A Visit From Gigi

Sleep. Blog. Sleep. Blog.  This is what goes on in my head and lately the sleep part has been winning. I try and rest my eyes for a few minutes after the kids are down and the next thing I know, it's morning.  Or, I should say, the next thing I know, someone is awaking me in the middle of the night. But more about that later.

Of course, a lot has been going on since I last posted here.  The biggest thing is that my mom came down for a lovely 5-day visit from Wednesday, 10/15 to Monday 10/20.  She got to: spend a day observing us doing school, take the girls to gymnastics, accompany us on yard sales, eat at the food trucks, make a guest visit to the Apopka church, take the girls to soccer, have a wonderful picnic lunch, go to Science Center, and lastly go to Legoland.

Tried out the new local breakfast joint, Breakfast Club, which just opened right near us.  It was a poor man's First Watch.

Food Trucks.  We noted that Gigi seems to always come during the third Friday of the month since we seem to be doing the food trucks each time she's visiting.  Coincidence?

Picnic in the park.

Science Center.  You got to spin the wheel and then do the challenge that it lands on.  One was "eat a bug." Once Aubree heard that, she freaked out which is why her hands are up rubbing her eyes.  We assured her she wouldn't have to do it and she at long last agreed to spin the wheel (I do think it was parts of a real bug even though Calleigh told her "It's just pretend."

Colby loved it.

Digging for dinosaur bones.

When we walked underneath this, Brady hurried his step and said "I don't want that big mouth to come down and get me." Colby did not have similar qualms.

The boys taking a break at the Apopka church.

With Legoland, we went on Monday using the special homeschool rates which you can do on Mondays/Thursdays/Fridays if you make a 48-hour advance registration.  It's $25 for adults and $10 for kids.  Obviously that's a great deal since Legoland practically has Disney prices.  The neat thing is that as long as one person has homeschool credentials, you can bring in non-homeschool people for the discounted price (well, the kids have to pay the $25 but still good).  We really hope we can bring cousin Camden there at some point!  We booked the perfect day to go.  The weather was fantastic and we barely waited in a single line.  Elaine also came with us so there was a perfect number of adults supervising children (since Colby obviously can go on very little).  Of course, I'm now finding that the rides that enthrall Brady leave Calleigh uttering those words that parents get so sick of hearing "This is so boring." So for a little while we had to split up with me taking the girls on some rides while the grandmothers stayed with the boys.  I will say that it was very enjoyable to spend some time with just the girls going on some of the roller coasters.

Brady on a ride with Gigi

Brady driving a car.  Hopefully he'll be much better at it when he's 16.

Poor Aubree.  She got wet in the splash playground so I gave her a backup shirt and shorts I brought.  She had never worn the shorts before and they were really loose and I had to tighten them as tight as the band would go.  And then about two hours later as I looked at her, I realized she was wearing the shorts I brought for Calleigh.  Oops.

I took this photo of the parking lot to show how empty the parking lot was.  That building in the foreground is the Legoland Hotel that is opening next summer.

The boys were enthralled to look at all the Lego creations...Brady especially liked the pirates.

Getting some ice cream and the very delicious apple fries on the way out.

 One thing I really enjoyed was seeing what a good time Colby had.  He was only able to go on a couple of the rides but he was able to go in some of other attractions including a splash playground area and he really was like a regular little boy playing in all of it.  He just loved it and didn't even seem to mind when he got a face full of water.  He didn't take a nap on the way there so I thought for sure he would crash soon after getting into his stroller but it's like he didn't want to miss a thing and didn't fall asleep until 2:30 and only then because the other three went on the carousel and I took his stroller somewhere where there weren't any distractions.  He can get so grouchy, as we all know, so it's always a nice treat when he's actually happy all day.

He slept for a good 1.5 hours.

Brady had a good time too, especially when we got to the carousel or as we often call it, the "merry-go-round." In fact, he must have asked about it every ten minutes, "Can we go on the merry-go-round now?" No matter how fun something was that we were doing, this is all he wanted to do...go on the merry-go-round.  We finally got to right before Colby went to sleep and then he went on it seven times.  Sometimes it's just the simple rides...

Finally!

One last thing about our day...as the three younger kids played in the splash playground area, Calleigh sat there uttering those words "I'm bored." I told her she could look at my phone for just a minute.  Lately she's been sending text messages to people.  Not that I'm crazy about her doing this frequently but on the one hand, it does help her with her writing and spelling so I'm a little supportive.  Usually she texts Gigi, Grandma, or Daddy.  I see her typing away and then a minute or two later I look over at her and I see she's sent a text to Allen.  I look closer and this is what it said "Maybe we could spend some time together." It was all perfectly spelled and after I took five second to admire her spelling, I was like "CALLEIGH!" I sent off an urgent text to Allen letting him know it was NOT from me.  Boy, that could have been a little awkward.

Gigi's flight wasn't until 8:30 so we were able to just leave the park when it closed at 5:00 and drop her off at the airport on the way home, albeit a slightly circuitous route.  It was a short visit but we made the most of it and it's only about 6 or 7 weeks until we see her again for Christmas.

It was a good day indeed.

A bunch of other stuff has been going on but I think I'll mostly go over all that just in pictures but I'll touch on a few things.  Today was the baby shower for my dear friend Jennifer, who is due at the beginning of December and who better hold that girl in until after Thanksgiving.  How weird is it to be planning a party for her instead of her planning some sort of party for someone else?  Definitely strange.  A few of us helped plan everything although I use the words "plan" loosely when it comes to me.  I didn't actually plan anything as I left that task to the more creative folks like Heather and Ashley.  But, I did help set up which was last night.  Heather was kind enough to host the party at her estate and it all came out very lovely.  I didn't get home from that until almost midnight and then I had to do make some food and a few other things.  I finally hit the sack at 1:55 and then Colby was up at 6:23.  I didn't have to be at the shower until 10:00 but I decided Duncan could just take over starting at 8:00 (he had to take them to soccer anyway at 8:40) and I went to a few yard sales on my way to the shower.  Anywho, the shower was just beautiful and we even had a young man, in a bow tie, playing music in the background.  How nice is that!  But how I'm still awake to write on here after my lack of sleep and busy day, I do not know.

The goodies table.

Food table.

Pianist.  Wish this could be Brady someday.

I came home to this.  Duncan was having a hard time getting Colby to take a nap.

Speaking of babies, another wonderful person just had a baby a few days ago.  My cousin Rad and his wife Jen welcomed Levi Bradley into the world on Thursday.  This is the 17th kid of the cousins with the boys back in front with 9 to the girls 8.  And right now there is no cousin pregnant...that I know of.  Please speak up if someone has a secret.  So Rad has his first kid and then if the news couldn't get any better, he got his results on the bar exam that he took in July and, no surprise here, he passed the bar.  What a couple of days!  No one is more deserving.

Doesn't this totally make you want to have another one?!

In other news, we've been in a bit of rough patch with Calleigh lately.  Over the last few weeks, she's been telling us that she's afraid she can't breath or won't be able to breathe.  This usually happens before she's going to bed or it happens in the middle of the night when she'll come down to our room and wake me up.  At first, I didn't take it too seriously like maybe she was trying to avoid going to bed or whatever.  But then I realized that she was genuinely worried about it.  I finally got to the bottom of it when she explained that she was worried she was going to die "like Treva." You may recall that Treva was my friend that died a few months ago from a carotid artery rupture.  I think Calleigh heard that she had died suddenly as she stepped out of the shower and probably heard something like "It was quick and she just stopped breathing." Duncan and I have explained to her that Treva was very old (at least compared to Calleigh) and that this will not happen to her.  Duncan has time and again showed her how your body will naturally prevent you from stopping to breath if you held your breath...you can't help but breath.  We've tried praying and anything else we can think of but it doesn't seem to help.  She would freak out about even going to bed without one of us in her room.  Eventually I got to the point where I could be out of the room but still upstairs.  We were making progress.  But she was still coming down to my room and waking me up during the night which was very frustrating to say the least considering that my nights are already short.  Not only that, but she'd bring Aubree with her because she would be worried if she left Aubree behind that Aubree would stop breathing.  Arghhhh!

The good news is that the last few nights, neither have made an appearance.  I have assured Calleigh that I have her sleeping bag set up next to my bed if she needs to come down and maybe that has helped.  At first I would show my frustration with her for doing all this but now I'm trying to be more understanding since it seems to be something she really is afraid of.  Hopefully this will help her get over it faster.  At least, I'm praying it's a phase and not some other problem!

In Colby news, his top two teeth are about a third of the way in.  Funny how he got both the bottom teeth at the same time and now both the top teeth at the same time.  I don't remember the others getting them like that.  A couple of nights ago he was inconsolable in his crib at about 11 pm so I thought maybe he was in pain from his teeth.  I tried giving him some Advil.  He took a little bit of it and then promptly threw up all over the floor and himself.  His first throw up.  So glad I got to be a part of it. Ha! Fortunately it wasn't a sign of sickness as he was fine after it (although he still cried for several hours) but it did allow me to reflect on the fact that Colby hasn't bed sick a single time in his nearly 14 months.  Glad to be saying that after everything Brady went through in his first year.

Love my little guy

It amazes me how the last few months he's changed.  At Sabbath School now he can take his offering up by himself and put felts on the board by himself while I stay seated.  Can't say he doesn't get distracted on his way back, however. He isn't saying too much yet except for "Buh bye" which he can say perfectly clearly as he waves his little hand.  I've moved all the 12-month tops out and brought in the 18-month stuff although for pants he's still in 12-18 months.  I really don't have a baby but a toddler now.  Kind of sad in a way.

School has been going pretty well.  For our reading class, we have no specific curriculum, Calleigh just has to read a book for 15 minutes.  I set the timer on my phone and when it goes off, she typically shuts the book and that is that.  So last week (or maybe the week before last actually), she was reading this story about two sisters, back in the pioneer days who drove around the country in their covered wagons and would put on shows where they stopped.  I didn't think it was any sort of extraordinary story by any means but when the timer went off, Calleigh just kept on reading...and reading...and reading until she finished the story.  Thirty minutes had gone by.  I was astounded.  I didn't want to make a really big deal out of it but on the inside I was shouting "Yes, yes, yes!" A little while later, I walked by her on the way to the bathroom and she says to me, offhandedly, "I guess I kindof like reading." Have there ever been six words so sweet to my ears?  I think not!  She hasn't been doing 30 minutes every day since then but she's definitely been more enthusiastic about it so I'm feeling very hopeful.

Making bread for school since the Bible theme for the week was still "Jesus is the bread of life."

Not bad.

Made canoes out of paper.

We already had to get new colored pencils since the girls use them SO much that some of them were getting down to little nubs.

A couple of conversations with the kids:

Me: (Giving Brady kisses like I love to do): "Can you just be my baby forever?"
Brady:"No!"
Me:"Can you be my toddler forever, then?"
Brady: "Nooooo!"
Me:"Well, what are you then?"
Brady: "I'm Tom Brady!"

He is so funny with the whole Tom Brady thing.  This afternoon I had the Patriots game on and he wasn't paying any attention to it as he played near the TV but when he heard them say something about Tom Brady he got all excited, "They said Tom Brady!!  I'm Tom Brady!" I think he means to say that they're both named Brady but he always says the whole name, Tom Brady.

At yard sales on Friday.
Me (talking to the seller as Calleigh looks on):"Would you take $.50 each for the bathing suit and leotard?"
Seller: "No, my wife really wants $1 each."
Me: "Hmm.  Okay.  The reason I'm asking is because this leotard doesn't have a size in it and I hate to buy it and then it doesn't fit her."
Seller:"Yeah, I really think she wants the $1."
Me: Looking them over as I ponder whether I want to spend the money and to make the seller think I don't want them.
Calleigh;  "Oh, it's okay, Mom.  If it doesn't fit me, it will fit Aubree."

Shhhh Calleigh!  Breaking yard sale rule # 101.  Make them think you don't really want to buy it. Luckily, the guy relented when I started walking away.  

Some more pictures....

Two Sabbaths ago the Adventurers went to Pine Lake Retreat.  We only went for the day and I had full intentions of staying through the evening festivities but we only lasted three hours.  It was too darn hot!

Waiting to do an experiment as part of Sabbath School/church.

Admiring Fiorella's craftiness.

Just wish they had an option of pasta WITHOUT sauce.  Otherwise, this is what happens.

After we got home, we met some friends at Chapin Station.  On the way there, Aubree informed me that "Zachary is my boyfriend." I thought it would have been funny if Aubree was watching Calleigh and Zachary swinging like this with an angry look on her face but she doesn't seem to care.  Thankfully!

Allen came over to watch the Broncos game a few Sundays ago while the rest of us made some donuts.

Guess they were good.  At least, my chocolate loving boy thinks so.

Duncan puts the finishing touches on the pergola.

It was amazing how quickly he built it.

Who says you need a pool to have fun in the backyard?

A visit to Costco.  Calleigh looks like she's having one of her breathing situations.

Made herself a tie and mustache.

Calleigh got a doll at a yard sale that came with an apron so of course, they had to put it on Colby and then the girls dissolved into fits of giggles.

Had a wonderful Sabbath picnic lunch at a nearby park yesterday.  Just a really gorgeous day.

Duncan and Allen working on a fire pit today.  You can see we got some plants for the pergola in the background there.  Still working on the furniture though (those chairs belong elsewhere on the patio).

This cracked me up.  I've gotten a bunch of toy/craft/American Girl magazines in the mail lately and the kids could look at them for hours.  I told Brady to look through and put a circle on the things he might want to put on his Christmas list.  Do you see Brady's circle?!

Have a great week!