After Ethan went to a good solid day of Kindergarten, we decided that enough was enough and went on vacation. Oh yes, we did. Mom, Dad and Lora arrived on Thursday, we packed up on Friday and by Sat. we were off to the Outer Banks. We got to Hatteras island on Sunday and our rickety old rented house was right on the beach. We had gorgeous sunny weather for the first 5 days (although a couple of those days were pretty windy) but we unfortunately had to head back on Friday because Hurricane Hanna was headed our way. So Friday we drove to Raleigh and, ironically, so did Hanna. That silly hurricane didn't even get near the Outer Banks...but that is never something you want to risk.

While we were there we did a whole lot of nothing. We played on the beach, took walks in the surf, played a couple games too many of Settlers, ate a whole lot of food, saw a few lighthouses and made a few sandcastles. Well, actually, Rob made the sandcastle (and sand whale) and Mom & Dad made the moat. I collected shells with the kids to put on the top. :)

We also did a little Boogie Boarding which was really fun. Dad went out a few times and I even got Mom to give it a try. I went out with the kiddies and helped them catch the waves. It was surprisingly Austin who enjoyed it the most. He kept making me go back out with him and I even got him to go by himself once. Ethan was nervous with the water this trip...which is a first and hopefully a last. Laina just wanted to hang out with Dada.

We spent one day exploring the island and taking a ferry to Ocracoke island to see the famous lighthouse there. It is the second oldest lighthouse in the US...not too shabby. Mom, Rob, Ethan and I walked to the top of it. Austin was tall enough to go too but Alaina was a couple inches too short, so we told them they had to be 5 to climb to the top. The twins were so sad.

After we storm-chased Hanna to Raleigh we ended up spending he next day at the Discovery Museum looking at the Dead Sea Scrolls. That was pretty interesting..but they didn't allow you to take any pictures, so you got pictures of dinosaurs instead. We were also able to see David & Victoria Grant and their little family. It was so much fun to catch up with them. Victoria lasted another few days before she gave birth to a baby boy they named Liam. Congratulations!

And home again!

We had so much fun on this trip. It is amazing how long we went without seeing Mom & Dad & Lolo. It makes me realize just how much I miss living by family. The kids have really gotten to know all of their grandparents again this summer. It makes me happy to see those relationships grow and sad to know that how long it will be before we get the chance to get together again.

Little Lolo is really pregnant...for those of you that have been doubting. She's cute for a barefoot and pregnant 12 year old. She actually was barefoot for the majority of the trip b/c her feet swelled up to freakish proportions. On Sunday we saw those nasty feet actually swallow up her sandals. Yikes. Not only is baby-Lora, walking around masquerading around like a soon-to-be-mother but she keeps insisting on telling everyone she's married. Where is this phantom husband, I ask you. Just how long does she think people are going to buy the whole, "He's in Africa, helping the poor orphans." Seriously, Lolo....come up with something a little more believable, like, he's gone to Hollywood to make it big, or something.

We celebrated my Birthday a few days early when Mom made me G-ma's 8 egg cake (YUM!) and then they were off. Sigh. I guess we'll just have to do it all on our own again. :( But we are open to any new visitors who want to come our way. Just give us a call and come on over!

School-time!

Ethan got to have two first days of school. His first day was a day of testing with only 5 kids in his class. On his second day, Grandma, Grandpa and Lolo were here and he got another royal send-off.

First day of Kindergarten.

Ethan and Amisha.
I was so excited for him to go to school until this very moment. I was so sad to see him walk up those steps. Look at him...all grown up.

Here is his second-first day of Kindergarten. Again with Amisha. (They both walk to the end of the street for the bus.)
Here he knew a little of what to expect...which made him a little more worried.

And it was my twinnies' first day of preschool. I can't believe what my life has come to. They have been waiting for this day for about a year now. I have been putting it off for just as long. I was really sad after I dropped them off and there was no one at home. I came home to Mom, Dad and Lolo and told them how depressed I was. My friend Sara came over for lunch with her little baby twinnies and before I knew it she looked at me and said, "Isn't it about time?" Confused, I asked, "For what? Your twins to go to bed?" She started laughing and told me that I was almost late for picking up the twins from school. It didn't take me long to get use to the whole free time thing.

Here they are...so cute.
My Laine.
Sweet Austin."Enough pictures, already!"

Austin Sweet & Sour

The Sweet

Robert had taken Austin over to a bathroom and on their way back Austin said, "You are the best Dadda in the world. You are such a great Dada. You are superman!"
The Sour

A day before Mom, Dad & Lora came to town I was busy trying to get all my errands run in one afternoon. It had been a hard day and the kiddies were tired and acting a little crazy. I decided, against better judgment, to finish the day off with a trip to Target. I was already wishing that I hadn't the moment I entered the front doors...so you can imagine how frazzled I was when I came out one hour later. It was at least 90 degrees outside to go along with oppressive humidity. I opened the side doors and ordered the kids in while I was unloading the cart into the back. After I put a few bags in the back I looked up for a quick 'kid check' when I noticed that only two of my kids were in the car. I looked around with instant panic in my heart and was at once relieved and mortified. I was relieved to see that Austin was right behind me. I was mortified to see his pants at his ankles and that he was in the middle of peeing across the parking lot. It wasn't enough for him to pee in public, he had to be facing the road with arch nearly reaching the next row of cars. To make things worse, he was stopping traffic. There was no way the car waiting to the right was going to get close to getting a yellow car wash. I instantly told Austin to stop but apparently you just can't turn off the faucet once it's on. (I think that, as much as I'm embarrassed to admit it, I've actually already mentioned a few times before how incredibly large Austin's bladder is.) I instead had to wait, shame-faced until my boy had completely emptied the bladder before I spun him around and shoved him in the car.