Myrtle Beach 2011

February means it's time for our annual Scrapbooking Weekend!  And just like last year, we gathered in Myrtle Beach for some fun, sun, and projects.

And pictures!

We had a beautiful room right on the beach.

The Chambers sisters are always fun to be with.

That's our building in the middle.  And we were on the first floor, on the very left.

The weather was cool but not cold, and the beach was nearly empty.

The place had a lovely Lazy River, which would be nice in warm weather. 

It was just a few steps down to the sand....

Lots of blue sky!

This pool would be nice in warm weather, too.  You could swim while looking at the ocean!

 I was lucky enough to get up just in time for some sunrise pictures our first morning there.

And we got there in time for sunset photos our first night.

During the day were were busy on various projects.

Louise and Karen put in a LOT of time on their books.

But we certainly found time to go out to eat!

And to do a little shopping at the scrapbook store.  It was a fun weekend and I'm already looking forward to next year!

Kittie Update

It's been about a month now, and the new kitties are settling into the family just fine.  Lucy, who spent the first full day here hiding in a drawer, has come out of her shell.  Though she is a bit more reclusive than Poe, she is a sweet girl with a very loud purr that she loves to share.   She is also very fond of "the big bed," and if we leave our door open, she sleeps on it for hours at a time.  She still gets under the bed at times, and naps there, but she'll come out if you ask her.

And someone has to hold down the mattress, after all.  Might as well be her job, right?

She loves to snuggle if I lay down for a morning nap.  She is such a soft little thing!

Ms. Poe is the more outgoing, responsible cat--responsible in that she seems to see it as her job to keep tabs on the family and take care of us.   When any of us come home, she comes to the door to greet us and make sure we are still in one piece.  When someone has something to eat, it's her job to sit on their lap and be available for petting.  And you know---if you want to drop a crumb or two, she'll take care of that as well--it's all part of the job.

Poe has also taken it upon herself to help with the boys.  When it's bedtime, she comes upstairs with me and sprawls on the floor while they get ready for bed.  She provides last minute entertainment by playing with a lego or a straw or a scrap of paper.  The boys love it.

She often visits them during the night for some snuggling and sleeping.  She's even learned to climb the ladder and join Benny in his top bunk.

In the morning she greets me and then comes upstairs with me to wake the boys.  Once again she sprawls on the floor, and waits for them to get up and rub her tummy.  After they are done in the restroom, she goes in for her turn at the litterbox.

When I take the boys to the bus, I can count on returning home to the sight of Poe in the front window, waiting for me to come back.

Of course, when I get in the house, I get ignored a bit.  But still.  She waits for me.  I guess she likes knowing where we all are.

If the boys spend a lot of time in their rooms, she'll go sit in their laps or hang out where they are for a while. And during the day while I am on the computer, Poe is lying nearby, either in Marty's chair, or on the floor by my feet.

Both cats are very playful and their peak play times are about 1:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.  In the middle of the night I sometimes here them galloping around the house, chasing each other, crashing into things, and leaping from the furniture to land with a loud thump on the ground.  You should here them gallumphing up and down the stairs, too.  I had this idea cats would be silent, graceful creatures.  But that's not always the case!

The cats love plastic straws, plastic bags, crumpled paper, and their catnip mouse.

They also like to hang out on my desk if that's where I am.

Of if that's where Marty is.

And of course, they look out the window at the roaming deer, the birds, and squirrels.

I'm so glad we got them, and I'd say the rest of the family feels the same.  They are a couple of cuties!

Benny's Big Concert

Last night was a big night.  It was the annual fourth grade recorder concert!

Benny and his classmates have been working hard.  He's been practicing "Ode To Joy" at home in preperation.  And the many snow days we've had threatened the entire concert---the kids lost a lot of practice time!  They had to give up the other musical instruments they had planned to play--the guitar, for example, and focus entirely on their recorders.

And they were fantastic!!

They played five songs including Ode To Joy, Chi Chi the Chihuahua, and Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers.  Audience participation was involved in Chi Chi's song.  It was so fun to see the kids big smiles, and to see them demonstrate their new musical skills.

Sometimes I think school concerts are opportunities for parents to reflect on how proud they are of their kids.  I was sure proud of Benny!

And now a brief clip:

Enjoy!

12 Years Old

It's hard to believe, but Sam just turned TWELVE.  This is it--the last year before my son is a teenager.  It seems to have gone by so fast--I can vividly remember his toddler birthday parties of three and four and five years--the Blue's Clue's themes, the bouncey houses, the "construction truck" cakes, the big shiny toys and happy smiles.  It seems like yesterday!

But there's a lot to be said for twelve.  Sam is a wonderful person.  A sixth grader who enjoys playing soccer and video games, is a whiz at math, and works hard in school.  He is quiet and undemanding, level-headed, and not prone to drama or mood swings.  He has a fun sense of humour and loves to joke around and laugh.   He likes movies and good stories.  He loves animals and is very good to our new kitties.  Other than his long-suffering allergies, Sam is healthy and happy. 

And he had a very modest request for his birthday:  A small party at the bowling alley with four of his friends.  And that is what he got!

First of all, Sam's birthday started off with a SNOW DAY from school.  What better gift could you ask for?  And by noon, all the snow had melted and gone away, so the party was still on, and everyone showed up!

The night started with pizza and soda in the "party room."

And lots of laughing.  A little pepperoni throwing, too.

Bowling was another reason to laugh it up.

After every bowl, there were a lot of high-fives, pretend falling-down pratfalls, and cheering or shouting at any opportunity.  The kids were WOUND UP!

After bowling (and Benny won the game, by the way, which made him happy), the kids moved on to Laser Tag.

 They got to play three games and arranged different teams each time.  They had a blast and I do think laser tag was the favorite event of the night.

Nothing like a simple, candid photo to capture the moment.........

What, us?  Hamming it up for the camera?  Never.  Only shy, modest boys here......

Then it was on to the bouncies!

Are they too old for bouncies?  Not yet!  They sure loved them.  And after weeks of being cooped up indoors from snow, rain, wet or cold, those kids REALLY got their kicks from climbing and bouncing and sliding around. 

Afterwards it was home for opening gifts and all the cards his friends had given him.  (And yes, Poe is watching from the background.)   His friends gave him gift cards to the game store, and Sam got a Lego set he wanted.  He thanked me over and over for the "really great birthday party."  He went to bed happy.  All in all, a very successful day.

Here's hoping Sam's twelfth year is full of good things and lots of happy memories!

Kitties

We have adopted two young kitties.  One is black and white and named Poe.  She is as sweet as can be.

Poe was orphaned at one week old, so was bottle fed and raised by people.  Though she grew up in a home filled with cats, she is a real "people" cat.  She is loving and sweet natured. And very curious!

The other kitty is a little younger and is named Lucy.  She is a bit shy, but also sweet.  She has bursts of playing with things; like batting stuff around on the floor, followed by very long periods of sleep.

She likes the green blanket the best, and this little cat stacker.

The boys are in love!