The Big Chill

I think I have mentioned it before, but I have the privelege of serving alongside a really great bunch of people at church. We all serve in "the theater" in our children's ministry department. We for sure have crazy and wild times and hard to control, but we are also a really close-knit family! Over the years, we have all shared a lot together and that just makes our bond grow even more. I am so lucky to be a part of this great team!!

Yesterday was our summer wrap-up program. We had everyone on stage (except for you, Preston!) and it was the best! Janita wrote an amazing script that was funny and thoughtful and wrapped things up really nicely with our characters. The end product was fabulous. For having 13-15 people in our "green room", no one missed their cues, props, or mics. Thanks Laura for making things run so smooth back there! Jeremy, ya'll didn't miss a beat in the Booth either-WAHOO!!

So enjoy your summer break guys and don't even think about not coming back in the Fall!!! We'll definitely need you. Be thinking about someone you can bring alongside you to join our team too! We need more crazy, wild, willing to act-it-up-and-let-it-out-for-Jesus-and-the-kids people!! Love all you guys to pieces!

A Pirate "First"

Thanks to Katy, I found out about the free family movie days at the Regal Cinema. It is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all summer! Today was the first movie I knew he would love! Trevor was supposed to come with us to experience this "first" with us, but had to work at the last minute. The movies start at 10:00am and seating is free until the theater is full. With never having done this before, we left home to be there at 9:15. We got out of the car and walked to the door to find that there were only 3 families in front of us! We waited for about 5 minutes and then they came and opened the doors and started letting people in.

I was so excited for Grayson!! His first theater experience! He wasn't so sure. He looked around at everything with those big brown eyes and a blank stare. I let him bring his blankie into the theater in my purse to help with the experience. We found the perfect seats and then went to get our snacks. With a free movie ticket, you can afford to pay the outrageous price for the snacks!!! We went back to our seats, and I continued to coax Grayson and explain everything to him that would happen so nothing would be a surprise. I let him watch the Pirates music video that we have at home so he would become familair with some of things he would be seeing on the screen.

As he continued to tell me he was scared and that he wanted to go, I talked to him about the first time he rode a new ride with me at Busch Gardens. He screamed for me to let him off the ride, but I proceeded to buckle him in so he couldn't leave and instructed the attendant that he would be fine to please go ahead and lock our door. I prayed he would enjoy the ride, and that he did! So I knew this experience would be the same. I'm sure the people around me were thinking, "Lady, please take him out now before it gets started and we have to listen to that later!" The lights went down and a preview began that scared him to death. Thankfully, they brought the lights up a little and then slowly turned them down as the movie progressed. I think it was because the theater was packed with small daycare kids who probably couldn't see their snacks to eat them without spilling them all over the floor!

The Veggie Tales Pirates Who Don't Do Anything was a huge hit!!! I let Grayson sit on my lap and we ate popcorn, drank root beer, and had some Raisinettes together. We laughed and enjoyed this really cute movie together. Sad that Daddy couldn't be there to join us for this momumental "first", but relished the fact that I shared a movie with my little guy, cuddling and giggling with him for and hour and a half!!! What movie is next week!!!

A-"MAZE"-ing

Trevor really needed a nap this afternoon. So Grayson and I just chilled out and did some quiet table activities. He's just not a colorer (if that's even a word), but I know it's something he needs to learn to do well as it will inevitably come up in his school years. I knew very few boys in my years of teaching that actually enjoyed coloring with crayons/markers, but it is a necessary evil. So we practiced for a while "learning" to enjoy it a little more and hone in on his fine motor skills.

As I flipped the pages of the color/activity book, I passed by a "maze" page. Grayson excitedly told me to stop and go back. I have never done mazes with him before. He quickly got from the "Start" to the "Finish". I flipped through the pages of 2 different books and proceeded to let him do each and every maze puzzle. He even accomplished some really difficult ones. There was no frustration, no crying when it got too difficult, no giving up and asking for help. He simply started over again if he got to a roadblock. The funniest thing I saw was when he was in the middle of a really hard puzzle and he stopped and looked at the puzzle. Then, just as his mommy does, he went to the "Finish" and proceeded to complete the maze backwards!!!

We had a great time going through the puzzle/activity books this afternoon! Although recent conversations about pre-school have not gone very well, my smart little man will do very well and will love every minute of it I am convinced!! (As long as the teacher doesn't require a lot of coloring)

White "Stems"

I wanted to get some sun on my white legs before going to FL for vacation, and I had run out of time to go to the tanning bed. Well, we live in VA and had been expereincing record temps the week before we left. Where else to go on a hot day anyways: the YMCA!!! After a good workout, Grayson and I went several days. We met up with our friends Miss Heidi and Bradley and Alayna several days. It was great to chat and catch up!

Bradley is quite the swimmer compared to my tentative Grayson. Grayson was content to throw his rings in the deep water and watch Bradley swim down to get them. Hopefully you're right Heidi, and the more we expose Grayson to the pool this summer, he'll end up the summer miles ahead of where we began. If only I could get him to wear a lifejacket, he might be able to experience some of the freedom that being a swimmer can bring!!

Wedded Bliss

Trevor is one of only 2 male cousins on his Dad's side, and TJ was the junior groomsman in our wedding 12 years ago. Well, TJ grew up and married his own beautiful bride (who also shares the same initials as me now JEH!!) last week while we were in Florida. Weddings are always fun, and this one was 2 days of great fun visiting with family and friends that we had not seen in quite a while. The bigger families get, the less time is spent with the extended-extended family. Minus one or 2, everyone was there!!

There was a really special moment when they brought out a hat that had been worn by an ancestor of the family on their wedding day back in the 1800's. It has quite a story! All of the living descendants sharing the family name were there at the wedding, all the way down to our little Grayson. It was a great moment and they all got their picture taken together. Grayson is the only carrier of the family name in his generation in the family--that is until TJ and Julie have a boy to carry the family name too (or we have another boy).

It was a great day! Many blessings to you Trent and Julie as you begin your life together. God will bless your marriage if you keep Him a part of it!

Recoop week

We have used this week to relax and get back into a schedule of good eating and sleeping. After vacation of any kind it takes a little to slowly get back to your life. Although laundry is not quite done, suitcases and bags are finally unpacked, and everything is back to it's rightful place! Grayson and I took advantage of hitting the pool everyday this week. Even though the temps were not super hot, the pool was really busy. It might be time to start hitting the "Other Y Pool" as Grayson calls it. So look out Schrodts, we're coming to invade your space!!!

The last day we were there, I told Grayson he could have a special treat out of the vending machine. He chose and ice cream sandwich adn it was the biggest ice cream sandwich I've ever seen!!! Of course he devoured the whole thing (and still ate a great supper!)

TGIF

We love Fridays! Who doesn't right?! But right now in our household, Friday means the weekend has arrived and the cheat-treat days are here!! I love to bake with Grayson. We have a great time making treats together. We know Daddy will love the special treat we made for him. He'll probably have a good majority of the cookies gone by days end!! Grayson and I, as usual, had our fair share of the cookies by eating the batter. YUMMO!!!

Caught Up

You were all so busy while we were gone for just a week's time!! I've just finished reading all blog entries, although you don't see any comments. After 4 days of relaxation by the pool getting some real R&R in, we are ready for new adventures! See you all soon!

More Birthday Fun

I know a lot of these posts are old, but I wanted to get them entered so that when I put together my blog book at year's end, they will be a part of the book. I'll just have some rearranging to do.

Grayson's 4th birthday was an ongoing celebration this past year. We ended it up by spending an extended weekend in WV with Trevor's parents. We love going there as it is always truly a relaxing getaway. The surroundings are beautiful, the pace is slow, and just being there with Trevor's parents and spending time with them is a blast for all of us! Not to mention that we can get and make the best steak hoagies there too!!!

The weekend we were there just happened to be a special weekend for Mountaineer football. Although it was April, it was hot that Saturday and it was crowded. The Offense played against the Defense. It was great for Trevor and his Dad to check out the line-up for the Fall football season! Although Trevor missed half of it as he agreed to take Grayson to get some ice cream and ended up waiting in line for 45 minutes as everyone was unexpectedly hot too!!

Probably the best thing about being there for Grayson is getting to play outside. They have a great yard, the softest green grass, and lots of yard games and toys. I love to see Grayson outside so much and long for the day when he'll have his own yard here at home to play in! Everyone got in on the outdoor action, from the earliest parts of the day in pajamas, to the end of the day right before bedtime.

And of course Grayson had his 3rd party celebration too! He loves this Elefun game where the butterflies come flying out of the trunk. He's not so good at catching the butterflies in his net, but I love to watch and listen to him just giggling away as they fly around him. Thanks Papa and Grandma for another fabulous getaway visit!! We love you!

Monkey

The air conditioning people were set to come and check the units out before we went on vacation, before the incredible hot temps set in! I got the attic space cleared for them. I went to get ready to leave the house for the morning. When it was time to go, I couldn't find Grayson. I heard his little voice talking to one of his many "friends" in his bedroom. When I entered I saw the closet light on and his little feet. I quietly and quickly went to get the camera and this is what I found when I came back.

Better Late than Never

On one of the first warm days of the Spring (months ago now!!), Heidi, Bradley, and Alayna joined us at the Locks Park for a picnic, playground, and a small hike. I had no idea that there was a little trail that went around the water! We had a great time just chatting, watching the kids play, and checking out the water.

Heidi, here are the pics I said I'd share with you!

Grandpa and Gran Time

So as I'm finding out, the relationship Grayson shares with my parents is rare. Not rare in the fact that they love him to pieces and spoil him, but that they love spending time with him and have made it a prority to do so since he was 9 months old. We only live 4 hours apart which makes it easier for us to trade off once every 6-8 weeks. Grayson revels in the attention he gets from them and being at their house "all by himself". Trevor and I of course also benefit from this because we get 4-6 days to reconnect, get caught up on things around the house, and have dates galore!!

Grayson had his last visit to Grandpa and Gran's Memorial Day Weekend. They had a great time together. Uncle Joel, Aunt Sara, and Aunt Megan also got in the action spending time with him as they opened the pool at my parents over the long weekend! They went to a vehicle show at the pre-school where my mom used to teach, they went to the park, they went out for special lunches, and took a trip to Roanoke to the Chuck E Cheese!! It was a fun-filled week for the and for us! Thanks Grandpa and Gran for a great week!

Back to the Land of the Living

Okay...I'm done messing with my blog. Nothing is striking me as fabulous and so I'm done!!!!

We've just got back from vacation and I have no more energy to get pics and stories loaded. We are home, we are exhausted, we are not doing VBS with everyone this week, we are unpacking and regrouping, we will catch up later.