Last night Berkeley Lake Elementary School had its school concert for the third and fourth graders. Jacob has been excited about going for the past few weeks. He has been asking us to play various Michael Jackson videos online and has every now and then been dancing like a zombie in the kitchen. I didn’t know why, or didn’t put the two together, that he might be performing something special for us. Well now…were we in for a treat.
Well…this is certainly a case of better late than never. A post that should have happened months back never did. I started and stopped writing it several times but never finished. So in lieu of keeping it perpetually updated and eventually posted, here it is:
Labor Day weekend was fantastic. The family, all six of us, took a road trip to Indiana. Specifically the greater Indianapolis area. I wanted to introduce Carol, Isaac, Jacob and even Violet to my grandfather, aunts and uncles, cousins and the various kids they have all produced or acquired. I also wanted a chance to show Carol around the areas that I grew up. In all cases, and in contrast to the Bush definition of such, the trip was a “mission accomplished”.
The trip was indeed fantastic, regardless of how many months ago it might have been. We were able to visit most of not all of my family, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (the Atlanta version could learn a great deal from this place), eat ice cream from Mrs. Curls, and inhale a particular northern culinary delicacy – The White Castle.
I am not normally a nervous person. I speak well in front of people, rarely with a slip of the tongue or bead of sweat. I remember ideas instead of lines to get my point across more on the fly, rolling with any punches that might get in the way, than by recalling words from memory. I can ramble with the best of them to keep a conversation going while I figure out what point it was I was trying to make…this list can go on and on but I might start to get an ego, and regardless of how inflated my ego might get, not a one of these traits, trained or otherwise learned over the years, helped me one bit on a very special night in November of 2009.
Halloween has come and gone. The loot has been categorized into various zip lock bags and put into deep freeze for behavior based distribution. The kids had a month of various Halloween activities: Netflix provided movies, Carol provided the arts and crafts and I provided labor for scooping out pumpkin guts. Costume selection happened about a month ago and the kids are already planning what they want to be for next year. The costumes were fun. Jacob was Ninja, Isaac was a Special Ops Soldier, Piper was Silvermist and Violet was Ariel. The all looked great and the got to pick their own costumes – thank you Internet Gods for not making us drive all over creation looking for the perfect costume.
Fall is here…although sometimes I think fall actually skips the southeast and winter tries desperately to blow in early, dragging wind and rain with it. Such was this particular day. With winter…fall, comes the annual Dahlonega Gold Rush festival. This was a new festival for the girls and I. We have been to the Duluth Fall Festival and the Norcross Art Festival but hadn’t ventured out much beyond. It was fun from the beginning and much, much larger than the others – not to mention more organized. There were certainly some planned destinations as well. Carol and Bonnie wanted to eat lunch at the “Smith House“, watch the parade on Main Street, and checkout the goodies offered by the hundreds of vendors.
We recently packed up the van and headed to Moccasin Creek State Park in northern Georgia for a weekend of camping. Certainly a well needed trip away from work and the daily grind. Carol had planned this trip six weeks in advance and it seemed to take an eternity to arrive. Unfortunately not everyone got to go. Violet had to stay behind from the get-go. Even though this was a short trip, it was to relax a bit – take deep breaths – wash – rinse – repeat…. and while camping with Violet would certainly prove fun it would also, at least until she is a bit older, be exhausting. Jacob also stayed behind, opting out the night before, choosing to hang out with Nana, Troy and Violet (we missed you buddy!).
Our household is down to one vehicle following an accident in the Xterra. Thankfully nobody was severely injured. Carol took the brunt of the impact with the airbag, seat belt and steering wheel. Jacob and Violet had seat belt burns and indentations but where otherwise unhurt – well maybe emotionally scarred a bit. Jacob was shaken up a bit as was Violet but neither had any significant injuries that weren’t healed within a day or two. Whenever we mention the truck now it is funny to listen to Violet tell us that it is broken – “truck go boom boom daddy, truck goes boom!!!”
Aunt Kim’s birthday is today. We wanted to help her celebrate with some video cheer. Piper didn’t want to sing so we had to do a second take. Enjoy !!
Take 1:
Take 2:
Happy Birthday Kim !!!
It has been a while since I have posted on Princess Hell. For good reason as well. Much has been being sorted out and there have been a lot of changes to the family and household in the past months. The princesses now have two castles to call home. They also have two princes that are slowly becoming siblings – or at best, gallant knights to defend against Decepticons, Cobra Commander or flights of angry dragons. All this following a divorce of Missy and myself.
I recently sent out a letter to various family and friends both telling of the divorce and introducing some new family members. Below is that same message to all of you that weren’t on the mailing list. (more…)
Piper and Violet were delighted to see Mamma and Pappa for Christmas. We prepped Piper for about a week prior to get her worked up and anticipating them coming to town to celebrate Christmas with us. Each year since the we have had the girls they have been in town, insisting on spoiling them moreso than they already are.
Mom and Dad whisked the girls away for a few fun filled days either running around town or looking at the various creatures in the aquarium. Piper absolutely loves going to the aquarium and Violet is just at the right age where she is, for the most part, easy to manage with an extra pair of hands.
Christmas Eve we spent building a gingerbread house that we never did actually end up eating. Violet certainly got her fill of the candy though. Every two or three pieces that made it onto the house were eventually picked off and deposited into her mouth. (more…)
