2009 beach highlights

it has been a week now back to reality, we have unpacked, de-sanded the shoes all the while still wishing the beach was just outside.  it was a good week.  it was a needed week.  so, in memory, here are the high points (if i can remember, you know time stops down there :).

sunday:  white sand, seaweed water and lukewarm pool.  to some not so appealing, but it was day one and all was perfect.  dinner was just some good ole seafood at bayou bills and then back to the house - boys hit the cards, girls hit the porch. 

monday:  pool in the morning with annie, ham sandwiches for lunch, congress rummy in the afternoon with the boys, and shades to-go - um hello, we girls couldn't miss the bachelorette. duh.

tuesday:  lazy morning, trip to the sprinklers, some beach reading and then a night in seaside. sweet moment in seaside was definitely watching addison savor her coveted cupcake for a very. long. 45. minutes.   

wednesday:  slept in and woke up to marc's yummy french toast, then to the pool for a fun, fun afternoon where i met a fellow adpi beta nu and her sweet family, and finally to end the day, watching josh eat at the back porch in sheer satisfaction was priceless.

thursday: sad to see annie, brooke and josh leave! addison tried to be sweet and gentle as she loved on annie.  a little kiss and then a foot to the head - don't all 6 month olds like that kind of love?  then off the the outlets to shop, dinner at fuddpuckers and a night at the trac where addison enjoyed two rides on the choo-choo!  

friday:  another lazy morning and then off to the pool for a fun day with our new friends (and addison finally fell in love swimming again - after we realized she had a ear infection and we got some medicine in her). dinner with hubby at the red bar, a little photo shoot in rosemary with 78 of our closest friends on the beach and then a trip to the eat-your-heart-out homemade ice cream shop.  perfect treat to end a perfect week.  

to terry

lovely friends and good advice

another good day.  a ton of work was accomplished at the day job and then some good laughs were had around a table with some lovely ladies.  it has been those wednesday (or thursday) nights over the past two years, with those families, around their tables, that have made this place a home.  what once was only little evynne is now a house full of kiddos.  there are squeals and laughter, singing and a little crying.  guys in one room and girls in another.  friendships are made, jokes are told and stories are shared.

tonight we shared about disciplining our children and how that makes us feel as parents.  i struggle with this so much.  am i disciplining too little or too much? should i spank more or do time out? am i consistent enough? is addison even getting the message that comes with punishment? i have to remember they are children, they are sinners, and they are learning their boundaries.  

all this to say, these precious ladies made me feel more confident in this life as a parent.  i don't seem to be alone on this endless road.  it is comforting to hear their stories, understand their struggles, and get their pointers and tips.  thank you ladies! i love you dearly!

48 hour countdown to the beaches of 30A.  i think i need to start packing and stop blogging. 

watch out...

...three posts in three days...whitney is getting a little crazy on the blog world.  or to be honest, whitney is three days from the sunny shores of the gulf and i. can't. wait. and today was a good day.  i spoke to two of my best friends, my neice is sleeping under my roof, we had dinner at pablos with carrie and now i am watching a girly movie with my hubby.  yes, a good day. a stick-your-head-in-a-whole-and-smile-silly kind of good day.  

ebay

i just have to say that in the last month i have totally scored on ebay! i got some brand new mary jane crocs for addion for $9.99, some brand new tevas for $17.99, and then last night i got the most adorable-brand-spankin-new-smocked beach dress for $22.00. and now, to my horror, i am about to buy a copy of charlie and the chocolate factory for $4.25...i am a glutten for punishment.

etsy and ebay...ahhh, my two online loves. thank you for supplying me with discount (and not so discount) happys.

i'm TWO...or five

we officially have a two year old.  wow, two.  and to get ready we practiced and practiced and after much more practice addison finally said (with much enthusiasm) "i'm TWO!". and to celebrate her being TWO! we had a big water party full of pools and sprinklers, water guns and beach balls, balloons and bubbles.  

first we had the invite...i got smart this year and wiped out the address :)

then the outfit...which this year was a swimsuit with fish of course (do you see a theme?)

and of course the food...sandwiches were cut out in the shapes of fish and a jello fishbowl turned out pretty cute

the little touches that i love!  this year i was trying out water bottle labels and they turned out perfect!

the favors were a bit of a challenge.  finding something appropriate for a 14 month old and a 9 year old was pretty tough.  so, i settled on some sippee cups with personalized labels and then i decided to do another cd this year but this tune with summer songs.

and finally the cake.  the look was perfect, the taste was amazing, and the kids enjoyed it.  

so what is with the five comment?  well, after getting "i'm TWO!" down pat she comes home from daycare all of the sudden saying "i'm TWO...no, i'm FIVE!".  who knows.  i would not be surprised if a miss stephanie was behind that one.  nonetheless, it is pretty cute.  so, happy TWO (or five) birthday little miss!  we love you!!!

new favorites

my terry is a passionate person.  he loves big and savors much.  alabama football, mountain dew, raw chocolate chip cookies, meatball sandwiches, wrestling, nikes, tiger woods.  most of his passions i don't share, especially his love for the movie charlie and the chocolate factory. that man loves that movie...and this woman cannot stand it.  i have no real reasons, i just don't like it. 

it is summer and addison's love is playing outside.  and man she plays hard. so hard that after dinner and before bed we try to settle her down a little with a movie.  most of the time it works for a few minutes and she is back up playing with her babies or "cooking" dinner at her kitchen. but on one particular night last week we experienced something we had never seen and something i am sure to dread in the coming years.  sitting in complete stillness for over an hour, little miss watched and watched and watched none other than charlie and the chocolate factory.  she was mesmerized.  she literally dropped everything, sat down and watched, with mouth open, this movie that has seemed to invade the minds of people i love. i don't get it and totally cringe at it.  oh well, my only saving grace is johnny depp.  

p.s. i am not a stain fighter and that night we had spaghetti.  spaghetti and addison means a complete mess. so in an effort to keep stains away, i just strip her down. i promise i am not that red.  then again she tried to get in the pool in her birthday suit today so maybe i am a little red.