Spring Break Trip to Chattanooga 2017

This past week we took a short trip up to Chattanooga for a few days during the kids' spring break.  We’d been looking forward to it for weeks and watched excitedly as the kids’ paper countdown chain got smaller and smaller.  Finally our day of departure arrived.  We loaded up the van, double-checked the A/C settings, door locks, and my scattered post-it notes full of reminders, and hit the road. 

Because it had only been two weeks since our trip to Savannah, the two hour and twenty minute drive seemed to fly by.  Heck, in metro Atlanta, two hours can be spent getting from one side of town to the other if traffic is particularly bad.  The kids did great entertaining themselves with “Eye Spy” and conversation.  When that grew old, we rocked out to the Troll soundtrack, Lionel Richie station on Pandora, and Alabama (Tennessee River seemed very appropriate!)

We had originally planned to stop at Rock City on the way in and eat a picnic lunch and explore there, but the rainy and chilly weather made us rethink that.  Our next idea was to call Ruby Falls and see what their wait time was to decide whether it would be worth it (we’d heard if you don’t get there first thing, it can make for a long line.)  The lady on the phone told me it was 45 minutes, which doesn’t sound awful, except that in my experience you need to add at least 20 minutes to whatever time an employee quotes you.  We opted to save that for the next day and headed into town for a picnic by the river and a visit to the famed aquarium.  It was so nasty outside that we ate our picnic in the van, but everyone kept good spirits about it. 

We weren’t crazy about shelling out unplanned money for aquarium tickets, but it sounded better than the children’s museum or the local shopping mall.  We started at the lemur exhibit (I know…strange thing to have at an aquarium!)  and the stingray touch pool.  Both kids hesitated, but eventually gave in and reached in for a petting as they swam by.  After that, we made our way to the butterfly house.  As we were about to walk out and Audrey was complaining that none had landed on her, one attached to her shoe and wouldn’t let go!  We finally got it off and then went through the other exhibits in that building, which included penguins, jellyfish, and a big tank full of all kinds of creatures.  Luke’s favorite were the sharks, of course.  Actually, that's not true.  I think what they both enjoyed the most were the revolving doors that lead in and out of a few exhibits.  Well worth the steep price of admission, I suppose.

We finished up at the building and let the kids run around the cool structures and bridges in the outdoor courtyard before entering the next building.  This one was full of exhibits of otters, seahorses, huge river fish, and small alligators.  After that one we were all getting tired, but decided we had to at least check out the final building, which was a special “Monster Fish” exhibit.  It was interesting, but later we all agreed it was our least favorite of the three.  We walked back to the van in the misty rain and drove to our hotel.  The kids were in awe of the grand two-story lobby of The Read House Hotel that would be our home for the next couple of days.  We found our room and made a quick call to a family member who had just texted some awesome news.  (More on that in a future post.)  We let the kids have a little device time while David watched the Masters and I got us settled in. 

When we’d sufficiently rested, we set out to explore the hotel.  It was originally built in the mid-1800s, served as a hospital during the Civil War, and then burned down in 1867.  It was rebuilt in 1872 but then flooded in 1875.  They kept it open for awhile after, but eventually decided to demolish and rebuild in 1926.  It really is a gorgeous place, with intricate detailing on the moulding and beautiful Waterford Crystal chandeliers everywhere.  We had a cool time walking around and making up stories about the grand balls and receptions that used to take place there.

After we were sure we’d covered every nook and cranny of the hotel, we drove over to the Bluff View Art district.  It was still rainy but we tried to make the most of it anyway and explored the quaint little area surrounded by gorgeous historic houses and gardens.  After a particularly gusty gail turned our umbrella inside out and left our faces soaking wet, we opted to go ahead and have an early dinner at Tony’s Italian Restaurant.  Kara and I had eaten there when we’d come up to Chattanooga a few years ago for one of our girls’ trips.  It was as tasty as I remember.  We talked about our day and I came up with the “Three L” game.  Everyone shared something they “L”oved, something they “L”earned, and something they could’ve “L”ived without.  As we talked and laughed through the days’ adventures, I was struck with such a sense of “wow, they are so big and this is so awesome.”  We didn’t have to bring entertainment or desperately try to distract them until the food got there.  We enjoyed real conversation and their company immensely. 

By the time we left, the sun had finally decided to peek out so we opted to give exploring another try.  The kids found a gazebo-type structure and promptly put on performances for us.  We walked through the sculpture garden and admired the river view before deciding that we really should just see if that nearby adorable coffee house had any of the gluten free goodies that their website mentioned.  Thankfully, they did, and thankfully, our full stomachs had just enough room to accommodate a little more.  We shuffled back to the van and started the drive to the hotel.  On the way we made a quick detour and decided to walk Walnut Bridge, the former-railroad-turned-pedestrian bridge.  We climbed the 95 steps up to it from our parking space and then walked across and back the gorgeous structure.  It is a really cool thing to be up so high over the river and take in all the views of the city.  It was windy, but we didn't mind.  The kids ran ahead just far enough to make us call out for them to stop and then waited for a moment before starting off again.  We took a few pictures and carefully climbed back down the 95 steps to our van.  

Back at the hotel, we got ready for bed.  There were two queens and a roll-away twin, which Luke volunteered to have for the first night.  We read our Bible story, said prayers, and then they each took a turn singing us a goodnight song.  We turned out the lights and ignored Luke's tired giggling while I read and David watched the Masters on his phone.  I felt so happy knowing that our little family was all tucked in just feet away from each other.  I fell asleep full of peaceful joy and stayed that way until Luke woke me up with a coughing fit a few hours later.  I couldn't get back to sleep for quite awhile, but I did finish my book!  Oh well.  It was nice while it lasted, but maybe separate bedrooms aren't the worst thing in the world.  

The next morning I woke up and attempted to quietly take a shower.  When I came out, both kids had commandeered my side of the bed with David.  We got dressed and ate our breakfast I'd packed from home before hitting the road for our visit to Ruby Falls.  Winding up the mountain side, we caught glimpses of the luscious valley views below.  An employee in an orange vest ushered us into a parking space and we bundled up against the wind as we walked to the castle-like building that housed the ticket booth and gift shop.  Our arrival couldn't have come at a more perfect time since they let us go right down the elevator in front of a huge group of fifth graders that were there on a field trip.  We road down 260 feet into the middle of the mountain, watching the grey rock rush by before us through the glass door.  When we hit rock bottom (HA!), the door opened and there stood our tour guide, who dramatically deadpanned one word to us:  "Run."  He laughed and introduced himself as "Andy."  We knew right away that he was going to be entertaining.  

As we rounded the corner to meet up with the rest of our group, Andy cracked jokes and lightened the mood.  I guess something about being enclosed in tight spaces that far away from the sun can make people a little tense.  We watched a short intro video and then began making our way along the trail path, stopping to admire the awesomeness of massive stalactites hanging above us.  It remains a constant 60 degrees and there are lights all around, so it wasn't as uncomfortable or spooky as I had imagined it would be.  It did get a little tight when a group ("survivors", as Andy referred to them) would pass by on their return.  The kids did a great job of staying close and only Audrey offered the occasional complaint that it was freaky or scary.  After about a half a mile, we heard the sound of the waterfall ahead and knew we were close.  Andy pulled us over to let a group pass.  As we waited, he gave us some final instruction about not tasting the water before leading us into the large room to behold the namesake prize.  It really was amazing.  The falls were lit up and there was some cheesy music playing that made it slightly more commercialized than I would've preferred, but it was still an awesome sight.  We took a few pictures, swapped picture taking favors with others in our group, and just spent a moment taking it all in.  All too quickly we had to line up and begin making our way back.  Feeling a little more confident in our cave-touring abilities, we picked up speed and made it back in much less time.  We boarded the elevator and said goodbye to the cave below as we ascended quickly back up into daylight.  

After some time on the playground and at the top of the castle lookout, we went into the gift shop to let the kids pick out some souvenirs.  We spent at least thirty minutes inspecting each and every possibility before they each chose a small pouch filled with rocks and an animal carved out of stone and Audrey got a pink slab of crystal.   They paid using their money and then we walked out to the parking lot to find a line winding out the door and filling up the sidewalk queue.  Talk about perfect timing!  I am not a patient line-waiter (I hate the wasted time and inefficiency), so I am very grateful we missed that mess.  

We drove back down Lookout Mountain and into the North Shore side of Chattanooga to eat lunch at a local spot called "Good Dog."  They were, indeed, good hot dogs (and fries) and we all ate hungrily having worked up an appetite hiking through a cave all morning.  After lunch, we hit a couple of stores near there and were starting to drive back to the hotel when we made a last minute plan change and opted to hang out at Coolidge Park.  We were originally going to go back to the hotel to swim, take showers, and rest, but decided it would make much more sense if we saved the swimming and showers until just before bedtime.  It turned out to be a good call and the kids didn't even gripe about the switch up.  

The first thing we did at the park was take a ride on the indoor antique carousel they have. Audrey initially chose a cat to ride on, but changed her mind last minute to jump on a horse. Luke chose a ferocious-looking tiger.  We rode around and then headed outdoors to let the kids climb all over the animal statues and roll down the small hills in the grass.  While Audrey and David played hopscotch, Luke and I found a perfect spot to sit right in front of the river.  It wasn't long before the view wasn't enough to hold his attention, so we all found a couple of different places to get close enough for them to touch the water and collect a rock or two.  We let them run around, check out an interactive metal musical structure, and then broke the news that it was time for ice cream.  They were obviously heartbroken.  We walked over to "Clumpies", which is a terrible name in my opinion, and had quite possibly the best ice cream I've ever tasted.  It was so fresh and creamy!  The kids seemed pretty beat (read:  Mommy and Daddy were tired), so after one last stop at a store where the lady gave them each a himalayan salt crystal for free (I was confused too, but why not?!), we made our way back to the hotel and put our feet up for an hour.  

Once we got our second wind, it was time for a little more exploring.  We walked from the hotel about five blocks to the Moon Pie General Store and moseyed around there for awhile. I let the kids each pick out some candy for the trip home the next day (nerds and bubble gum, in case you were curious.)  David went back to get the van at the hotel while we walked down a little farther through town.  He met us in a parking lot and we loaded up for dinner. Driving across the river, we made our way to Taco Mamacita, another tasty local spot that had a gluten free menu.  We ate on the patio and the food was delicious. We played our usual "Three L" game and ate way too much cheese dip.  It was perfection.

Back at the hotel we changed into our swimsuits and went down to the indoor pool.  Even though it was heated, it still felt pretty chilly.  Thankfully it was all 3-4' feet, so the kids were able to splash and play all over.  The only other family there left after about twenty minutes, so we had the place to ourselves the rest of the time.  After about an hour we decided it was time to head up for showers. The kids were reluctant, but didn't protest too much.  Luke kept telling me he was "dead" and then later explained that "what he meant by that was that his feet and legs were so tired he couldn't feel them anymore."  I could believe it!  We had walked quite a few miles that day and I was amazed at their good spirits and attitude during it all.  Of course, they were both out pretty quickly after we got cleaned up, read our Bible story, and sang goodnight songs.

I woke up early the next morning with the goal of sneaking down to the Starbucks onsite and starting this blog post.  Unfortunately, they don't open until 7am on Saturdays, so I had to find a quiet corner to tuck away in until then.  As I searched for a spot, an older gentleman remarked about how he couldn't believe they weren't open yet.  I told him I agreed and we joked about how the day is half over by 7am.  When you're comparing your sleep patterns with someone in their 70s, it may be a sign you're an old soul.

At 6:55, I headed over to wait by the door and bounced on in right at 7am.  I got my coffee, settled in, and wrote until 7:45am, when David texted me that they were awake.  I went back up to the room and we all got ready.  We packed up, checked and double-checked for any items left behind, and went to check out.  Rock City was on the docket for the morning and we wanted to get there before the crowds.

We drove the now-familiar Lookout Mountain, following the famous "See Rock City" signs. It was a chilly morning but we bundled in our jackets and applied sunscreen to the fairest Sinyard faces before making one last pit stop and then hitting the trail.  Each kid got a map so they could play tour guide, but it wasn't long before the maps were forgotten in favor of devoting their full attention to the gorgeous views around.  We walked through the paved paths, some pretty narrow (one part of a trail was titled "Fat Man's Squeeze"!), but most were wide and sunny.  There was a suspension bridge that definitely had my stomach in knots, but the kids did great on it.  In fact, Luke kept turning back to make sure I was okay! We saw the "lookout" part of Lookout Mountain, where supposedly seven states are visible (TN, GA, AL, SC, NC, KY, and VA), "Lover's Leap" where legend says that two Native American teens from warring tribes died, and "Balance Rock"...which is a huge rock balanced on two smaller rocks.  The guard rails were all a little too low for my liking and I was a nervous wreck at the high parts along the edges of the mountain.  I don't know how more kids haven't plummeted to their deaths there.  Of course maybe they have and they just decided that wouldn't be very good PR to advertise.  Audrey and Luke would climb up on the back side of the telescope stands and I'd lunge for them, nearly breaking their arms as I swung them back towards me.  "The good news is that you didn't fall and die today, children.  The bad news?  Mommy dismembered you in one of her fearful panic attacks."

Somehow we all survived and ended with Mother Goose Village, which was way creepier than cool to me.  Black lights illuminated scenes from famous tales like Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks.  Something about black lights and the dated, weird looking characters just didn't sit well with me.  I don't think Luke cared for it either, but Audrey thought it was neat. We emerged from the dark exhibit into the light and rounded the corner to the final part of the trail, which dead ended into the gift shop.  (Of course.)   

The kids chose their final souvenirs (a pen and journal for Audrey, a golf ball and pen for Luke) and I got us an adorable "See Rock City" birdhouse Christmas ornament for our "travel tree" we put up at Christmas.  After a quick debate about what to do for lunch, we opted to drive the few extra minutes back into town to eat at a local hamburger spot that boasted good ratings and gluten-free buns.  It ended up being a great choice as we sat on the patio soaking in the warm beautiful sunshine and playing our final round of "Three Ls". Personally, I loved the views and flowers, could've lived without the Mother Goose stuff, and learned that I'm a lot more squeamish in tight spots and high altitudes than I thought...at least when my kids are involved.  

Lunch was delicious and afterward we slowly and reluctantly dragged ourselves back to the van.  We drove by the Chattanooga Choo Choo but decided not to stop.  We'd been nickled and dimed to death like the suckered tourists we were, especially with parking.  It just didn't look appealing enough to make us put off the inevitable drive home any longer.  As I like to say when we leave something undone in a town, we have to save something for next time! 

So we hit the road.  As we navigated our way out of town, we waved goodbye.  As silly and overdramatic as it sounds, I turned away and teared up.  It had been such a phenomenal weekend.  Everyone had been mostly healthy (a few stuffy noses, but nothing major) and everyone had mostly had great attitudes (a few sibling spats and snapping between adults).  Overall though, I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing everyone did.  The kids never once complained about being tired of walking or griped about changing plans or whined about food.  Except for bathroom breaks, they were incredibly independent and we never had to carry any "gear" with us.  Meals out weren't a mad dash to shovel in food while keeping them entertained...we actually took our time, talked, and genuinely enjoyed each other's company. Of course, it's not that we don't enjoy each other at home!  It's just that when you're in the middle of day to day drudgery, it can be easy to take each other for granted.  Or to get in a mindset of ticking off to-do lists and fulfilling obligations...nagging about homework or putting away dirty clothes and dishes.  "Vacation Mommy" gets to say yes a whole lot more.  (I think it must be the lack of laundry, cooking, and cleaning that puts her in such a good mood.)  "Vacation Daddy" is a lot more carefree and goofy.  Getting out of our usual surroundings and routine for a couple of days was such a wonderful reset for all of us. Seeing all of the amazing sights together was a big added bonus.  

Truthfully, I've been a little pouty today.  I teared up again dropping Audrey off at school this morning.  I'm sure the kids would've been at each other's throats and driving me nuts in another day or two, but I wish we could've had just a little bit longer.  It was a fantastic trip and I can't wait to do another one with these awesome people of mine.  Thanks for a great time, Chattanooga.  As the locals say, " 'ppreciate ya."

Audrey and Luke under a monster stingray model at the aquarium

My beauty

Amazing stalactites in Ruby Falls 

A not-so-great picture of Ruby Falls.  It was really gorgeous in person!

Evening stroll on the Walnut pedestrian bridge

David and Luke on the Coolidge Park antique carousel 

View from Lookout Mountain in Rock City

Goofing off at Rock City...away from the edge of the cliffs!

At Rock City

Trip to Savannah March 2017

Last weekend we took a quick trip down to Savannah to visit my brother and niece.  We checked Audrey out of school early, went to pick up Luke from preschool, and then hit the road.  Traffic was bad on the way down, but the kids did great and we pulled in right at dinnertime.  My brother cooked us chicken on the grill and we had a tasty meal, made even better when Annelise spilled her water across the table and it somehow resulted in the kids putting on a show.   After dinner, they played some more while we got settled in.  Audrey and Luke adored their 17 year old cat, Norman, and gave him constant love and attention, which he tolerated.  We calmed everyone down with story time and put them to bed, telling the girls they only had a few minutes to stay up and talk.  Ever the rule-follower, Audrey came out about fifteen minutes later and asked if it was time for them to stop talking.  We said yes and then put ourselves to bed soon after.  

Audrey and Annelise slept in the same room and were apparently awake and chatting at 5:15am.  I, on the other hand, slept until 7:15.  I wish you could capitalize numbers, but since you can't, I'll just have to settle for repeating:  7:15!!!  To my recollection, I haven't done that in years!  

After a big breakfast of eggs and pancakes, we hung out at the house and then went over to Tybee Island to walk the beach a little.  Since apparently I am new at this parenting thing, I did not think to bring a change of shorts or towels for anyone.  Why would I?!  We weren't actually swimming and kids always stay perfectly dry at the beach unless they're actually swimming.  (Eye roll.)  BUT, my redeeming move was not caring that they got soaking wet and then sandy, because I am in fact a more experienced parent that has learned to let them be kids.  We weren't trying to take cute pictures, they weren't in danger, so I let them be and they had a blast.  We discovered a dead jellyfish, found handfuls of shells, and wrote our names in the sand.  After the adults had had their fill, we loaded up into the van and went back to their house.  We ate lunch, let them run around outside, and then did afternoon baths.  When they grew bored with playing with Norman, they put on "Just Dance" and cracked us up with their moves.  Since there was no way we could get any of them to have quiet rest time, we put on the movie "Trolls" and they snuggled up together and watched that.

After the movie, we got cleaned up and went out to dinner at a local restaurant that had gluten-free pizza for AJ.  At the end of our meal, the waitress brought out a piece of cake for Annelise and we all sang to her for an early birthday celebration (she was turning eight the next day.) She blushed and loved it.  Back at the house, the kids cleaned off their piles off shells and sorted through their collection.  We let Annelise open her present and then the girls got caught up in her new "Charm U" bracelet while Luke bugged Norman and the adults lounged around and caught up some more.  We went to bed a little earlier than the previous night, full from delicious food and good conversation.

The girls "slept in" a little the next morning and woke up at 6am.  Sheesh.  We were trying to hit the road by 8:45am (we had to be back for small group since we were doing a service project that afternoon), so we got everyone dressed and fed (being sure to sing Happy Birthday to Annelise before eating!) and then they played outside a little.  When it was time to go, we sadly said our goodbyes and loaded up.  It had been a very sweet, but too short visit.  

We drove about halfway back and stopped at a cool local restaurant in Macon called The Rookery that we'd read about on "Find Me Gluten Free"'s website.  It was fun and delicious. We walked around downtown for a few minutes after to stretch our legs and then drove the rest of the way home.  We made it back in time to unpack, start some laundry, run by the grocery store, and be at small group by 4pm.  As you can imagine, we were all in bed and fast asleep pretty early that night.  

I'm so glad we got to go and loved spending the time with them!  Here are a few pictures from our visit:

Luke, Audrey, and Annelise on Tybee Island Beach

Luke, aka Batman, soaking wet after he fell jumping "mini waves" 

David and I with the kids on Tybee Island Beach

 Playing "Just Dance"

Out to dinner with the birthday girl

Beautiful girl with her Daddy on her 8th Birthday

Things I'm Loving Lately

1.)  My new journal Bible with lined margins.  They make all kinds of beautiful ones with nicer covers or coloring pages, but I really just wanted something that had more space for notes.  

Of course I would love to be the artistic type who can make theirs look like this:

But in reality, I know that mine is much more likely to resemble this:

And that's perfectly okay.  I don't fight it any more.  

2)  Cuties clementines.  I have eaten more of these in the last few months than in my entire life combined before then.  I don't know why, but I can't get enough of them lately!  Maybe it's my body crying out for Vitamin C.  

Add a piece of Dove dark chocolate with it and it almost resembles a treat. Almost.

3)  Spring and flowers blooming!  We had a very mild winter this year, so I haven't felt the desperation for spring that I've had in previous years.  Still, it's so lovely to see all of these flowers and trees blossoming and it makes me excited about spending more time outdoors!

Volunteers planted bulbs all along the entrance to our neighborhood last winter 

and it has made for such a cheerful and gorgeous drive home every day!

A Sample Work Week

This week has been a crazy one.  In an effort to both answer the "what do you do all day?" nonsense that some people still ask (or at least think) as well as to document what exactly it is that I am doing all day, here's a bullet point run down of this week.  Thrilling, I know. But I'm trying to blog more about every day life, and it doesn't get any more real than an actual list of what I did!

Monday:

• Woke up at 5:30 and went to the gym to lift weights and do a few miles on the bike.
• Came home, got in the shower, finished getting the kids ready, and took AJ to school. 
• Went by Sherwin Williams to get paint and then took Luke to school.
• Came back and painted the downstairs bathroom.  ALL MORNING LONG.  (What was supposed to be quick weekend project was dragging out because we decided to do it right and spent two days patching a ceiling crack and then painting the ceiling before even starting on the walls.  And a bathroom is just a ton of work to paint!)
• Went to pick up Luke, came back and settled him in for a rest while I met with the exterminator for our annual termite inspection and then a guy giving us a quote on a window replacement. 
• Continued painting the stupid bathroom.
• Got AJ off the bus, fed the kids snack and hung out with them, then started her on homework.
• Made dinner.  Then, yes...I worked on the bathroom some more.
• Ate dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, did laundry, and hung out with family before putting the kids and myself to bed.  

Tuesday:

• Woke up at 5:30 and did the elliptical in the basement.  My cut-off temperature for running (these days) is anything below 25 degree wind chill, so nope.  
• Had coffee and quiet time.  I love those 20-30 minutes of peace before chaos.
• Got the kids up and everyone fed and dressed.  Took AJ to school.
• Came back home with Luke and finished getting myself ready.
• Scheduled HVAC replacement and called four duct cleaning companies for quotes.
• Ran errands with Luke, including Pike Nurseries for a gift card for his teacher, Aldi to restock some of Audrey's snacks, Sprouts to restock some more of Audrey's GF food, and Swim Atlanta to register Luke for swim lessons.  We made a quick return at a store and then had lunch out.  On the way home we stopped and got cupcakes for his teacher's birthday the next day.
• Came home and put Luke down for rest and then finished up some Teacher Appreciation Week projects for Audrey's school.
• Got Audrey off the bus, loaded the kids into the van and went to get Audrey's glasses adjusted, Target for new shoes for her, and Costco.  
• Came home and had dinner, did dishes, supervised homework, put away laundry, etc.
• Gathered, wrapped, and loaded teacher gifts and cards.  Filled out various paperwork and answered various texts and emails about various school stuff. 
• I did not look at the bathroom today except to give it the evil eye when I walked by it.  I am still not speaking to it for the amount of work it is causing me this week.

Wednesday:

• Got up at 5:15 and went to the gym to swim laps. 
• Came home and got in the shower and got ready while David got the kids ready.
• Took Audrey to school and walked her in so I could give her teacher the vase I monogrammed and help put the kids' flowers in it for her.
• Stopped by Sherwin Williams (caulk this time) and then took Luke to school.  Walked him in to give his teacher her cupcake and present.
• Went home and caulked the bathroom.  Stopped only long enough to eat lunch.  
• Picked up Luke from school and we went to Audrey's school to help set up for their teacher's luncheon.  
• Went home for snacks and for Audrey to change, then took her to gymnastics.
• Gymnastics then home for dinner, homework, baths, dishes, laundry, and, finally, finishing touches and clean up of the bathroom.
• Played a round of Uno, did some PTA work, and then glorious sleep for all.  

Thursday:

• Showered and had coffee and quiet time before getting the kids up and ready.  
• Fed them then finished getting myself ready before taking Audrey to school.
• Went to the gym with Luke and lifted weights, trying not to sweat too much.
• Went out to grab some last-minute Teacher Appreciation Week gifts.
• Came home and changed, tidied up, and fed Luke and I lunch.
• Spray painted the vent cover for bathroom vent.  Just when I thought I was finished!
• Took Luke with me up to Audrey's school to watch her class so her teacher could enjoy an extended time at the teacher's luncheon.
• Came home, played with Luke, and caught up on emails.  Got Audrey off the bus and spent the afternoon hanging out with the kids and attempting to put the house back in order.
• Cooked and ate dinner, cleaned up, painted Audrey's nails green for St. Patrick's Day, paid bills, and went to bed. 

Friday:

• Got up and had coffee and quiet time before getting AJ up and ready for All Pro Dads.
• Sent David and Audrey off to her school, showered, and got Luke up.
• Took Luke to school and then made some returns, did a drop off at Goodwill, bought a new set of bath mats at Kohl's and then....
• GOT A PEDICURE.  It was marvelous.
• Picked up Luke at school, put him down for rest, and finished this blog.
• After school I will take the kids out to look for Easter outfits and then we will come home, do baths, cuddle up, and watch Fixer Upper while eating pizza.  

This week was definitely busier than usual.  Some things were anomalies (teacher appreciation week, painting the bathroom) but there always seem to be anomalies of some kind or another.  Then there were of course our norms (workouts, laundry, cooking, playing, homework, housework.)  I didn't include a weekend, which means I left out church and small group responsibilities and the usual Saturday downtown spent as a family.  There were a million phone conversations, chores, and details I skipped, but these are the highlights.  

It's busy, but it's good.  It's a lot of "managing blessings" as I heard one podcaster describe it. When I was talking to a friend at Audrey's gymnastics she mentioned that her husband asked her when they were going to stop being so busy.  Her reply was "We aren't...this is not a passing stage.  This is just our life right now and we chose this."  Did you catch that gem?! WE CHOOSE OUR BUSY.  And it shouldn't be done without a ton of careful thought and consideration.  Every extra curricular you sign your kid up for, every position you raise your hand to volunteer for, every "yes" you give = a lot of time, effort, and energy towards that thing AND away from something else.  So choose carefully and reevaluate often.  But be careful not to play victim to your calendar...at least not long term.

This is our version of busy life right now.  More than some, but for sure a lot less than others, but perfect for us right here right now.  I truly wouldn't trade it for the world.  

Ice Cream on a Tuesday Evening

Ice cream on a Tuesday evening.  Because we're celebrating two years of handling Celiac Disease like a boss.  Because Mama finished a big Teacher Appreciation project a day early. Because yesterday brought about the umpteenth visit to urgent care in a matter of weeks, but today the antibiotics are working.  Because we're supporting a new local business. Because it's more fun than staying home and doing homework and laundry.  Because Daddy really loves ice cream (probably mostly that.)  Whatever the reason, it sure was yummy!

Luke's 5th Birthday & Party

Welp, I have a five year old.  My youngest is now FIVE.  

He is no longer counted as a toddler by any stretch and is barely hanging on to his title of "preschooler."  He is now too big for Paw Patrol or Miles from Tomorrowland.  He has officially outgrown naps. His infatuation with Superheroes is beginning to wane.  He uses phrases "I'd like your opinion on this" and "I am not impressed with that behavior."  

Basically he's five going on forty and there's not a thing in the world I can do to stop it. 

But the good news is that he is still my Lukey, only bigger.  He still loves holding my hand and cuddling with me.  The other night we bumped heads and he said "Are you okay, Mommy?  I'm okay, but I want to make sure you are because that's the menship thing to do." The girls in his class love him because he is such a little gentleman.  He is always eager to hold open a door, lend a helping hand, offer an encouraging word, or share his food with you.  But don't let those things fool you...he is still very much a boy.  He loves to wrestle, make a mess, and talk about all things poopy all the time.  And I couldn't possibly love him more.  

On his actual birthday, we woke him up with a rousing round of "Happy Birthday" in our "Alabama-style" singing (basically as loud, obnoxious, and off-key as you can get.)  I made him pancakes with chocolate chips in the shape of a "5".  After we got ready and dropped off Audrey, I reluctantly took him to school.  (A first for me since Audrey's birthday is in the summer and Luke has always been out for it!)  He was so pumped about taking donuts in for his classmates that I couldn't turn him down.  Besides that, it was early release day so I got to pick him up at 11:45am instead of 1pm.  

After I picked him up, we went home and I gave him a special lunch of a pizza Lunchable. One of the kids in his class has one "all the time" and he "really, really wanted to try one." He was so surprised and appreciative that you would have thought I gave him with a once-in-a-lifetime gourmet meal.  He carefully prepared each little circle of nasty chemical-laden "crust" and then savored every bite.  Audrey had early release too so after lunch we got her off the bus and caught up on each other's days for a few minutes before I sent them upstairs to have quiet rest time. When they got up, they helped me make some chocolate lollipops for Luke's party favors.  

David came home early that afternoon and we gave Luke his birthday present - a new scooter. He was super excited and told us he "just couldn't stop saying thank you!"  We tested it out on the driveway and then went over to Suwanee Town Center to have a little more room. We let them ride around there for awhile, ate dinner at his choice of Brown Bag Deli, chose cupcakes at Jilly's (they always have yummy GF options for AJ), and went home. We sang to our sweet boy, gobbled up the cupcakes, and then did some water color painting - his choice activity before bed.  It was a really sweet, simple day of celebrating him and he loved it.  

The big celebration was that Saturday when we had a "Wild Kratts" (PBS Kids show) themed party.  All of his cousins were able to make it plus a few friends from small group and/or school.  Here are some of the details:

Colors:  Jungle green and animal prints.  

Decor:  I drew chalk paw prints on the sidewalk leading to the front porch and had a welcome sign and the birthday balloon wreath on the front door.  Inside I had the favors on display and a welcome sign hanging above paper vines wrapped with leaves attached to the entryway.  In the kitchen there was a crepe paper palm tree over the island and I made Wild Kratts food signs and placed little wild animal figures around the food.  The chandelier over the table was wrapped with jungle leaves.  On the fireplace mantle there was a birthday interview on display along with an "L" and a copy of the invitation, surrounded by wild animal figures.  A "Happy 5th Birthday" banner hung under the mantle.  Audrey used her artistic skills to decorate the chalkboard in the playroom with a big "Happy Birthday Luke" message and a jungle scene.  I kept it pretty simple in the basement and just covered the tables with brown tablecloths and animal print handkerchiefs.  I put a jar of "Monkey Food" and "Palm Tree Seeds" on the entertainment center down there and scattered a few animal figures around. Animal print balloon bunches served as the centerpieces and another "Happy 5th Birthday" banner hung on the wall.  I put together a slideshow of this past year and had it playing on the upstairs television.  

Food:  "Snake Sandwiches" (sub sandwiches cut into sections with olives for eyes and a pimento for the tongue at the head), "Alligator Eggs" (a pineapple cut to look like an alligator head with grape eyes and green grapes surrounding it), "Shredded Jungle Grass" (cole slaw), "Cheetah toes" (bags of cheetos), "Monkey Food" (dried banana chips), and "Palm Tree Seeds" (chocolate covered raisins.)  The cake was a vanilla Publix cake with a Wild Kratts edible image I'd ordered and we also had cupcakes with "paw prints" (small York peppermint patties and Junior Mints) and vanilla ice cream.  

Crafts/Games:  The little guests got to color their own animal mask and make a snake bookmark out of a popsicle stick.  For the games, we played "Large Mouth Bass" where they had to use their creature power of a big mouth to grab a gummy worm off the hook (hung down from the upstairs catwalk), "Butterfly Break-Out" where they were wrapped in toilet paper and had to use their creature power of strong wings to bust free, and "Fly Trap Game" where they used frog creature power of catching paper flies with sticky "tongues" (stretch sticky hand strings).  The had an awesome time with the Large Mouth Bass game and looked hilarious.  The toilet paper kept breaking on the Butterfly Break Out but the Fly Trap Game was a hit...literally.  :)  I also created and laminated 5 creature power discs - one for each station - and got each kid a lanyard to attach them to when they completed that station. Those were definitely their favorites.  

Favors:  A Wild Kratts book with homemade chocolate paw print lollipops and their lanyards.

The party went really well and everyone seemed to have a great time.  One of the funniest parts was when several of us were standing outside saying goodbye to our families and a small baby snake slithered out of the grass! Most of the kids had already left, but Luke, Audrey, and Annelise got a kick out of it.  I jokingly told Luke I had planned it just for his party!  I mean, what perfect timing!  

Luke's one complaint about the day was that it was too short.  Well so is your childhood, kid. 

I love you so very much and, though I'm sometimes sad about losing my baby, I'm excited about seeing you enter into boyhood with all of its adventures and fun.  You have a heart of gold with just enough of a streak of mischief to keep us on our toes.  I pray the Lord grows you into a man of conviction and courage who follows after Him and loves others well.  Your name means "light giving" and you most certainly are, Bubba.  We love you and wish you all of God's best for all of your life.  Happy Birthday!

The Power of a Voice

This morning I did something I haven't done in twenty-four days:  I walked into Audrey's and Luke's rooms and loudly bellowed, "GOOOOOOOOD morning!  Time to wake up!" and then proceeded to sing them a round of "Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory, Glory."  It was serious deja vu to my time as student ministry camp chaperone.  (Why yes, in fact, the teenagers DID love me!  How did you guess?!)

When Audrey and Luke heard me they didn't even roll over and groan.  In fact, they bolted upright in bed and squealed with delight.  Now before you think my kids are just super morning freaks like their mama, let me explain.  They were ecstatic because this was the first time they'd heard my full, regular voice in over three weeks.  After the flu, I got a terrible bout of bronchitis and laryngitis and it stripped me of my voice.  I hadn't been able to speak to them in my full, regular voice for twenty-three days.  TWENTY-THREE DAYS. Let that sink in for a moment.

Parenting.  

Luke.  

With little to no voice.

For three weeks.  

They missed hearing me so badly.  I missed talking to them.  Ours is a house of words,  y'all. We may miss the mark on a lot of things, but we communicate the heck out of stuff with our kids.  We always have.  I remember the strange looks I would get when someone would pass me in the store and I would be talking to six month old Audrey like she was a forty year old friend.

So here I was, limited to nonverbal gestures and whispers for the first two weeks (which the doctor cautioned against doing because it actually strains the vocal chords more.)  I would write or type things out with David and Audrey, but obviously that didn't work with Luke. Clapping, snapping, and "psssttt" become commonplace attention grabbers the kids knew to listen for.  The last week brought about a deep, broken hoarseness that worked a lot better, but still wasn't me. What began as an annoying inconvenience turned frustrating and disheartening rather quickly.

Most days we managed.  I'd try to keep quiet and nod or signal "okay" when I could.  Other days, like the one when I lost sight of Luke in a store and started calling him as loud as I could with no sound coming out, were terrifying.  I found him about 60 seconds later, looking down and playing "don't step on the crack," blissfully unaware that he'd even wandered away.  He got a huge hug and the whisper-lecture of his life.  

When you're as quiet as I've had to be, you have an awful lot of time to think.  God has definitely taught me some lessons about my words and the importance of them these last few weeks.  I spent time reading scripture about the tongue and how hard it is to tame.  That very same day I also used what little voice energy I had to pass on a not-very-flattering comment about someone when I was chatting with a friend.  The moment I whispered it to her I thought "SERIOUSLY, Heather?  You have such limited vocal strength and you choose to spend it on that?!"  Mercy.  I certainly can't claim that the lessons God was teaching me always sank in right away.  

But over time, I DID actually absorb some things. Wonder of wonders.  I noticed that I nagged a lot less because I didn't want to waste my breath.  I didn't tell Luke to hurry as often as I usually do.  I would tell the kids to do something once and then actually give them a chance to comply without repeating myself. (Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.)  I tried to think about my answers to their questions carefully so I could give them concise, easy-to-understand responses.  I had them take turns praying on the way to school instead of me always doing it and asked Audrey to read the Bible stories at night when David was out of town, which was good for them.  I tried to be thoughtful and intentional in my questions about their days at school.  When I forced a whisper, I tried to use words of encouragement instead of criticism.  I always made strength to eek out "I love you", but found that "clean up your mess" sometimes wasn't worth it.  (Although I could usually manage to clap and point for that one.)

These last few weeks haven't been easy, but they've taught me a great deal.  I need to make my words count.  I need to listen more.  It took me losing my voice to understand the power it holds.  And as a parent it holds a tremendous amount.  I hope that lesson, along with my voice, sticks around for awhile.