Your Daddy's Son

So this is my first time posting on this blog. Why? Well Melanie and Amaryllis left Blowing Rock for a week in Florida leaving the boys on their own on the mountain. Monday is our first real day together because I was at work all day yesterday.

Don't worry, this isn't the first time that Melanie has left me alone with my son for longer then a 24 hour period...its the second time...this past spring Melanie and Amaryllis went out of town for five days and Bobby was fine, so relax.

Ok, so Bobby knew we were getting this time, and about two weeks ago he tells me a secret. The secret is that when Mommy and Amaryllis go out of town we should go out to dinner, and he has a specific restaraunt he wants to go...Beef O'Brady's...of course we could not tell Mommy while she was here that we were going there, so tonight we went to Beef O'Brady's

Why did Bobby want to go to Beef O'Brady's...was it because it has his menu of choice, was it because he knows he can watch three different ballgames and SportsCenter at the same time...no you see Beef O' Brady's has Video Games that we have played before. So of course while we waited for our dinner we (i.e. Bobby) played Video Games. Then we had to of course go to Marble Slab Creamery for dessert. A good evening for father and son.

Apple Fest at the Library

The library had an apple fest yesterday and the kids had fun with apples. The children's librarian, Judith, has apple trees and brought in buckets and buckets of apples!! She also has an apple press that she brought in so the kids could crush the apples and press them to make apple cider!! It was really neat to watch the kids turning the crank!
They also had fun activities for the kids to work on including stamping apples, molding with a cinnamon dough (and boy did that smell good!), plus carving apples! They had apple treats and read a book about Johnny Appleseed! Bobby used to go to the library every Tuesday with me, but since he's been in school he hasn't gotten to go, although Amaryllis and I still do! It was good fun for him to go and we all had a good time!

Fog, Raspberries and other Happenings...

This past weeks weather has been so crazy!! Rainy and foggy for the most part, with a tiny bit of sunshine thown in every now and again. Last week, I wasn't sure if they would cancel soccer because of it, but they didn't!! Last Thursday was so funny to watch the kids though! They started off practice by running half the field and by the time they were at the goal on the other side of the field, you could not see them!! HA! Of course, by the time that I got my camera, the fog had lifted somewhat! Yes, if you look at the picture, it doesn't seem like it! Good ole Blowing Rcok and our fog!! And of course, if you drive to Boone, just a few miles away, the sun was out!!

BUT.... with all this rain and such, I think that it has helped my measly raspberry bush grow giant berries!! I had to take a picture of them cause they were so big! That is a penny in the middle of them! And boy were they sweet and yummy! Ok, so there were only 4 ripe berries at the time, Bobby went out a few days later and picked a few more. We can never keep them to make anything yet, because as soon as they are ripe, Bobby usually is there to pick and eat right away!!

And what else have we been up to?? Not too much. School is still going well for Bobby. The "summer season" is over at the theatre, but lots more is going on! Second City and Linda Lavin are this weekend! Hopefully they will have nice turnouts, especially witht he whole gas situation!! Amaryllis is crazier then ever, getting around and loving it!! She is so funny and seems so proud of herself!! We are headed to FL this weeknd and the boys are staying home, it should be fun for everyone!!

Crawling and Picture Day

Yesterday was a BIG day for Amaryllis! She finally started crawling on her hands and knees!! I really didn't think that she was going to do it. I figured her army crawl was going to be her way until she started walking, but I was wrong and yesterday she was off!! It was so funny and cute. Although, she still does like to army crawl and roll, like she did today. I do think that once she realizes that crawling the othe way gets her from point A to point B faster, there will be no stopping her!

And yesterday was picture day for Bobby! On our walk to school, I did coach him a little to make sure that he was going to make a "nice" smile instead of a crazy face! Has anyone else done this before, or am I the only wacky one?? But we talked about how he should smile and made him smile a few times for me!! And the one of the first questions out of my mouth when I picked him up was "How did you smile for your pictures?" I know, I know, let it go. Now it's just the waiting to find out what he really did! I have a feeling that one year, he'll do something totally crazy just so he can see my reaction when I get the final product in my hands!! I guess that's just one more thing that I need to let go of since he's growing up!! I'll still have control over Christmas pictures and any other ones that I get done!

Little Miss Sunshine

Bob and I fianll got around to watching this movie last night!! I know, it's been out forever and we've had it forever, but we've never been able to sit down and watch it. I had heard the hype and known it was nominated and won some Oscars. I thought that I may like it, but really didn't know what it was about. I had seen the main actors in it numerous times in all the promos and everything, but that had been months ago! It started kinda slow, but not in a bad way. You see the characters seperately, with little explaination. That actaully really helped to set up the characters later in the story for me. SLOW until Grandpa starts talking for the first time, and you realize that this sweet little movie is not meant for young ears!!! For as much cursing that is in the movie, it really does work, and after the first spout of Grandpa, it doesn't seem as much. All in all, the movie is really good, especially in retrospect. It's this disfunctional family that makes it work for them and in the end, they don't seem as disfunctional because they are a solid family unit, in their own unique way. For those who have not seen it, I would highly recommend. It truely makes you think about family and what a family really should be, looking beyond the exterior.

Walking

Well, maybe not just yet. But I did pick Amaryllis up the CUTEST toddler walk behind stroller!!! I have to admit though, that I don't know who loves it more, her or Bobby!! He enjoys zooming it across the floor as fast as he can. Good thing that the wheels don't move that fast! It is so sweet. Bobby helped me put it together last night and put Baby Sharpay in the stroller. Amaryllis loved having her baby in it and when I told her to kiss the baby, SHE DID IT!!!! Ahhh!! It was so sweet that she knew what I was talking about. (I asked her to kiss the baby again today and she did it again! I know, I thought it may have been a fluke the first time, but I got a picture of it today!!) Well, she did take about 3 steps behind it today. She still doesn't understand the concept, but give her some time and I'm not gonna be able to stop her! Oh, it's gonna be so much fun watching her bump into everything because she doesn't know how to turn it!!!

Thinks she's such a BIG girl
holding on with just one hand!

Giving her baby a kiss,
what a sweet little mommy!

The joys of swimming.

Yesterday after Bobby got home from school, he sat on the couch and was ready to watch tv or play on the computer. BUT it was such a nice day outside and his pool was set up, so I figured he would enjoy going in the pool for awhile. So before he got home, I went and cleaned the pool as much as possible from grass and bugs. When he started asking what he could do, I told him that he needed to change, which he was none to happy about. Then I showed him what he should change into, that's when he got excited. I asked him if Amaryllis should go swimming too and he wanted her to go also. After getting suited up, we went out to the pool and boy did they have a great time. Amaryllis hasn't been in a pool since April and this time she could sit up and and "enjoy" herself, that is, unless Bobby was splashing her, putting toys in her face, or taking toys away from her!! HA! They had so much fun though. Enjoy looking at the pictures and watching them in this video!

HOORAY for soccer!

Yesterday was FINALLY the first day for soccer!!! Bobby was so ready for it when he got out of school, and I had to explain to him that we had to go to the coffee shop first, then it was soccer time. He was ok with that, but, boy, was he ready to go when it was time!!! I changed his shoes and put on his shin guards in the car (thanks Allen for the hand me downs!!!) and he was off and running!! He's so funny now that he knows what to do, get his name tag and start practicing with the ball. It took me a little bit to get the stroller out and Amaryllis ready, but we soon met up with him and Bob got there soon afterward. It was a nice day for soccer and Bobby had a blast. It was great to see some of the kids that he's played the kinder sports with before and the lady who runs it, Coach Amy, is always fun and nice to see! Here are a few pictures from the afternoon! Watch him play, too!

Getting ready to practice dibbling the ball.

Passing with Coach JD and his pal, David.

Shooting on goal!! Look at that form!!

Amaryllis enjoyed soccer too...
once she got ahold of a ball!!!

Labor Day Fun!

Bobby was off from school for labor day, which was kinda had for him to understand. It's Monday and he wasn't in school?? It was quite funny to see his face and watch him try to process that one in his mind! Even though he was off from school, I had to be at the coffee shop all day and Bob had some paper work that he needed to get done at the office. That meant the kids had to come with me until Daddy was done with his work. So, off to the coffee shop we went. I must say that I didn't realize that a Bumbo seat was made to put on top of your head, then hit yourself in the head numerous times, but apparently Bobby and amaryllis knew better then me!! Bobby crawled into the pack-n-play to help entertain his sister, and as you can see they had tons of fun!!!

Bob was finally able to get away just before 3pm and took the kids home for naps!!! They really needed it, especially Miss Cranky who was trying her best to stay awake for me at the shop!

After I got home from the coffee shop we went over Lisa and Gary's house. Bobby was checking out the progress of their tomatoes with Aunt Lisa. He also enjoyed running around in circles in the backyard! We had such a great time, but bed time soon approached and Amaryllis was so ready!!! Bobby, on the other hand, didn't want to leave, but because it was a school night he REALLY

had to go home and get to bed!

Bob headed back after the kids went to bed so that he could play poker with them. I don't play, plus 6:30am seems to come too quick!!!