You Know Bad Weather is Coming Your Way When...

you see this truck at the gas station.

I know this is not a great picture. I regret now not getting out of my car and just walking up to the truck and snapping a shot. Instead I sat in my car and worried about people coming up behind me. There was a sticker on the door that said 'Storm Tracker'. There were crazy thing all over the top of the truck and there were poles on the back like the ones in the front. I wish Caleb had been with me and Seth, he would've loved it.

I spent the entire day yesterday running around prepping for Hurricane Irene. Without my dad here I don't have access to a generator or a Coleman stove or an abundance of batteries. Heck, we only had one flashlight. I took the kids over to Target to look for some flashlights and pick up diapers. The entire flashlight section was empty. Not even a Tinkerbell flashlight in place. There were also no 'D' batteries, anywhere. I remembered that the pharmacy had a lot of water so I headed that way. That was pretty much all they had. Bobby and I headed to Sam's. He was pretty uncomfortable since he just had hand surgery the day before but he braved it for me. I was so glad to have him - it was a zoo and I was experiencing panic attacks from the crowds. They did have flashlights and we got some paper plates and cups. I was feeling calmer until we tried to get gas. That was a nightmare at Sam's and Kroger until I said "Forget it!" and headed over to the empty Exxon. Can you believe 7-11 was out of gas? Gassed up and feeling good about our food situation we headed home. I did go to Kroger after the little ones went to bed and bought some Almond milk so they could have cereal and milk if the power went out. I'm sure it's better cold but it's something. Now I was ready for this big hurricane. As we slept the hurricane was downgraded to a category one. Now it's raining and it's windy but nothing like what was predicted. However, if I didn't prepare yesterday, Murphy's Law dictates that it would have been horrible. So today we'll enjoy the rain and staying dry inside and pretend it's worse than it really is. :)

Flashback Friday/The Perfect Circle

When Ayden was a baby he was very flexible. (I know many babies are, but don't think it's all babies because Brooklyn was not flexible at all!) Bobby liked to take Ayden's wrists and ankles and lift him up over his head. He would yell, "Look! It's the perfect circle!"
He did this all the time as I looked on in fear that Ayden would wiggle just a little and Bobby would drop him. Of course, he never did and Ayden never seemed to mind!
(I never did see that he formed a perfect circle, guess you had to be the one lifting him, but it was Ayden and Daddy's special thing.)

Seth's Birthday

The only thing Seth talked about for months leading up to his birthday was going to see Harry Potter 7 part 2. He knew before school was out who he wanted to invite. On his birthday I took him, three friends, Brooklyn and Caleb to see the early show. Only Brooklyn and I had seen the movie. I loved seeing how excited all the kids were. I sat behind him and his friends and watched them, literally, bouncing in their seats during the suspenseful parts. We came back to the house afterwards for cake and ice cream. His friends brought him gifts and he opened those while I got everything ready for the cake.
We ordered Seth's cake with an old baby picture on it. He sorted through all the photos and found the one he wanted. He was almost as excited about the cake as he was about the movie. It turned out pretty cute.
Brooklyn wanted to get him trick candles so all the kids blew on the cake about ten times each. It got a bit excessive and still didn't work.
The kids ate and talked, talked more than ate.

Then they ran outside. When I went out to check on them they had sticks in their hands and were talking about all the different spells. It was cute. Later that night he got to go out to dinner, his choice, with the grownups. He chose Outback. I wish I had taken this picture when the waiters were all singing to him and he was bright red.
It really was an amazing day for him. He said it was the best birthday ever.

Flashback Friday!

Caleb does not look very much like the other children in our family.
Neither my sister nor I look a lot like my mom.
However, my grandmother told me that when Caleb was born my mother called her and said, "This one is my baby, he looks like me." I never knew she made that comment, but I've always said the same thing when people ask who he looks like. It doesn't take a thought, I reply, "He looks a lot like my mom." I love that he looks like her. I look into his eyes and I see her. Both of these photos were taken of Caleb before my mother passed away, so this is the Caleb that she saw.

Jamestown - our staycation Part I

We have lived in Richmond for three years now and I often lament at all the things we have not done. We live so close to so many historical places and wonderful museums and we have not ventured further than the theme park down the highway. So when Bobby's mom mentioned going to Jamestown and Yorktown for the day I was so excited! I have been looking at the websites since we moved here and thought it would be so fun to take the kids. We left yesterday morning and made great time. The older four kids rode with Grandma and Poppy and got to watch the TV in their car, they were thrilled, and Bobby and I rode with Dillon. Bobby was worried that he would be bored without anyone to ride in the back with him but he said, "Not mad, I happy." And that settled it.

Our first stop was Jamestown. Now this is just a replica of Jamestown (obviously), meaning that this is not on the original site of the settlement. It isn't very far away though at all. We walked into Jamestown and there was a man firing a musket. It was extremely loud. He invited us all into his 'shop' to answer questions. Bobby was there for quite some time talking to him. The boys didn't mind though because it gave them time to try out the muskets and swords themselves.

There were some helmets and armor on a bench for people to put on so all the boys donned armor and posed by the cannon.
Not to be outdone... Dillon got geared up as well. (With help from Daddy.)

The next part was my favorite... we went to see the ships that sailed in on. They really were quite a bit bigger than I had imagined. Still, not big enough that I'd want to spend 6 months on one!
We went down below first and were told how the days at sea were spent. Brooklyn was rather disgusted by the chamber pot.
I think this is some kind of cannon? I may be wrong. There was no one at this part of the boat to explain it.
Ayden really wanted to lay down in one of the beds. Looks pretty cozy. I think I'd like that for the boy's room!
Seth wanted to as well.
Before we left the large boat I wanted a shot of all the kids. Dillon and Ayden did not want to cooperate.
Next we went to the Powhatan village. It was interesting to compare how the Native Americans were living at the same time as the English. We didn't stay there as long because they day had gotten very hot, there was no more breeze and we were all running out of steam.

We think this is a bed... LOL The kids were surprised to see that the floors of the Powhatan's homes were crushed shell. I can't imagine that was comfortable.


Outside of each tent was a place to grind corn. All the kids had a try at it.
Caleb found a dwelling with a wolf skin. There is no picture of Dillon here because he was scared to death. Poor guy.
I wanted to get one more shot outside the visitor's center. There is a neat fountain there in the front. The kids were so done with pictures.
And there are so many more pictures. I think I will take on the real Jamestown settlement and Yorktown tomorrow!

Wordless Wednesday

Dillon at Jamestown: Climbed right up into the bed, put on the blanket and said, "This one is too hard, this one is too soft." What is that quote from?

Double Digits!

Ten years ago today Seth came into our lives. Everyone loved on him and spoiled him, it was too easy. He was a great baby.

He loved to sleep. (As a mother of two other very young children that was heavenly.)

This is weird but if you click on the picture below you'll see how he sleeps. His eyes don't close, it's creepy. We all agree. LOLHe smiled all the time. Seriously, I only remember him throwing one fit ever. He was about three and did not want me to put on his shoes. I don't know if this was because we gave him everything he wanted or if he was just that happy. I like to think he was just so happy but it was probably both.
He was and still is extremely playful. He just loves to have fun.
Most importantly, Seth has a big heart and his family is very important to him.
We love you Seth - Happy Birthday!!

Wordless Wednesday

It took all summer, but he finally got up there on his own.