It's a Barn Party!

We had so much fun this past weekend celebrating Maddox turning 3 and Emmy turning 2! A couple of months ago, as both Megan and I were planning parties for our fall birthday babies, the idea came about of having a joint party. Between football games and fall travels, the weekends in late October and early November were filling up fast, and a joint party seemed like the perfect plan. The initial location was 4th of July Park in Kernersville, but with the cooler temps and rainy weather on Friday, we made the decision to move the party indoors to Megan's school. Thank goodness for her connections! The Sedge Garden gym and attached cafeteria were ideal for the kiddos to run around, while the adults could be close by to sit and supervise, with the added plus of everyone staying warm and dry. We had family and friends from near and far that celebrated with us. My grandparents from Florida are in town, and we have enjoyed spending time with them throughout the week. It was extra special for them to be there for the party. We also had loved ones from Morganton, Star, Winston-Salem, and Asheboro with us. Meg and I decided on a barnyard theme, with cowboy hats, bandannas, and farm animal glasses for all the kids. I had to be quick with the camera to capture Emmy posing with hers!

 

 

Emmy sure was spoiled with lots of great presents: a Minnie Mouse toilet seat from Granny and Paw Paw, cute clothes from Great Gma Nancy and Great Gpa Bobby, a bath baby doll from Great Grandma Harriet and Great Grandpa Bill, along with other gifts of books, a board puzzle, and coloring books. Her favorite toy of all was her pink polka-dot stroller from Aunt Megan and her boys. It was the first present that Emmy opened, so unfortunately it was hard to keep her interested in opening any of the others. Emmy loved pushing around her stroller for the rest of the party. It is the perfect size just for her and even has a little basket for carrying her other small toys. My little shadow loves doing all the things she sees Mommy do.    

Of course no party is complete without cake, and both Emmy and Maddox had their own. Coley made the cutest pig and haystack cakes that completed the barnyard theme. Emmy and Maddox had a little help from big brother/cousin Zander when it came time to blow out the candles - he was close by to make sure they did it right. Overall, the party was a success, and I think the two cousins enjoyed their barnyard hoedown! Perhaps it will be the first of many joint parties over the years. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us. Happy birthday, Em and M! 

 

 

Sitting on the Step

Well, folks, we have entered a new stage of parenthood: discipline. Specifically, time-out. Up until this point, we have mostly corrected behavior by raising our voices with a sharp "No, ma'am!" or "Emerson Leigh!" Usually our stern tone was enough to elicit tears and the immediate end of the behavior. However, it seems a raised voice will no longer do the trick. On the cusp of Emmy turning 2, the two-tendencies are starting to rear their ugly head, and we are moving toward the uncharted waters of time-outs and crying-it-out. For the first time this evening, I had to spend a few minutes with Emmy pinned to my lap on the bottom step of our stairs. This was shortly after Emmy quite intentionally continued to toss food off of the tray of her high chair. I first raised my voice; then I popped her hand - she didn't seem affected at all! With the next quick toss of her food, I got her out of her chair and did the only thing I could think of: went to sit on the bottom step. Emmy was upset at this point and thrashing about. I kept a very even tone as I told her why we were sitting on the step. We sat for just a few minutes, as Boomer cleaned up the mess and moved her plate to the sink. Dinner was over for her, but Boomer and I returned to eating, while she played around at our feet. I know Emmy probably doesn't quite understand 'time-out' yet, but until we are able to better reason with her, I anticipate more time spent on the step. I have a feeling that this whole parenting thing only gets harder as we try to teach our daughter right from wrong. 

While meals are probably the most unpredictable part of our daily routine, the rest of our days are pretty sweet! Emmy has such a fun personality that reveals itself more and more each day. With the cool temperatures this weekend, we have officially welcomed fall in North Carolina. What a strange month October has been! It started with unseasonably warm temperatures and then two back-to-back hurricanes, which brought a lot of rain and damaging winds in our area. Now it seems that fall has finally arrived. The mornings have been chilly, and the evenings are crisp. It is socks-to-bed, soup-for-dinner kind of weather. With the noticeable change in the seasons, we have enjoyed embracing all the fall activities. Yesterday, we had fun at the pumpkin patch picking out our pumpkin. Emmy also got to pick out two small pumpkins of her own. I may be biased, but she is definitely the cutest pumpkin in the patch! 

We of course love the memories we make on the weekends, but the weekdays are equally special. I try to pause to capture those quick moments Monday through Friday between 5PM and 8PM. In the evenings, Emmy loves bringing all of her toys over to the washer and dryer when we are doing laundry....

 ...and putting diapers on all of her babies...

 ...and going out to dinner with Mommy when Daddy has to work late...

...and reading to her baby and Bobbie...

...and swinging at the neighborhood park...

...and splashing around in the bath. 

I texted this last picture to my mom and sister, and they both responded with bath pictures of their own. Do you recognize these other bath bums? Happy Fall, ya'll!

Thank Goodness for Grandpa!

We have had quite the unusual week! As I wrote in my last post, the week started on Sunday with all the Kennedys in different cities. I headed to Raleigh for a work conference while Boomer made his way to Atlanta and Emmy stayed behind in Kernersville with my parents. My conference was for the NC Community College System, and it was a two-day event with various sessions and keynote speakers. I learned a lot, and the best part was spending time with the two other college liaisons, Melanie and Julie. Both nights we went out to dinner and talked for hours! Mostly we talked about our jobs, sharing tips and tricks of college advising, and telling silly work stories. We also talked about 'mom stuff'. The three of us are all in different stages of motherhood: Melanie, with two grown sons, married with careers of their own; Julie, with a daughter just out of college and a son in high school; and then me, with a toddler in daycare. I made a joke one night asking if either of them needed me to cut up their dinner! Needless to say, it was nice to enjoy two nights in a hotel and meals with adult conversation. One night, we also fit in a drive-by tour of NC State University and Meredith College. Both are in Raleigh, and it reminded me again how much I always love being on a college campus. I am looking forward to some upcoming student field trips we have planned back to NC State, as well as to Appalachian State and UNC Chapel Hill. 

While I was in Raleigh, Boomer, his dad, and his brother Kyle went to Atlanta for the Braves vs. Dodgers Playoff Game 3. It was a quick trip; they left Sunday morning, saw the game that evening, and were back in NC by Monday afternoon. Boomer had to take a day off work (shocking!) but I think it was well worth it so that he could have that experience with his dad and brother. His mom said that the three of them were smiling like little kids as they drove away on Sunday. The pictures were pretty cool, and most importantly, the Braves won! It was an exciting back-and-forth battle, and the Braves came out on top 6-5. Sadly, the Braves went into that game already down two games to the Dodgers, and after another Dodger win that Monday night, the Braves were done for the season. At least the Kennedy boys got to see a win, and Emmy loved the souvenir that Daddy brought home for her!

While Boomer and I were off on our adventures, Emmy spent some quality time with Grammy and Grandpa. She had a lot of fun going for a Sunday evening walk with Grandpa and Sox, and I know she loved staying home from daycare on Monday, going to the park with Grammy instead. I don't think she very much minded that Mommy and Daddy were away! 

At the end of the week, we had another heavy storm hit our area. While parts of our state are still recovering from Hurricane Florence, another hurricane hit Florida, bringing rain and heavy winds to the Carolinas. Unexpectedly, I got a call from the daycare on Thursday morning saying that they would be closing at noon. My mom was (and still is) out of town, having a girls trip to the mountains, so at first I prepared to leave school to pick up Emmy. Then, I thought, "Let's see if Grandpa is up to the challenge!" So I called my dad, and with only the slightest hesitation, he agreed to watch Emmy. I told him I knew he could do it! He has never really kept Emmy on his own, although he helps my mom when she is watching her. Luckily the timing was such that most of his 'shift' would be during nap time. He still had the dirty work of changing two diapers and setting up the pack-n-play. Boomer offered to be there right after naptime, so that my dad didn't have too much to do, but Grandpa surprised us all by suggesting he just keep her until dinnertime, when Boomer and I would be back in Kernersville after work. He even provided delivery service, bringing Emmy (and Bojangles!) to our house through the dangerous weather. This morning, there were still several trees down with roads closed and street lights out. But the sun was back out and it felt like a true fall, October day. It was probably a safe call that the daycare closed early yesterday. We are just so thankful for Grandpa! He helped in a big way, surprising us all by his babysitting skills. He truly earned his Grandpa Badge this week!

Just a few more pictures from the last few days: we celebrated Emily and Baby Sawyer with a shower last Saturday. Even though Sawyer's due date is not until November 10th, it seems he may be making an early arrival. I am glad that we could fit in one last shower for the mommy-to-be. 

And a few pictures of Emmy, being silly at the Taco Bell and putting a diaper on the hand sanitizer! 

Celebrating Daddy

The beginning of October means the Dixie Classic Fair and Boomer's birthday! Also, as I learned this year, October is also National Principals Month. It is only fitting to recognize my favorite principal. His dedication (and wardrobe!) shows how much pride he has in his school. I admire his hard work and long hours, his multi-tasking and attention to detail. He has such a heart for public education, and I am a proud principal's wife. Here's to many more years of prom dates and graduation speeches!

Continuing with the celebrations of Boomer, we celebrated his birthday with our annual trip to the Dixie Classic Fair. We once again went on Wednesday night, "canned food night." Tip: This is the most economical night to go to the fair, since the canned foods are cheaper than the usual price of admission. Also, you can bring in drinks and other snacks so that you aren't buying those things in addition to other food - which tends to be our biggest fair cost! We definitely like to splurge on our favorites: chicken pita, footlong corn dogs, and the Amish donuts. We coordinated with the Houstons and Williamses to eat dinner, and we managed to snag a table together for about 30 minutes, before our kiddos took us in separate directions. After eating dinner, Emmy was ready to explore. She walked on her own for quite a bit, but then as we were heading towards the livestock pavilions, she bolted back to her stroller. I think the cows and sheep were a little intimidating! She also wanted Daddy to hold her while we walked by the large 30-foot tall Smokey the Bear. She's continued to 'talk' about the bear the rest of the week. Emmy wasn't quite big enough for the rides, but she was entranced by all the movement and light. I have a feeling next year the fair will be a bit more expensive as we buy ride tickets in addition to our food! 

 Here's a look back at our other years at the Dixie Classic Fair!

On Boomer's actual birthday, Thursday the 4th, we had a family dinner at East Coast Wings. Yes, we had just eaten there on Sunday...but it is one of the birthday boy's favorite restaurants, so we were back there again just a few days later! Boomer arrived a couple of minutes before everyone else and was apparently enjoying a drink at the bar when his solitude was interrupted by his boisterous nephews! 

My mom brought along cupcakes to celebrate, and we all sang 'Happy Birthday!' Emmy loved sitting on Daddy's lap and getting several bites of cake and icing. 

The week concluded with a staff tailgate before the Forbush vs. Atkins football game. Emmy and I had fun eating and socializing with the Forbush staff. Emmy got to monkey around with her friends Levi and Lyla (under the close supervision of parents, of course). She also got to see Mrs. G's cocker spaniel Mr. Darcy and explore the football field. It was hard to drag her away! We scooted home just before the football game started, but it was nice to fit in some time with Boomer. As I am writing this, I just wrapped up the bath and bedtime routine - whew, the week is done :)

We are all heading in separate directions this weekend. On Sunday, I will be going to Raleigh for the North Carolina Community College System conference. Because my primary roles are advising and registering students for dual-enrollment courses, I am attending the conference in order to learn about changes and updates to this process. An added bonus of the conference: I get to catch up with Melanie and Julie, the two other college liaisons in Surry County. I like them both a lot, and I wish we could spend more time together. Since we are all based at the different high schools, we don't see each other very much, so it will be fun to learn together and have some girl time, too. We will be staying overnight Sunday night and Monday night, returning on Tuesday. I made sure Boomer had these dates on his calendar earlier in the school year so that Emmy was taken care of...but then baseball threw a wrench in things. Now Boomer will also be leaving on Sunday! He will be heading to Atlanta for the Braves vs. Dodgers Playoff Game 3. When the Braves were winning a lot during the summer, Boomer prepared me that he would go to a game if the Braves played in October...and well, here we are! Sadly I am not able to tag along, which is a bummer because it would mean we could check off the new Braves ballpark, SunTrust Park. We have been to the old one, Turner Field, several times. In fact, the last time we were at Turner Field, it was for the Braves vs. Dodgers playoff game in 2013, and that was the last playoff game played at the stadium. I am glad that Boomer will get some bonding time with his dad and his brother Kyle, but I am jealous that I can't be there, too. Hopefully the Braves will win again like they did for our game in 2013!

 

So long, September!

We wrapped up the last days of September with a fun weekend with friends. On Friday, we had a park dinner with the Williamses and Houstons. Since Forbush football was on a bye, even Boomer was able to join us! It is rare for us to spend a Friday night together this time of year. Then on Saturday, we had a double date with our friends Ashley and Jared. This is the fourth year in a row that we have had our end-of-summer winery outing, and it has now become an annual tradition. Over the last three years, we have gone to JoLo Winery (in Pilot Mountain), Herrera Vineyards (in Dobson), and Westbend Winery and Brewery (in Lewisville). This year, we went to Divine Llama Vineyards, not far from Boomer's school in East Bend. It was a nice Saturday afternoon, and the winery had a large deck with seating in the shade. The four of us enjoyed the time to unwind, the mamas talking about potty training and National Boards, and the guys talking about school and sports. Sadly we did not get pictures with the llamas which, as its namesake, wander the vineyard, adding a fun farm-feel for people to pet and pose with. After a few hours at the winery, we headed to an Italian restaurant called Kitchen Roselli, also in East Bend. The restaurant is in an old brick building that has been renovated to include about 20 tables. Luckily we had made a reservation, because it seemed to be a not-so-hidden gem, with most of the other tables full. The restaurant is known for authentic Italian dishes and salads served in mason jars. I would highly recommend the Chicken Bianco and then a cream puff for dessert. As you can see, you will not be disappointed by the portions!

The weekend ended at East Coast Wings on Sunday evening with some silly photos with Daddy. 

Our mornings during the week are still very early, and we have been keeping to our routine of getting out the door around 6:30AM. Emmy is usually pretty cooperative, but sometimes we will use music from one of our phones to help her wake up. Boomer and I both have started to memorize these silly little tunes about "the night is getting over", "it's gonna be morning soon", and "Daddy's coming home in his red, red car." Here are a few early morning photos from the week. One day Emmy was supporting Aunt Carlin's team in honor of the start of hockey season on October 1st. We hope to again go to a Charlotte Checkers' game; we had a lot of fun last year! 

Emmy's newest trick is circling her arms to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus", usually after seeing an actual bus or a large truck or semi. She must have picked this up at daycare, because one day she just started doing it! I am amazed at all she is learning. We sang the song a lot this week so that Emmy could practice her newest skill. 

I'll wrap up with a 'humble brag': I'm getting faster! Throughout the month of September, I was able to run consistently 3-4 times a week, mostly on a route around my school. I have developed a good routine of fitting in my exercise right after school before heading to Kernersville to get Emmy. While I used to drive to Kernersville first and then run around Emmy's daycare, I now quickly change after the last bell and hit the pavement right outside of my school. I usually end my run back at the parking lot around 4:15PM. I have variations of 3-, 4-, or 5-mile routes, depending on how much time I have, but mostly I have been knocking out the 5 miles at a pretty quick pace. I know I won't be running as much once it gets colder, but I am enjoying the nice mild weather for now. Yay for Mommy getting her exercise!