Yesterday Matt, Dom, and I got together in the afternoon to hang out for a while. We met at his house and then went for a drive. We went into town and stopped by Books-a-Million and the Hobby Chest, but just to browse. On the way back, I stopped by my parents house to pick up MDF, and we took a couple of pictures out by the big oak tree.
Matt was especially interested in getting pictures since he was wearing a new shirt and hat combo.
This morning CDF dressed the girls up to go to church. MDF had on pink shirt and skirt combo and wore her boots from her Aunt Janet. CEF had a blue denim dress and a yellow hair clip (for the first time).
They both enjoyed being dressed up. CEF would have liked to pull out the hair clip, but she couldn’t find it to grab it.
Yesterday we went to a Portrait Innovations studio in Mayfaire to have CEF’s one-year-old pictures taken. While we were in the studio, CDF stood CEF for a picture and stepped away while the lady shot. CEF stood still for a moment and then put one foot out and took a step. The lady continued to take pictures as CEF took another step and then fell to a seated position. That second step was one of the poses that we ordered.
Last week we had our vacation at a resort where Stephanie and Vasco had a timeshare week to spend. The resort was on Ft Macon Road, a little more than half way between Atlantic Beach and Ft. Macon. Our room was at the back of the resort looking out over the dunes to the beach.
There were two pools, indoor and outdoor, and the outdoor one had a big water slide. We spent a lot of time at the outdoor pool (almost every morning after it opened at 10:00). We all enjoyed the water slide. One would ride down in big inflated tubes. MDF only rode in CDF or my lap, except for a couple of times when she borrowed Abigails small floaty ring. The first few times I rode down the slide with MDF I tipped over when we hit the water at the bottom, but eventually I figured it out and we had a great time Tuesday and Wednesday sliding down again and again.
In the afternoons we’d normally walk down the boardwalk to the beach and the girls would play in the surf. Tuesday afternoon we went to the Dairy Queen just across the bridge in Morehead City, then went to the beach after we got back. Wednesday we went shopping, and then walked on the beach after supper.
Thursday, our last night, we went to Morehead City again to try to visit the “Waterfront Shopping” area. There wasn’t much too it and so we left quickly and went over to Beaufort. We did some window shopping and stopped in at the General Store where Stephanie and CDF got bottle water and a couple of other things. On the way back we stopped at the Sanitary Fish Market for dinner. When we left there we had to wait for a freight train leaving the port. The engine was black and MDF said it was the bad engine from the book, Little Engine that Could. It was bad because it refused to help “pull the train cars holding toys and fruit for the little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain…” We spotted the little blue engine (the good one) back at the rail yard — it was one of the small diesel switchers, which is very close to what it was in the book.
Friday morning we packed up and left around 10:00. It had been a great week but we were all ready to get back home and get back to our regular routines.
CEF can say some “words” now, including:
She also laughs and babbles a lot — and screams when she doesn’t get her way.
Monday night, while CDF was leading a Bible study, I was playing with the girls. We were building with blocks in MDFs room and she was making a school. After a while she asked, “What’s math’n’scientist.”
I tried to explain that math was about numbers, and science covered a lot of topics. I don’t think she understood, because she asked the question again. A little later she said, “You know math’n’scientist. You can teach me it in school.” I just had to smile and I told her I would teach her that when she got older.
We went up to Jacksonville this past Saturday. CDF and Stephanie were throwing a retirement party for Carolyn at New River Baptist. We got up there around noon and went by Party Suppliers to pickup some balloons. There was a little mix-up about where to pick up the balloons, first CDF tried Michael’s, but they don’t sell balloons to begin with. So then she tried Party Suppliers two doors down and discovered it was the correct place. Anyway, once we got the balloons to the church, and MDF helped me tie them to the weights around the fellowship hall, MDF, CEF and I went over to my parents to visit while CDF stayed to get everything ready.
We visited and played for a while. CEF did not want me to leave her alone and cried whenever I got out of her sight. After lunch it was better, and she crawled around on the floor and played with Little People while I played HeroQuest with some of the other guys (MDF participated too for a while and played the spiders).
We were almost late getting back to the church. I didn’t count on how long it would take to pack up. But I was right about how long it would take to drive back. So we arrived a minute before 5 o’clock (when the party was supposed to start). Fortunately Roy and Carolyn didn’t get there until 5:30 (which now I think was the plan), so we had time to get settled.
It was a very nice party. A number of people who had worked with Carolyn stood and gave a speech. CDF and her sisters had made more than enough food and plenty of dessert. CDF didn’t like how the cake decoration had turned out. It was supposed to be a beach scene, but she didn’t like the end result. I thought it looked home-made, and didn’t find out until later that it was supposed to be a professional job. It still tasted fine.
We got home about 9:00 and both girls were wiped out. Especially since neither had had naps that afternoon.
I told Dom and Amber this story so I’ll write it here too.
This past Saturday, MDF, CEF, and I went to my parents house to visit. After playing on the swing set in the back yard we came inside. Since it was around 4:00 MDF was feeling snackish. I told her she could ask “Memaw” for a snack — expecting her to offer fruit: an apple or a banana. To my surprise my Mom said, “Sure, would you like to have some brownie? Aunt Heidi baked a delicious one with chocolate chips on the top.”
To put this in perspective my Mom has always discourage eating between meals. “Wasn’t much for snacks to begin with,” as Dom put it. So we were both amused that she is now following the Grandmotherly pattern of “spoiling” the grandchildren.
This morning I was talking with MDF about today being Sunday. It’s the day I stay home, we all go to church, and… “when we watch football with Mama.”
Last week CDF started the season with the girls by gathering on the bed to watch a few of the opening plays of the Sunday night NFL game. MDF enjoyed staying up late (though not too late), and CEF just like being in the middle.
Yesterday evening I went to the Carolina Petro gas station in Burgaw to get gas for the mowers. As I was getting back in the car I heard a car pull up with a heavy metal song playing (turned out to be Pantera). I was thinking the music sounded familiar, but I didn’t pay too much attention. I did look over as I was driving out and suddenly thought I recognzed John Kokinda.
I was right, so I pulled around again and rolled down the window to talk. He’s working in Wilmington, as a mechanic at a RV sales lot near Gordon road. We talked for a while and then I headed back home.