After several months (years?) of having blond highlights, I decided to go back to my natural color for several reasons. I thought I would like it, but it never really grew on me. It was either too blond, too orange, too red or too something. I started feeling like a calico cat. But the main reason is because if I keep spending this much money on hair maintenance every 8 to 10 weeks, Kevin will never be able to retire and our boys won't be able to go to college.
Luke didn't even notice a difference when I picked him up from preschool today. I asked if he liked my hair and all he said was, "Yes, it is brown."
Fletcher? Different story.
Fletcher: Mom? It looks like your hair is blown or something.
Me: Yes, I got my hair cut today.
Fletcher: It looks different.
Me: Do you like it?
Fletcher: Mmmmm. No, not really. It kinda looks like you've been through a fire. Like your hair is burnt. You know, like on the cartoons.
Me: Oh
Fletcher: Well, you know what I'm saying. I'm not trying to effind you (I think he meant "offend").
None taken. (My hairdresser has two boys the exact same age as mine. She warned me that they wouldn't like it). It is pretty dark and a pretty drastic change. I might get brave and post a picture soon.
Current votes:
Luke - yes
Fletcher - no
Kevin - yes
Sadie - I'm guessing yes since she didn't bark at me like I was a stranger when I came home.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Let Freedom Ring
(This post has lots of pictures so you may want to give it a minute to load all the pictures before you start.)
We spent part of Fourth of July in the mountains and part of it at a lake. Before you start thinking that we've won the lottery or something because of all these fabulous, fun vacations, let me explain. We have friends from our single days in Houston who got married and moved to South Carolina. They've had a lake house in their family for years (over 50 to be exact) and the family gets together every year for a huge party on the 4th. Our friends also just built a cabin in the mountains and they wanted us and another family to give it a "test run". So we happily obliged.
Jones Gap State Park. The water was a little chilly. Fletcher got in, but Luke was happy to throw rocks in the water and watch them splash.
Yep! It was cold.
The Army Corp of Engineers would be proud. Kevin rearranged rocks all day so that this stagnant, murky water would become part of the flowing stream again. Have I mentioned that he has a hard time sitting still when we are on vacation?
Lake Jocassee. This is the same lake we went to last October. The kids had a blast on the pontoon boat.
Steven and Robyn (our hosts) and Jerusha.
Warren (Jerusha's husband) brought Kevin a fly fishing rod. He taught Kevin the basics. Kevin, Warren and Stephen were all in a men's small group Bible study back in our single days at Second Baptist in Houston.
Fletcher fished too. He is the only one who caught something.
Yes, that's Kevin at the top of those rocks. Yes, he jumped.
This is Stephen and Robyn's cabin in the moutain. It is very unique and the pictures just don't do it justice. The lower level (which you can't see in this pic) has a bedroom, small living area, full bath and kitchenette (microwave, small fridge, sink) with washer/dryer. It is airconditioned. The upstairs has four huge glass garage doors that open up to reveal screens. So it is like a giant screened in porch if the doors are up. The upstairs has a full kitchen, half bath, living area, woodburning stove, and deck. Steven wanted something very rustic, but they have two little girls (who will grow up to be teenaged girls) so Robyn said they needed the downstairs too so they wouldn't be "roughing it" too much.
Here the doors are up. The views were amazing! So amazing that I forgot to take pictures. This place is up on the side of a mountain overlooking a state park gorge area. I bet it is gorgeous in the fall when the leaves change.
The kitchen with the extra long table. We gave this kitchen a workout! Thirteen people for three days and almost every meal.
Another view of the living area and kitchen. They did such a great job with the finishes and the fixtures. See the rocking chairs near the back? I spent lots of time there just enjoying the view.
Warren has a little boy who is just a few months older than Luke. They played well together. Fletcher was surrounded by four (!) little girls ranging in age from 6 to 9. He wasn't too sure about being the only boy with all those girls. But he really had fun. I'm sure in about 10 years he won't mind that at all!
Buying the fireworks for the 4th.
Robyn and Steven's girls - Caroline and Ellie. Look at Fletcher's smile.
Lakehouse! Fletcher and the girls all went out on the big tube thingy on the ski boat. Luke had no desire to do that.
The whole crew (minus me). It is so fun to see Kevin, Warren and Stephen together again. I know these guys were critical in Kevin's spiritual growth when he was in Houston. I'm glad they have continued to keep in touch. Warren and Jerusha get the award! They drove all the way from Texas with three kids and a dog to come join us.
All the kiddos.
We spent part of Fourth of July in the mountains and part of it at a lake. Before you start thinking that we've won the lottery or something because of all these fabulous, fun vacations, let me explain. We have friends from our single days in Houston who got married and moved to South Carolina. They've had a lake house in their family for years (over 50 to be exact) and the family gets together every year for a huge party on the 4th. Our friends also just built a cabin in the mountains and they wanted us and another family to give it a "test run". So we happily obliged.
Jones Gap State Park. The water was a little chilly. Fletcher got in, but Luke was happy to throw rocks in the water and watch them splash.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Litchfield 2011
It has been a wee bit chilly here (39 degrees Sunday morning with a high of 65). I've mentioned on here before that I am not a huge fan of cold weather (but I am very thankful that God gives us four seasons to enjoy). I feel like I need more time to get mentally prepared to go from a really hot summer to 39 degrees in October.
Anyway, enough about that. Thought I would post some pictures from our beach trip back in June with our friends. Kevin isn't in any of the pictures because he didn't get to go. As he puts it, "Someone around here has to work to keep you in the lifestyle to which you've grown accustomed."
And to that I say, "Who else is going to take these cutie patooties to the beach?"
Do not zoom in on the picture below because I'm pretty sure Fletcher needed a tissue and I did not have one in the beach bag.
The kids loved this place almost as much as the beach. It was a little seafood restaurant with a pirate ship play area outside.
And a shark. Love their facial expressions.
Luke didn't want to stop and take a picture with mom. Can you tell?
Buddies.
Prisoners?
They also received pirate hats from the owner. I have to say this is a cute bunch of pirates.
Our trip to Pawleys Island. We have a "Pawleys 2010" picture from last year. It would be fun to try to get one every year to see how they've grown.
The whole group (minus Kevin and Grant).
Anyway, enough about that. Thought I would post some pictures from our beach trip back in June with our friends. Kevin isn't in any of the pictures because he didn't get to go. As he puts it, "Someone around here has to work to keep you in the lifestyle to which you've grown accustomed."
And to that I say, "Who else is going to take these cutie patooties to the beach?"
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Bob the Builder
Luke loves to play "worker". A few weeks ago when I was cleaning out closets, I found several of those caribiner hooks. He loves those things and uses them to attach various things to his belt loops. If he is wearing something that doesn't have belt loops, he just hooks them on his underwear instead. He throws around words like "working site" and "safety harness" like he is an old pro. Kevin found him a a real toolbelt ( a smaller one that I used on a mission trip). Saturday morning they had some work to do around the house so father and son strapped on the toolbelts and got to work.
His serious worker face.
His happy worker face.
His serious worker face.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Chicken Little
We've been parents now for 7 1/2 years. So far we've done ok, but we've both made some parenting errors. You know, those times and situations when you look back and realize "I should have handled that differently."
Fletcher is studying the solar system in science this year. Last week he and Kevin were talking about his day and what he learned. Kevin (who wanted to make conversation and be sure that Fletcher was aware of current events) says something like, "Hey, did you know there's this satellite in space that's about to fall out of the sky on Friday?"
As I am standing there listening, I am thinking, "Telling him this is SUCH a bad idea," but I didn't say anything. They continue to talk about it and about "space junk".
Fletcher (my very own Chicken Little) immediately asks, "So I could get hit by space junk if I'm outside on Friday?"
Instead of saying "absolutely not", Kevin launches into this discussion about the 6 billion people who live on the earth and the mathematical probability of space junk hitting a person.
All Fletcher hears is "Blah, blah, blah...yes it is entirely possibly for you to get whacked in the head by something falling out of the sky on Friday... blah, blah, blah."
Of course, Fletcher has trouble sleeping that night. Can't imagine why.
Then the next day after school, I'm asking Fletcher how his day was, what he did, etc. He tells me that he told some of his classmates about the satellite that could hit them. Oh great. After probing for more details, he told me that he told them at lunch, not during class. I didn't check my email the rest of the day because I didn't want any emails from disgruntled 2nd grade parents wondering why we were causing such a stir all in the name of "current events".
Kevin came home later that same day. I said, "Fletcher, go ahead and tell Dad what you told your class today." Fletcher said, "I told them they might get hit by some space junk falling out of the sky."
It would have been funny only it wasn't.
Kevin then tries to revisit the whole probability thing as Fletcher's eyes glaze over. Kevin even pulled up an article about the satellite and suggested we send it in to school to clear up any confusion. I said, "No."
Well, to be honest, I may have said, "Have you lost your mind?!?! We are letting this thing die right here, right now. No more talk about the 6.5 ton satellite hurtling toward the earth on Friday. I don't want a phone call from his teacher saying that the entire 2nd grade won't go outside for recess because they are afraid."
You will be happy to note that the satellite did fall and no one was injured. They believe it fell somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. You will be interested to note that your probability of getting hit was 1 in 3200. That is kind of disturbing. A lady was hit in 1997 by space junk and lived to tell about it.
As a new parenting strategy, we will think through the long term implications and impact of sharing current events with our 7 year old.
Fletcher is studying the solar system in science this year. Last week he and Kevin were talking about his day and what he learned. Kevin (who wanted to make conversation and be sure that Fletcher was aware of current events) says something like, "Hey, did you know there's this satellite in space that's about to fall out of the sky on Friday?"
As I am standing there listening, I am thinking, "Telling him this is SUCH a bad idea," but I didn't say anything. They continue to talk about it and about "space junk".
Fletcher (my very own Chicken Little) immediately asks, "So I could get hit by space junk if I'm outside on Friday?"
Instead of saying "absolutely not", Kevin launches into this discussion about the 6 billion people who live on the earth and the mathematical probability of space junk hitting a person.
All Fletcher hears is "Blah, blah, blah...yes it is entirely possibly for you to get whacked in the head by something falling out of the sky on Friday... blah, blah, blah."
Of course, Fletcher has trouble sleeping that night. Can't imagine why.
Then the next day after school, I'm asking Fletcher how his day was, what he did, etc. He tells me that he told some of his classmates about the satellite that could hit them. Oh great. After probing for more details, he told me that he told them at lunch, not during class. I didn't check my email the rest of the day because I didn't want any emails from disgruntled 2nd grade parents wondering why we were causing such a stir all in the name of "current events".
Kevin came home later that same day. I said, "Fletcher, go ahead and tell Dad what you told your class today." Fletcher said, "I told them they might get hit by some space junk falling out of the sky."
It would have been funny only it wasn't.
Kevin then tries to revisit the whole probability thing as Fletcher's eyes glaze over. Kevin even pulled up an article about the satellite and suggested we send it in to school to clear up any confusion. I said, "No."
Well, to be honest, I may have said, "Have you lost your mind?!?! We are letting this thing die right here, right now. No more talk about the 6.5 ton satellite hurtling toward the earth on Friday. I don't want a phone call from his teacher saying that the entire 2nd grade won't go outside for recess because they are afraid."
You will be happy to note that the satellite did fall and no one was injured. They believe it fell somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. You will be interested to note that your probability of getting hit was 1 in 3200. That is kind of disturbing. A lady was hit in 1997 by space junk and lived to tell about it.
As a new parenting strategy, we will think through the long term implications and impact of sharing current events with our 7 year old.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Arrgh!
Luke has a very active imagination. Fletcher does too, but Luke's has really kicked in over the last few months. He really likes dressing up in all the various costumes we have. Over the years, I've picked up a few costumes on clearance after Halloween and at consignment sales so we have a fun box full of various costumes. These are our latest additons ($2 each at a consignment sale). Thankfully, there were two in just the right sizes for each of them. Of course, I couldn't get them to stand still and look at the camera or say "aargh" or smile or do anything other than wiggle and jump around. Story of my life. Oh well....
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