Tube Be or Not Tube Be, That Is the Question

In Florida we have to watch out for gators, but in North Carolina it was Crocs.  They were down on the dock, and right in the middle of the walkway!

Without a doubt the kids' favorite thing to do while in North Carolina was to be in the water.  It didn't matter if they were in a boat, in a tube, or swimming around...they couldn't get enough.

One of the coveted activities was paddling the Versa Board; I know all of the kids loved this board, but Michaela really seemed to enjoy gliding all over the place on it.  Her arms had to be so sore at the end of the day!

Diana's house in the mountains is on a lake and this particular part of the lake has a small cove or inlet kind of area which is perfect for the kids to zip and cruise around safely (out of the way of motor boats or jet skis).

I really mean it when I say Michaela paddled and paddled.  She took herself all around, and often had passengers.

Aunt Wendy also liked the Versa Board, and carried small children to and fro.  That is not too different than a normal day in her life, just switch out the board for a van. 

I think she thought this was more fun, though.

The kids took turns on the Versa Board as well as the kayak, and we managed to get through the days with a minimal amount of whining over who had more turns than they should have.  It was at least a small enough amount that I can't remember it any longer, or I've just blocked it out altogether.

Aside from paddling there was leaping off the boat or dock into the lake.  Even Eliana had a blast doing this.

The kids were ever-creative in coming up with ways to entertain themselves.  Cousin N. was determined to stick himself upside down in the water even though he had a life jacket on.  Pretty tricky.  He told me to take a picture of his feet.

 

There was plenty of digging in the sand.  They found many treasures and created many life-threatening holes on the beach.

Now.  I would say that they had the most fun on the board and kayak, but they also loved going out on the big boat and tubing. 

Cousin J. liked that I was taking so many pictures, which was a refreshing change from the past.  He is usually elusive for the photographer.  He said to me,"Take a picture of my foot.  Are you gonna put it on your blog?"

Then it was clear.  He was just using me on his road to fame and glory. 

One day when he is famous (possibly a professional athlete?  Or creator of extraordinary and exquisite paper cut-out art?) he can look back and say that his rise to stardom and riches started here.

The kids went out in tubes two at a time.  The speed varied depending on who was in the tubes, and who was driving the boat. 

It took a few trips to figure out who ought to go with whom (both tuber and tuber, as well as tubers and driver).  There were definitely the speed lovers, and those who enjoyed a less volatile ride.

Can you guess which category Cousin N. would fall into?  Speaking of falling into...he spent a significant portion of his turn experimenting with what it would take to fall out of his tube and into the lake.

He was successful in his mission.

Michaela liked to go fast.  Cousin C. was a bit more cautious.  (Wendy, if that's not right, let me know...that was my recollection.)  We probably should have sent Michaela and Evel Knievel out together, and Christian and Cousin C.  Noted.

In case you wanted proof that I was actually on this trip, and not just in NC but on the boat, here is a picture of me, on a boat in the lake.

This was a very pleasant place to be.  I liked riding in the boat.  Somehow all of the other people on the boat contrived to get me out of the boat, however.  Indeed, they managed to talk me into taking Eliana out in a tube. 

Folks, I am not a water person.  I am a spaz in any body of water.  I freak out when I wash my face in the shower for fear of drowning.  But Eliana wanted to go in the tube, so in we went.  Bobby was careful and went very slowly.  Even with that you can be sure I hollered.  Riding in an innertube is a very bouncy endeavor.  A bouncy endeavor that makes you feel like you are going to go flying any minute.

Things were going just fine, though, and I think even Eliana was having fun.  Then Bobby stopped the boat.  Do you know what lay between the above picture and this one?

An eternity of tipping and screaming, tipping and screaming, tipping and screaming.  I may have scarred Eliana for life with my screaming.  I am pretty sure that the good people at the bottom of the mountain heard my desperate, shrill screaming.  The wake of the boat is what did us in.  That and the fact that my rear was so far above the bottom of the tube (so that Eliana wasn't in danger of getting stuck under the ring of the tube) that it was easy to get turned over.

I was lauging in the end.  But before that?  There was a lot of screaming.

Poor Cousin J.  He is a speed lover.  So after his lame-o turn with Aunt Christina he got another go with his speed loving brother. 

These children love the water.  That obviously comes from Mike's genes (at least for our kids; I think Wendy and Bobby's kids get it from both sides); I really think it's great, but I probably won't be getting in a tube again for a long time.  And Eliana will most likely want to go for a ride with Daddy next time.

There were more fun times that involved no water at all!  Stay tuned...

(I'm sure everyone [read: 7 people] is on the edge of their seats.)

"Breaker, Breaker, 1-9"

We headed to Florida for our annual visit but this year there was a twist.  After arriving in time for dinner out with Mike's mom, her husband Bob, Wendy, Bobby, and the cousins we unloaded our stuff at my in-laws' house (yes, all of it, because I am not organized enough to pack one bag with what we needed for our one night stay there) only to load up again by 8:30 a.m. in order to drive to North Carolina.  We caravaned with walkie-talkies for the ten-hour trip.

I confess there was at least one "10-4, good buddy" and "Roger.  Over and out."  Give a girl a walkie-talkie and she just can't help herself.

I also confess that I was tired on this trip (I was driving one vehicle with the girls, Bobby and Wendy had the boys in another, and Mike and his brother were coming along behind us) (as well as Diana and Bob).  Even though we lose an hour when we visit the East Coast my kids get confused and wake up even earlier than they normally do, which in the end is two hours earlier.  I had my alarm set for 7:30 so that I could get dressed, throw our toothbrushes back in our suitcase, and pack the car up quickly before Wendy and Bobby arrived for the kid swap.  But Christian woke up at 6:40, having fallen to sleep the night before with visions of Fruity Pebbles dancing in his head.  Do you know what time that is in Dallas?!  5:40!  In the morning! 

We rolled down the road, with me wishing I could actually use toothpicks to keep my eyes open.  With that many kids there are ample opportunities for potty breaks (a.k.a. drink-stops)...I kept my internal reservoir full of caffeinated beverages.  We made it to North Carolina in good time considering the stops.  We arrived early enough that the kids had time to run around the place a bit and reaquaint themselves with the house.  Our kids hadn't been there in six years (of course, this was Eliana's first time as she wasn't born six years ago.  She also wasn't born four years ago, okay?  OKAY?!).  

While we were in North Carolina the weather was amazing.  It was so beautiful, and the kids loved being outside in the lake.  My crazy husband introduced them to The Polar Bear Club, but ironically the water was usually warmer than the air.  We spent most of the afternoons down on, by, or just in the water.

For the sake of time I am going to post this as an intro to our entire vacation.  I have some other photos that will be fun for me to share, and hopefully my memory will serve me well as I try to document this trip.  That is asking a lot of my brain, but they say the older you get the better it is to make your mind work hard.  Until soon! 

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Math!

Aren't Wendy and I the most fun moms ever?!

Don't worry...these children have had plenty of really good fun, too.  Pictures coming soon!

Udder Foolishness

Here is a little known fact:  Today was Cow Appreciation Day. 

It may very well be that Chick-Fil-A made up this special day Hallmark-style to show their love for cows (and to encourage all of us to eat more chicken) as just another brilliant move in their already pretty awesome ad campaign.

But if you tell me to dress up like a cow because I'll get free Chick-Fil-A?

I'm so there!  I was very proud...no one chickened out!

Have you herd?  It's more fun as a group!

You better believe I milked this deal for all it was worth.  Everyone was in such a good mooood after lunch.  It was an udderly satisfying afternoon. 

It's the Hard Knock Life (for a Photographer)

Even though my parents were here for the most days in a row that they ever have been, I had far fewer pictures than from other visits.  My only explanation is that we were doing things that didn't seem like I should stop and take a picture of.  (I know you are not supposed to end with a preposition, but I could not come up with an alternative that sounded like I was still speaking English.  Sorry!) (Actually, those might be the two worst sentences I have ever written.  But they say what I mean, so...there.)

Their last day in town was a Sunday and since the kids were still in their church clothes we tried to squeeze some Grandparents-and-kids pictures in before we took them to the airport.

From the very beginning of this photo shoot I could see that I had my work cut out for me.

Also?  I would love a wall of windows not blocked by trees or buildings in my living room.  Good light, please?  Thank you.

I was trying not to use the flash, but it just wasn't working.  Too much movement. 

Of course, the silly faces and bunny ears cannot be blamed on not-enough-light.  Possibly Webb genes, but not the living room light.

Many people say that Eliana looks like me.  In more ways than one, I suppose.

I finally succombed to using the flash.  Which was great, because then I was able to catch all bunny ears and silly faces without the blur!

Children.  How can we make them behave?

By setting a good example?

Indeed.  Good work.

You would think that I had asked them to sit for hours on end, every day that their grandparents were here.

Can we get just one decent picture?  Just one?

Nope.  Not yet.

Aaaaand...finally!  Could this be the one? 

Um, yeah.  Looks like that one is going to have to be the one.

 

Because it wasn't going uphill from here.