Peach Picking

The kids and I went peach picking this afternoon. A first for all three of us. Now we're trying to decide what to do with all these peaches?

Saturday Spa

Boone Hall Plantation Strawberry Festival

This was the first year we went to the Boone Hall Plantation Strawberry Festival and I'm so glad we did because it was SO MUCH FUN!

Ice Skating

We took the kids ice skating for the first time today.  Considering Trent and I haven't been skating in over 25 years, we all did surprisingly well and had a really fun time.

Birthday Camping

Per Rya's request we rented a little log cabin on a lake at the camp site down the street from our house.

We took the dogs and walked the nature trail, we rode in a paddle boat around the lake, we visited a nearby Plantation via hayride, we fished, we told spooky stories, we sat by a fire and enjoyed the fresh outdoor weather.

The whole family really enjoyed this mini getaway.  But I think Rya loved it the most.
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On November 17, Rya woke to a birthday breakfast that we cooked over an open fire.

Happy 5th Birthday my lovely Rya D.

Backyard Camping

The whole family, including dogs and dragon, spent Labor Day Weekend camping in our backyard.

 It was hot, sweaty, crowded and annoying but somehow it was EXACTLY where I wanted to be.

That's It

Raising Readers

We curbed some of the summertime boredom with weekly trips to the library. 

 

By the end of the summer the kids earned reading medals, free tacos and ice cream and a brain full of awesome knowledge and silly things!

Isle of Palms

 

It's been an extremely rainy summer but we grab beach time at the Isle of Palms whenever we can. 

Slip'n Slide

To kick off the summer I bought the kids a Slip'n Slide.  After about two or three runs the kids asked why they weren't having as much fun as the kids pictured on the box.  Ungrateful assholes. 

Myrtle Beach Getaway

 

On Friday we drove up to Myrtle Beach for the weekend to celebrate Currier's 7th birthday.  Our first order of business was appetizers and drinks at Planet Hollywood which was right outside our hotel.   The rest of the evening was spent in the hotel Jacuzzi relaxing. 

 

On Saturday we spent the day at the beach and then went to Pirates Voyage—Dolly Parton's brand new pirate themed dinner show in Myrtle Beach.  

 

 

Shiver me timbers! The show was really incredible.  It was a spectacular mix of pirates, mermaids, acrobats, live animals, good food, cold beer, and loud music.  It was the perfect way to celebrate Currier turning seven.

 

On Currier's birthday (Sunday, May 19th) we spent the morning goofing around in the hotel pool.

 

We spent the afternoon day dreaming and drinking at a ocean view bar.

 

And we spent the evening riding rides at Broadway at the Beach.  FANTASTIC WEEKEND!

Loser

Once again I kicked this four-year-old's ass at Candyland. Nana nana boo boo stick your head in doo doo... What a sore loser!

Summertime!

Our first pool day of the season and Rya D. and I had it all to ourselves.  I love days like this! 

Spring Break 2013

For Currier's spring break we did a staycation.  The week was filled with crafts at home, playdates at the park, mornings of sleeping in, ceramics at Kiln Time, lunches at fast food joints, falling asleep on the couch to movies and even an evening at Chuck E Cheese (even though I swore I'd never go back to that torture chamber!). 

Although simple and low budget, it turned out to be a wonderful week.  

Pitt Street Bridge

Trent often takes the kids to Pitt Street Bridge and they search in the marsh for seashells and shark teeth.  While they do this I workout or take a nap or read and they return home with treasures for me.  I love it! 

Disney Marathon Weekend

We arrived Friday evening for the Disney Marathon Weekend.   My Aunt Joanie works for Disney so she was able to get us a great discount at the All Star Sports Resort inside Disney.  Our room overlooked a giant heated pool that captivated us until almost Midnight.  

  

On Saturday my Aunt Joanie and Uncle Ricky treated Trent and the kids to a day at Animal Kingdom.  While they had an awesome action packed day filled with roller coaster rides and amazing animal encounters, I went to the marathon expo to pick up my race packet and then I spent the rest of the day hydrating, stretching, resting and trying to calm my marathon jitters.   

 

Now for the not-so-fun part—Sunday started with a 2AM wake up call!  Yes, I had to get up at 2AM to eat, get dressed and catch the shuttle to Epcot at 3AM.   I arrived at Epcot at 3:30AM with 60,000 other idiots and then waited an hour to begin lining up at the start line.  It took two hours of walking and waiting to finally get to the front of the start line.  My corral took off at 6:25AM. 

Once I began running I felt great and it would occasionally dawn on me, “I’m running a freaking marathon!” and I couldn’t help but smile.  Eight months of training, physical therapy,early bedtimes, early wake up calls and that final ridiculous 2AM wake up call all came down to this and it felt awesome to finally be in that moment. 

The  race started and ended at Epcot and the course took us through all the Disney parks.  Aside from several stretches of crossing highway overpasses, it was a beautiful run with lots to see.  Everything was going great until after the Magic Kingdom I started to feel that familiar pain in my knee caused by IT band friction syndrome.  At mile seven I stopped and did the stretches I was taught to alleviate the pain and the pain would subside just to return even sharper a little later.  This went on and on and on for the remainder of the race.  I stopped at one medic tent to have them wrap my knee only to stop at the next medic tent to have them unwrap it because the tape made it hurt even more.  

 

I was diagnosed with this injury a while back so I went into this race knowing this could happen so I ran when I could and walked when I needed. It was tough and it took every ounce of will power to finish. At mile 22 I hit the notorious "wall" and had a little mental breakdown that led to some crying. That dreaded voice entered my head saying, "You can't do this" but that voice turned out to be a liar.  I just couldn't give up knowing that Trent and the kids were waiting for me at the finish line.   

Oh, crossing that finish line!  "What's it feel like?" everybody asks.  It felt incredible and it's hard to describe but I think it's comparable to giving birth.  It's months of preparing your body to perform and you have all these preconceived notions of how it's going to be but everything is completely different and things don't go your way and it hurts worse than you ever imagined.  After hours of pain you begin to think you're going to die and just when you think you can't take it anymore and after you've told all the doctors and nurses and marathon spectators to go fuck themselves (just in your head of course), you look down at this brand new human that your body created or you cross that finish line that your body carried you for 26 miles—and you're reborn.  YOU FEEL SO ALIVE!   

 

After the marathon, Trent's sisters and their families came to the hotel to celebrate with us.  We mostly hung out by the pool so I could stretch and soothe my sore body.  Aside from my knee injury, I also got a pretty good sunburn, lost a couple toenails and had some ugly chafing in places I'd rather not speak about.  Being surrounded by people I love made all the pain go away.  Well that and the pizza and beer.    

 

The morning after the marathon, Aunt Joanie and Uncle Ricky surprised the kids and took us out to breakfast with the characters.  It was an awesome buffet and I indulged because "I ran a freaking marathon yesterday!"  It was the perfect way to end the marathon weekend.  Oh, did I mention that Trent was playing football with his nephews at the hotel and pulled his hamstring? Yeah, he was limping around that breakfast buffet in a marathon t-shirt stealing my damn thunder!    

 

Running a marathon was a check mark on my bucket list.  I don't think I'll ever run a full one again but I'm so proud that I did.  I learned a lot about myself.  I've spent my whole life hating my body for not being perfect and now I can't stop thanking my body for being so strong. 

 

I want to thank everyone who supported me, believed in me and encouraged me through this whole dream but mostly I'd like to thank Billy Squier for "The Stroke" because that killer melody took me across the finish line!  

Gingerbread Village

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Gingerbread houses will turn your kids into cracked out assholes.  But oh what fun!

Boone Hall Plantation Pumpkin Patch

We met Rya's best friend, Riley, and her mom and baby brother at the Boone Hall Plantation Pumpkin Patch this afternoon.  The kids climbed on tractors, jumped in jumpy castles, fed goats and bunnies, posed with pumpkins and braved a haunted hay ride. 

Rya and Riley weren't interested in doing the corn maze so Margaret watched the girls while Currier and I giggled our way through the maze and surprisingly found our way out in less than a half hour. 

I had hoped to get traditional photos of the kids sitting on pumpkins with autumn leaves sprawled about but it was hot and sticky and everyone was dirty and uncooperative so that didn't happen. Instead here's a filthy, cranky Rya D.  Still beautiful nonetheless. 

Capers Island

The neighbors, Lisa and Gary, were kind enough (and brave enough) to invite us all out on their boat for the day. 

They took us to Capers Island for a day of drinking, eating, fishing, laughing and playing. 

 

It was a super fun day that left us all drunk, sun burned and exhausted. 

 

Except for Currier.  He was the only one sober enough to drive us home. 

Smokey Mountain Getaway

We rented a log cabin in the Tennessee Smokey Mountains to celebrate our 15 year anniversary.  We brought the kids and dogs along because nothing says romance like dog farts and sibling bickering! 

The cabin was loaded with kick ass amenities and located in Sevierville near Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.  Our cabin was called Smokey Sunrise and it earned it's name.  The sunrises were just that and so breathtaking!   

We spent most of our time in the jacuzzi on the balcony. 

And the jacuzzi in the master bath. 

Trent's sister Carrie and her friend Heather came up from Knoxville and spent a night with us.  They took us to Gatlinburg for dinner at Dick's Last Resort.  

They also took us to a moonshine tasting because they know how to keep it classy! 

 

Trent and Currier went to Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum while the girls shopped for treasures.  Trent was mortified when Currier saw the world's biggest shotgun and exclaimed, "HOLY SHIT!  How can anyone even hold that friggin thing!?"  On our way home to the cabin late that evening while listening to a lecture about watching my mouth in front of the kids, a big black bear ran into the road in front of us.  It was one of the most incredible things I've ever seen.    

 

We spent a whole day in Pigeon Forge taking the kids on every cheesy (and most likely extremely unsafe!) carnival ride we came across.  We also played a round of putt putt golf and rode go carts until our asses hurt. 

We mined for gemstones not once but twice and filled two mason jars with all our gems!  The kids and I loved this! 

 

We met Trent's cousin Tim and his wife Carrie for dinner at the Smokey Mountain Brewery in Pigeon Forge.

Tim owns several Old Tyme Photo shops in the area and he treated us to a shoot- So fun!  It wasn't a typical way to celebrate an anniversary but we wouldn't change a thing about this getaway!