Dream Dinners

Last night was Girl's Night Out at Dream Dinners... what a great time and a great idea!! They have a menu from which we chose between 6 and 12 meals that we prepared to put in our freezers. The ingredients were all out in front of us, and all we had to do was measure them into a freezer bag... when we are ready to eat that meal, all we have to do is thaw and cook! We got to prepare yummy meals like dill marniated shrimp, chicken with honey, garlic, & orange, dijon & black pepper flank steak, steaks with red peppers & herb butter, garlic pork roast adobo, rosemary chicken with penne, peach cobbler, and many more. They even had samples of several of the meals for us to try... so yummy!
Of course, no Girl's Night Out is complete without chips and salsa, so we headed to La Hacienda for a quick dinner... all of that cooking made us hungry!
Thanks, Girls... I had a great time! I am looking forward to trying all of our meals and to next month's Dream Dinners date!

15 Month Check-Up

We had Harris' 15 month check-up this morning... what an ordeal!! The poor guy had to wait and wait and wait for just about everything, and he was so good and patient. We waited 30 minutes in the exam room for Dr. T to see us, and he waited 30 minutes while Dr. T and I talked about his progress and Jackson's speech issues.

To top it off, he had to go for another blood draw to check his iron levels (hopefully this is the last month for that check!), and we had to wait 45 minutes in the waiting room there! The blood draw was another terrible experience. We had a beginner try the first stick, and she did a horrible job... never found the vein after what seemed like an eternity of poking around. They called in an "expert" who decided they were going to prick his finger and "milk" it to get the blood they needed.

The "expert" turned to me and said that Harris looked strong... did I think I could hold him? Of course I said yes (he is 15 months, I am 32... I am just a little stronger!). She then asked me if Dad was there, because apparently dads are more equipped mentally to perform that job. Ok... I have done this four times before, I have held him just fine each of those four times, I think I can do the job just as well, if not better, than Jason (who would be passed out on the floor as soon as they pulled the needle out!!).

When she finally understood that I was going to be holding Harris, they did the finger prick and milked out enough blood for half of the tests. That means that we will be going back again on Wedensday for more blood. Ugh... this has got to end soon!! Poor Harris has had enough!!

On a good note: He weighs 19lbs and is 30 inches long. He is still a peanut, but he has shot up in his height... tall and skinny! Dr. T was pleased with Harris, his development, and growth. Hopefully we will be able to say the same about his iron, too!!

Family Weekend

Ganny, Gandaddy, Lindsey and Kaila came to see us this weekend and to watch the boys while Jason and I went to Georgetown for a night... they were such a huge help, and we had a great time (especially Jackson and Harris!). Those boys love Lindsey and Kaila, and they played until they dropped! Ganny and Gandaddy took the kids to the County Park to play in the Spray Play fountain, they ran and ran and ran them outside... Jackson and Harris were exhausted tonight and fell sleep in an instant!
Thank you so much, Ganny and Gandaddy, for coming to watch the boys and give us a much needed break! You took great care of them, and they had a fantastic time. We appreciate all that you did! Thank you, Lindsey and Kaila too, for coming for a visit and to help with the boys... they loved their time with you!

Jackson got in the car as they were packing up to go home... he wasn't ready for them to leave and wanted to go with them!

Georgetown

This past weekend, Jason and I both had plans in Georgetown. He was supposed to go fishing offshore with his buddies, Will and Ben, and I was going to run in an 8K, so we decided to spend the night in Georgetown and go our separate ways in the morning. The waves were supposed to big, though, so the boys unfortunately had to call off the fishing trip. Jason and I decided to go anyway for a night away from the boys and to check out the Harborwalk Festival.

On Friday night, we got in early enough to eat dinner with Wendy and Keary and their children, Austin and Ramey. (Jason lived with Wendy and Keary at Nightingale Plantation for one of the summers he was there... they have been great friends!) We ate at Lowcountry BBQ... one of our favorite places when we lived there, and the one place we try to eat at when we visit! I do wish we had been able to drive out to Nightingale to see it... it was such a beautiful place, and we haven't been back since we left.

The festival was quite an ordeal... the streets were blocked off and filled with vendors selling arts and crafts, BBQ, funnel cakes, and lots of junk! There was also an old car show, live music, and carnival games. We had a nice lunch, shopped along the Harborwalk and through the vendors, and called it a day... the heat and the people started to get to us both after a couple of hours!

Jason and I had a great time, though, while we were away. It is the first time we have left the boys overnight since right before Harris was born, and I think we both agree that it is something we need to do more often. Maybe I can talk him into taking me somewhere tropical next...

Cheap

While we were at the Harborwalk Festival, I had a "This Is Going On The Blog" Moment:

On our way back to the car, a pirate walking though the festival asked Jason how much he wanted for his wife. My wonderful and adoring husband answered "Five bucks."!! Of course the pirate jumped all over that and offered to carry me away as I stared at Jason in disbelief!

Five bucks, huh? Five bucks. I'll remember that next time I am fixing his dinner or washing his clothes... I'll be sure to show him the value of a five dollar wife!!

Harborwalk 8K

On Saturday, I ran the Harborwalk 8K in Georgetown (5 miles). I wasn't sure that I was going to do it until Friday... when I talked to the man in charge to find out the details, he said that last year there were only 50 runners. I figured that there was too great a chance of me placing last if there were only 50 runners! I changed my mind, though, and decided to do it... if nothing else, it would have been a good 5 mile run through a beautiful town and an excuse to spend the night in Georgetown.
Jason and I spent the night in G-town Friday night, so I had my own cheering section and personal photographer in the morning. It was a beautiful run by the marsh and though the neighborhoods of Georgetown... most of it was shaded by huge old live oaks, and the historic homes were amazing. It was still a hot run... very humid and steamy.
My goal was to finish in under 45 minutes, and I did it in 44:48 (about an 8:58 pace). I placed 35th overall (out of 87 runners) and 9th among the women. Get this... I placed first in my age group!! I'm laughing, because since it was such a small race, there were probably only two of us in my age group!! I now have a trophy, though, and Jason is calling me his "first place trophy wife"!

It was a fun little race and one that I will keep in mind for next summer. The next race: The Tri Span 10K in Wilmington on July 8th.

Adventures in Potty Training

While we have come a long way on the potty training front, we still have a bit of work to do (Jackson still won't poo in the potty). But, yesterday I took Jackson to the beach where we made new strides...

After we had been in the ocean for about 30 minutes, Jackson ran out of the water and started running in circles on the beach. He was whining about something, and once I got closer and got him calmed down some, I could tell he was saying "Potty! Potty!". So, we walked up to the dunes, where I figured he could take off his bathing suit and go. At first, he was freaked out about it... wouldn't go. But, he had drank so much water that he was dying... eventually nature took it's course.

Hurdle one cleared: peeing somewhere other than the potty or in a diaper.

Hurdle two cleared: peeing standing up.

I wish this was the end of my story, but it's not. After about 10 more minutes in the ocean, he started to do his dance again. Before I could get to him, he ran to a lady reading on the beach, stopped about 10 feet in front of her, and peed. I was dying. She was very nice, pretending not to even look up from her book, but I know she had to have seen him!

There are new potty hurdles for us to clear every day, and I don't even know they are there until we get to them. Hopefully we will be in the clear soon.....

Harris

We got some great pictures of Wildman Harris this weekend, and I just wanted to share...

Happy Father's Day, Jason!

Hope you had a great day today!! You deserve it... you are such a wonderful daddy. The boys adore you, and I know that they will grow into great men with you as an example. Thank you for all you do... we love you!

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

I missed you today! I hope you enjoyed your Father's Day. I love you and can't wait to see you soon!!

Blackmail

Sunday Fishing

Our first fish of the day!
Can you see that tiny fish on there?

Father's Day fishing went so much better! On Satuday night, I ran to the bait store and picked up some worms and mud minnows. Jason and I fished that night with no luck, but we were ready to go come Sunday afternoon! We caught lots of little pin fish, a croaker, and two flounder (Jason and I each caught one!). Jackson got to reel in several fish (every cast with the worms brought in a little fish), and he loved trying to bring in the crabs, too.


Harris had no fear when it came to the fish... he was grabbing at and reaching for every fish that we reeled in! Jackson, on the other hand, didn't want the fish anywhere near him!

Saturday Fishing

Jackson will be a pro someday!
On Saturday afternoon, we decided to go fishing out back. It was a beautiful afternoon, and the mullet were jumping like crazy. The boys had a good time with all of the excitement and preparation, but we didn't do so well, and what we caught was not what we were expecting!

Everyone got into it... even Hanna and Lucky!!
Jason caught some poor child's fishing pole, and...
we "caught" a crab who was loving our grubs!

Canoeing

We have lived here for a year and a half now, and we really haven't taken advantage of the pond in the backyard like we should. It was a beautiful weekend, so we decided to really enjoy the pond! Jackson loved the canoe rides! It will be nice when the whole family can go, but Harris is too much of a wildman to take him out right now!

Wednesday at the Aquarium

Harris realizing that there was something moving in the tank!
Checking out a turtle.

By Wednesday of last week, we were desperate to be out of the house. Caroline called and invited us to the aquarium and Moe's for lunch (our favorite place to take the kids!), so we jumped on it. It was a whirlwind tour or the aquarium... I think we finished it in less than an hour! It was the first time we had gone when Harris was old enough to really appreciate it, and he loved just watching everything swim by. Jackson acted like an old pro, checking out his favorite tanks and telling us what everything was.

Thanks, Caroline and Fordham, for getting us out of the house... it was such a fun morning!

Cabin Fever

Last week was a long one... Jason was in Arkansas for work, and Tropical Storm Alberto paid us a visit. By Tuesday, we already had cabin fever, were bored, and were looking for things to do. Poor Jackson did a puzzle, and another, and another, and another... until he had finally done twelve of them! He would have kept going, but Harris woke up from his nap, and I whisked them both off to the grocery store for a ride in the cart and a free cookie... amazing how easy it was to entertain them at that point!!

Slip-N-Slide

Our neighbors have two little boys the same ages as Jackson and Harris. It is always a treat to play with the Highfield's on nice afternoons... the boys always work off lots of energy. Early this week, they called and invited us out for a go at the slip-n-slide.
While Jackson and Jake slipped, slid, and got wet and grassy, Thomas and Harris played where it was drier!

Wow!

I was just online trying to see if I could find the official results from Saturday's race, and I found out something funny... I got second place in my age group! I came in 88th place overall (there were 174 runners total), and they had me with a pace of 8:45. My friend, Ann, who ran with us came in 3rd in our age group. We didn't stay for the awards, as we figured there was no way we had placed (and we were hungry for breakfast!!), but we should have... we even would have gotten a trophy!

I guess since it was a small race there weren't many of us old ladies running, hence 2nd place with a time of 27:12 (the women's winner ran it in 18.32... a 5:58 minute mile!!). It is definitely incentive for my competitive side, though!

You can see the official results here.

And Harris on the Kazoo...

He has figured out how to play the kazoo, and he loves it... too funny.

Check out that hair!!!

Baby Love

Tonight our cell group had a "suprise" baby shower/cookout for the Loves. While they knew we were having a get-together, they had no idea it was in honor of them. Tony Packo's hotdogs, BBQ chicken, potato salad, cake... everything was so yummy!! Tyler is due at the beginning of July... doesn't she look fantastic? We had a great time... it is such a fun group to get together! We missed you, Moltens!! Lori and David.
Look at these angels... Ashley, Mary Kathryn, and Harris.
Steve and Tyler received lots of pretty baby gifts...
Baby Anne and Baby Betsy... the two newest additions to our cell group family. We still can't figure out what Beth and Jimmy were thinking when they dressed Baby Betsy for the party... go Tigers!!!
The girls... Dorothy, Tyler, Beth, me (with Baby Anne), Clary, and Lori. We missed you, Emily!!
Lori playing with Ashley... Lori, you need you one of these...