on a weekend. It hits extra hard. Because it essentially makes it no weekend, but just like any other day for me. So anyway, with a $10 burger and 2 kids meals it really adds up. That place is a racket!
We played outside after dinner (since we were home by 6:15) and the girls rode their bikes. Sydney is awesome on her new bike and Mollie is doing great on Sydney's old 12" bike, but a maniac, haha!! She goes really fast and has no concept of the fact that she can fall over, even with training wheels, if she's acting like a wild woman! Anyway, they're really fun girls! Thankfully James and Michele walked over for a little while and we sat on the deck and I got to blow off some steam:)
Yesterday morning I cleaned the kitchen, it was really needing it after tornado chefs Gramma, Sydney, and Mollie got hold of it on Saturday. Then we had Mom's birthday lunch with Nancy, Travis, Chase and Courtney. And Phil got home around 12, just in time. Poor Uncle Cameron couldn't make it. Even though he is one of the smartest people I've probably ever met, he and Courtney probably could use some prayers as he finishes his last year of pharmacy school. I think he's a bit stressed. And Courtney gets to live with him. Sydney has been all about Cam lately! Maybe we'll see him before Christmas:)

This morning the girls had a dentist appt. with good ol' Dr. Venezie. Sydney was perfect, and I mean perfect! She loves him and he really likes her too. Mollie, on the other hand, well, lets just say that Dr. Venezie's magic did not quite work on her. But he said to just focus on the fact that they got their 3 jobs done: counting teeth, cleaning teeth, and painting tooth vitamins on them. She did say that Dr. Venezie was nice after we left, so maybe it didn't scar her for life. We'll see in Feb. I guess!
After a yummy lunch at Skippers (Dad's new favorite), he headed back to Mocksville. The rest of the day is filled with wonderful laundry, yippee!!

Sydney's new skills

Snapping (one she has been really wanting to do) and tying a bow!

Her little friend Cameron taught her to snap one day this week. It's very hard to teach someone to snap and I'm not sure how it finally clicked with her. But it's really cool.

And she's been working on these foam shoe tie practice things we got at Target on clearance. She learned how to do that too! Apparently she perfected it last night. She was practicing tying a ribbon around her waist like a belt and it worked. So she went on to perfect the shoes.

Now I have to look and see if she has any shoes with laces, haha.

And here are my beautiful princesses:

My mom made the outfit Sydney is wearing. It sparkles. Especially in the sunlight that streams in the living room in the early morning. The sparkles then go all over the room and scare the crap out of Mollie:)