Category Archives: Around Town

BFFs, betterment, & bustling about

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Obviously, holiday happenings have been in abundant supply lately.

First up, Thanksgiving

We deviated from the normal tradition of going to the mountains for Thanksgiving. Instead, Granny came here, and then the lot of us headed to Virginia .

All the usual Richmond family gathered for the occasion, as well as frequent no-show, Cousin David, and New Orleans newlyweds, Casey and Garret. This whole cool crew + Granny made for an extra-special holiday!

Papa, Granny, & Gramsey get cheery on Turkey Day!

The following day, Stephen, Granny, and I cruised around town for a bit. We gave her a driving-by tour of some of the highlights, including Monument Avenue, the Virginia Capitol, Shockoe Slip, and a few of the Seven Hills of Richmond.

Atop Church Hill, which is Richmond’s highest point and home to most of city’s original 32 blocks, we visited St. John’s Church. This historic site was where, in 1775, Patrick Henry gave his revolutionary “Give me liberty, or give me death” speech.

We rounded out our afternoon by hitting Alamo BBQ, a funky little Yelp find of Stephen’s. Although the eats were tasty, I still think my hubby makes a way better brisket.

Albert keeps score as Zeke aims @ cans during a target-shooting contest w/ his bros. Thanks for the super-fun Nerf guns, Casey & Garret!

December: Tis the season of building relationships

The dudes and I met up with my new pal, Carrie (whom I met through Christie) and her four adorable boys for a playdate at Backyard Paradise. I’m hoping our friendships with these fine folks grows in the new year.

I got together with a gal named Kristie, who sought my advice on homeschooling. (Weird, I know.) She is an acquaintance from our days at Westover, but I also see her at random Mercy Hill events, as she and her family are neighbors with one of our pastors.

Not sure how much I relieved her overwhelmingness at being a newbie homeschooler with a kinder and two toddlers. But I’d like to think that my sharing of mistakes, as well as successes, and my passion for home education as a blessing and a calling helped instill greater confidence in her. Man do I love being an homeschooling ambassador!

Houston finally got sick of having a shaggy do & begged me to give him a buzz cut. Sure, the hippie thing is kinda cute, but man, does that kid have some thick, unmanageable hair, so I happily obliged. Here he is just moments before the big change.

Not sure if we’ll be seeing Kristie and her kiddos around CC next school year, but wouldn’t it be fantastic if we did? I think the two of us would be fast friends, if we could just see each other a little more often.

The boys and I went to see “A Christmas Carol” at the High Point Community Theater for a field trip with CC. After meeting up with a few families for lunch at Freddy’s, we headed to Wilkesboro to meet Granny.

Houston spent a weekend with his sweet Gran, who took him to a gem museum and a junk store (and spoiled him rotten, of course!), while I seized the opportunity of being sans Houston.

Gabriel & Daddy enjoy each other’s company & musical musings while playing some improv on the piano. Yay for awesome father-son moments!

See, Gabriel and Zeke sometimes feel like they’re second-rate to big brother when they’re all hanging out with other kids. It’s not that they really are. One thing is that the 3 Amigos are so close in age that they have many of mutual friends.

Nevertheless, Houston is older and pretty mature. Thus, he tends to be the ringleader, so naturally, the twins get a bit fed up with this competitive dynamic from time to time.

Now couple that with the fact that Gabe and Zeke sometimes whine (ugh!) and still have occasional tantrums (double ugh!) when their frustration gets the best of them, and it’s a recipe for Houston being seen as the cooler kid and the twins feeling like hangers-on at best.

I think it’s safe to say that Josh’s sleepover was a smashing success. See, I knew los gemelos (Spanish for “the twins”) would let their lights shine through with a little less brotherly competition.

To help remedy this a bit and foster Gabe and Zeke’s friend-making confidence, I invited Josh (their bud from CC and church) to spend the night. Well, it went off without a hitch — quite the feat, especially since it was Josh’s first sleepover ever — and everyone had a grand old time building their budding relationships!

Speaking of which, we have convinced our pals, Penny, Jim, and their son, Tyrnan, to start attending Mercy Hill. This is welcome news not only because they were already church shopping, but also because we’re totally vying for them to be our much better friends.

I jest with Penny that I’m in the market for a new BFF and that she’s in the running. But I’m only half-joking, as I’ve seriously been looking for a close mama buddy ever since Christie moved away. A good girlfriend is simply necessary for getting through this crazy thing called life!

It’s quite apparent that Houston’s exhilarated to have some hang time w/ his BFF, Asher. And yes, they’re constructing Legos in their undies … it’s just what they do!

And speaking of BFFs, the J-Crew stopped by for a quick day visit over the holidays. The kids fought over games, played in the rain, and built Legos in their skivvies. It was as if no time had passed since we last saw them half a year ago — always a good sign of a quality friends.

Stephen and I also got to catch up with Christie, and the big news there is that they recently moved to Roanoke. Sure, they’re still not local, but the Crew is now a heckuva lot closer than Charleston, so we’re planning on definitely seeing one of our fave families much more often in 2016.

Now, on to the Big Show: Christmas!

I attended the CC Mama’s Comfy Christmas Party, where guests wore PJs and traded plush socks for the Dirty Santa gift swap. In one room, we talked about gun ownership and conceal-carry permits, and in the other, we chatted about home-brewing beer and owning livestock. I just adore my cool homeschool community!

Zeke plays Christmas carols w/ Piper. I wonder if that sassy girl still wants to marry both Zeke *and* Gabe, like she used to. Hmmmm.

Miss Stacey and Matthew took the 3 Amigos to the Greensboro Christmas Parade.  They also took the boys and me to see the Christmas lights at McLaurin Farm. They let us ride with them, and they paid. Not only are they terrific neighbors, but they’re turning out to be pretty fabulous friends, as well.

Stephen went to the dudes’ Piano Christmas Party. They were thrilled to have their Daddy there for the festive event, and he was equally impressed with their performances. Turns out that all those (increasingly pricey) lessons are paying off … thank goodness!

Granny, who was visiting for Christmas, took the boys to see the newest Chipmunks pic, Road Chip. Yeah, that’s one of the “perks” of being a grandparent: going to see a lame movies, so that the parents don’t have to endure it. Thanks, Gran.

Zeke helps Granny put the finishing touches on a gingerbread house. Apparently, it was the first one she ever made, so Gran was in holiday heaven.

As per usual, we kept Christmas as simple, commercial-free, and Jesus-centric as possible. Interestingly, Santa’s still in the mix.

It’s funny ’cause Houston claims he doesn’t believe, but you can tell he still clings a bit to the wonder of it all, whereas Zeke is still firmly in the Santa camp. And Gabriel says he doesn’t believe in the jolly old elf. But oddly enough, Gabe doesn’t question the existence of the Tooth Fairy in the least.

Honestly, I think Gabriel only asserts disbelief due to Houston’s stance. For example, Gabe did some last-minute shopping with me at Barnes & Noble, where he picked out his own book. Yet, he seemed truly surprised when he opened that gift on Christmas morning.

The 3 Amigos play w/ their flags, which were among the “sensible” gifts that Santa brought them.

After Granny hit the road post-Christmas, we made another short trip to Richmond to trade gifts and chill with family. We wrapped it all up with a tidy 2015 bow by ringing in the New Year at home, just relaxing, drinking toddies, and enjoying each other’s company.

Being better in the New Year

Sure, I understand that betterment is not a self-help thing, but rather, a response to God’s radical grace. So, only by relying on the Holy Spirit any improvements ever possible.

This is what has gotten Stephen and I through the first 10 days of January alcohol-free. Our goal is to stay on the wagon for the month, so we’re a third of the way there! Funny thing is we’re also trying to be quieter and calmer, so this can be quite the quandary without cold beer to celebrate another day in the trenches of parenthood survived.

Nothing says “peace on earth, goodwill toward men” like settling grievances with bop gloves! See, not all of Santa’s gifts were sensible.

The kids are working on their issues, too. Zeke, who I call my “distracted dancer,” is trying to have better focus. Gabriel, who is our “bull the breaker,” is working on being more careful with his own stuff, as well as other people’s property.

And Houston is the “the picker,” but not of his nose. Rather, he sometimes revels in prodding and poking los gemelos till he gets the tearful reaction he wants. Thus, he’s diligent about being a kinder, gentler big bro.

So, here’s to building relationships, battling sin, and embracing life to its fullest in 2016. Happy New Year!

Baseball, birthdays, & battling sickness

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The 3 Amigos wrapped up baseball last Saturday. It was such an exciting season, and the boys have come such an incredibly long way with their skills. Just amazing progress! Catching is really the only thing that really needs to be tackled hard.

Zeke merrily getting to first base. Hey, as long as he’s fast & running *through* the base, it’s cool by us.

Interestingly, the Y coach disappeared about half way through the season. The dudes told me he had gone to the beach and surmised that he had probably gotten eaten by a shark. Hmmm, not sure about that, but his status is still unknown.

Thankfully, the dads happily filled in for the no-show coaching. And the Braves, who played the role of Bad News Bears during most games, ended the season on an upswing.

On 10/16, our double trouble turned 7! To celebrate the big occasion, Daddy took off work, and we went to the Durham Museum of Life & Science with Bret and Granny.

Here’s Houston stopping a grounder & getting it where it needs to be. Good defense, dude!

We got in for half price to this expensive museum as part of a homeschool group, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the cool displays and doing the hands-on exhibits. It was a great day of loving and learning, and a wonderful way to ring in the twins’ 7th year of life.

Daddy even treated us to some seriously authentic Mexican cuisine at a taqueria. With the combo of homemade corn tortillas, expertly cooked meat, and a delicious salsa-and-topping bar, we might just have to drive to Durham again just to eat there!

Gabriel makes his way to home plate. “Don’t look at the ball” was alway our mantra after a hit.

That evening, we had a campfire and cake with neighbors, including some longtime neighbors we’re finally getting to know (like Nick’s dad and Gavin’s parents), and our new next door neighbors. Then we had Bret and Matthew to the casa for a sleepover.

It was a wonderful time, except for when Matthew stepped in the hot ash the following morning and had to go to the hospital. Poor, fella.

It was a good lesson for all the kids, though: Listen to the adults when they say “don’t step in the ash ’cause it’s still hot” … and also for Matthew alone: When mama says to grab your bag and come home, don’t hang out for another hour, eat a sandwich, and get yourself burned.

The 3 Amigos & Bret get ready to take the Durham Life & Science Museum by storm. Bull City will never be the same!

Seriously, we’re so relieved that Matthew is okay and so grateful that his mama was understanding about the sitch. Thank God for protecting that sweet boy!

The other big event in October was Stephen’s and my 15th anniversary on 10/14. We didn’t do anything special, since our trip to the Dominican Republic was really an early celebration of the notable occasion. Thanks for putting up with me all these years, baby!

Interestingly, we’ve made the most of these memorable moments with full gusto, despite the fact that the whole fam has been battling sickness for the last month or so. It’s just finally tapered off recently due to heavy doses of over-the-counter meds for me and a trip to the pediatrician for the boys.

The dudes fully embrace the “Into the Mist” exhibit. What a neat landscape to while away a Friday, while most other kids are stuck in a desk @ school.

Turns out that Zeke and Houston have a nasty mixture of ear infections and seasonal allergies, so we had to finally resort to antibiotics to kick their illness. But it was that blend of ailments that made all of our symptoms so hard to treat. Moreover, no one suffered a fever (except me only one night), and no one lost their appetite in the slightest.

Currently, Gabriel’s doing fine, as are the other two kids on their fancy meds. But Stephen and I are still battling a croupy cough, although the lethargy and major congestion have started to subside. We’ll survive, but man, has it been a pain and a major wet-blanket to fully enjoying my beloved autumn!

Durham is called Bull City due to an ambitious marketing campaign by Bull Durham Tobacco Company to try meet the demands of American smokers post-Civil War. How interesting is that?!

We haven’t let some hacking and snotty noses stop us from taking part in everything, though. For example, Gabriel and Zeke went to Gramsey and Papa’s sans Houston for two nights in mid-September. They were treated like kings, of course, but did, however, do some work in Lisa and Albert’s garden. Child labor, baby!

The twins attended their first piano party at Miss Julie’s on 9/24. They were thrilled to finally go to the event where we’ve been dropping Houston off solo lo these many years. I stayed for this one, but I think that Gabe and Zeke are seeking greater independence. So, I shall be dropping off the 3 Amigos at tomorrow’s party. Good luck, fellas!

At CC on Tuesday, Zeke dissects owl pellets w/ Julia & Gabriel w/ Allie. Isn’t learning fun?!

On 9/30, we had Houston’s pal, Isaiah, to the house for a sleepover. We’ve known him since our first year at CC, and his mom, Celeste, is one of my fave ladies there, but the kids had kind of lost touch since they weren’t in the same class last year.

Well, this year’s a different story, and Houston wants to rekindle the friendship. Having been treated to the best pizza in town at Mario’s, fun at Awana, video games, and playing in the rain, I think Isaiah feels the same about Houston and los gemelos (how you say “the twins” in Spanish).

The boys attended a party at Chuck E. Cheese in early October. It was thrown by a nice gal named Carrie, who I first met at Christie’s house last year. She also knows Tricia and Jeremy, too, since they attend the same church as Carrie (and as did the J-Crew).

Houston & his all-boy CC class conquer the tin whistle. Aren’t they just so cute?! (And yes, I know Houston needs a haircut.)

This is another friendship I’d like to foster. Not only does she have a whopping four boys, but she’s a stay-at-homer, who also homeschools. We are everywhere! Now, if we could just see Tricia and Jeremy for something other than a kid swap, that’d just be dandy!

The whole family attended a party at Mr. Dan’s that night. (Remember him from our crazy Hanging Rock camping trip?) I called it an “international” gathering, since Dan is South African, another couple there were Romanian, and there was a smart-ass Canadian present for good measure. The Triad’s melting pot is definitely alive and well!

La República Dominicana

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“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men & things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.”

One of my favorite Southerners, Mark Twain, said it best. Traveling makes you modest, makes you question your comfort zone, and ultimately, makes you ponder your tiny place in this vast and ever-changing world. And that’s a good, healthy thing.

The Caribbean view from the plane en route to the Dominican Republic.

So, we got to La República Dominicana on my 44th birthday. My first impression upon arriving was disbelief at the inefficiency, like having to take a bus from the tarmac to the terminal check-in … you know, all 100 meters of a journey.

Then paying a guy $10 to enter the country, and having to hand over the government tickets to another dude some two yards away. Now there’s make work! I think that airport needs to invest in some automation.

But all turista complaining aside, our time in the Dominican Republic was enjoyable and stress-free. Sure, we made a few mistakes, like tipping the airport baggage guy way too much, or buying an 8-pack of tampons for $8 (gasp!) because I thought I had forgotten to bring mine, and purchasing for some pricey cigars that turned out to be Cuban knock-offs.

Rebeeler on la playa in Punta Cana. Gracias for “quince” great years, mi amor! If you can put up with me for 15, certainly we are in it for the long haul.

Honestly, haggling, in my opinion, is just the worst. I like the competitive and equalizing factor of “here’s the good and this is the fee.” But in other parts of the world, price is debatable and fluid, depending on the circumstance and possibly even the consumer’s country of origin.

This is no slight at those who can barter and haggle well. It’s just that I’m so accustomed to the competitive and consumer-friendly forces of goods as far as the eye can see and at the best possible prices, that it is always hard for me to get cope with such hyper-inconsistent exchanges.

Interestingly, Americans aren’t the only fat ones. It seems the rest of the world’s beach dwellers — well, at least the ones from South America and Europe, from which most DR turistas hail — are rather robust, too.

A Dominican artistic impression of Conan O’Brien. Now this work of art is certainly worth a good, healthy haggle.

String bikinis are an unfortunate trend at the beaches in La Altagracia region. Even though it is mostly the Dominicans who are the fittest and most exquisitely beautiful, modesty was replete on la playa. Hey, at least the turistas don’t have negative body image issues, as do many Americans.

In general, non-Americans know multiple languages, like our concierge Eugenia. She was Bulgarian, but was fluent in English and Spanish.

Also Anna, the Ukrainian lady who pitched a vacation package to us: she spoke Russian, of course, as well as English, French, and Spanish. And Lisandro, our Spanish-speaking guide on the wonderful local excursion, also spoke English and French, and was in the process of learning Russian.

Bávaro Beach from a catamaran before muy cocktails, a sunset swim, & a lobster dinner. That’s just the way things roll in La República Dominicana!

Moreover, the turistas we met from places like Montreal, the Czech Republic, Uruguay, Russia, and Slovenia, spoke impeccable English, even though they usually would humbly say they only knew “pequeño” (a little).

And Stephen’s español was just amazing. He gets rusty, sure. But once he lets go and relaxes, hearing him communicate with locals is like listening to a symphony of sometimes discordant, yet mostly harmonic musicians, playing the earthly tune of man. Communication in its purest form.

Therefore, I’m going to be a student in Stephen’s weekly Spanish lesson with the boys. It’s going to be difficult for me, I know. But if there’s one thing that homeschooling has taught assured me, it’s that I’m a lifelong learner. So, if I have an open enough mind to overcome my math phobia, why not tackle a foreign language (or two) while I’m at it?!?

If you got no pesos, this is how poor turistas can work off mamajuana shots & El Presidente cervezas!

Other than linguistics, we had many beach-bum days filled soft sand, seaweed swimming, palm umbrellas, endless cocktails, perspiration galore, and people-watching. Time was not much of a concern — quite an odd feeling for most Americans, but very necessary and therapeutic, since relaxation is the main objective.

We adventured outside of the resort on occasion, like our visit to a local farm to tour the home and property, and lands where coffee, cocoa, tobacco, plantains and other tropical fruit are grown. It was incredible getting to meet Dominicans, who are typically friendly and kind, as well as hang with other cool turistas from around the world.

Our tour also took us to a mountainside restaurant, an elementary school outside Higüey, and La Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia. The church, which is the largest basilica in Latin America, was architecturally pleasing, but also a tad disturbing as it had Mary as its centerpiece, rather than, you know … Jesus!

Drinking vino piño, smoking puros, listening to music, star gazing, having deep conversations, & relaxing on the beach our last night in town.

Our savior, the Son of God, and healer of mankind’s brokenness, seemed an after thought there. Strange how that happens in Latin America, as well as in some other places in the world. But I’ve learned that deifying the mother was a way that Catholics long ago tackled the veneration of pagan goddesses. And it just kinda stuck.

Moreover, Christ has been dealing with castigation, mockery, and misinterpretation since the dawn of man; that’s kinda what we sinners do. But He defeated death and sits at the right hand of God, and His spirit lives in us. So, a little Mary-worship sure can’t squelch His power or waver my faith in any way. It just ain’t my thang.

Now, we got to DR without a hitch, but leaving was another story. The coiled lines were long and unnecessarily slow. All the passengers on our flight were forced to sit on the tarmac for an hour in order that a few folks and their bags could be rechecked due to some kind of ticketing error.

Taking a break in Macao after a long day of exploring the area of La Altagracia & meeting some of the locals. By the way, have I mentioned that the Dominican Republic is HOT, like steamier-than-New-Orleans kinda hot?! Don’t even bother wearing makeup.

And then the Homeland Security guy that “welcomed” us back to the States was so stereotypically rude that it seemed like a spoof. Thanks, ‘Merica. But we survived. I’m just glad my travel-weary husband didn’t punch him, otherwise I’d have a way more subversive headline for this blog.

But travel sure does make your appreciate all your blessings and give you invaluable insights about yourself, the world, and the diverse peoples that inhabit it. Our vacation was an exciting and memorable trip, as well as such a loving gesture from my hubby, who took me there to celebrate early our 15th wedding anniversary.

I truly appreciate the adventure, Stephen, and look forward to our next travels. And thanks to you, too, Granny, for taking care of the 3 Amigos so we could experience this romantic time together sans kids! We certainly couldn’t have pulled it off without you.

Papa & the 3 Amigos have a blast cooking (& hypnotizing!) crabs for our delicious seafood feast w/ family. Thanks for the awesome memories, Papa!

In early August, the boys and I went up to see the Richmond crew and eat yummy steamed crabs. It was a leisurely visit that included lots of chilling with the family, plus, some spur-of-the-moment hang time with three of my old-school pals: Angela, Shelley, and Michelle. So great to catch up with these fine ladies!

In mid-August, we got to see the other side of the family in the mountains, but this time for a sad occasion: Uncle Tommy’s funeral. It was a heart-wrenching trip, since his death was quite shocking. After all, Tommy was a pretty young, healthy guy.

Plus, knowing that his granddaughter, sweet Ella, is too young to probably have formed any lasting memories of him is just a devastating thought. But we are praying for all of those who were closest to Tommy and will miss him most, specifically Granny, Kelly, Laura, Mike, and Dale.

The 3 Amigos have been playing a lot lately w/ our neighbor, Matthew (seen here far right), as well as a cool kid named Nick. It sure pleases this mama that the boys have plenty of neighborhood friends for good-time shenanigans.

But there were some happy times that weekend, like the boys playing with their Carolina kin, Ella, Grace, and Faith, and getting to meet Jovi, their cousin from Minnesota, and Stephen and I bonding with family we don’t see all that often. We were also able to make it to the Houston Family Reunion.

Remember those pukey sleeping bags from our last camping trip? Well, I took the need of having to clean them in a front-loading washing machine as an opportunity to invite the dudes and I over to Meredith’s house. I figured she has the high-tech wares, so why not get some much-needed time in with her and Rorie, all while tackling the overdue task?!

Rorie had a great fun with the 3 Amigos, who she classified as “such loud boys.” And Meredith and I were able to chat while the kids entertained one another. Thanks for a great afternoon of fun, washing, eating Chinese food, and good conversation, girls!

Houston, Zeke, Owen & Gabriel get ready to rock out @ the Folk Fest!

We attended the National Folk Festival last weekend in … Greensboro! Amazingly, our fare city has been chosen as the host of the big event for three years. Very cool.

One of our dearest friends, Steven, his wife, Paige, and son, Owen, came to town to partake in the festivities with us. It was a blast to spend some time with them and get to see some kickin’ live music so close to home.

We hope to rekindle our friendship with Steven and get to know his beautiful family even better. After all, it was he (along with his two older brothers) who was responsible for Stephen and I crossing paths back back in ’98.

Nice photography skills, Houston. Thanks for snapping this pic of Mommy & Daddy w/ our buddies Steven & Paige during stay with us. We look forward to seeing them later in the fall.

Fall baseball at the Y has been underway for a month. The dudes are playing for the Atlanta Braves and are doing quite well. Everyone’s skills continue to improve unabated, and the twins’ focus on the game has gotten much better, too.

Yesterday, I thought the boys’ game was at 12:15. But at 11:10, I happened to glance at my calendar and see that it was an 11:15 game. Gasp! I grabbed a baseball cap and bra for me, opted to skip brushing my teeth, threw the gear in the back of Stephen’s truck, and sped down the street to pick up the kids from trampoline jumping at Matthew’s.

Somehow, we made it to the Y by 11:30. Unfortunately, I had to do my bra-and-hat routine in the porta-potty, but at least I got to witness some rather entertaining baseball, and the 3 Amigos (who are virtually half the team) were able to play the majority of the game.

Can you tell I’m a tad excited to hang w/ Dale Watson & see one of my all-time favorite musicians perform in my hometown?! I’m already looking forward to next year’s fest.

CC, Awana, and piano are in full swing again. Things are going swimmingly, both learning-wise and time-wise, especially since I’m being rather diligent about not biting off not much more than the essentials and a few outings here and there.

Houston says he wants to do CC Memory Master, which means being able to recite all 24 weeks of grammar for seven subjects by late March. It was his idea, so I’m letting him take the lead. He did this for two subjects (Latin and history) during his first year of CC in ’12, and this is his second time around with Cycle 1, so I’m confident he can pull it off!

Last but not least, we cannot forget about Stanley. He had gotten pretty mellow and sweet over the summer, that is, until we had some dental work done on him at the vet last month. Now he’s back to the same old grumpy, ornery critter he used to be. I hope that mean feline likes living outdoors for a while. What a rude, fat cat.