Category Archives: Travel

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!

My Thanksgiving is for Jesus … & beer!

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I was just confiding in Granny that it is Jesus and beer (and in that order, of course) that get me through this S-L-O-W-L-Y sanctifying thing called motherhood!

And thank you, Lord, for my sweet, patient, hard-working, beer-drinking, Jesus-loving husband. What a cutie pie!

Christ is not only my eternal Savior, but He truly saves me on a daily basis in the here and now. If it weren’t for God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness, love, and guidance, I’d often be totally lost in a sea of pity-party chaos or self-loathing — neither are an optimal place for anyone to be, especially a mama. 

“Obedience to God leads to blessing. Disobedience leads to burden.” — Max Lucado

Submitting to the Holy Spirit — sometimes kicking and screaming — gives me strength when I’m weak; patience when I’m utterly frustrated; endurance to keep on keeping on; and compassion when I all want to do is squash the little army that (seemingly) wants to take me down on occasion.

“Beer is proof that God loves us & wants us to be happy.” —Benjamin Franklin 

This is me the morning after Poker For Preemies. Wow, I forget how much Houston really does look like me — mouths gaping & snoring in all our glory! So thankful for that boy & his sweet bros!

I was only half joking about the latter tool in my parental survival bag. But in all seriousness, beer fits the bill when I want to toast a job well done, as well as decompress and take a break from the all-to-frequent madness.

God made yeast, as well as dough, & loves fermentation just as dearly as he loves vegetation.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sure, beer is temporary, and God is enduring. But in His infinite wisdom, He gave us many earthly gifts to utilize for our pleasure, relaxation, and appreciation of His wonder, as long as they don’t become idols and replace Him.

 “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” — 1 Timothy 6:17

Houston plans to eat the brains of all those who don’t treat with quality candy, while I proudly wear my obligatory Halloween t-shirt … cheers & thanks, Grumps!

So, thank you, Lord, for showing me a path to better living, offering me relationship with you through your Son, and giving your children so many blessings in which to delight. Happy Thanksgiving!

“Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.” — Dave Berry

On another joyful note, Zeke has decided that he wants to get baptized! As we disciple to our kids, we always want their beliefs to be a personal thing: we teach, yes, but ultimately, each one of them will choose. And Zeke seems to really love Jesus, grasp the Gospel, and understand the significance of proclaiming his faith publicly.

Zombie Houston, Ninja Matthew, Grim Reaper Jack, Creeper Zeke, Bio-Hazard Gavin, & Creeper Gabriel get ready for a gleeful night of trick-or-treating!

The folks in our church kids’ ministry agree, so Zeke’s baptism will probably take place some time in early 2016. Thanks again, Lord, for laying upon Zeke’s heart a desire to follow Jesus however and wherever and forever. Yay!

Other noteworthy, but not-so-heavy happenings:

Halloween was a blast. Cousin Rick came to town the night before, which was a nice way to kick of our ghoulish and fun-filled weekend.

Hickory memories: a beautiful day & w/ beautiful people!

Gabriel and Zeke morphed easily into Minecraft dudes, thanks to Bret, who gave them Creeper jackets for birthday. Houston’s zombie costume, on the other hand, was a bit more in-depth, especially since it took three days worth of showers to remove all the liquid latex from his face post-holiday.

We started off trick-or-treating with Matthew and Stacey, but Zeke pooped out after just going around the block. So, after getting him home, Gabe, Houston, and I drove back out to hit up a few more houses, most notably the ultra-spooky decorated casa at the front of the neighborhood.

I was totally willing to go farther and stay up later, since we had the van. However, the remaining dudes’ buckets were already overflowing by that point, so they both opted to stay home and watch scary movies with Rick and Daddy. I guess chocolate and chilling was just what the doctor ordered. Thanks for visiting, Cuz!

Dudes on a mission, gun in hand, crossing a bridge in the woods. Life is good. So thankful for my all-boy boys!

On 11/6, Grammy and Papa came to town to stay with the 3 Amigos, so Stephen and I could attend Poker For Preemies. Thanks for kid-sitting, y’all. The fundraiser, which Greg helps organize, is such a cool event: gamble a little, drink some free alcohol, smoke a complimentary cigar, eat yummy food, and hang with friends all for a good cause!

I took total advantage of our kid-lessness and Uber plans for getting home. Needless to say, I had one heckuva grand time! Cheers to Stephen, Greg, Meredith, Alan, and Beth … and thanks for dancing with me like nobody was watching!

On 11/11, the whole family went to see The Peanuts Movie at one of those places where you order and eat a meal while you watch the movie. That was a tad awkward and messy with kids and VERY expensive to boot, but still, it was a nice and deserved outing for our whole clan. Gracias, Padre!

A polar bear actually shows himself during our outing to the zoo!

From 11/14-15, we went to visit our old-time pals, Steven, Paige, and Owen, in Hickory. What kind, generous, and hospitable folks they are!

Owen is just a neat little dude. The boys love hanging out with this not-even two year old, which speaks volumes of his coolness. And I think he feels the same about the Amigos.

Thanks a million for hosting us for good eats, delicious craft brews, and stimulating adult conversation in your beautiful home. Can’t wait to see y’all again soon!

The 3 Amigos & Tyrnan rest in front of a pretty bamboo backdrop.

On 11/19, Houston spent the night with his CC pal, Isaiah. The twins were quite jealous, since they, too, really like Isaiah. In their defense, they don’t get invited to near as many sleepovers as does Houston. Thus, I’m trying to get things rolling for them.

I’ve been asking some parents if we can have their kids over for the night, so they’ll (hopefully) eventually reciprocate. I’m also urging the twins to say to their friends (whom we’ve already had for sleepovers), something along these lines:

“Hey, you had fun spending the night at our house, right? Wouldn’t it be a hoot if we could sleepover at your house some time?! Awesome. Let’s go ask your mom.” Yeah, subtlety in not my forte.

I guess this is how worn-out, sassy boys strike a pose by day’s end at the zoo. Hey, at least the elephant is cooperating.

On 11/21, the family went to the zoo with CC pal, Tyrnan, and his dad, Jim, who’s a super-nice guy who also happens to lean libertarian. The mom, Penny, is an interesting Aussie with whom I’m scoping out for a new BFF, but she was sick for the outing.

Still, we had a wonderful time at the nearly desolate zoo on a particularly beautiful, crisp fall day. Thanks for the memories, dudes!

Last but not least, we wrapped our CC fall semester yesterday. Can you believe 12 weeks down, only 12 to go?! And despite my intermittent grumblings of inefficiency or lack of self-control during lessons, I really am quite proud of the 3 Amigos. Thanks for loving to learn new things, boys, and for teaching and growing me along the way!

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!