Update...

Rock Guys' insurance company is paying to fix my van, and providing us with a rental. They said they may not be insuring this guy much longer. Too much of a liablity.

Thought you might like to know how that turned out.

The Final Vacation Post

One of the days that we spent with our college friends, we took the kids to a play water park and play ground. They had a ball there, and it was a hot one, so it was really nice to for them to play in the water.

I thought these pictures were pretty self explanatory. What do you think?

Columbia Zoo

We went to Columbia the day before Skippy's appointment to visit the college, so that we could take all the kids to the zoo. I have to say the Columbia zoo is very nice. Here are a few of the pictures.

Skippy and Mini-Me on the Carousel.

Kid-O feeding the birds. By the way, I am scared to death of birds. I have this irrational fear they are going to pluck my eyes out. I know silly, but go figure, me silly.

The sleeping Grizzly.

The kids rugrats. If they look wet, it's because they are. We got rained on at the zoo. We were very wet by the end of the day. That is the great thing about the zoo though, if it rains, they are still open and the animals are still there.

The pretty elephant. Look at those ears.

Most Exciting Part of Vacation...

Okay, so traveling down I-85 heading home on the Sunday after a week of vacationing,
the most exciting part of the trip occurred. Imagine this...

Traveling I-85 at 78 miles per hour in the right hand lane coming up on an eighteen wheeler. So the hubby moves over to the left lane to pass this truck. While passing this truck, a vehicle comes flying up behind us. The hubby taps the brakes to say, "Hey, I'm here don't hit me." Finishes passing the truck and immediately moves over to the right lane. The individual in the vehicle behind us, comes us to the side of our van and proceeds to throw rocks at us. He speeds up to 85 or better, I call 911 while the hubby speeds up so we can get the information off of the car, make, model, tag, color, etc. We go back to the location and file a police report. Now dealing with other driver's insurance to get my van fixed.

Yes, this is a real story, not made up and no joke. No, the damage is not bad, just several nicks out of the paint. Praise God no windows were broken. We had all our kids with us and one of our big kids. What type of person drives around with rocks in their cars to throw at people?

Okay, maybe not the most exciting, but definitely the most CRAZY...

The Third reason for our Road Trip

Well, we decided if we were going to travel all he way to South Carolina for Mark and Skippy, we should just go on up to North Carolina and visit some old college friends. So that we did. We have seen Tim and Darcy, maybe three or four times since we left Mississippi 6 and 1/2 years ago. Tim's family live in this state, so they will swing by when the come visit family. So that was the third and final reason for the road trip. We spent a lot of time on the road, but we loved all of it but the last day. You will have to come back tomorrow for that story.

Second Reason for our Road Trip

Here is reason number two. No, not Little Man, but Skippy. Remember our grown up kids, this is one of them. Anyway, Skippy will be a senior this year and wants to go to college, Christian colleges (YEAH). Anyway, the boys and I took her to a couple back in June. There was one left that she wanted to look at, Columbia International, in Columbia South Carolina. So we figured since we were making the trip anyway, if she wanted to go she could go with us on our journey. (A whole week with Mr. C, and the three kids.) She's a brave soul.

Anyway, she loved the college. I liked it a lot, and it looks like we are going back in December for scholarship weekend. Skippy was a trooper on the road all week with our crazy family, spending two days with my newly released from prison cousin, and some friends from college. I have to say though. It was great fun having her along for the ride. She even talked the Hubby into the alphabet game. I don't think I have ever even been able to do that. You know, he's an engineer, their pretty serious people.

Mississippi Vacation

I thought I would post some pictures from our week in Mississippi. The kids had a lot of fun playing in the pool. This is my favorite picture. Mini-Me, at two, has decided it is just great fun to jump into the pool and swim back to the latter. I am amazed that he has taken to the water the way he has. It is just plain fun to watch him doing this. We got a season pass to the pool, because Mini-Me loves to swim.

Little Man just looking goofy.

Kid-O playing with daddy. Kid-O loves the water, but we can't seem to get here to listen to us, so that we can actually teach her to swim.

Mini-Me fall into the pool off of one of the floats. This started the whole jumping into the pool, so we had to get him some floaties.

Little Man just lookin cool.

Mississippi Vacation

Here are the pictures I promised from the children's week at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Mississippi.

Feeding the catfish.
Watching the catfish eat.
Just a cute picture.
Look at me at the Zoo.
Grandpa built the kids a see saw.
The boys were trying to lift Kid-O. They weren't having much luck though.
Playing at the park.
Little Man loves slides.
Just a Swingin'.
Fishing at the house.
I am not sure Mini-Me was actually fishing.
Look at the size of the catfish Little Man caught with his Spider Man pole.
Nice fish.
Kid-O's first fish, I do believe.
I don't know if Mini-Me knows what to think about those fish.

Rested and Relaxed

So, as I mentioned, the Hubby and I got to spend the last week together without any children around. It was great to get to spend some quality time with the Hubby. Thanks to the in-laws.

Anyway, we spent the first three days in Nashville at Opry Mills. We got a lot of Christmas shopping finished. Best of all, the Hubby got an amazing Christmas present from his parents and myself. It had to be a joint effort. He got a Gibson J-100 Acoustic/electric guitar. I will post pictures of it later. We are still coming up with a name for her. He said Amber because of her color, I am thinking Autumn.

We also watched two movies while in Nashville. We saw Eagle Eye in Imax, and Fireproof. Both were excellent movies, I recommended them to anyone. And you know, now that I think about it, I don't believe I remember any cursing or indecent scenes Eagle Eye. Nice.

Then we came back home and the Hubby got the lights up in our bathroom, then I fixed the hole in the wall left by the previous light, and a hole in the wall in Kid-O's room where the previous owners had put a hole in the wrong placed then never fixed it. I also got mulch in the rest of the flower beds around the house. Oh and the Hubby balanced all the fans. I do believe we are ready for the market now. The realtor will be coming over Wednesday night or Thursday, not sure yet.

Then Friday morning we took Breezy up for her Chrysalis flight, relaxed around the house, then Friday night we went to a home grown Opera - Carmen at the Lincoln Center, Ars Nova. It was actually pretty good. That little opera house actually has a lot of talent in it. We were pleasantly surprised. Saturday, we did Chrysalis stuff and relaxed some more, before the children arrived home.

Sunday morning we went to breakfast with the in-laws, had a nice conservation, then they headed home and the family headed on to church.

Oh, I ate lots of good food this past week. I think the best part of this vacation, aside from being alone with the Hubby was the fact that I did not cook a single meal from Saturday night until Saturday night. It was great. On the way home Saturday I asked the hubby if we could eat out one last time before I had to start cooking again. He humored me and said yes.

So, as you can tell, we had a great week and the children had fun as well. I will post pictures of the new guitar and the kids weeks in the next couple of days.

Vacation...

So as I told you last week, we headed off for vacation. We had a ball, with the kids and the married couple that went with us from church. The Hubby and I told them it was good to get to know another couple, because since we left college we really have not had people to just hang out with. I have included many pictures from some of the things we did in Gatlinburg. I hope you enjoy them.

Kid-O thought that she wanted to try her hand at climbing the rock wall. She did not get far off the ground, but I have to give her credit for trying something she would normally not do.

Little Man ready to ride race cars with me as his driver. Just a side note. Little Man threw up coming down the crazy mountain road. We made a pit stop at the famous Wally-World to get him new clothes; we thought it cheaper then going back up the mountain. We assumed it was motion sickness especially since he threw up again going back up the mountain, and no other time throughout the day. Well come to find out, he had a stomach bug, because after the vacation was over, three days later, me, Hubby, and the wife and son of the couple from our church all had the same stomach bug. So that being said, look closely at the face of Little Man on the race cars.

Kid-O ready to go.

Little Man probably trying to hold on to his stomach while riding with the husband of the couple from our church.

Kid-O enjoying herself and probably trying to get daddy to go faster. That is what she does to me.

This picture has the wife of the couple,with Kid-O in the lead, the husband with their son in second and me with Little Man in third. Just thought Hubby got a good picture with all of us together.

Spring Break 2008

The family, minus Mini-Me, is leaving for vacation today. We have rented a cabin in Gatlinburg. We are very excited. Some friends from church are going to go with us. So of course Little Man is excited, because they have a son that Little Man just loves to play with. I am not sure if we will have internet connection in the cabin. I hope so, because I am sure I will have plenty to talk about this week. God Bless, and keep us in your prayers as we travel.

What a View...

The hubby is in Salt Lake City this week, which I don't like because I miss him very much. I had the blessed opportunity to go to Salt Lake with him last summer. There of course was no snow on the mountain then. Salt Lake City is really not a big as you might think it is. However, there are some wonderful places to eat.

Speaking of which, those guys out there are going to Rodizo's Grill tonight. It is a Brazilian restaurant, where everything is served from the grill on large skewers (pineapple, chicken, steak, livers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and some others that I am forgetting). I got into an eating contest with one of those unruly engineers last summer. He just thought he could out eat me. I think my hubby forewarned him not to try, but he did and lost. If you ever have the opportunity to eat there do it, the cost is expensive ($25.00), but well worth it.


We also got to go to Park City the last day; site of the 2002 Winter Olympics. It was great. I am not a daredevil, just an eater, but I went down a zip line that if I remember correctly was 1500ft long with a 500ft drop. (Hubby will correct me if I am wrong).


We also got to go down the bobsled track. In the summer, the bobsleds have rubber wheels on them to go down the track. We went 70.5mph and pulled 4G (I think). What a ride. Yet again expensive, but if you have the opportunity go for it. You will never forget it and you will always have something to talk about. You don't get to drive the bobsled, so you have a driver and we had a passenger with us also.

I hope I get to go TDY with the Hubby again sometime.