Beach Bums

This was our third family trip to the beach and the best one yet. Why? There was minimal whining and crying. Everyone slept. Everyone ate what was on their plates (mostly). Everyone had fun. Every day.

We stayed at the same Pine Knoll Shores condo we rented last year with three bedrooms. The girls stayed in the bunk bed room in the back. No one fell off the top bunk this year. Yay! Grandma and Grandpa Bench were in the other back bedroom, and Eric and I were in the master.

We had pretty much the same routine the first three days - wake up by 7:30 am, breakfast, beach, and then the pool. Lunch, nap, and afternoon activity followed.

The girls got to swim in the ocean for the first time this trip since there was no hurricane offshore. Lily went first and held on to a kickboard we had with us. She loved bobbing over the waves and told me that "this is the most fun ever." Madeleine also had a turn out on the waves, and she loved body surfing the waves in when we came ashore.

We braved Wings again and Madeleine can be seen here lounging in our $2 purchase.

We also tried water wings in the pool this year. They worked pretty well along with the noodles.

Here Lily is burying Madeleine and turning her into Ariel.

I also purchased these floatation suits on sale at Toys R Us, and these worked great since the two pools we visited were over our heads.

In the afternoons we visited Lost Treasure Golf, where we did the bumper boats, go karts, and played miniature golf. The girls had more patience for golf this year and pretty much played the hole ahead of us the entire time. We hit Dairy Queen in the afternoon as well as visiting our friend John who had a 6 bedroom rental down in Emerald Isle with its own pool.

Tuesday morning we packed up to come home in the rain. We visited the aquarium again this year, and the girls really enjoyed the Live Dive in the shark tank.

I can see clearly now...

The girls got their glasses today from Dr. Tucker. Don't they look studious? Dr. Tucker was out so discussion of the drops/patch will wait until post-vacation.

Long time, no post.

Crazy stuff going on at home, only some of it girl-related. We spent three nights putting together an IKEA desk, I did two years worth of Trailblazer taxes, and I prepared for the Fall/Winter TMOTT consignment sale.

Just when everything's under control...

Thursday Madeleine complained of a stomach ache in the morning. I told her I'd make a doctor appt and took her to day care. They called me around 9 saying she was hysterical. When I got there she was smiling and eating a bagel. So I took her home. We went to the doctor at 2:45. Madeleine said she was fine, and the doctor couldn't find anything. So we picked up Lily and went to visit Mommy's work. While there, Madeleine said her stomach was hurting again.

She fell asleep in the car on the way home. We stopped off at Time Warner's grand opening so the girls could meet Wags (from the Wiggles). Madeleine just wanted to go home.

During dinner she was still complaining and promptly threw up all over the place. This continued until about midnight, and she passed out on the living room floor around 2 am. No fever at all through any of this.

So Friday I stayed home (as I had a half day off anyway). Lily complained of a sore throat in the morning, but we shipped her off as we were more concerned with Madeleine. While she napped in the afternoon, I took all my stuff over for the sale. When I got home, day care had called about Lily. I snagged another pediatrician appt and headed to pick her up.

She wouldn't let them do a strep test. But they said since she was hoarse, it wasn't strep. By the time I got her home, she was feeling awful and 101. She's been this way most of the weekend.

But, I am a horrible mom and schlepped them to the Wiggles show today. Madeleine was super-excited and danced the whole show. Lily was entertained and happy (fever kept under control), but wasn't her usual self. No dancing, only moderate clapping.

I had remembered to buy roses for Dorothy the Dinosaur, and both girls were happy to present them to Sam. Big kudos to him for making the effort to accomodate the little girls in the very middle of the row and coming back to us by the time we made it to the aisle. While I know the Wiggles can be very annoying to adults, seeing them live is something entirely different. They put so much energy and humor into every show. I can't imagine what it's like to do that two times a day, every day, but those guys are amazing.

Party Girls

The girls attended their first party at Frankie's Fun Park in Raleigh over the weekend. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the girls had fun in the game room. In addition to being fans of air hockey, they also enjoyed pop-a-shot, whack-a-mole, and the roller coaster simulator game.

Eric came along with us but spent most of the party in the game room.

Afterward, we headed outside and checked out the bumper boats the the go karts. The girls thought the boats were fun (mostly because Mommy got wet), but they REALLY loved the karts.

I drove like a little old lady with Lily and got lapped by everyone, even Eric and Madeleine. I apologized to Lily for driving like an old lady, and she assured me I was a "very good driver."

Fourth Frenzy

I love the Fourth of July. Not sure why. As a kid we used to have big family parties and watch fireworks. I remember what a big deal the bicentennial of 1976 was. I had an Uncle Sam piggy bank. My first bike was red, white, and blue. So I can't wait each year for the girls to try all the things I used to enjoy on the 4th (minus the split-open chin and throwing up macaroni salad on the way home).

You will notice the girls wearing the same patriotic shirts as last year. Now that things come in size 4/5, things last more than one year. They're reversed this year though. Lily in dark blue, Madeleine in the white.

The Town of Cary split their celebration this year because of the 4th falling on a Sunday. So for the first time we participated in the Bond Park parade. The girls took great care to decorate their bikes and rode carefully from the Kiwanis Shelter down to the boathouse. Once there we ran into many friends and neighbors and took our very first pedal boat ride out on the lake.

Then on Sunday since the weather was so nice, we went to the Eno River Festival at the West Point on the Eno park. Another hold over from my single days, it was fun to visit the same place with the girls. However instead of spending all day there, we made it a mere 3 1/2 hours before heading home. The girls enjoyed wading in the river as well as getting their faces painted. I was lucky and scored a 2 hour nap out of them before the evening's activities.

We decided to brave the fireworks at Regency Park this year rather than the Fairgrounds. I was able to get a parking pass and wristbands to go in the building from work, so A/C, nice bathrooms, and electrical outlets was a big bonus. I hadn't been there since I was pregnant with the girls in 2005 and was pleased to see fewer people on the premises since they no longer provide free food for employees ;)

We had a picnic inside, took a walk down to the lake, watched Scooby Doo on the portable DVD, and made beaded necklaces before the fireworks started a little after nine.

We got out of Regency fine and were home a little after ten. They girls promised me they would sleep late this morning, but 7am they were up and awake bright and early.

Weekend Recap

We tried to keep a low profile this weekend with the high temperatures so many illnesses going around. Saturday morning we worked in the garden some and doing some weeding. Lily was very excited to capture two worms and a millipede in her bug catcher. In the afternoon they went to the mall with Eric and got their faces painted at the Hello Kitty store.

Sunday was busier. We went to AC Moore to get some patriotic decorations so that next weekend we can hopefully participate in the kids parade at Bond Park on July 4. Then in the afternoon they came along to a baby shower for one of my hockey friends.

They did pretty good, but they were antsy the last hour or so. They had seen a playground outside as we pulled up and could think of nothing else the whole time. But it was 101 degrees out, so I only let them play for 5 mintues before we went home.

Lily making some artwork for Ms. Shelly.

Madeleine posing on the bench as people were leaving the shower.

Action-packed

Lots going on this weekend.

First - the annual Race for the Cure. This was my 10th year participating and my 5th with the girls. It's not the most fun thing in the world for them, but it means so much to do it with them and hopefully convey the importance of it as they grow older.

This most likely will be the last year with the stroller, and this is the first year I pushed the thing myself the whole way. Although the girls did hop out a number of times to run and skip with Ms. Sharon.

When the race is over, we partake of the free food and head over to the kids area for activities and such. The girls did the Time Warner Kids Dash and were thrilled to win ribbons for their heat (Madeleine was actually first in her group).

Back at home, we took a nap before heading to the pool for 2 hours! This was our longest pool adventure yet. Both girls made sure they went under water plenty of times to qualify for ice cream and hopefully impress their teacher.

Sunday was super-busy as well. We went to a soccer birthday party for a classmate followed by the TMOTT Picnic at North Cary Park.

The girls liked the soccer party, but it was a lot of running. Even though it was indoors at Dreamsports, it was 100 degrees out, so the building was warm. Lily had to take a couple breaks.

Then we headed to the picnic to catch Happy Dan the Magic Man - the girls' favorite magician. They were mesmerized by him for about an hour and then patiently waited their turn for face painting. A thunderstorm was rolling in around dinner time, but we stuck around just long enough for pizza before leaving.

Since I had the "fancy" camera out, I thought I'd take some bath pictures. My friend Laura had done a black and white of her boys on her blog last week, so I wondered how it would look with them: