Can you blame me?

How can I not love these two cutest of girls??

Long Week

This week has made me realize how lucky I really am. I have an amazing wife who loves me and does so much for me. Sometimes it's not until someone is absent that you realize how important they are to you. I need to do better at recognizing that and letting her know that.

Based on the reports I have heard, my wife is having a great time with her siblings. Our daughter is having the grandest of times with her grandmother and other relatives. They are both having the time of their lives. Reva bought two extra SD cards to capture all the memories, so I'm sure she will post loads of photos. I, on the other hand, can't wait for their return.

Nothing more to report.

Alone

I have been banned from the family reunion. Who gets banned from a family reunion??

BANNED by none other than my wife. My own wife banned me. Apparently I don't travel well and would spoil her fun. No beach, no Grilling out, no put-put golf, no aquarium, no daughter, no wife for one whole week.

Instead I have to stay home and try to keep myself occupied. Alone in a cold (actually hot) and lonely house.

Sad pictures to come.

bleckety blah

Sorry, today is one of those we-need-to-update-but-there-isn't-anything-interesing-to-say blogs. So instead, you get whatever is on our memory card.

You're welcome!

So for Jared's birthday, he wanted to go garage sale-ing, since it's something he loves and I ... not so much. We ended up with this:


How much would you pay for a Pow-pow-power Wheels? 20 smackers. It's hilarious - she can press the "gas" and go, but she can't use the steering wheel. You gotta come over and see it!



Nothing earth-shattering here, she just likes walking around the house with her hat over her face. Yes, she does bump into stuff.

My trio band (Tres de Solei - nope, still don't have a new name) played a pretty awesome gig this weekend at a Highland Games in north Georgia. It was a BLAST!! We kind of stole the show once or twice, and layed in a downpour for one set. Soggy, but still happy!


And as fun as it was to play, I also got some awesome girl time and we had a ball. Mostly messing around twith the timer button on Michael's camera.





And last but not least - here's a shot of Jared, our favorite daddy on this Father's Day.

This morning when he went to get Solei out of bed, she stood up and said "I love you!" Coolest gift ever! (except for all the stuff he's been buying for the last few months and saying they were birthday and Father's day gifts - the scooter, the meat grinder and sausage maker, the projector that turned our basement into a movie theater, and a 6 pack of IBC root beer) Solei adores her dad because he's patient when I'm not, loving when I'm moody, and crazy when she is too. He's the one with the guts to do her hair every Sunday morning, to teach her how to fetch stuff for us, and the person she reaches for when she's happy or sad. Yay, daddy!!!

It almost makes me want to have more... just because he told me we had to. But the thought of having another one still makes me want to throw myself in front of Solei's Power Wheels. I'm currently negotiating pushing back the baby thing a few years - although who here has ever known me to be able to resist Jared's mind games? I think he needs to spend some time with a really horrible baby. Anyone have one you could lend us for a few hours??

And speaking of fathers - dad was giving his ukelele a test drive, and ended up giving Solei some hula lessons today. Thank heaven for fathers!

Happy Father's Day!

ALLDONEALLDONEALLDONE!

Oh BOY have I been excited for today!! It was Solei's first day of swimming lessons!!!! And she's been freakishly pumped - every now and then, she'd look up and ask hopefully "Class? Swimming?" And due to some massive preparation, we squeezed into one of the few parent and tot classes at the local aquatic center - 3 weeks, two days a week - all for $20! There are so few spaces, you have to register within the first few minutes or you won't get in. But I DID!! WOOHOO!!! (I tried to get a good shot of her in her suit - this at gives a good idea of the adorability)

With all that build-up, you'd have thought it would have gone a tad better today, but we are talking about a 19 month old here.

1. We were a few minutes early, and she wanted in the water NOW. I told her nicely not yet, and she was the only child to throw a MASSIVE tantrum. Whee!

2. When we finally got in, she went bonkers and wanted out of my arms, while all the other chilren lovingly grabbed onto their mommies. I asked the teacher if I could let her drown just a little bit to let her know what would happen if I wasn't holding on for dear life, but she advised against it. She was right. At the very end, I dunked her under once, and she got hysterical. I forgot how much she hates water in her eyes - she'd have hated the rest of the class (even more;)

3. Once she realized I wasn't letting go, she proceeded to spend the next 20 minutes (of a 30 minute class) smiling broadly and proclaiming over and over - "Alldonealldonealldonealldonealldonealldonealldonealdonealldone!!! (etc.)" So I had to use all my trickery to keep her in the water and amused. Phew!

When we got in the car, I asked if she'd had fun, and she smiled and shouted "FUN! Swim class!!" So I think she's willing to go back... I might go back too. Well, for $20, I'll do just about anything;)

So with all that insanity, you'd think I would be completely opposed to having any more - and you'd be right. Apparently, I really dislike babies. But I committed to this family thing and siblings are a part of it. Dagnabit. And with Jared turning 32 this weekend, he's afraid he won't be able to chase any more kids much longer. Old man and all that.

Since the last one was a shock and a half, we're trying to plan out the next one - and that's where y'all come in. We figure the best time to give birth next time is in the spring - not too pregnant at the Christmas rush but not big and preggo during the summer either. So it looks like we are trying for getting pregnant July or August, and wouldn't it be fun if we were ALL PREGNANT at the SAME TIME?!? We're trying to recruit some other baby-ing couples, but so far, no luck. Come on, people!! It's the Summer of Love ! Do it for your country - er.. blog friends?

Seriously! Think about it!