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I know, I'm far behind on uploading videos, pictures, and giving updates. Charlie and Danny started Kindergarten back in August and so far, both are liking it. Danny has a few friends from last year in his class this year, while Charlie only knows one kid (our neighbor's daughter) in his class. Danny has homework every night, except on weekends. Charlie, on the other hand, gets to pick 12 out of 18 assignments to do and all homework is due at the end of each month. I like how Mrs. Morris, Charlie's teacher, has the homework set up. Truth be told, I don't think kindergartners should even have homework, but whatever. The boys and I have been all over the place this summer. We went to FL to see family and to visit a few friends, went to NC for a few days to visit family, and went back to my beloved Indy for a family reunion. Our trip to FL back in June was fun, as we all got to see a water spout out over the Gulf while we were on Marco Island. The boys and I went to Lion Country Safari with my mother-in-law, middle brother-in-law, his girlfriend, and his kids. Danny got a good kick out of an ostrich coming face to face with him at his window and the ostrich pecking at him. Charlie saw some "pinkys" (aka: Flamingos) and went bananas. It was hilarious watching his expression and him professing his love to the "pinkys". That night, the boys became my dates for a dinner with some good friends. All in all it was a great trip. In July, we went to NC to visit Styven's aunt Noella and spend some time with his other brother, his brother's fiancee, his parents, and some other family members. I learned my lesson, I think, when it comes to my death by chocolate brownies: always make more than I need or don't bake them at all. I swear the men scarfed them down in 3 seconds flat. I was lucky enough to even have two small pieces to save for Nathan and Michelle. Our trip to NC was fun. We rented a boat, had a bonfire (actually, it was more like a contained forest fire in a fire pit), and went to Ocoee. Last but certainly not least, we made a trip up to my beloved Indy with my parents for a family reunion. I got to see my cousin Heather (whose expecting her first baby, Makayla) and other family that I hardly ever get to see much of. My uncle Robert came in from Texas, so it was nice to see him and spend time with him too. My dad thought it would be a great idea/joke to play on uncle Marvin, by getting him a birthday cake and surprising him with all kinds of presents for his 80th birthday. Other than that, not too much has been going on. I've been prepping for the boys 6th birthday and getting them ready for their first ever airplane trip to Cleveland with my parents. Actually, it's their first time in Cleveland...ever. Their going up for my aunt and uncle's anniversary. I was given the choice to go with or have a few days to myself with Styven. I decided that I wanted a few days to myself with Styven, since we don't often get a whole weekend to ourselves (it has happened before, but it's not all that often). I've also been planning a surprise party for Styven's birthday this year. Only down side to it is that his birthday is so darn close to Christmas that it's going to be tough picking a weekend to throw his party. I haven't decided where I'm going to have it yet. Speaking of birthday parties, I'm not throwing a big one for the boys this year. It's coming up and I still haven't figured out what I'm doing for their birthday. Styven's been doing pretty good, still keeping busy at Publix. We're both loving the fall weather that finally decided to grace GA with it's presence. Go ahead, laugh..laugh all you want. It's been absolute torture in GA this year. For the longest time it was 90 degrees, when it should've been in the low/mid 80's at the warmest and in the 70's at the coolest. On a random side note, I hope everyone has been doing well. I wish I could upload all the videos and photos I've taken over the last few months, but for some reason my computer refuses to cooperate with me. XOX, Lynes
For those of you who don't know, Styven and I took a much needed break and headed off to Vegas. We had a ton of fun with my cousin and her boyfriend. 311 Day was amazing. I nearly lost it when 311 played Two Drops in the Ocean (you can click here to hear a few of my favorite songs from 311 Day: 311).
Two Drops just so happens to be one of the songs that I had on repeat the day Art died. I almost felt as if Art was saying hi to me and that someday, we'll meet again.
We also got a few of my other favorites that I haven't heard in quite awhile...Use of Time, Always An Excuse, Purpose..
We also saw Blue Man Group, went up in the Stratosphere, went to Madam Tussad's, gambled a bit. We had way too much fun in Vegas and truthfully, we really didn't want to head home. It was nice to have some much needed alone time together and to spend some quality adult time with my cousin and her boyfriend. We're already planning on another spring vacation together for next year...again with no kiddos.
As for Easter, the boys had a heap load of fun this year. The day before, I took the boys to White Oak park for an Easter Egg hunt with my friend Tweela and her daughter Abby. The boys really love playing with Abby and chasing her around. On Easter, mom, dad, and I took the boys to church and after church, Styven went over to my parent's house. I stuffed the eggs this year and helped Styven hide them. It was nice out this year, so we were outdoors pretty much all day. The boys went next door and played with my mom's neighbors kids.
Speaking of the twins, they're going to be heading off to Kindergarten in August. I can't believe they'll be 6 in October. I swear the time has flown by so fast. It's insane how quickly little ones grow. Charlie will be going into a general education class with a co-teacher for math, while Danny will go into a collaborative education with a co-teacher for a few subjects. Other than that, they've made so much progress in such little time that not much longer and they'll be completely done with therapy.
Random quote/thought for the day:
" But the trying again, makes me think it's all gonna end. Confusing use of time. But every time I turn the volume down, all I hear is the deafening sound of your hearts pound." -311
The above pictures are a mixture of 311, other Vegas photos, and Easter. Below, is a video I took of Danny with Styven and Cujo on Easter.
Enjoy!
XOX
We all know how much I love 311 and yes, I'm at it again with a particular song that has struck a chord with me lately.
I'm in love with "Two Drops in the Ocean". I have been finding myself spending a lot of time reflecting on a million and one things lately. I've been thinking a lot lately about my late grandparents (my mom's mom and dad), my uncle Randy, and my step-grandfather. Each of them have all meant something very special to me. So, in a way..."Two Drops in the Ocean" reminds me of them. I especially relate to the line "You're something of a different kind. The rest evaporate, but you stay in my mind" when I think of my grandparents, step-grandfather, and my uncle Randy. Maybe it's because I miss my grandfather's stories, his laughter, his smile, and everything in between. Maybe it's because I miss my grandmother's hugs, her advice whenever I really needed it, and just well...her in general. Maybe it's because my uncle Randy was seriously one of the best uncles ever (aside from my uncle Robert and uncle Ron). I can still hear Pink Floyd's The Wall playing while Randy worked on cars. So now every time I hear Pink Floyd, I immediately go "how's it going Randy!!!"...it's kinda hysterical, actually. I'm sure Styven's thought at some point that I've really gone insane. I see golf carts (or anything golf related) and I start remembering how my grandparents dragged me along during the summers to go golfing. At the time when I was a child, I never understood the whole point of being toted along, now I just smile and laugh at how lucky I was to even just have that time with them...even if I'm not a huge golf fanatic. I know that whenever I see anything golf related or whenever I see boats, fishing, or anything that has to do with the ocean, I'll think of my step-grandfather. Though he's not my biological grandfather, my step-grandfather has always treated me, my cousins, my mom and her siblings, my kids, and my husband like we were his very own. Though he's still with us, I miss him so very much.
I have also been thinking about how we live, we learn, we grow, and we move on. So much easier said than done...but there is truth to that. I have come to the realization that life is an ongoing learning process and that everything happens for a reason. Some things come easily, others do not. I think it's how we grow and what we learn from it. I just have to say that I absolutely love my pastor's wife! She always hits the nail on the head and always says what I need to hear, the moment I'm needing to hear it. She said something the other day on negativity, so it got me to the current thought process I've been having lately. Negativity is really not good for the soul and it's not good to harbor things and let them eat at you. They say that resolutions are rarely kept for more than a month or two. I wonder if it's because we fail to set up goals that are truly attainable and easy to keep. Don't get me wrong, I think that it's great to challenge others and yourself, however, I think it's all in starting small and not over-doing it. With that being said, my resolution was to try not to take certain people or certain things so seriously/personally and to learn to let go. Both things have been insanely hard for me to do, but it's a work in progress (holy snappers, that's like 13 years in the making ::looks away and smirks::). I have heard it said that the art of letting go is a difficult process, but in the end letting go is a beautiful thing.
Now on with some random updates.
Styven and I are getting more and more excited for Vegas as the days go by. This is going to be Styven's first time ever in an airplane. I already told him that I'm very OCD and have to have the window seat, otherwise I'll panic and go insane for the entire flight. He laughed and made some silly, random comment. What can I say, we never have a dull moment together.
Charlie was home sick all day today with strep and with the stomach virus. Danny went to school all by himself today. Both boys are making great progress at school. It's hard to believe that they're 5 and speaking in complete sentences. They even know their alphabet and they're learning to write their letters. I think they're currently working on the letters L and M.
I hope that everyone had a great holiday (Christmas or Hanukkah, whichever you celebrate) and a lovely New Year.
XOX
