Family Fun

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We're Off!

We will be leaving shortly for a quick trip to Ohio.  My husband's grandfather hasn't been doing well, health-wise, so we decided to go see him.  This is the first time in all our years together that we won't be traveling to our parents' homes for any part of the holiday season.  So while not planned, this trip will help to make the transition to a no-grandparent-holiday a little easier, and hopefully we can have some fun in spite of the reason we're going.  

I have much to blog about.  I want to FINALLY finish the why-I've-neglected-my-blog saga.  There are many events and adventures to fill you in on.  Hopefully I'll have some time on this trip to write some of it out.  I'll likely have very limited internet access, but I'll do my best to type my little heart out.  

The Music Man is waiting...

Until then...  

Why I've Been Neglecting My Blog: Part I

First, can I just say how sorry I am for pushing this blog and you, my faithful 3 readers, to the back burner?  I truly am... sorry that is.  I have been oh-so crazy busy and I'm afraid that there is no real end in sight.  It appears as though my life of leisure has turned into a life on the run.  Let me explain a bit...

It all started in August when we left for a two-week vacation.  We spent the first week in Indianapolis, child-free--thank you Jesus!  You can read all about that here in my Diary of GC: Day One, Two, Three, Four, Five: Part One, & Part Two, and Six.  We then returned to my in-laws and spent the following week there with family and friends.

The Music Man received a huge rc plane as a gift while in OH.  He fell in love instantly.  I never saw him again that whole week.

Natalie was already into her second week of undivided attention from her mamaw, so I really never saw her either.  

You may remember my little mis-hap with my beautiful friend Amazon and the horrible temptress that is the 1-Click button from earlier this summer.  The day before we left for vacation, The Music Man told me that all those glorious books had turned my mind to mush.  He dared me to go the whole vacation reading only books that would enrich my mind.  His suggestion... 

Seriously???  But I rose to the challenge and left with my brain food books and all my homeschool stuff.  

;

By mid-week of the second week, with The Music Man's eyes to the sky and Natalie completely ignoring me, I thought I was going to go crazy with boredom.  I so did not want to read the serious books I had brought with me--HELLO?!?!  I'm on vacation!  I shouldn't have to enrich my mind at all.  If anything, being on vacation gives me the right to turn my mind to total mush!

So I made The Music Man take me to the most glorious book store I've been to in a long, long, long time.  He gave me a small, but still impressive wad of cash as we walked in and let me loose.  Oh my, oh my, oh my!!!  With my arms filled I headed to the bench where he sat waiting patiently for me.  The look on his face was priceless as I let the books fall beside me.  I had about $200 worth of books laying there.  I sat there and weeded them out.  Some I just made him take pictures of so I could later order them from Amazon or Paperback Swap.

DISCLAIMER:  This is not my sneaky way of announcing an upcoming ball-of-fun despite the books regarding pregnancy.  I am NOT pregnant.  It may happen someday and so, whenever that time comes--IF it ever comes, these are some of the books I would like to read.  Again, let me crystal clear... I am NOT pregnant.  Don't go shopping yet... Mom.

I did walk out with these little treasures...

So with all that (and a few others I can't seem to remember just now) in my bag, I was a very happy girl again. 

To be continued...

I know.  I know.  I haven't even begun to explain to you why I haven't been blogging here regularly, but I'm really tired and The Music Man is beginning to stress me out.  He's watching Monday Night Football.  The Bengals are beginning to screw up and he's taking it personally.  I have to get away from him and from my computer.  My skin is starting to grow around my laptop.  That's not good.  

Sidewalk Chalk

Yesterday, the girlies spent the entire day in their princess dresses. (Oh how precious they are!!!)

Papa was "supervising" the sidewalk chalk session...

Leith was struggling with her princess shoes all day. They're a tad too big, as is the dress, but she would not go without them.


Later the girlies were out on the deck for bubble session. Natalie wanted to come back inside, but Leith wasn't ready to come back in just yet. I caught this precious picture which pretty much sums up Leith's independent nature.

A Royal Evening

Last night, my brother and sister-in-law came over to my parents house with my niece and nephew. Natalie had brought all of her dress up things because she wanted to dress up with Lei Lei. So it didn't take them long to decide it was princess time...

It turned out to be a rather musical evening. The kids banged on the piano...

I love this picture because if you look really close at Natalie you can see she has her lips sticking way out. I think it's so cute!

And mini-Joshua, aka. Bubby, Bubs-a-lubs, Bubbalicious, Bubba-monkey, Jubbs, Jubbalub, etc. found pure bliss on the xylophone. This has been his favorite toy all week. He will literally sit for an hour or more banging on it.

And fianlly, I've saved the best for last...my music man... Scott joined in on the gee-tar.

Long Car Rides

We dove to my parents' house in Knoxville, TN today and it's a long care ride. It was a total joy though in our new mobile diggs! I just had to take some pictures of Natalie along the way, especially this time... She wanted to take a nap, but wanted to use my travel pillow like I do. She tried and tried to get it to fit comfortably behind her head. As you can see...no matter what she did, it just didn't work!

So she settled for just having it next to her.

Later, she watched a movie and just looked so darn cute in her "too-big" headphones.

I have an amazing video of Natalie singing the theme song from VeggieTales while wearing the headphones that is soooo cute. It's on Scott's phone, but his cable is on his desk, at his office in MD, 589 miles away, so you'll just have to wait till we get home. I know you'll all be on the edge of your ergonomic desk chair until it's posted, but you'll just have to wait.

Buuuut... until then... here's an absolutely adorable picture of my nephew and I kissing. He loves me so much!!!