Beach Trip

We went to the beach this past weekend. Mama and I took the kids Thursday afternoon and drove down.

After 5 long hours in the car....complete with a poopie blowout that got all over John's clothes and carseat....we went straight to the Back Porch upon arriving in Destin. I couldn't risk a mutiny by the kids asking them to get back in the car to go to dinner if we had gone to the condo first.

John was such a happy boy to get out of the carseat...


Interpretation of John's triumphant pose...."My mom rocks for letting me out of the car seat and letting me play in the sand." (My blog, my story!)


Mimi and Reese enjoying the beach while we wait on our table.


We got to the condo, unloaded, I went to the grocery while Mama got the kids to bed, and Mama and I watched the end of the USC/Oregon State game. Thanks to USC for helping Alabama rise up the rankings further!! : )

The next morning, we all woke up. Thanks to John for the wake-up call at 5:45a. Mama and Reese put together puzzles on the balcony.


And went for an early morning walk on the beach.

Then, after breakfast, we all headed to the beach.

Reese and John loved the ocean.

John did ok the first day....he played in the sand...but by lunchtime, he was pulling his hair out...

and trying to decide if he liked the taste of sand or not...

By the time we got up to the condo, he fell asleep while he was still eating. Too cute.

That afternoon, we headed to the pool and then back up for naptime. My mom was so awesome to let me have a little time at the beach by myself. Pure heaven.

That night, we went to a Mexican place for great food and margaritas....then, back to the condo for football!

The next day, Lee joined us for the day. Reese was SO, SO GLAD to see her Daddy.

They spent time in the ocean...

While John and I played in the sand...

and he ate sticks (Have I ever mentioned that I am an awesome mom?)

Then, my turn with Reese in the ocean. We jumped over waves and played/sang "Hokey Pokey" in the water. Fun, fun stuff!

We spent more pool, nap and football time that day/night (ROLL TIDE!). And, again, Mama gave Lee and I the gift of some time on the beach by ourselves. We just sat back, had a beer, and talked for almost 2 hours. One of the best dates in a long time!!

By the end, we had had the most wonderful time...but it was time to go home. Reese "helped" her daddy pack the car and off we were.

Gotta love the fall....

Backyard Fun

We hung out in the backyard last night after I got home from work. I just can't resist the awesome fall weather these days. And, when you're a CPA working indoors all day....you just have to get outside when you get home.

So, we headed to the backyard---and I took some pics while we were there.

Here is John watching his sister, wishing he could run around with her. (He can walk...just not fast enough to keep up with her yet.)

Later, Reese decided to slide and found that it was tons of fun to slide into John as he waited eagerly for her to come down.

Here is the "1, 2, 3" countdown...






John waiting anxiously for his sister to come play with him...






Reese crashing into him. Notice the effort on Reese's face to make sure he feels the crash. And, notice the continual smile on John's face. Don't worry, I was right there making sure no real damage was done.



John, after the crash, still a happy boy... I love my son.


They did this over and over until I finally decided that John had had enough and was about to enter frustration with his sister. So, in we went for bathtime, disobedience, fits thrown, time-outs, and---thankfully---bedtime.

Just another night with me and the kids. So much fun!!

Fayette

Lee, his dad and my dad have all worked so tirelessly on a cabin on the Thompson family land in Fayette. Lee loves to go down there---I think he feels more like himself there than anywhere else. This year, since John is a little older, we've taken all of us down there a couple of times. We went this past weekend and here are some pics of our adventure.

Of course, no weekend would be complete without some princess dress-up fun.


A favorite of John and Reese's are Diddee's pretty necklaces.



Lee took Reese on her first dove hunt.

Here is the before:


And, here is after. Reese liked showing me the "dubs" boo-boo's. I know, sad.


While Lee and Reese were gone, John and I watched football. I guess John didn't feel like sitting on the couch or chairs, so he pulled himself up a seat on his shape sorter to take in part of the game. What a cutie, if I do say so myself! : )

Later that night, we hung out on the porch to enjoy the AWESOME fall weather.

John hung out in his high chair, so that I could have a moment's rest from keeping him from (a) falling off the porch or (b) playing with electrical outlets.







Lee and his dad made fun of his expensive wine. (insert sarcasm here)


And, Reese took in a few pins at the local bowling alley.


After fun on the porch, we went and dined on steak and potatoes, while watching LSU/Auburn. Towards the end of dinner, Reese announced, "Ok, everybody, after we eat supper, we need to calm down a little bit." Carson asked her "Who needs to calm down?" She very seriously pointed at Lee and me and said "Mommy and Daddy". I guess Lee and I may have gotten a little worked up and were getting on to her too much in her mind. : )

Just some tidbits

No huge stories to tell...but a few tidbits. I've also added a few new pics to the slideshow.

1. John started to walk a few weeks ago....somewhere during the 10th month. I keep meaning to video him, but hasn't happened yet. He can walk clear across a room if (1) he doesn't know you are watching him or (2) he isn't in a hurry to get to something he knows he is not supposed to have or to escape Reese. But, here's a pic of him walking.

2. Reese's new game is to look for stop signs so that she can tell me when to stop and then tell me to go. So, around town, it's a constant game of her yelling from the backseat "Stop!!" and then "Go!" with a finger pointing upwards. So, John decided to say his first word this week and guess what it is? "Go!!" with a little finger pointing upwards--sometimes both little fingers if he's really excited. Not "Mama", not "Daddy"...."Go". Actually, very appropriate considering he is always going!! Here is a pic of him saying it, though you can't really tell that he is saying it in the pic.

3. Reese's new phrase to tell John when he is frustrating her is "John, you are using up my last nerve!" I guess she got it from me when I say the something (or someone : ) ) is "getting on my last nerve"---but she's made the phrase her own and I quite like her version.

4. I got to take Reese to ballet on Monday. She is supposed to wear her hair in a ponytail to ballet---but she couldn't decide between a blue ponytail holder (to match her leotard) or a pink one (to match her tights)---so, though I think this is bending the rules a bit, I just gave her pig-tails--one blue and one pink. I'm sure some of the moms looked down on me---but she looked so cute, I didn't care. Here's a pic.

Just me and my Sis

MG and I spent a weekend together in Chicago this weekend.

We had a blast:

• We walked,


• we shopped,


• we walked,


• we ate (Bin 36--cool place where we also had wine and cheese tasting flights that were fun),
  
• we walked,


• we went to the Field Museum of Natural History,


• we walked,


• we went sight-seeing thru parks and beautiful old buildings,


• we walked,


• we watched football,


• we walked,


• we talked and caught up,


• we walked,


• we went to Hugo's Frog Bar for an awesome steak dinner and then to a comedy club (Second City),


• we walked.

Needless to say, we had blisters by the end of the weekend. (Yes, MG, I got them on Sunday after walking thru the Gold Coast area, up thru Lincoln Park and back down via the lake-side path.) So, so much fun. Just a fun weekend experiencing the city---but on no time schedule. Wonderful weather. Just perfect.

Thanks, MG, for a "happy weather" weekend. (By the way, its Monday, and been raining all day. Great timing on our walking weekend!) Love you!!

(PS--BIG, HUGE THANKS to Mama for keeping the kids while I played!)

Just a few pics

Been awhile since I've posted. Too tired and brain-dead to tell any stories---but at least wanted to share some pics.

Go hard, or go home!! Bath-time at the Thompson house.
My little ballerina.

Reese and her daddy.

Not sure if this is "proper tunnel technique"--but cute, nonetheless.

My cutie.

John's first attempt to step down stairs. He made it fine this time. About 5 minutes after this pic---not as much luck and, as Reese puts it, "bumped his noggin".

1st pic---Reese pouting b/c her Daddy got on to her about something (can't remember what now.) Also notice John eating some sort of dirt, bug or rock. I'm such an awesome mom.

2nd pic---Reese giving her Daddy the look the "I am pouting and I want you to know it" look.

After making up with her Daddy, Reese goes back to painting her nails---which is her new favorite past-time.