The Great Northern Exposure

We didn't travel much this summer due to our busy schedule here at the house and daddy's limited vacation time. But when we did travel we made it count by taking in all the sights and sounds and by enjoying the time we had with each other and our family. We took our annual trip up north to see Martin's family.  It is approximately a 14 hour drive (with stops) to our final destination...Fairfield, CT. Any normal family would probably stop and make this a two day trip (which we have done in the past), but as the kids have gotten older and we have become more anxious to get there we literally do it in one day. Last year, daddy had this grand idea to get up at 2:30 in the morning to start our journey. He believed that it cut down on our travel time and we could avoid some of the traffic through DC and NY. Secretly, I think he was just excited to get there and was experiencing some homesickness.  Of course reluctantly, I went with it and oh how I wish I had went with my gut instincts. If we had only waited a couple of ours, I would have never met the little mouse that had made himself comfortable underneath my seat to accompany us the whole 14 hours. Yes that's right on the camping trip that we had taken a couple of weeks earlier, we picked up the fifth member of our family Fidel. Needless to say, I spent the entire 14 hours with feet in the seat scrunched up like a ball.  And on top of the rodent problem, our transmission in the ole family wagon gave out somewhere in between the Bronx and Concrete City (NY). We were able to get it to CT but it spent most of the week in the shop costing us $4,000 in repairs! But with all kidding and challenges aside we had a great time in CT!  Our week was jammed packed with lots of fun filled excursions and adventures. Too many to put into one blog entry...so I have decided to do a three part blog series entitled the Great Northern Exposure to detail and outline our week. So stay tuned for more adventures and pics to come!  

Water Water Everywhere

Let's just face it...it has been blistering hot here in South Carolina! Too hot to do anything especially outside. So on a day to day basis we are faced with the dilema of staying inside and watching hours upon hours of televsion or playing hours upon hours of video games or do we brave the outside.  Nine times out of ten I choose to be outside so I don't have to hear the constant fighting between Jack Jack and P over what to watch or who gets to play on the Ipod next. So when we choose to be outside, it has to be something involving water....whether tubing down a lazy river, chillin poolside, fishin lakeside, or boogie boardin' by the shore....we don't care!  Let it be water water everywhere!!!

Around the riverbend (Helen, GA May 2011)

Splashin' with friends (Nettie's House July 4th)

Chillin' on the lake at our favorite swimming spot (Dreher Island July 2011)

Feet in the sand (Folly Beach July 2011)

Watch Out Hollywood!

About 6 months ago, we introduced P into the world of dance. As a mom, I was a little hesitant to start something so ambitious so early (she is only 3), but the dancer in me knew I just had to do it! You see I started dance at an early age too. It grew into a secret passion and hobby of mine since I can't sing and can't read music to play an instrument.  Most of my friends would say that I can dance and that I have never been shy on the dance floor (okay a little crazy on the dance floor). I have often been given the nickname Shakira because I can make the booty go shake a time or two!

Since starting dance, P has enjoyed the world of dance just as much as I did or do. And not to brag, she is really very good at it too! I have been a proud mama to say the least! At the end of May (I know I am three months too late), P had her first official ballet/tap recital and of course in true P fashion she rocked it! But besides her ability to shake it, I was particularly blown away by her lack of shyness or in better words her confidence to woo the audience. Martin and I are constantly saying that she never meets a stranger but wow a whole audience!

In addition to her weekly dance practice this summer, we put her into a dance camp at Dutch Fork High School which she loved. I was a little skeptical of sending my three year old to camp for four hours out of the day but again like in true P fashion she rocked it. She didn't hesitate and ran right in to make new friends with all the big girls. I was very impressed by the Razzle Dazzle team's ability to design a dance that was age appropriate for a three year old to learn in just 4 days! They did a great job and more importantly P loved the whole week.  She even got best smile out of her age group!!

Watch Out Hollywood!