Getting Settled: The Pantry
At first glance, the pantry sucked. It was pretty small plus has angles in it.
But!
With the addition of some door shelving…
And time spent filling it up…
We actually have quite a bit of room! I’ve actually been able to bring stuff in from the Dharma Garage Pantry—and still have room!
Of course there will be some fine-tuning…but for now it’s good.
Family pool time!
Another day, another afternoon at the pool…but today, Owen got to wear his new goggles (like all the other kids have!)…
…and Katie got to test her new “puddle jumpers” (a life jacket that keeps her perfectly afloat). THEY WERE BOTH IN HEAVEN.
She wasn’t thrilled about this hooded towel, but it is dang cute (and a hand-me-down from a friend!).
He wanted to pull her so who am I to argue?
On our way to the pool…
Our little running fiend
Since it was such a nice day out, I wanted Owen to get outside and get some fresh air. Of course he was being a grouch and just wanted to watch TV. Long story short, he eventually came around then this happened.
He ended up doing it about four times. He took a break for some ice water to “get more energies.” 🙂
Then Tom brought Katie out after her nap and she was content to sit here.
Enjoying the night for the first time!
The weather was nice so Tom and I sat out at our slanted table for the very first time! I tried to get a good picture to show just how slanted it is but none of them do it justice.
Katie’s new bedding!
We were shopping at Target and I went down the kids bedding aisle to see if there was anything good…and she immediately noticed the Sesame Street set (“MAMA!! ELMO! COOKIE MONSTER!”) so we got it for her. (I also offered Doc McStuffins or Frozen but she was most excited about SEMMEE STEET). 🙂
Helping take off shoes
“Owee help please!”
Puddles in the parking lot
No kid can pass up a puddle!
First bottle in the new house.
Can you believe it took this long?!
First nightgown!
More PJ hand-me-downs—this time, her first nightgown!
Poor Maggie
There’s very little sun coming in this house—you can see the sliver here—and how we rigged it so she could actually lay in it.
The things we do for our pets…
Owen’s nighttime swim
The community pool has two “night swims” a month where they open the pool from 8-10 (it normally closes at 8), turn the pool lights on, and serve ice cream for the kids. It would be past Owen’s bedtime, but I knew he’d love it—and I knew Tom would enjoy taking him, so I strongly suggested they go. 🙂
This was our exchange:
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I’m pretty sure he didn’t really talk to anyone (ask names or anything) but it’s so cute that he calls everyone his friend and he’s so excited! Tom said he was REALLY glad he went and loved watching Owen. And they’re both eagerly awaiting the next night swim in two weeks. 🙂
Loving on his sister
We went to the pool again so they were in their jammies early. I walked into the room and saw this. Awwwww…
Owen made a friend at the pool!
So we were at the pool again today and Owen was having a blast in the big pool (though he typically still wants to start in the kiddie pool). There were a few kids playing around and one had water guns and diving rings—which he noticed IMMEDIATELY so of course he zeroed in on him and wanted to play with the gun. I told him he had to ask—which he did. And they played for a bit. Then we went back to the kiddie pool for a bit (for 10 minutes every hour, kids have to leave the pool and it’s adults only—so we just go to the kiddie pool because they’re still young enough). And while we were in there, the kid with the guns/rings came in saying “My dad said I should come meet you.” 🙂 So I had them introduce themselves and then I asked a few questions—his name is Eli and he’ll be in first grade. It was so cute watching them together.
Then it was time to go back in the big pool and they had a blast throwing and chasing the rings. Eli is quite a good swimmer and Owen started mimicking him—it was hilarious! He pushes off into the water like he knows what he’s doing and he kicks his feet…but his arms just flail madly and he doesn’t really go anywhere but he’s trying so hard and he’s having so much fun and he excitedly says “I’M SWIMMING!” 🙂 So then Eli’s dad came over to the edge of the pool (where I was with Katie) and introduced himself and we chatted for a few minutes (he’s familiar with Michigan—his family had a cabin around Grand Rapids). So the kids got along and Eli let Owen borrow two rings when they were leaving. I said we’d be back at the same time the next day!
Katie’s ankle checkup
I took Katie in to get her ankle checked again. The new office is only about 12 minutes from us via back roads—but of course it feels farther because I have no idea where I’m going yet (comparatively, it took 20 minutes in Jacksonville).
She liked the waiting room.
A decent picture of her new hand-me-down cousin outfit.
Playing peek while waiting for the doctor.
Of course, they were running behind today…so by the time we saw the doctor, we had been there almost an hour and a half (they wanted us there early for new patient stuff, even though I told them I had printed all the forms and filled them out, then we waited in the patient room for quite some time). That said, the doctor was nice and apologized for running late. And Katie was very good the whole time between playing, watching videos on my phone, and looking at books.
The doctor looked at her ankle and agreed it was swollen and agreed we should get new x-rays. She also asked if Katie had been sick lately—or, really, if any of us had been—and I said no. She said she wanted to take a strep test! Wait, what? Yes, a strep test. She said it was a long shot, but it was a quick and easy test to rule out some type of arthritis. (She explained it and I googled later, and strange as it may seem, the same bacteria that can cause strep throat can cause swelling and joint pain. And since it had been going on so long, she wanted to rule it out.) Katie didn’t love the strep test, but she was a trooper and recovered quickly. (On that note, the nurse who performed the test didn’t have greatest bedside manner in my opinion—she was older and very matter-of-fact-get-the-job-done which worked, but didn’t give me any warm fuzzies.) The results were negative, so then it was off to a walk-in imaging clinic for x-rays.
This is where we were spoiled in Jacksonville—the x-ray clinic was literally three buildings down from the pediatric clinic. Today it was a 15-minute drive (of course in the complete opposite direction from home). It was approaching nap time, so I had to decide whether to wait and do it another day or just bite the bullet and finish it in one day. I decided to finish since Katie was being really good. So we had another 15-minute wait after the drive and then Katie was a ROCK STAR getting her x-rays—just like before. The tech had me stand next to her and hold her still but there really was no need—Katie didn’t move a muscle for either x-ray. (I tried to get a picture of her laying there nice but of course she started playing with her feet.)
It was over in about three minutes and she got two Elmo stickers and was happy. And then stayed awake for most of the ride home but fell asleep about three minutes from home. THREE AND A HALF HOURS AFTER WE LEFT. Egads.
So now we just have to wait to see what the x-rays show and then likely get a referral for a specialist depending on what they see.
Introducing our community pool!
We finally went to check out the pool today—and wow is it ever nice! It’s about a 10-minute walk (twice as long as at the last house), but it’s definitely worth it compared to the last pool. They have nice attached bathrooms and showers (which you have to walk through to get to the pool area), two lifeguards at the main pool, a kiddie pool, tons of lounge chairs and tables (some even with umbrellas) and a basket of pool noodles! Most of the pool is 3’6″ deep with the very center section being deeper (not labeled but I’m guessing about 5′).
We started in the kiddie pool where Owen tested out his new goggles and snorkel (he did really well!) and Katie splashed around (she was a bit peeved that it was too deep to walk around on her hands like she likes to do). After about a half hour, we moved to the big pool where Owen slowly but surely (but actually quite quickly for him) got comfortable in the deeper water—he clung to the edge for awhile but then was out and about away from the edge playing. There were some older kids (guessing 12-14ish) there that had brought water guns and Owen was having a blast just watching them…so imagine how excited he was when the kids started spraying him! The moms were in the pool, too, and warned their kids not to get him but I piped up and said “Oh no, he’s loving it!” Then they let him use a gun and he was in heaven! Katie loved being in the deeper water, too, because she likes being carried. She also liked “jumping” off the steps—which really means leaning forward and falling into my arms. 🙂 Owen was doing so well on his own that I actually left him in the pool by himself for about 10 minutes while I went back to the kiddie pool with Katie (I could still see him, of course).
I am sure we’ll be back quite a bit in the next month before it closes September 1.
Sleeping hard
Katie was taking a later nap and we needed to wake her up so we could go run errands. She was sleeping hard because she didn’t wake up when I walked in.
IKEA with the kids
Katie loved the stairs because the rise is kid-sized and there was a kid-level handrail.
Owen wanted to stay and play at the kiddie center so we just had Katie with us.
Playing peek!
Waiting for daddy to come back with Owen (kids can only stay in the center for 30 minutes).
Accidental utensil rainbow
It wasn’t until I shoved one of the blue spatulas in that I realized they were in rainbow order!
I also posted this to Facebook and our friend Claudia posted “Or you have gay spatulas.” It made Tom and I actually LAUGH OUT LOUD. 🙂
There’s nothing like ending an 11-hour road trip with a little vomit in a car seat.
We were about five minutes from home when we heard an unexpected and unidentifiable noise from the backseat, then Katie crying, then Owen telling us that Katie puked. Wait, what?
I unbuckled and turned around and HOLY CRAP did she ever barf. Ugh. So I was trying to clean her up as best as I could while Tom was trying to get us home (we had been planning on stopping to pick up dinner but then cancelled that so had to get back into traffic). We pulled in, stripped her down in the front yard, and I immediately took her upstairs for a bath. She didn’t seem any worse for the wear so we had no idea what caused it.
Then it was time to try cleaning the car seat. What a nightmare. I think I’d rather buy a new one than try to clean vomit out of one. Seriously. They do not come apart easily—and once you do get it apart, you still have to clean vomit out of all the plastic crevices…with a toothbrush and Q-tips. (I guess I’m lucky this is the first time it’s been this bad…?)
Not quite how I envisioned our return home…
Sleeping Beauty
It was a rough night… It started just fine with Katie and Owen on an air mattress together and both going to bed with no issues. This is when we went to bed at 10:30.
Then Katie starting whining/whimpering/crying about 1:30 and was keeping me and Owen up so I traded places with Owen to hopefully keep her quiet. Yeaaaah…it didn’t work as great as I’d hoped. She was wide awake staring at me or still whining or asking for her baby or something else. I think she (I) finally fell asleep about 2:30…and then this was her when it was time to get up.
And Owen was OUT, too.
A small 10 vs a big 5!
Nick is a small 10yo and Owen is a big 5yo. This is what it looks like when they stand next to each other. 😯 I had actually thought Owen was a bit closer in height than he turned out to be…but I’d hope Nick was taller since there’s five years age difference!
A relaxing end to a busy vacation.
We left Grayling a day early so we could visit and stay the night at my cousin’s house—and so the kids could play more. And we had fun… We pulled in and they said “Want to go on a boat ride?” Sure!
The kids sword fighting while we loaded the boat.
Ready to go!
On the boat!
The cabin where the kids spent most of the time playing and watching movies!
In the driver’s seat!
Proof we were actually in the water! Yes, I’m a geek. 🙂
When we finally got to the swimming area, Owen didn’t want to go in because he was scared. It didn’t matter that Tom was in the water, the other kids were in the water, and he could see that it was plenty shallow enough.
So Tom took Katie in first! And she loved it, of course!
Grilling. Off the side of a boat. Who knew that was a thing? Of course we had Timmy’s delicious brats!
Katie was having a blast in the cabin bed—she could see out the window which was right where we were sitting!
We finally convinced Owen to go out and he clung to Tom like a second skin. The guys were pulling the boat to a new location (trying to get in shallower water).
Friends of theirs came and moored with us and they had brought their dogs so Katie wanted to go over to see them.
Owen getting more comfortable in the water…
And when he saw they had a football water toy? It was GAME ON.
And suddenly he was having a blast!
He told Tom he was floating just like a balloon!
On the way home…
It was really fun and really relaxing…and the time really flies when you’re out on a boat—we left about 1:30 and were pulling back in about 6:30! Tom and I were exhausted after all that fresh air! The cousins introduced Owen to a new video game…and Katie had to sit there, too!
Then Owen was building with Nick’s Legos, and I heard one of the girls say that Owen builds such cool things! 🙂
Then it was time for Frozen! All the kids were enjoying it!
Our last night at Gramma and Grandpa’s house
After the group photo, he commandeered the tripod to use as a cannon…and then actually as a tripod and was pretending to take pictures.
Sitting by the fire!
Not a bad spur of the moment family picture!
Making s’mores!
Eating s’mores—or in Katie’s case, eating the chocolate bar off the graham cracker.
Napping Buddies
Kaliseum, Day 2
Since we had the time, Tom took the kids back to Kalkaska to the Kaliseum for another day of swimming with Uncle Rob and Grandma Marsha! (I stayed back and went to a Parade of Gardens and lunch with my mom!)
This is how she’d navigate the water when it was too deep for her.
Heading up for the waterslide! He hadn’t wanted to go on it the last time, but then was sad he didn’t do it…so he was excited to go back so he could try again.
Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, and he came back down within a minute (the time stamps on both photos are 1:06pm). Oh well.
Fire, Fireworks & Stones, Part 2
I got some of mom’s pictures of the day, but not until after I’d already posted…so I’m just putting her pictures in their own post!
Fire, Fireworks & Stones
Gramma Jean wanted to try out her new fire pit…so we all headed outside. The kids loved running around and of course Owen had to get out his new water gun. 🙂
Uncle Rob was nice enough to go in and fill up the water gun…but surprised Owen by shooting him! It’s blurry but I love Owen’s body!
She stayed pretty far from the fire once daddy yelled at her for getting too close. 🙂
Watering Gramma’s flowers.
Smoke bombs! They certainly didn’t last as long as I remembered them to…
Katie liked the pooping dog—except for the popping and crackling at the end.
In addition to Katie’s first fireworks (MUCH earlier than Owen’s first fireworks!), she also got her first sparkler. She was okay with it…but not thrilled.
And then we all went out to the front yard looking for Petoskey stones in the landscaping.
Pretend sleeping with daddy
