Bedtime Ritual

Isn't this everyone's bedtime ritual? Doesn't this make your kids fall asleep like it does ours?

How do your naps make you feel?

Brody came down from his nap today and I asked him, "How was your nap?"

I happened to be typing something in Microsoft Word, and when he started rambling, I recorded verbatim what his response was...

This is how a 4 year old thinks. No wonder I am usually going crazy...

"The bones in my body has a thing inside my bones, is a hot thing. And it is inside here [tummy] and the bones come out of my belly. And the things inside my belly has a hot, hot thing for your head. And they put in by mistake. And it makes you nauseous, and then when it is gone,when it gets to the big circle, it goes like fireworks and makes your head very hot. And it makes me hot. And it fills up like [hand movements] and then I jump up and say woo hoo hoo. And then he puts hot water on my feet, like coffee. I like trying coffee. It tasted like strawberry pie. Is hot cocoa good? My nap made me feel pretty precious."

Back from the OBX

We just got home from a wonderful beach vacation in Waves, NC, down on the Outer Banks. Kurt and I took Brody and Seth, we met up with my sister, her husband, and their son, and my parents also joined in on the week. We all had a great time together. The house was noisy about 90% of the time, except for the RARE occasion that all three kids took a nap!

We have been going to the outer banks every year (minus just a couple here and there) since I was one year old. We used to go to a friend’s cottage in Nags Head for 2 weeks every summer while I was growing up, so OBX is a big part of my life. Now, my family enjoys the same vacations!

When we got down there, the threat of Tropical Storm Cristobal was the first thing on our minds, but all we got was a sprinkle every now and then (not even enough to keep us off the beach) and some wind. Still, we enjoyed beach time and lounging at the pool.

The kids loved it. Brody took to the water immediately, but Seth was cautious at first, but loving it by the end of the week.

We built sand castles, played lots of board games, read books, went out to dinner a few times, went to see the Hatteras Light House, played putt-putt golf, and really had a wonderful, relaxing time together.

We got too much sun, were tired of putting sunscreen on wiggly kids, drank too much wine, beer, pina coladas, and margaritas, were missing our comfy bed at home, and were ready to be back after 7 days. But, we wouldn’t change a thing. The best part of vacations is when you have had so much fun that you are ready to go back home!

I love my family and the fact that we can all get together and have a great time while living in the same house!

Here are just a few photos from the HUNDREDS that I (and Suz and Mimi) took during the week. Sorry for the LONG LONG post! I couldn't choose between all these cute photos!

Here is Seth with a Ghost Crab. He had NO FEAR and tried to get as close as possible.

A night hike to look for crabs

Loungin' with a nice cold drink

A stop to see the Hatteras Light House

All the cousins at the light

Seth, who was 27 over on the back 9 and 47 over on the front 9 :o)

Merman Seth

*sigh* cutie patootie

I can't believe I captured this on film. This was Seth reaching between his
legs and digging sand a little too far behind him.

Brody's favorite way to do the waves

Merman Brodes

The rash guard shirts made them look like little surfer dudes. I loved them!

Evan enjoying the beach on day 1 (Tropical Storm Cristobal day)

Seth LOVES his Pa Chuck!

Bryan and Evan spent a lot of time in the waves together. They even went far out!

Bedtime stories with Pa Chuck

I am sure that Seth ate his weight in sand this past week.

Baywatch for Babies

*sigh* The kids had a lot of fun together. I love that they play together so well.

Sisters... forever goofy.

On the way to the beach. Kurt took the camera every now and then to be sure we got some pictures of me. How else could we prove I was on that trip?

Here are Seth and I swimmin' in the pool! Seth learned to swim
unassisted with his vest on while halfway through the week.
We are so proud of him!

Bry, relaxing in the sun

Pa Chuck and Mimi at our favorite restaurant on the
causeway to Manteo, Tale of the Whale

I LOVE this photo.

Mimi down by the poolside.

Suz and Bry, GREAT photo! You all look so cute!

The Lilley Family Golfers

Look how blond Brody has gotten.

Suz looks fantastic.

Here Seth is finally enjoying the water

:)

The Atlantic cousins

Mimi bought them these cool shirts. We had no problem finding them in a crowd!

Suz and Bry

The whole gang

Animals On Parade

Brody has been going to summer camp for the past couple of weeks, and the theme was Rumble In The Jungle

They have been learning all about jungle animals. Today, as the end of the camp, they had a little parade. They made shirts and hats. Brody's group had hats that were zebras.

He enjoyed summer camp quite a bit and was already asking about next year!He had some really good friends in the program, which made it all the more fun.

Brody Prayer

Very often, I will hear Brody praying. Sometime when I am not sure what he is doing and I think he is talking to me, he will set me in my place by saying, "No, mommy. I am talking to God."

Today he told me that he wanted to record some songs for God. So, here we go.

Click here to hear prayer 1

Click here to hear prayer 2

These absolutely melt my heart.

Many Many Blessings

This is Seth's favorite prayer. We sing it at dinner:

Thank you Father, Thank you Father
For our Food, For our Food
Many many Blessings, Many many Blessings
Amen, Amen

Click here to hear him sing it. Too cute!

God Hug?

Brody and I had a 5 mile philosophical conversation today in the car in reaction to his question, "How can I give God a hug?" :)

I have to say, that kind of question is really tough for me. You really want to get the answer *right*!

I approached it that any time you hug someone else, or if you hug yourself, or if you love your world, you are giving God a hug, because he created all of those things. Whaddaya think?


What would any of you have said?

Surfin' The Word!

Brody went to Vacation Bible School for the first time this year (he is actually in another one this week)

He LOVED it! Here he is singing along! We got the CD and the DVD so he knows all the words and all the movements. You just can't get enough of this stuff!




Beach Party --- Surfin' The Word of God!

Seth is Workin it!

Seth working out on the wii fit...