Adventures at Grandma and Grandpa's House

       

We love Grandma's house! We have been busy running errands for our big trip this week!
Costco run.
Target trip.
Shoe shopping.
Pickle eating. (steele's homemade pickles!)
Walks down to the lake.
A fun hour of boating.
Good grilling.
Early mornings with Ellie.
Cuddles with Sophie.
Busy bath times. (aka ellie pooping in the bath and towel two nights in a row...)
Late night FaceTime and emoji crazy texts from Ryan.

We miss Ryan like crazy, but he is doing so well studying and staying busy. Counting the days, babe!

4th of July

I am blogging from my parents computer (a pc) and I'm struggling! so if the layouts are wonky, you know why. I feel like I'm trying to interpret another language! Total apple snob, I know.

 

This was the day we were to meet my Mom halfway to continue on to North Carolina. Unfortunately, we used Ryan's day off to make the long drive, but everything worked out so perfectly. We couldn't have asked for a better drive day. My Mom is a champ. She met us more than halfway to make the drive easier on us, and on Ryan to have the rest of the day to study if he needed to.

 

 

We met up at a Chick-Fil-A to make the swap and it worked out perfectly. ps, the CFA cobb salad is ridiculously amazing and I want to eat one everyday of my life now. Brinley was so excited to see Grandma. We took one last picture with Ryan and gave him lots of hugs and kisses. I told him to pinch my butt one more time, but he wouldn't in front of my mom. Come on, man!! I miss him already. My heart just aches for his company, but we have so many ways to stay in touch its like we're really together even though we are miles apart.

 

 

Ellie had a rough trip. Granted, it was a 10+ hour day, so I don't blame her, but she had many meltdowns. She did take a 40 minute nap and Brinley ended up falling asleep for a little bit.

 

 

Once we made it into North Carolina, I wanted to scream and shout! It felt so good to finally drive over the bridge over the lake right before their turn off. My dad spent the day off golfing and prepping our 4th dinner. He had everything ready when we got home. What a gem! Bacon wrapped hot dogs, potato salad, veggies, and a Vergil's root beer. Delish.

 

I had never seen the fireworks from the boat, so the moment Brinley and Ellie were down, we raced down to the boat and noticed the lake was too low to even get the boat OUT! ahhhh! Talk about frustrating. Their lake is the drinking water for Charlotte and it seems like the levels are constantly changing.

 

 

 

We didn't feel so bad when it started pouring rain only 10 minutes after we came back inside. suckers!! We closed our night out with watching Brooke White's new movie on the Hallmark Channel, Banner 4th of July. It was up to Hallmark cheese ball acting standards, but she was so cute and the music was super fun.

 

Next 4th, we plan to have a crazy awesome day off spent TOGETHER as a family. I miss that hunky man of mine already, and it has only been one day.

Busy Days Around The Town

We've been busy. Splash parks. Beach trips. Panera for lunch. Mall play place fun. Lunch with daddy. Not all in one day, but doing one of those things feels like a busy day for me anyway! One thing I've learned having 2 kids is that I need to plan and pack 20 minutes before I'm going to leave. Something always comes up. Brinley needs to pee (or poo) and Ellie always nurses before we leave. I swear I have to pack my diaper bag for a road trip because the minute we pull out of the complex, Brinley complains of being hungry. That kid, I tell ya, she could eat all day long if I let her. 

on our way to Panera for lunch

yummo!

For whatever reason, I have a really good sense of direction. I don't know why that is, but I think I get it from my Dad. I just feel my way through a new city, and usually end up where I need to be. thank goodness because with Ryan's lack of direction, we balance each other out. Our city, and surrounding cities, are very easy to navigate. It really only took me a week or two to feel comfortable. If you are on a bridge, you're heading either in or out of a city. I have really enjoyed getting to know our new place and going on adventures with the girls. The best way to get to know a city is to get lost. Or take the long way home on side streets. I've forced myself to take different routes home and see where we end up. Brinley is starting to become familiar with certain landmarks to help identify where we are going. Like, when we are driving to Daddy's work, we point out the car wash and Pei Wei.

We visited daddy at work while he was studying one Saturday. The office was quiet, but we had fun eating CFA together. 

her squishy back. Swoon! 

A few weeks ago, I went to the beach alone with the girls and had a very traumatic experience with Brinley not listening and going into the water alone. Let me just say, I was a mess and I experienced post-traumatic crying fits days after it happened. SO this time, we went to the beach with a wife of a partner from the firm. We had so much fun together. Brinley loved her and they had lots of fun playing with each other. She is a teacher and was telling Brinley about fish. After a few minutes of their conversation, she asked Brinley what a group of fish was called, and Brinley said "a school!!" so then she asked again, what are 2 fish called? and Brinley says confidently, "a class!!" It was amazing. We died. Our recent trip with my new friend helped me realize that even though the beach is fun, it is not worth going alone and having something possibly happen. I can still be a fun mom without going to the beach alone.

Our Subaru was needing a part fixed due to a recall. That sent us 30 miles north to a city called Vero Beach. That was an interesting drive. The girls did great at the dealership and we were there and back in 3 hours.

Brinley and Ellie are so go-with-the-flow. Brinley lives for an adventure. and Ellie is a great companion for Brinley. Those two. They are becoming quite the loud, and active pair together.

splash park // Sams club! Loving the double shopping carts. So genius. 

and some randoms. no more blow drying for this girl during the week. Too. Much. Humidity. and poor Ellie has been having a hard time cutting her first tooth. If this isn't teething, I have no idea what it is! We are unfamiliar with the baby teething stage. Ice cubes and frozen peaches in the mesh sack thing seems to be doing the trick though.

Last Weekend Together

The girls and I are on our way to North Carolina this week for the entire month of July. We are meeting my mom in Jacksonville to make the swap and continue driving to North Carolina with her as Ryan drives back home. We have a family reunion in Canada in the middle of month and unfortunately, Ryan won't be able to attend.  It was easier to fly with my parents to the reunion then do it alone with the girls. If I had to fly alone, I probably wouldn't have gone at all, so I am very thankful for my parents putting up with us for all the traveling around and also staying at their house for so long.

I am excited to hang out with my Mom and Dad. I've been so lonely not having much adult interaction. Ryan is pretty much gone all day except for an hour or two at night time when we are tired and getting ready for bed. I am so sad Ryan won't be making Canada memories with us, but the Bar is too close. We are in crunch time! This is the longest time we will be apart from each other so I'm trying not to think about that. I am going to miss him so much!! insert super sad face and watery eyes.

For our last weekend together, we tried to make the most of it. Ryan had to study for most of the day. He texted me around noon saying he was ready to be picked up at 2pm!! Woo! So we packed up our stuff and headed to the beach. It was a perfect hour and a half before the summer storm swooped in. The beach is always so therapeutic for us. Really brings us back to our chi and helps put life in perspective.

We got home and made yummy tacos for dinner. After the girls got to bed, I was so exhausted. We went to the splash park the day before and two sun days for me in a row made me feel a little zoned out Saturday night. Ryan volunteered to go to Walmart for me and I am so grateful for him. He's the best.

Sunday was a great day. Brinley just loves her new Primary so much. She is quickly learning the new songs due to a very energetic music teacher. Brinley is a bit obsessed with her! Today, the music teacher was up leading the music, and she apologized to the kids for having to take off her high heels. Right after she took off her shoes, Brinley turned to her Sunbeam teacher and goes, "I need to take my high heels off too. My feet hurt." Everyone heard and started laughing, and all the other girls in her Sunbeam class took off their shoes too. I've been told a few times that Brinley is the Primary's comic relief. I'm not surprised! She's so hilarious.

Thankfully, we have a few days after we get to Charlotte to get ready for our 10 day trip to Canada. I have lots of helping hands when I get there, but the thought of Ryan missing out and not being with us makes me stressed!