Summer Travels

Summer vacation is here! This past weekend we kicked off our summer travels with a weekend trip to Virginia. Boomer's cousin, Kaleb, and his new wife Samantha got married on Saturday just outside of Woodstock in Mount Jackson. It is the same drive that we make every Thanksgiving -- about 4 hours if driving straight there. We were able to do it in 5 hours, making one stop each way. It helped that we were able to hit the road early on Friday; Boomer has started his four-day work weeks, and I had a half-day, since it was the last day with students. We were on the road by 3PM and pulled into Woodstock around 8PM. Emmy was a great traveler! Daycare, as usual, must have worn her out, because she slept for about 2 hours of the trip. Then we stopped for dinner and made the final leg of the journey. After checking in at our hotel, we met family at the downtown Woodstock park for some live blue-grass music and ice cream. There was an awesome playground, and Emmy went up and down the slide over and over again. We were back at the hotel by around 9:15PM (a late night for Emmy!) so we quickly got her down for bed. Well, not before an unfortunate incident...but I'll get to that in a little bit... 

On Saturday, we had breakfast downstairs in the hotel, and then Boomer and I got in a run thanks to Granny Cathy! She watched Emmy while we ran from the hotel to the downtown Woodstock area, which has a lot of quaint shops, restaurants, and businesses. When we got back to the hotel, Emmy was playing in the pool with Granny, having lots of fun splashing in the water. We all changed into dry clothes, and then Boomer, Emmy, and I went back downtown to eat at the Woodstock Cafe and Shoppe. It is a cute deli with sandwiches and salads and with a wine shop in the back. We felt somewhat like locals after our morning run and lunch downtown. 

Kaleb and Samantha's wedding was that evening at a barn venue in Mount Jackson. The ceremony was outside, and although very warm, it was otherwise a beautiful day. It was great seeing all the aunts, uncles, and cousins that we typically only see once a year. They all commented on how big Emmy was getting. Boomer spent most of the ceremony chasing her around, as we expected. There was a seating area/rock pit that she found particularly fascinating. She loved scooping up handfuls of the tiny pebbles and throwing them up in the air like confetti. It was hard to drag her away! After dinner and the cake cutting, we were able to take a Kennedy family photo, and then we whisked Emmy back to the hotel. It seemed she was on the brink of melting down, so we didn't want to chance it. Boomer said that after the last two weekends of weddings, he is "weddinged-out" for awhile :)

On Sunday, we went to the farm to visit Boomer's grandparents before hitting the road back to NC. His grandparents came to the wedding, but they were not able to stay very long and left shortly after the ceremony. It was nice to spend some extra time with them on Sunday. His grandfather was cracking jokes and picking on the grandsons; Boomer's grandmother didn't say very much, but she smiled at Emmy several times, and I was able to capture a few photos. Emmy was the only grandchild there this weekend (Goosie & Darby and the kids weren't able to come), so I think Emmy enjoyed the extra attention. We are thankful for the time with family and realize how precious it is to make these memories. 

So back to Friday night...but first I should probably introduce the main character of this story: Bobby. Bobby is Emmy's little lamb that she has grown quite attached to in the last couple of months. Great Gma Nancy gave it to her in April at Zander's birthday party (much like she would always get presents for me when it was Megan's birthday, and vice versa). We keep Bobby in the toy box, but Emmy usually runs to get it when she comes home from daycare or when we come downstairs for breakfast. We started calling it "Lambie" but Emmy has always called it "Bobby", so Bobby it is. Bobby has a little rattle inside, and even the sound of one shake, Emmy will cry out "Bobbbyyyy". 

Bobby was one of the few toys that we brought with us to Virginia. In fact, it was the only toy. We brought a few books, but otherwise my packing was pretty minimalistic, knowing that I could make do with cups, bottles, or anything else that we had on-hand in the hotel. Wellll Friday night, just before bed, Emmy decided to baptize Bobby in the toilet. We were all three in the bathroom, and Boomer and I immediately said "Noooooooooo!" It must have scared Emmy, because she immediately clung to Boomer's leg and started crying. I rescued Bobby and started a soapy bath to get it clean. Poor Bobby was out of commission the rest of the weekend. Moral of the story: we will keep the toilet seat closed from now on!

Hello, Summer!

Memorial Day Weekend was the perfect kick-off to the summer season! It has been four years since I have had the summer off, and I forgot the anticipation and excitement that comes with this weekend. With the extra day off on Monday and only a handful of school days left, it was easy to slip into that summer state of mind. 

After work on Friday, we packed up for the weekend and hit the road. Before going to the lake, we first went to my nieces' dance recital in Thomasville. Adelynn and Kessley danced in several different numbers, and all of the dancers were just so cute. There was even a 2 and under class, which had me thinking about Emmy and what she might me interested in doing. Sports, dance, band, chorus, piano. I hope that there will be something that she comes to love during her childhood and teenage years. It's been fun to watch my nieces and nephews get involved with different things, and I want that for Emmy, too. After the dance recital, we got to the lake pretty late, so it was straight to bed. Emmy fell asleep during the car ride there but luckily made an easy transition to her pack-n-play. We spent most of Saturday and Sunday outside, either on the porch, the dock, or on the boat. Emmy had fun riding on the boat and splashing in the baby pool. On the first boat ride, she wasn't too happy being restrained in the life jacket, but as soon as the boat took off, she loved looking around and feeling the wind on her face. In my rush on Friday afternoon, I forgot to pack Emmy's bathing suit! I remembered the swimmy diapers, regular diapers, overnight diapers, the butt paste, extra outfits, pajamas, rice cereal, sippy cup...but no bathing suit. Luckily she was able to borrow one of her cousins' - It sure came in handy having so many Kennedy girls in one house! With Trivett and the four girls, there were five kiddos under the age of 7. They all got along really well! Emmy and Ellison had their own jabbering conversations; Trivett was such a big help with retrieving things and keeping all the girls entertained; some kids took naps, some didn't. It was certainly a full house, but we all had so much fun. I'm kicking myself now for not getting a family picture. Hopefully we will all be together again over July 4th for a picture!

 

On Wednesday evening, Forbush had their Graduation, marking the end of Boomer's second year as Principal. Like last year, the ceremony was held at Wait Chapel on the Wake Forest University campus, and I was so proud watching him give his charge to the graduates. The ceremony was at 5PM, and it took careful coordination and help from Grammy and Grandpa for us to make it there on time. I was thankful for the extra laps and extra hands to keep Emmy entertained. Even though the ceremony was a fairly brief 1.5 hours, it was still a little long for Emmy. She and I spent most of the time outside or in the chapel lobby. Texting back and forth with my Dad, we were able to make it back inside for Boomer's speech and then headed back outside again. Emmy made friends with Lyla, the daughter of a FHS teacher, and we two moms supervised as our squirmy toddlers climbed and explored. After the ceremony ended, we snapped a few photos and ended the evening with dinner at Olive Garden, which seems to be a tradition since that is where we went last year! It is hard to believe that another school year is coming to an end. Congratulations to the Forbush Class of 2018!

Seeing all the graduates in their red cap and gowns reminds me of my own graduation. This year marks 14 years since I graduated from high school! 

We celebrated another special graduation this past week - Zander's graduation from preschool! It is so hard to believe that he will start Kindergarten in August. He and his classmates did such a good job reciting bible verses, singing songs, and counting (to 100!). Similar to the Forbush graduation, it was a little difficult for Emmy to stay still through the ceremony. We tried all the tricks: reading, puffs, quiet toys, but we didn't even make it through the first 30 minutes. Emmy and I spent most of the ceremony outside or in the vestibule area, which luckily had clear glass so we could still watch. We are so proud of Zander! What a big boy!

A few more pictures from our weekend: Boomer and I went to a wedding Saturday evening for one of his Glenn YoungLife guys, and Emmy and Maddox were matching at church on Sunday. 

As we are on the cusp of summer, there are a lot of things on our bucket list. I am happy to say that we did a pretty good job of checking off our list last year: 

Like last summer, I hope there will be lots of walks around the neighborhood, dinners outside, and play dates with friends. We also have plans for more baseball and the beach. It's going to be a great summer! 

 

Mommy Spa Day

Our weeks have been passing by in a blur, but this past Saturday, I had the opportunity to slow down for a bit. My mom, my sister, and I spent the day at the Grandover Resort & Spa as a special Mother's Day gift to each other. This is the third year in a row that we have had a 'spa day.' It's a tradition that started with my first Mother's Day when I was pregnant with Emmy. That year, we went to the Rock Barn Spa in Conover, NC, and the past two years we have gone to Grandover in Greensboro. It isn't too far, but it gives the feeling of a getaway. We enjoyed all the services of the spa: the fitness center, sauna, pool, and showers. After our massages, we headed out to the pool, and after a whole week of cloudy and crummy weather, the sun broke through the clouds, and we had almost 3 hours of uninterrupted pool time. The time went by too quickly of course. It's not often that we spend time just the three of us, and it is so special when we get to. Of course the nice robes, peaceful pool, and fruity drinks are a plus, too!

After getting back from Greensboro, it was a quick turnaround before leaving the house again. The Forbush women's soccer team played in the 4th round of the 2A State Playoffs on Saturday evening, and Boomer, Emmy, and I went to cheer them on against Salisbury High School. The game was at 6PM. We knew it would go past Emmy's bedtime, but we decided to risk it since she had had a pretty good nap that afternoon. She was content in her stroller for most of the first half, but then she became antsy during the second half. I tried to let her get some energy out by playing in the grass behind the stadium, but she kept moving back to the stadium. She was only interested in climbing up and down [and up and down and up and down and upanddownandupanddown] the concrete steps. Towards the end of the game, we moved back to our seats. She was most happy when she was sitting with Daddy or when we were giving her a constant supply of Cheerios. 

On Sunday, Boomer spent a couple of hours working on his dissertation. He estimates that he is about halfway through in terms of total pages, with another good chunk from his doctoral proposal that he has not yet incorporated. Neither of us like that the writing means more time apart, but we know that the end is in sight. I am so proud of him for continuing to chug along! While he is writing, I try not to bother him, except to send encouraging texts and cute photos of his girls. 

This week has been much lighter in terms of Boomer's evening schedule. Sadly, on Saturday, the Lady Falcons lost 1-0, bringing the official end of spring sports. With no athletic events, we enjoyed an evening at home together last night, and we hope to have several more over the next few days. Unfortunately for Mommy it means actually cooking dinner! :D  I feel like I am finally finding a routine of working out, picking up Emmy, fitting in dinner, walking around the neighborhood, and then getting ready for bed. It's practically taken the entire school year, but alas, here we are! Yesterday, when I picked up Emmy from daycare, I captured her sitting all by herself in the little baby pool that they use for toys. Her teachers say that she is "very independent" and "can occupy herself", and this photo confirms that. It's what we often see at home too when she plays independently. She rarely needs an adult or another child to keep her entertained. I love seeing her become engrossed in stacking blocks or arranging different items. I just had to laugh though, our little loner hanging out solo in the baby pool! Soon after this picture, she raced to the door to meet me and then pointed out her hair bow and her sippy cup, all the things we gather before we leave. Just like Mommy, it seems Emmy too has adjusted to the routine. 

When once mornings and evenings were stressful and frantic, now I find myself enjoying the time and loving the routines we have developed. If there are any new moms out there reading this, hang in there! I hope you feel encouraged to know that a 'new normal' will come, and you will love it! Now, my last sight in the morning is Emmy following her Daddy out to the car. And the evenings, we even manage to fit in visits to the library, dinners out, and Little League games with Emmy's cousins. 

Following Daddy to the car - such a big girl! 

 

 

Fast Paced Weekend

We fit a lot into this past weekend! Right after work on Friday, I met my mom at the doctor's office for Emmy's 18-month appointment. The appointment had been scheduled for several months, but it came at a perfect time. Just a few days before the appointment, Emmy had symptoms of a cold, and then on Thursday, I got a call from daycare saying that she had a fever. Luckily, the fever came down with Tylenol, but I was especially glad to have a professional look her over. Instead of going to daycare on Friday, Emmy stayed home with Grammy before meeting me at the doctor's. Emmy got some special attention, and I loved getting pictures from them throughout the day.

It is always so hard to know when to go in to the doctor and when the body will fight off the sickness. Luckily, the doctor said her ears and chest all looked and sounded good; it was just a cold that would run its course. The snottiness and the cough are still lingering even now; I'm hoping they go away soon! The rest of the appointment went well. Emmy weighed around 21 pounds 10.5 oz (37th percentile) and she was 32.75 inches long (80th percentile). 

After Emmy's appointment, we met up with JR and Becki. JR and Boomer have been best buds since Wake, and Becki and I have bonded as the wives of these two goofballs. We have been able to get together with the Riddells usually once or twice a year, despite them living in Baltimore. They were on their way to a family vacation so it was a quick visit, but we are so glad that they stopped by for the night. Boomer ended up having play-off games at school, so after we all met for dinner, the guys headed back to school and the girls headed home. There was still time to fit in a walk around the neighborhood, and then we were off to bed. We all had an early morning on Saturday. 

On Saturday, Meg and I checked off our 2018 half-marathon. We have mostly kept the tradition of an annual half-marathon since 2010, with our most recent run back in October. That was the first time that I had finished under 2 hours, and it was so exciting! In some ways, the pressure was off for having a fast race, but we still wanted to have a good time. For our 2018 half, we choose the Carolina Brewfest in High Point. It is kinda our 'home course' since we have ran the half (and the full marathon!) there before. The route was a little different from what I remembered in the past, but there seemed to be the same amount of hills! Combined with the heat, it was tough. Luckily we had our cheerleaders there mid-race and at the finish line, and Meg and I both managed to get PRs! My final time was 1:56:09 (8:52/mi pace). We were both happy to check it off until next year! 

Pre-race selfie

Emmy wasn't so happy about being at the race!

After the race, we filled our bellies at Freddy's Burgers and Custard and then headed home to relax. Boomer had to go back to Forbush for more playoff games that evening, so Emmy and I enjoyed some mommy-daughter bonding while grocery shopping and going out to dinner. 

Sunday was Mother's Day, and we headed to Star to celebrate with Boomer's mom. It was a beautiful day for grilling hamburgers and laying out by the pool. Carlin came home, and Goosie and Darby and the kids came, too. With Emmy still a little under weather, she missed most of the fun while she was napping, but we did get her in the pool for a few minutes before we left. We headed back home to Kernersville and finished off the day with pizza at Blue Naples. Here is the only picture from my Mother's Day. Unfortunately it's not an after-church photo or one where we are dressed up, but it is real life, with pool hair, no make-up, and a baby that just wanted to eat in peace. Happy Mother's Day! :)