Sundays

What is it about Sunday after church that paralyzes people? Something about when you walk in the door from church, you are automatically tired. Did God say from the beginning, this is a day of rest, so I am going to make people naturally sleepy & tired on Sunday afternoon. But wasn't the Sabbath Day really Saturday in Bible days? You don't have to go to work and most people go out to eat on Sunday after church so they don't have to cook or prepare a meal. What is it? Unless you are on staff at a church, you really don't have to do much except go to church & worship and that's not draining, it's supposed to be uplifting. (Now on the other hand, if you are on staff at a church...we've been there, done that... it is very draining so I completely understand why you would be so tired. There is nothing refreshing about the day other than the fact that you got to worship.)

I guess it's on my mind because yesterday I didn't go to church. I stayed home with a sick baby. I got hardly any sleep the night before, yet I was a busy bee all morning washing clothes, straightening up, cooking supper, etc. The boys came home from church & Corby fussed because I wasn't taking a nap while Kensley was sleeping. I should have been, but honestly, I wasn't sleepy. The whole afternoon I was scurrying around the house getting stuff done. Corby and even the boys rested most of the afternoon, but not me. Why? Is it because I didn't go to church? Is there a correlation with church & sleepy? Hmmm....something to ponder. (** I did end up taking a short nap later in the afternoon because Kensley had a marathon nap).

Ballgames & Baby Puke

Summer is supposed to be a time when you have fun and no one gets sick. You have to deal with enough rounds of colds, sore throats, snot & throw-up in the winter that it shouldn't even be an option to get sick in the summer. Me & the kids went to a birthday party yesterday afternoon. It was hotter than hades outside, but we pressed through and the boys had a blast. Corby had soccer in Charlotte yesterday and when he got home we went to the GWU game last night. I don't really enjoy football nor understand it, but the atmosphere of it is so much fun. We saw a few people we know and the boys had a good time and got into the game. Kensley, on the other hand, didn't enjoy it so much. A stadium is not conducive for an baby. We would put her on the ground, but then she wants to crawl around... not happening. So we would stand her on the bench, then she likes to see how many times she can sit down & pull herself back up. Lots of bumps on the head, I might add. Then we all got a drink & popcorn and of course she wants it, but can't have it. She could care less about her own sippy cup, it's never as good as someone elses, despite the fact that she has the same thing in it that I have in my bottle... water. She was very restless, but we've never taken her to anything like this before so I really didn't think much about it. We left at halftime and had to stop by the men's soccer game and watch a little of it on the way out. It was about 9pm before we got home.

** Warning: This part might be a little graphic if you have a queasy stomach*

I had to rush & get her in the bath & nurse her before bed because she was so tired not to mention it was way past her bedtime. She didn't nurse well but I figured it was because she was tired & ready to be in her bed & not having someone hold her. I put her in bed and she couldn't get comfortable, but I kissed her and closed the door like I normally do with the music on. She fussed a lot in the next 15 min which is really not like her at all. I had this feeling that something was wrong. I went in to check on her several times and she was really sweaty and really restless and just couldn't get comfortable. I picker her up & tried to rock her a few minutes but she didn't even want that. I was getting ready to get in the shower and I heard her fussing and just felt like I needed to go in and check on her again. She was covered in puke. Everything she ate the whole day was on her and in her crib. (I have always wondered if she really chews the finger foods I give her & last night the question was answered... NO... she was covered in small chunks of unchewed pears she had for lunch... GROSS!) She was so pitiful and just whimpering. I scooped her up & Corby gave her another bath while I cleaned up her bed. I ended up letting her sleep with me and she was up almost every hour and very restless when she was laying down. She threw-up two more times & the rest was the dry heaves and some powerful farts (excuse my language, but it was truly that). This morning you would never know she had been sick. She was bright and cheery & playing like usual. I kept her home from church anyway. She was really tired after about an hour & a half of being up, so I'm looking forward to a good nap today.

Kensley is 11 months old

I'm kind of using my blog as my journal because I'm more likely to sit down & type something up quick than take time to write in my journal... so today's entry is an update on Kensley (pardon if you get bored). She turned 11 months old yesterday. I really can't believe she is almost one and it's time to plan a party. She is a pretty funny kid and a good baby. She's making this noise now where she opens her mouth really wide & makes a sound like she's sucking air in... and then she laughs. She loves it when we laugh at her. She does things over and over to get attention. She said bye & waved a few weeks ago, but only for one day. This past weekend she picked it up again & waves & says "bye-bye" to everyone, even sometimes when we don't say it to her. She's still making "the face" when strangers talk to her or if she doesn't like what you say. She is responding better to "no" when we say it & most of the time will stop whatever she was doing after giving her look that she's is not pleased. She's loving finger foods & eats most everything. She loves sweet potato baby food, but I discovered tonight that she does not like real, cooked sweet potatoes... odd. She eats baby food most of the time, but some of the 3rd food she doesn't like. I think it's the texture. She's pulling up on most anything now & she's starting to cruise around the furniture more. She still loves her thumb & her pink bear. She has started throwing it out of the crib in an attempt to not go to sleep at naptime. She also started screaming & yes, I mean at the top of her lungs like a toddler or older child would do. She's definitely a girl. Most of the time it's when she's mad about something or you took something away that she wanted. She loves to watch her Baby Einstein or God Made Me video's... it will calm her down if she's fussy almost every time. She loves to look at books. I'm trying to be more consistent & read with her in hopes she will like to read when she starts school. So, I guess that's a wrap up of my baby girl.

School is getting better with Chandler & Carter is excited because two more of his friends were moved into his class today. That makes 6 friends... 4 of them are pretty good friends.. in his class. What are the chances of most all the kids he knows in kindergarten being in his class. I'm happy about it too, because one of my good friends... well, her kid.... was one that was moved to his class. That means buddies for parties & carpooling for field trips. Yippee!

Lake Junaluska Vacation

Well, we are back. We had so much fun this weekend. We went to Lake Junaluska (above Asheville & near Waynesville) with Corby's family.... all 22 of us!!! (My father-in-law couldn't make it because he was out west on a job, but his mother "Grandmaw Haneline" joined us this trip). We rented a huge house on the lake. It wasn't directly on the lake but we had a pretty view & plenty of stuff to do. The weather was wonderful... even a little cool if you can imagine a break from the 90+ heat we've had here in Shelby. We went up Friday night and came home after lunch today. All the cousins had such a great time playing together and MamMaw Wanda had some great games & activities planned each day. We played a family trivia game that was hilarious...the "in-laws" had a set of questions & all the siblings had a different set of questions. All of the questions pertained to members of the immediate family to see how much we actually knew about each other. My mother-in-law brought stuff for all of the daughters & daughter-in-laws to make fall wreaths... we got to use our crafty side & made some pretty decorations for our doors. We played a relay game, a taste test with the men against the women, sling-the-pudding game where one person took chocolate pudding & slung it with a spoon to the opposite side to see who could get the most in one persons mouth (we laughed really hard a this one...fortunately, I was the slinger and not the receiver), all the kids made t-shirts with all the cousins hand prints, and we played games. Each family took turns to cook a meal so we didn't have to take 5 cars to a restaurant and ask for "a table for a party of 22 please!!!" We played games, relaxed, played pool in the game room in the house, we took walks around the lake, canoed, paddle boats, tennis, shuffleboard....and a few other things too. Uncle Corby even taught Grant to ride his bike there. We are all exhausted from staying up late every night, but it was worth it to spend time with family. I've got so many pictures you can just check out the link to my snapfish album. Click on the album Lake Junaluska.

The babbler

**I tried to post this last night, but it didn't work for some reason...let's hope you can view it this time.**
Kensley has a new thing this week. She talks ALL of the time, but this week she has discovered how to make the noise when you run your toungue in & out of your mouth. Here's a sample:

She is so funny & I just laugh every time I hear her do this. Sometimes she's sitting quietly in the corner & then busts out with this noise. She's even pulled off from nursing to do it. I guess it's like every other new, learned task & they want to do it all of the time.

We are heading out of town tomorrow for vacation with Corby's family. I should have some great things to talk about next week.

The sequel to the bus "ordeal"

Okay, I got it out of him today... Carter, that is, and his bus "story". This kid swears up & down to something that is so far left field and NOT true. We were sitting in the pick up line today to get Chandler (they stagger start & Carter went Mon but not today) & saw the new buses pull out & Carter says "that's the bus I got to ride on". So, I asked him again what happened & I get the same story. So, I said that I would ask his teacher about it tomorrow when I drop him off.... he hung his head & the bottom lip pooched out. I knew right then I had him. I said "Carter, did you really ride on the bus yesterday?" His response: "no, but I was just so excited about the new buses & I wanted to ride on one. we did get to look at them though... the whole class walked outside to see them". A-ha!!!! Finally the truth is revealed.

Back 2 School

Ready for school with backpacks on!
(this has become our ritual "picture taking place")


Chandler is in Mrs. Thurkhill's class

Carter is in Mrs. Cooke's class

Well, today was the first day of school... YAY!!! (did I say that out loud)....It's been a crazy summer & I'm looking forward to some peace & quiet around the house for a while. I'm sure Kensley will be crawling around looking for them when she gets up from her nap. The boys were both excited this morning. Chandler started 2nd grade. He wasn't as "hip-hip-hooray" as Carter because he knows what school really entails. Carter started Kindergarten. He goes today, not tomorrow (they stagger start) and then the rest of the week. Carter has several buddies in his class so I know he will be fine. He was most excited about having homework tonight... (what is he thinking!) It's still hard to believe that I have 2 in school though. I think they will have a great year & they are glad to be together at the same school again. I'll let you know later how things went today.

UPDATE....

It was a success! They boys had a great day at school. Carter wasn't near as "glazed" as Chandler was his first day of school. I guess because he's used to the go, go, go lifestyle we have. Carter did tell a little story that I still haven't completely figured out. He said that they went on a field trip today. (knowing better... i still entertained the idea & asked more questions) He said they went on a field trip on the new bus to the corn maze. As I asked more questions, it wasn't a field trip, but they just went to sit on the new bus. Then I asked who all went and first it was his class, then it narrowed down to just him & the PE teacher... no one else. Hmmmmm... so I asked more. The PE teacher came & got him out of his class & took him to sit on the bus... just them two... and he cranked it up. Hmmmmm.... "so why was it just you & him Carter?" I asked. He said, "i don't know, my teacher just says I'm lucky". You never know when to believe the little red-head. I don't know if he really sat on it or not... and if he did... why???? Chandler had a great day too. It's kind of old news to him though. They didn't have homework tonight. That's a great sign.