2 Minutes,

a two year old, and sunscreen = this!!! Thank God we were already geared up for swimming.

One of my favorite things...

about being a stay at home mom are the rare 15 minute chunks of time that are spent like this. These pictures were all taken within 15 minutes. It was a good day.

We enjoyed a tea party.

Listened to a snowglobe for the first time. This was mine when I was little...oh and she dropped it about 10 minutes after this pic...bye-bye snowglobe...I should've know better.

Bryce becoming a photographer...not bad.

Horseplay on the bed = good stuff.

TS Fay: Day 2

So after 2.5 days of utter boredum and rain induced depression (seriously folks), we decided to make a not so brilliant move. We took a family trip to see Star Wars the new cartoon. Let's just say it made me sick to spend money on a movie Bryce has already seen, but hey, we're talking about our mental state here. We should have just saved the money because the drive to and from the movies was much more interesting than than any cartoon...even if you're Bryce.
There were numerous times that I thought we were not going to make it through the flood waters. We attempted to go to the theater close to our house, but when I saw a car coming out of the parking lot with water up to the middle of it's door, I said, "Oh, hell no babe, we're not going in there in the Odyssey minivan." I secretly think he was ready for the adventure and bumbed by my safe attitude. Needless to say, we drove 30 minutes to another theater where Bryce and I ended up completely soaked because, according to Brian, I don't know how to properly operate an umbrella in 50 mph wind gusts. The thing seriously turned completely inside out and was literally pulling my body with it. Bryce was hysterical.


Let me also say that although, I use a certain "joking-blog-tone" on this blog, these pictures are not to take lightly. These are people's homes and lives that have been destroyed. We are so blessed thus far.

This is a front yard that is directly across the street from our subdivision.

A twosome cayaking in the street or parking lot. Now that's not something you see everyday guys.

One of the mobile home parks near our house. Yes, that is a person up to his waist in water in the middle of his street.

This is actually right off of a main intersection. This pic has been all over the news. This is less than a mile from our house. The white "thing" floating in the water is a car.

This is my cousin Jeanne and her daughter Natalie in their street as they attempt to take on the river in a blow-up house.

Can You Say...

BORED!! Tropical Storm Fay has our family completely bored!! I have no idea how I would survive living up north when you have to stay indoors for a good part of the year. This storm has forced me to be on real mommy duty. And boy am I worn out. It's harder than it looks I promise. Here's our activities for day 1 of Fay:

1. Watching the updated weather report 24/7

2. Making handmade jewelry with Hailey. This task was insane and involved teeny-tiny crystals that NO toddler should ever be in charge of. Let's just say the vacuum was involved more than once and I'm still wearing shoes in my house bc I can't get rid of the stinkin crystals.

3. Homemade chocolate chip cookies that we attempted to have in the shape of Bryce's name. Didn't work out...no one ever told me NOT to bake the cookie cutters too. OOPS.

4. Candyland x3!!! Yikes...that's enough to put anyone over the edge.

5. Movie time for the fam...and finally, she passed out.

This tree can't see to make up her mind...is it going to sway to right???

Or to the left??? And yes, I promise it's the same tree. Damn Fay!

"First Day of School..."

"First Day of School, First Day of School..." (Nemo says this to his dad in the beginning of the movie...sad I know) this is what I awoke Bryce up with this morning as I popped right out of bed with NO problem, got myself dressed, and proceeded with First Day of School routine...even if it is only preschool and only 3 days a week. I never thought I would be one of those parents that was excited about a new school year...oh, how very wrong I was. We need a break. And although, I did feel that twinge of sadness and emptiness as I watched him find his name on his table in his classroom, sit down with hands folded, and look at me as I watched through the door, I did manage to overcome this feeling within a couple of minutes without any hysterical, crying phone calls to my girlfriends this time around. So...needless to say...we're ready!


Sheer excitement...I think he's more excited about his Ninja Turtle lunchbox than anythin else.

Hailey wants so badly to go to school...must be a 2nd kid thing. Bryce wanted NO part of it at her age. She actually cried when she wasn't allowed in his classroom.

She's somethin' else

I just don't have too many words for this. This is Hailey at her finest. She is obsessed with "make-it" aka makeup and loves everything girly.

Mini Stay-Cation

Brian took a whole week off from work to stay home with us and "play." We decided to head up to Ron Jon's Cape Caribe Resort for a couple of nights. It was a very relaxing and much needed time. Everyone should enjoy a staycation every once in awhile. Although, it wasn't all play and no work. Brian took on our backyard with full force and conquered the weeds that we had growing as grass. It looks SO much nicer now. More pics of that soon.

Painting starfish at the resort during craft time



Summer night dinner by the pool

Putt-putt golf at the resort (Hailey and Bryce each got a hole in one).

Water fun at the mini water park there

Nice pic with mom

She just kills me...who does she think she is?

For Sale...

the bike that is...know anyone interested??? It's done it's time here in Turnerland...it's time for it to move on. Brian has stopped crying himself to sleep over the ordeal, realized that he never has time to enjoy his beloved toy, and has decided to find it a new home.

Boogey - Boarder

It's official...he's off in the ocean and he's doing it all by himself. I try to pretend that it doesn't stress me out to see him attempt to walk through the waves out into the deeper water without me, assume the boogey-board-rider position and wait for the perfect wave, only to see him tumble under the waves and come up with a fat, bloody lip, but let's be honest here...it does...everytime. I'm sure that will get easier or he'll just get better.
Anyhow, I've never seen him so proud.
And just for the record...by the end of our beach visit yesterday, there were no more bloody lip episodes. See...he gets better.

First Friends...

These kids were each others' "first friends" once upon a time. I remember playdates a couple years ago... They consisted of a nice lunch for the adults, some great conversation, and some time for the kids to sit on the floor and stare at each other. Well boy has that changed now. They're not babies anymore...they're growing so fast. They definitely don't sit and stare at each other, we don't get an uninterrupted lunch or conversation and we've added 4 more kids since then.



Bryce... the boss

Asher... the comedian

Sydney... the people pleaser

Her 1st (real) Tea Party...

After months of practicing for a real tea party aka serving mommy "tea" using her tea set, then taking it away to her "kitchen" for washing, Hailey finally attended a real tea party for her friend, Anya's 3rd birthday. The girls dressed up like princesses, drank tea, ate cookies, etc... It was so much fun to see them interact. Of course, Hailey was in charge of distributing the tea and kept asking anyone if they wanted more. She didn't even spill...okay...only once. Nice change from Power Ranger and Ninja Turtle birthday parties.