The First Day of Our North Carolina Fun ...

So, we made it to the Outerbanks ... without one problem. Our flight had a connection in Baltimore and we met Dean there and continued on to Norfolk, VA and then on to Avon, NC which is located smack dab in the middle of the Outerbanks. Oh, we love this place! We have vacationed here 8 times ... beginning when Torrey was 3. We all love it here ... it is a week of doing nothing but enjoying family. This year we are with Dean's sister Linda and her husband Paul, Dean's mom, Paul and Linda's son Mike and his wife Jessica and their two kids, Austin and Ellie and later in the week Paul Andrew (Linda and Paul's other son) comes with his three kids, Lane, Brendan and Andrew. Dean and Torrey have already been in the pool ... and they have gotten a "big spider" out of the pool. I asked them if it was the size of Dean's palm and he said "No ... about 1/2 the size of a tarantula" ... they let it go over the fence of the pool. I expect to see the spider again before the week is out! (Weird fact ... evidently spiders can swim. GROSS!) Torrey has decided this is the year she is going to try seafood ... I will stick with shrimp! AHHH! Vacation!

The Real Reason for the Weekend

This is the real reason we all trekked to New Hampshire ... to see our Kristin Joy graduate from high school. Seems like just yesterday she was a little thing hopping in the blow up hamburger at Burger King (you do NOT want to know what happened when the thing deflated with her inside!), or visiting us at Mom and Dad's ... good grief could she get up early! or pushing me out of the way so she could see her new cousin Torrey, or coming to visit (first Florida and then Texas) ... now here she is done with one chapter in her life and starting a new one. College in the fall ... actually a whole new book! Kris, we are so proud of you! Of the amazing woman you are becoming. For the goals you have set and accomplished. For the joy you bring to those who know and love you. For your gentle way with your little cousins who adore you. For the compassion and kindness that you show to Amanda. For the help you are to your parents. For you ability to keep us all in line. Go forward Grasshopper ... you are ready!

PS ... this picture sums it all up. It will make me laugh for a long time!

The End of Our New Hampshire Fun (Boo Hoo!)

A whirlwind. There is no other way to describe the past few days ... other than a whirlwind. A whirlwind of family, laughter, inside jokes, chopping vegetables and fruit, tricking Tracy into making the Mexican dip she said she WOULD NOT make! It has been a weekend that revolved around family ... celebrating graduations and birthdays and anniversarys! The time went fast ... faster than we would have liked and faster than we hoped. Tomorrow morning begins the exodus from New Hampshire ... my parents head out in the morning for Florida (and then Mali) and Torrey and I head out right behind them to meet Dean in North Carolina. Carly has already cried tonight ... and I was right with her. So as to not start again, here are some high lights of our fun in New Hampshire ....

It's official ... the sidewalks are no longer safe ... Kristin got her license! Torrey and I went with her and we waited in line forever ... but, you know what they say ... good things come to those that wait! I was so excited for her ... until Torrey whispered "I'm next!" Good grief!
There was a trip to Pete's Scoop ... we were hot and sweaty and it tasted so good! The kids were in the basement and my Dad called down to see who wanted to go to Pete's and there was a stampede! You don't have to ask these guys twice!
There was "scooting" ... because what do you call riding a scooter? Actually, the kids will say, "Do you want to scoot?" Nathan Lundstrom taught them how to do a jump on the scooter and they were excited to show off their new trick. We learned that Ryan should not do tricks on the scooter ... there was a small wipe out incident!
Uncle Ike impressed us all with his cooking skills ... best cookout ever! He made enough food to feed an army ... and, he did! We forgot to take his picture last year ... we did not make that mistake again!
Sweet cousins ... together for a bit. Happy for Kristin. Happy to be together. Hoping a day will somehow last longer than 24 hours ...

'Smore Fun in New Hampshire

Today was rainy and cold in New Hampshire ... I mean REALLY cold -- parka weather! It was perfect weather to go to Sam's to pick up a "few" party supplies for Kristin's graduation party on Saturday. Obviously Laurie has mad packing skills. Since it was so cold out, we were able to convice Tim that tonight was the perfect night to ....
build a fire! Oh it was fantastic! We did feel guilty about building the fire because Carly wasn't here and she so loves Uncle Tim's fires ... but it was so cold out and we needed it. And, what good is a fire if you can't ....
make 'smores! Torrey loves to make 'smores ... she can usually eat about one, but because she likes to make them she is more than willing to make them for whoever isn't in the mood. Tonight she and Laurie were the 'smore chefs!
Here she is ready to make another one for whoever is willing to eat one! I am sure that we will be doing this again once Ben and Carly arrive ...

Hopefully the weather tomorrow will be better. Torrey and I are taking Kristin to get her driver's license in the morning (wahoo!) ... we may be going to the mall to get our toes done and I am looking for a bathing suit (oh the insanity!) Not sure what else fun tomorrow will bring ... maybe a coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, or a walk on the treadmill (can that really be counted as fun?!) or an episode of Top Chef ... not sure.

On a last quick "cute" note. Last night when the lights were turned out, Torrey was looking out the window by her bed and I asked her what she was looking at she said "Nothing. I am just smelling. It smells so good here." And, you know what? It does. I really hadn't noticed it until she pointed it out, but it really smells good here ... it smells like the color green, and clean, and quiet, and natury. God used Torrey last night to remind me to stop and smell life around me ... not to be in such a hurry or stressed out about whatever to miss life. Good grief did I need to hear that. I tend to get to busy and over-scheduled and unable to say NO that I am missing "life" right in front of me. There is a reason God tells us to be anxious for nothing ... He wants us to enjoy the life He has given us. To live it to the fullest. To be all He has intended us to be. To share Him with others. To be Him to our family, friends and strangers. So, go out and "smell" your life ... ahhhh!

Hello Pete's Scoops!

So we made it to NH (without a hitch I might add ... I almost did a dance when they weighed my big suitcase and it was 49.5 pounds ... but then I got a little sad because I could have put something else in!) Anyways, we made it to Laurie's in time to go to Amanda's year end program for her school. And then we all headed to Pete's Scoops ... WAHOO! I told you we were looking forward to that place! Torrey was thrilled to get cotton candy ice cream and I got boring (but happy for me) vanilla soft serve ice cream. My whole family went for the fun ... who knows what tomorrow holds (actually lunch with Colette and beginning to plan for Kristin's party etc...) Keep watching (and reading) to see more of our NH fun!

Updated (6-4-08)
So, I woke up this morning and thought ... oops! My whole family didn't go to Pete's Scoops last night ... Dean wasn't there and neither were Jen and her gang and Steve etc... I thought I'll fix it before anyone notices. I forgot Jen would be up all night "working" and she would check in to see what we did ... sorry Jen! Next time I will not say "my whole family" but rather will name only who is there.

I Should Be Packing

I should be packing ... but, I am doing anything but! Torrey and I hop on a plane in the morning to head to NH for Kristin's high school graduation (wahoo!) and I still haven't put a thing in a suitcase (it is a little hard to do since the suitcase is still in the closet). Do I get a pass since I know WHAT I am going to pack? Good grief I am such a procrastinator ... every year I think that will be my New Year's resolution and then I wait too long to make resolutions and suddenly it is Valentine's Day and whoever heard of a Valentine's Day resolution? So, here I sit putting off what I must do. To be fair I am taking a break after spending 7 1/2 hours doing inservice for school ... it was good, but not my favorite way to spend a day! I really should pack ... I really should pack ... I really should pack. We are excited about the trip ... seeing family, the change in weather, Uncle Ike's beans (Torrey has dreamed of those things all year!), Pete's Scoops (and, I have dreamed of that place all year!), scooting on Laurie's driveway etc... We will be there until Sunday morning and then we fly to Norfolk, VA to meet Dean to go to the Outerbanks for a week vacation with family from Dean's side. We also get Dean's mom back ... she has been gone too long. OK, I am now officially rambling and I really must pack ... will post again from NH ... maybe from Pete's Scoops if you are lucky!

The Last Comment About the Closet ... I Promise!

Obviously I am a little obsessed with my closet ... I was just in there doing a dance because 8 days later it is still gloriously clean. However, even I know when enough is enough. So this will be the last post of the closet ... unless I decide to start doing tours on the weekend (which could be a possibility!) Anyways, here are some fun things I found while cleaning the closet ... money (not enough to buy a gallon of gas, but still money), some squished pennies from fun places we have visited, Splenda packets, and a Starbucks gift card (I did a dance for that one ... and, I have already spent it ... I was a little afraid I would lose it again). The funniest thing I found was the tag we used to get Torrey out of Sunday School when we were at First Baptist Orlando ... she is 12, we have lived her almost 2 years, and, I don't think we used the thing for about 3 years before we moved. Obviously the closet has been a problem for longer than 3 months!

OK friends ... get out there and clean your closets ... hopefully it won't take 10 hours and hopefully you will find enough money to buy a gallon of gas or two!